Traveling to costa rica for first time...
Single woman traveling to Costa rica....possibly looking to move there. Anyone have any advice??? Places to stay??
Reply to this Yes, travel to the West coast, Pacific side. The best spots are around Jaco (Central Pacific coast), Tamarindo (on the North West coast) and Nosara (a little bit south of Tamarindo). Jaco is a fun town to go to. It has the night life with bars and places to go, but it also has beautiful black sand beaches around Playa Hermosa just south of the city. If you go to Jaco, turn left right before you get to the city (to head south) and look for a place called Villa Hermosa which is situated behind a fenced-in soccer field. This is the cheapest and best place to stay. It's right on the beach and situated dead in front of one of the most consistent surf breaks in Costa. Plus, if Juan Carlo is still working at the outside bar/restaurant, you'll be able to enjoy some of the best meals while you're there.
Up North, Tamarindo is also nice. It is becoming more Americanized, so you'll meet plenty of foreigners and there are outdoor shops where you can buy Western and Costa Rican products. Just north of Tamarindo is Playa Grande (one of the best surf breaks in the world) and if you head up there, you should stay at Playa Grande Inn (PGI). The owner is a really nice, pro surfer. But there's a little less night life there.
The last place you should check out is Nosara which is a bit South of Tamarindo. This place is the diamond in the rough. It has the most amazingly stunning rolling waves that make every sunset picture perfect. The town is a little more quiet, but if you end up there, go to the bar at the Harbor Reef Inn and just kick it. There will likely be other foreigners and you'll probably meet someone interesting.
That's the best I have. Good luck in your travels.
Reply to this When you arrive in San Jose, stay at Hostel Pangaea - great place to acclimatise in, particularly if you haven't done much backpacking before. Staff speak good english, are friendly, will give you tips on where to go, and the hostel has a great atmosphere, as well as really nice facilities.
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