This Costa Rica travel guide is based on the itinerary the GoGalavanting editors took during the recent shoot of our pilot Galavanting.tv Costa Rica episode. We’ll show you some great places to visit, what to bring, and what to expect.

Our Itinerary

Day 1: Arrive San Jose, Costa Rica (SJO) at 1:10pm. Meet rental car agent from Rent a 4x4 in Costa Rica at arrivals after clearing immigration. Drive to Angel Valley Farm B&B just outside San Ramon.

Day 2: Tour of Eugenia Sanchez’ Organico Los Nacientes coffee farm nearby
(tel. 506.2.453.4655). Drive to Bijagua, then 4-wheel it to La Carolina Lodge for two nights (the lodge rate includes all three daily meals, horseback riding and a nature tour guide).

Day 3: Take a morning nature walk on the lodge’s property, then go to nearby Tenorio National Park to hike to the Rio Celeste waterfall. Horseback riding and wood-fired hot tub back at La Carolina.

Day 4: Drive to San Rafael area to the Maleku Indigenous Village (bring pencils for the school kids!). Continue driving up to La Fortuna and meet up with Nico Pisani from CostaRicaTravelChannel.com for the lowdown on this area. After dinner, relax in the gorgeous Titokú hot springs with a vocano view (this is a brand new, gorgeous place with few tourists, unlike many of the overcrowded nearby hot springs.) Drive up toward the Arenal Volcano around 9pm and check out the lava flow.

Day 5: Get up early for Pure Trek’s waterfall rappelling tour. Have some lunch, then drive toward Playa Grande via the scenic (and fastest) route around Lake Arenal. Arrive early evening at The RipJack Inn and take a walk along Playa Grande (mention Galavanting and get a 20% discount!).

Day 6: Get up early for a 6am surf lesson at Witch’s Rock Surf Camp in Tamarindo. Breakfast (and lunch) at Eat @ Joe’s…mmm sushi. Chill and relax with some afternoon yoga.

Day 7: Make an early drive back toward San Jose. Take a walk around the downtown area and see the Pre-Columbian Gold Museum. Stay at the charming, historic (and affordable!) Hotel Los Volcanos in nearby Alejuala, close to the airport.

Day 8: Depart from San Jose (SJO) at 7:55am. Don’t forget $26 for an exit visa, and arrive very early as the airline lines are loooong due to all flights leaving at a similar time. …And next time, we would depart from Liberia (LIR).

How Much it Costs to Visit Costa Rica

Costa Rica is generally a very inexpensive place to visit. At the right time of year (we went in August), you can get airline tickets for about $350-$400 U.S. dollars.

Hotels and lodges can range hugely in price. Depending on what your needs are — are you a mint on your pillow kinda gal, or can you deal with no a/c and rustic finishes? If it’s the latter, you can stay in cabinas and lodges for as low as $10-30 a night.

If you’re the type who needs four-star service and amenities, you’ll need to budget for anywhere between $80-$300 a night. Beach areas are generally the most expensive, especially the giant conglomerate-owned cookie cutter resorts (ick!). We chose mid-range lodging, which is abundant and for that happy medium, expect to pay anywhere between $40-$80 per night.

Do be careful to clarify whether listed prices for hotels are per night, or per person, as this can vary by region. Also check to see if they include breakfast, which can help save on your food budget.

Food is also very affordable and you can easily walk out of a delicious dinner for about $6 bucks.

And yes, we’re referencing U.S. dollars because that is the pricing standard used throughout the country. In most cities, vendors, restaurants and hotels will readily accept dollars for payment and provide you with change in colones, the local currency.

We ordered a couple hundred dollars worth of commission-free currency before leaving the U.S., so we wouldn’t get gouged at the airport exchange booths, or have to wander in search of an ATM right off the bat upon arriving.

