I traveled to Costa Rica with my mama in September 2021 & let me tell you, this country lives up to the hype.
In 10 days, we visited Liberia & Guanacaste area (staying in Coco Bay but driving up & down the coast) and Arenal/La Fortuna area. We pretty much split the days in each area half & half.
Quick Tips:
Don’t cross off visiting this country during the rainy season. I honestly can’t imagine a BETTER time to go. The rainy season doubles as their off season, which obviously means way less people. Prices are cheaper. AND THE RAIN NEVER RUINED OUR PLANS. We are definitely thankful for that! It would rain for a short amount of time (usually early mornings or evenings) and then it would subside & the sun would peak out again. The rain enhanced all the colors of Costa Rica – when you didn’t think the country could get more lush or vibrant, it would. I personally think more wildlife was out and about too, because of there being less people.
- Rent a car! I am always a little nervous about renting a car abroad, but never once when we were there did we second guess our decision. We rented with enterprise (got extra tire insurance lol), picked the car up immediately after our flight landed & headed to our bnb. During this trip, we did two “road trips” driving from Liberia to La Fortuna (around 3 hours) & this was an amazing way to see more of the country. You can do little pit stops wherever you’d like, eat at more local restaurants & not be on a time constraint. There were never an overwhelming amount of people on the roads – it honestly was really chill.
- Make sure to download GOOGLE MAPS! I can’t imagine this trip without doing this prior to arriving. Download all the areas of the country you will be in so you never have to rely on wifi to know where you are going.
Talk with the locals! This is not a country you want to walk into close minded. You can learn A LOT from those living here. It’s true – the way of life is VERY different and it’s admirable. It’s a different feel than any other country I’ve visited. The people radiated happiness – it was infectious. Everyone we encountered, whether it was short or long term, were so kind, gracious & helpful. I guess that’s what “Pura Vida” does to you.
- Book BNB’s with experiences. There are so many beautiful places to stay in this country. My advice: be picky. Read through all the reviews & try to find places where the reviews make comments about the host. Some of my favorite experiences on this trip were the unique airbnb’s we stayed in. Not only because of how they looked, but because of the people & experiences attached to them. If you’d like any information on where I stayed, make sure to comment & I’d love to help. Each accommodation was truly unique in it’s own way & one of my favorite parts about our whole trip.
There is of course a ton more I could write about, but since this quickly became a narrative I’ll stop here for now. As always, feel free to reach out with any Costa Rica questions you may have while planning your trip! This country is the perfect mix of relaxation & adventure!
