Costa Rica || Paus

Not as cheap as their neighbors  

I hate to disappoint, but Costa Rica is not cheap. In fact, it’s the most expensive country in Central America. Budget at least $50 / day for a budget travel experience, and anywhere between $100-200 for a nice hotel.

Dry Season Isn’t Necessarily the Best Time to Visit  

Costa Rica has two well defined seasons: dry season (December to April) and rainy season, also known as green season (May to November). But don’t be fooled by the generic weather forecasts, the weather here really depends on what part of Costa Rica you are visiting. In the Central Valley surrounding San Jose, Monteverde, Arenal and other mountainous regions the weather is always much cooler and rainier. 

High season / low season.

December and January are the most popular months for tourism. The surroundings are still lush after the rainy season and the weather along the coast is fantastic, 25-30°C during the day and 20-25°C at night. But this is also the busiest time in Costa Rica and the most expensive time to visit the country. All hotels and even some tours will add a “high season” premium to their prices.

Only one week in Costa Rica in not enough  

Costa Rica may look small, but it’s full of amazing places and activities. There are hundreds of beaches to explore, two dozen national parks, half a dozen of volcanoes and an large number of activities to take part in. So stay longer than only one week.

Vaccination

Every destination need a little preparation before you’re ready to go. Some vaccines that are recommended or required for Costa Rica is: hepatitis A, hepatitis B, typhoid, rabies, measles, yellow fever, mumps and rubella (MMR).

USD or Colones?

Hotels and tour companies in general prefer US dollars. And companies are used to dealing with dollars which have become the standard currency in tourism. You can use dollars in pretty much every touristic destination and they will give you your change back in colones. Just make sure you check that the exchange rate is correct. But personally I think it's simpler to use their own currency;
colón (CRC)

It gets cold!  

Costa Rica experiences typical tropical weather but it has many micro-climates, so it does get a little bit quite cold in some areas due to the elevation and the ecosystems. Even though it’s a tropical country, it gets chilly when you’re up 3,000 meters in the clouds!  Some of the colder areas are Monteverde, Poas and San Gerardo and La Fortuna.

Prostitution is legal 

Don’t be shocked if you see hookers during your trip, prostitution is 100% legal in Costa Rica. Most common in San Jose, Jacó, Playa Tamarindo.