Costa Rica Vacations Blog

Little Costa Rica has been a favorite vacation spot for  visitors from The Continent and North America for many years.  Though it is one of the smaller countries on earth, about the size of West Virginia, its many attractions are world-famous: nearly 1,600 kilometers of uncrowded coastlines on two oceans; parks and reserves covering more than a quarter of its land area; and a marvelous diversity of plants and animals. 

Visitors find volcanoes; terrific  fishing; pristine beaches; some of the finest surfing anywhere; whitewater or family rafting adventures; ziplining high in the tropical forests; and, of course, adult nightlife.  What happens here stays here (unless you want to brag about your adventures on Facebook).

There is a Costa Rica vacation for everybody’s budget.  For the rich and famous, or those who want to vacation like they are celebrities, there are places like the Real Intercontinental Hotel, Papagayo Four Seasons Resort and Los Suenos Resorts.  But, if these are a bit too much money or fancier than what you like, you can travel this Latin American country quite nicely on a more reserved budget. 

Here are five little known tips to vacation big with budget travel.

1.  Save 20 to 30 Percent or more on hotels and resorts: Observe travel seasons  

a.  Avoid Peak Season.   {Easter Week and mid-December through early January budget traveler visits September through mid-November when (if you ask) there are often discounts of 20-35 Percent or more available.  Imagine a seven day holiday where you only pay for five nights!

b.  High Season coincides with winter in the Northern Hemisphere.  The majority of foreign tourists  plan their vacations from January through April because of the sunny tropical weather, a fact not lost on hotels and resorts. Like Florida, Arizona, and the Texas coast, Snowbirds get plucked a bit more than during off-season.  Fortunately, if you vacation this Central American country during High Season you will return home with a few less plucked feathers than had you taken your holiday in the States or Europe. 

c.  The best deals are found during the Green (Low) Season.    The very best travel (airline prices) and accommodation bargains are found during this time.  Most  travelers  mistakenly think that it rains every day during the Green Season though, indeed, most days are sunny and warm.  Normally, it rains for an hour or so in the afternoon or early evening. For the greatest budget travel deals, this is the time of year to visit Costa Rica.  American and European students and families are around for their summer vacation until mid-August but prices are good and accommodations available in most places.The experienced budget traveler visits September through mid-November when (if you ask) there are often discounts of 20-35 Percent or more available.  Imagine a seven day vacation where you only pay for five nights!

2. Save $25 a day when renting a car by planning ahead

Here is a tip that  takes five minutes but can save you a lot of money while traveling.  

More and more tourists rent a car on the Web before they fly and are surprised to learn when they arrive that the rental agency plans to charge an additional fee of $25 or more per day for liability insurance!  The experienced traveler knows how save that money by observing some easy rules.  

Rule No. 1: If your automobile  policy at home includes liability coverage, that insurance will cover your rental car.  Recommendation: take a copy of the policy along with the fax and email of your insurance agent.  

Rule No.  2: Many credit cards offer a little advertised benefit:  liability insurance coverage for rentals when the card is used.  Contact your credit card company before you travel for best results.  

Rule No. 3: Be polite but informed.  And, if you do not have the insurance info when you get the car, ask for the rental company’s fax and contact your agent.  Over the course of a week or two, you can save a bundle of cash simply by taking a few minutes to get your insurance documents and contact information together. 

3.  Save another 5 Percent or more:  Remember that Cash Is King

Sounds hackneyed but it is as true today as 100 years ago:  Cash is King.   Many Ticos  prefer being paid in dollars over credit cards and when asked if they give a discount for cash will offer 5 percent or more.  Ask “Que (pronounced “K”) es discuento por effectivo?” which means “What is the discount for cash?”  Be sure the bills are new and not defaced with even a tiny tear.  And, bring $20 and $50 bills.  Many restaurants, stores, and hostels cannot  accept a $100 bill. 

4.  Save 10 Percent while dining: Do not pay two tips in a restaurant

Do you speak Spanish?  No?  That could cost you ten percent in lots of bars, bistros, cafes, and restaurants.  Here is why.  Many cafes and pubs, particularly those popular with foreign vacationers, automatically include a 10 Percent tip  (called “servicio”) on a bill.  They are required by law  to note that  on the menu but few bars or restaurants do so and are rewarded by unknowing  foreigners  who unwittingly leave a second gratuity because they do not know how to read the bill.  So, here is the scoop.  Look for either the word “servicio” or some unexplained charge of ten percent (most likely, a disguised “servicio”).  Would not that money be better spent on ice cream for the family?   

5.  Save 50 Percent by staying in a hostel

There are hostels throughout Costa Rica.  Most mature travelers think of a hostel as a place where there are several beds in a common dorm.  The fact is, however, that increasingly hostels across the country offer private rooms with their own baths, but at a fraction of the cost of a hotel room.  Low Season rates can be in the range of $12 per person.   Before you roll your eyes check a couple of Costa Rica hostels out.  You might be surprised.  And you will save lots of money.