The best place to buy souvenirs is in downtown San Jose, but if you’re not visiting the capital city, be sure to shop around. We found that in La Fortuna, items cost twice as much at some shops as they did at others right across the street. They’re still inexpensive…but there’s no need to get ripped off. Coffee is an inexpensive and delicious gift for friends and family back home. But if you’re really scrimping, or want to supplement souvenirs with a fun idea, there’s always silly photos.

There isn’t really a good option as far as train travel and tourists often use shuttles or taxis to get around. There are also two domestic airlines — Sansa and Nature Air — that provide quick and fairly inexpensive flights between major cities.

We paid $35 per day for our rental 4x4, including insurance, which is pretty inexpensive when split by three travelers. We drove all over the Pacific Northwest coast and paid about $200 for gas. Again, split between a few people, this is pretty affordable and is less expensive than each of us using multiple taxis and shuttles or domestic flights. Do be prepared for a hefty rental deposit ($1000-1500) unless you go with the company we used which gives an option of a $15/day no-risk option, in lieu of a deposit.

Don’t forget the $26 per person exit visa fee when you depart the country.

Driving in Costa Rica

Through the course of our trip-prep research, we found lot of online commenters and guidebooks who said driving in Costa Rica was a nightmare. Luckily, we thought they were wusses and didn’t believe them. That turned out to be an awesome decision.

We didn’t travel to the Caribbean side, and hear that it has many pot-hole-filled roads. But where we went, the Pacific Northwest, about 90% of the paved roads were similar to what you’d expect in a rural area of North America. We rented a 4x4 for the off-roading and Arenal volcano area, which also proved to be a great choice.

You’ll have to be on the defensive because Costa Rican drivers can be pretty aggressive. Well, ahem, that’s unless you are the type of driver who fits right in…

Costa Rican Cuisine

We had a range of food experiences while in Costa Rica. Fresh fruit abounds and a typical casado, or buffet-style meal is the local lunch favorite. The major staples are a few different choices of meat dishes with potatoes, rice, a coleslaw type salad and black beans.

Our food editor, Heather, has written an essay all on the foods we experienced throughout the country, so if you’re a foodie, it’s a must-read…

Safety & Crime

Costa Rica doesn’t have an army and it’s historically been the most peaceful country in Central America. The kidnappings and other guerilla para-military activity reported in neighboring countries isn’t something that goes on in Costa Rica.

Petty crime however is a genuine concern for travelers to Costa Rica. Tourism is a huge industry and visitors are out and about all year-round. So are the thieves.

Most hotels and restaurants arrange for guards to stay in their parking lots to ensure the safety of rented vehicles and if it doesn’t, you should park within view of your rental car. We rented from a smaller agency that gives “local-looking” cars so we’d appear as less of a target. We were warned of a scam where guys will slash your tire while its parked, then follow you and once you pull over, act as though they want to help you…then rob you blind. So take a look at the tires before you take off, and learn how to change a tire by yourself if you don’t know how already (this is good advice anyway though).

Keep your purse or backpack on your person at all times and put your wallet, passport and any other valuables in an inner-pocket so it can’t be slipped out of your bag while in a crowd. Valuables should always be kept in a hotel safe and never left in the car while it’s parked.

What to Pack

Bring clothes that you don’t mind getting dirty, and pack layers. Weather can and does vary greatly between regions, so unless you’re staying in one spot the whole time, be sure to have a light waterproof jacket available and long pants (especially in the Monteverde area).

Handwashing clothes is usually a good idea, but make sure they are able to quick-dry; the humidity there can make it days before clothing will be dry again. But if you’d like to pack light and tackle handwashing, here’s some good advice on drying your wash.

Costa Rica is 110 voltage (same as the U.S.) and even uses the same plug as in North America, so no need to pack converters.

An important thing to include in your well-packed luggage is insect repellant with deet.

Also handy, especially in rural areas, is an LED penlight (for use as a flashlight). This is a slim and easily packed item that can really help a girl out.

Tampons, toiletries, and even good wine can be found at well-stocked grocery stores called Mega-Super. They’re located in most major towns and along the CR1, Costa Rica’s major thoroughfare.

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