7 Things You Must Know About Costa Rica Before You Visit

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For first time travelers to Costa Rica, knowing some important things about this country is very important. This is to help you have a more pleasant experience. There’s a lot of information online but this might get you perplexed. That’s why this article is here to give you expert advice before you board the plane to Costa Rica. Below are 7 things you must know about Costa Rica before you visit.

Multitudes of attractions

Costa Rica isn’t as big as West Virginia it has a lot to offer. Therefore, to make the most of your trip, ensure to schedule ample time to visit as many places as possible. This will give you an opportunity to enjoy what this country has to offer. A one week trip can’t be enough to check out the various travel destinations. Some of the things to do here according to TripAdvisor.com include:


• Scuba diving
• Sport fishing
• Snorkeling
• Adventure tours
• Shore excursions
• Family-friendly shoes

You can use the US Dollar

All hotels and tour agencies quote in USD because most tourists are from the US. This made the US currency the standard currency for the tourism sector in Costa Rica. Therefore, don’t stress yourself with currency conversion. The US dollar is accepted in all tourist destinations but your change will be in the local Colones. Knowing the exchange rate between the dollar and local currency helps avoid losing out during exchanges.

No bad season to travel

The high travel season here is during the summer when the weather is dry although the rainy season is equally wonderful. This begins in May towards end of November although September and October are the wettest. Regardless of the rain, the best time of year to go to Costa Rica is during the offseason. This is because travelers are few making the cost of hotels and tours to significantly go down. Apart from traveling cheap, this season is the best to catch rare glimpses of whales and turtles.

Wi-Fi readily available

Hotels offer free Wi-Fi throughout the property. You can also find this in other public places like restaurants but you have to request a password from management. Alternatively, you can invest in a prepaid SIM to make you covered in case you want to communicate with people back home through calls or email.

Most people speak English

This country thrives on tourism and most people speak English especially those in the tourism industry. There’s no need to worry about the language barrier. Ability to communicate well with the local people makes getting around easier and hassle-free. However, learning some basic Spanish is a good idea. Consider moving with a cheat sheet to help you learn some everyday words and phrases. For the tech-savvy traveler, Google translate is your friend when you have to talk to a non-English speaking person.

Locals are friendly

Another wonderful idea to understand Costa Rica before making a trip is to understand that the locals are very friendly. These don’t hesitate to stop and talk to travelers. These very gregarious people are very curious and love meeting people from all walks of life. Additionally, Costa Ricans love babies and will stop to cuddle your baby on the street.

One of the safest travel destinations

Lastly, you don’t need any doubts about your safety in Costa Rica. This country is among the 23 in the world without a military force. The country only has the police force, GAO, and OII. This makes Costa Rica a very safe travel destination in Latin America for all travelers including those with families.

Overall

For travel enthusiasts, Costa Rica should be on your to-do list this year. Keeping the above in mind will eliminate any doubts you might have about this beautiful travel destination.

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