If you need to get away from Old Man Winter, a Costa Rica fishing
trip may be just what will recharge your batteries! There are many Costa Rica vacation packages available on-line for sportfishing. With dozens of fishing world fishing records to its credit, Costa Rica is said to have the best ocean fishing in the world.

Fun Costa Rica Fishing

Sure, you can dip a line in a a little frozen lake or stream by your house. Those little crappies and sunnies were fun when you were a kid. Bundling up like Santa Claus and sitting all day over cold ice, your butt numb from either the temperature or sitting in a little ice shack all day.

You are a big kid now. Is it not time to have major league fishing? Trade in shoveling snow ’til your back aches, a runny nose and depressing weather for shorts and a funny looking tropical shirt. Put away your Chapstick, get out your suntan lotion, hop a jet where you can be relaxing in sun kissed waters wondering what the other half is doing.

Never been to sunny Costa Rica? No idea where the best Costa Rica fishing is? No worries. Here is the straight skinny.

Start with the basics. Just two and a half south of Miami lies Costa Rica. With about 780 miles of coastline on two great oceans, it is a salt water fishing mecca. So many places to fish, where to begin?

Here is an idea. Follow Columbus. More than 500 years ago, that famous explorer landed on the Caribbean coast in a place so incredible he named it—-Costa Rica—the Rich Coast. It was filled with fish, thick with sea turtles. Since it was good enough for Columbus, it is good enough for you, intrepid discoverer.

The Caribbean coast of Costa Rica is home to the world-famous Tortuguero National Park and Barra del Colorado fishing waters up to Nicaragua. The seas here can be very choppy but on a day where the waters are flat, this is a deep sea angler’s dream spot! Between May to November, the silver fighting tarpon is plentiful here, and they can grow up to two hundred. If you are very fortunate, you might hook a rare Atlantic sail. This is also a good area for really big. Jack Crevalle, guapote, giant grouper, and tripletail can also be fished here. And, do not forget to visit the world famous green sea turtle nesting beaches at Tortuguero.

To get to Tortuguero and Barra del Colorado, you will have to go by boat because there are no roads. This is wilderness country. Typically, people travel to Limon, a small Carribean community, charter airplane, car, or express bus, then head north on watercraft.

But—and this is a secret—some of the best tarpon fishing anywhere in the world now has a road right to it! Literally just a few kilometers from where Columbus made landfall is a place that some fishermen call the “mother lode” of tarpon and snook fishing. Check out Gandoca-Manzanillo Wildlife Reserve along the southern Caribbean coast of Costa Rica, nearly at the Panama border.

Mile-after-mile of deserted beaches, crystal clear waters, and when the tarpon are in, fabulous fishing. Fishing is good year-round here but the best months for tarpon typically are March, April, May and September through October. And, If you come between March and July, you wil also be able to see the sea turtles nesting.

Another terrific starting place for a Costa Rica fishing vacation is its North Pacific coast. This area is called the “Gold Coast” because of its amenities and is easily reached. There is a new international airport at Liberia, Costa Rica, just minutes from the North Pacific Coast and your adventure. You will find the fishing centers of Tamarindo and Flamingo with miles of great beaches and lots of Costa Rica attractions. If you are in search of sailfish, travel to this coast between May and August for the best fishing, but these fish are here all year, too. Between August to October, you might find large schools of different tuna species with some weighing up to 400 pounds and lots exceeding 60 pounds. Catch the shoreline-dwelling roosterfish here November to March not far from the Papagayo Resort. You also have a good chance of battling large marlin, wahoo, and brightly colored dorado fish.

Many people fishing in Costa Rica are looking for billfish and these beauties are very common along the Central Pacific coast. Drive to luxurious Los Suenos Marina or Quepos and charter into the offshore waters for sailfish and marlin. The best fishing is during high tourist season, December through April. The vibrant dorado fish is often found here May to October while trolling. Closer to shore, you can land snook, snapper, roosters, and wahoo. Tuna are offshore.

For many, Costa Rica fishing paradise is found on the southern Pacific coast down to Panama, off Puerto Jiminez, Golfo Dulce, and Drake Bay. When the water is warm, big marlin and sailfish are frequent visitors. Inshore, you will likely run into roosters, large snapper, wahoo, and amberjack. The Golfo Dulce is reported by charter operators to offer the finest inshore fishing in Costa Rica. This is mostly due to the fact that it contains many small coves and is very rocky, giving fish a great place to hide. Hook a barracuda, grouper, or delicious sea bass here as well as other inland species. Sometimes, you will have hundreds of porpoises around your boat as they follow the bait fish.

So, remember the rule: the best day of work is worse than the worst day of fishing. Take that Costa Rica vacation now.

We’ll keep the light on for you.

How about going to a vacation spot having some of the best and most Popular Beaches in Costa Rica? If you have always wanted to vacation in Costa Rica, check out Jaco. Located only two hours from San Jose, Jaco is along Costa Rica’s central Pacific coast at the Northern part of Puntarenas province.

Though there are plenty of things to do during the day, this is one of the country’s famous “party towns”, well known for the outstanding surf and nightlife in Costa Rica.

It wasn’t too many years ago that Jaco was a sleepy little Pacific beach community. Surfers discovered one great surfing beach after another nearby, a laid-back lifestyle, and cheap places to sleep. But, secrets are hard to keep and as word got out, more tourists started flocking to Jaco, looking for great relaxation, peace, and fun. Within the last half dozen years, Jaco has boomed. Where there was a single, quiet (except at night) little road through town, now there are towering high rises, nearby resorts, and lots and lots of restaurants and bars.

College kids have long traveled to Jaco because of its “party beach” and cheap accommodations. There is great surfing and lots of bars and discos. They are joined by people of every age and background who come here to enjoy the many things to do and see. Today, there are many restaurants, taverns, tourist traps, and nightclubs to choose from. Whatever your budget, from luxury to basic (think hostels without hot water) there’s a place for you—-not to mention a tourist souvenir shop.

Even though Jaco Beach (directly in front of Jaco) has been one of the most popular beaches for many, many years, nearby beaches (literally just a couple of miles/kilometers away), are much better. You’ll find far fewer people and some of the most ecologically pure water on the planet which have been awarded Blue Flag certifications for cleanliness. If you visit Jaco, I strongly recommend Hermosa Beach. It is only a couple of miles from Jaco. Though it is not recommended for swimming (due to its currents) it is pristine with some of the best surfing on the planet. Indeed, this past July it hosted professional surfers from more than 35 countries.

Costa Rica is one of the smallest countries in the world but it is world-famous for its many places to go and things to do.

On your Costa Rica Vacation at Jaco, youll be close to innumerable activities. Head over to one of the fabulous volcanoes. Go windsurfing at Lake Arenal. Learn to surf. Visit fabulous Corcovado National Park, described by National Geographic as the most biologically intense place on earth. Take your life in your hands and bungee jump into a deep gorge just outside Jaco. Zipline through tropical forests, whitewater raft, go sea kayaking. Or just lay back and enjoy the beach and romantic sunsets. And, if you exhaust all the other activities (probably pretty difficult), don’t forget that you can also experience great off shore fishing. The warm, tropical waters are alive with marlin, tuna, sailfish, porpoises, dozens of other varieties, and often whales. But, whatever your tastes, Jaco is definitely a wonderful place to take your vacation.

Easy to reach by air, Costa Rica remains to be discovered. Columbus was the first to find it and, indeed, gave it its name “Rich Coast.” It remains a spectacular haven with one-fifth of every species of plant and animal on the planet residing together in a tiny little country. So, don’t limit yourself to the beaches of Jaco. There’s lots more waiting.

Carl Andrew writes from Costa Rica. Visit Costa Rica’s National Parks.

Costa Rica vacations  are very popular for hundreds of thousands of vacationers from the United States, Canada, Europe, and other countries. Some love the great beaches. Others prefer the tropical mountains, volcanoes, great weather, outdoor activities, or adult nightlife (what happens here, stays here).

You don’t have to spend a arm and leg to travel Costa Rica. Here are some money-saving Costa Rica Budget Travel Tips.

1. Like boating? How about a nice cruise along the tropical waters off the central Pacific coast of Costa Rica? About an hour and half long, traveling between Puntarenas (on the Pacific coast) and the southern tip of the spectacular Nicoya Peninsula (where you will find fabulous beaches and surfing), take a ferry. There are several to choose from and they set sail about every hour or so. The cost? About $1.50. Less than the cost of a bottle of water, a soda or beer. Is this value or what?

2. Trains are always fun, too, even on a budget. The Tico Train will take you from San Jose to Puntarenas for about $16.00 each way. It’s a four hour trip through mountains and over rivers on tall bridges on an old train filled with happy Costa Rican families. And, in Costa Rica Pura Vida style, it ends at the beach! Call American Travel at telephone number 22-33-33-00 (no area code required if you are in Costa Rica) when you are ready to go. Bring your camera and bathing suit!

3. Get around with buses. With nearly 800 miles of wonderful beaches to be explored, you can surf, hike, lay back, swim (but be careful about rip tides at some places), and even fish in the ocean for free. You can get around Costa Rica really cheaply by greyhound-like buses. Take one from San Jose to the popular Pacific beach town of Jaco for about $5.00. Or, go almost anywhere else in the country for that matter. For the price of a Happy Meal, you can travel Costa Rica!

4. Stay in a Costa Rica Hostel. Finally, I have one more budget travel secret to share. There are very nice Costa Rica hostels throughout the country. Sure, most folks associate hostels with college kids crammed into a dorm but the truth is that many of the hostels in Costa Rica offer private rooms for just a little more per person than a dorm. You don’t need to spend $50-70+ per person to have a nice room. I recommend them because I’ve stayed in private, quiet rooms at hostels for way less than the cost of some hotels in Costa Rica.

Writer Victor Krumm posts from his home in Costa Rica. Go to his authoritative, lovely website about Costa Rica Vacations and be sure to look at the spectacular Seven Wonders