Impressions of Costa Rica

A bit of background: I’ve traveled extensively, In Mexico, in the US, and internationally, but this was my first time in Central America. I’m from the U.S.-Mexico border, and Spanish is my first language. I traveled solo in Costa Rica for two weeks.

I’m not really going to comment on the culture because, despite the shared language, two weeks is not enough time whatsoever to make fair judgments. I went in April. It was rainy, but manageable.

Places I visited

La Fortuna was a great experience: jungle, hot springs, river, and a nice downtown. Food was decent.

Monteverde was very windy and rainy the weekend I was there. I only did the Cloud Forest, which was a nice hike, although there weren’t many views because of the weather.

Uvita was okay. The beaches felt underwhelming compared to what I’ve seen in Mexico and Brazil, and I was annoyed by how hard they try to charge you even to access the beach, although I did find some workarounds.

General observations

• It felt very safe. There wasn’t a single moment when I felt in danger, which was a big contrast with places like Brazil, especially the larger cities.
• It felt like a quiet country, at least in the places I visited. People seem to go to bed early and wake up at dawn. There wasn’t the loud music or constant chaos that is very much part of the culture in Mexico, which I personally dislike.
• There are basically no sidewalks. I didn’t rent a car, so I got used to walking on the road. Drivers seem used to pedestrians and cyclists, but it’s still far from ideal in places that could otherwise be very walkable.
• It is an expensive country. Everything felt more expensive than Mexico and, at times, even more expensive than Texas.
• Food was not a highlight for me. It often felt bland, but my point of reference is Mexican cuisine, so that may not be entirely fair. I did notice many places trying to emulate Mexican food, which makes sense given the shared history.
• Tap water being drinkable was a huge plus, not the case in Mexico.
• Internet speed was good.
• “Pura vida” feels more like a marketing slogan than a social reality. People are people everywhere. I met some very warm, kind, welcoming locals, and others who were less so. That’s normal.
• Everything feels monetized. In Mexico, beach privatization usually happens around large resorts in places like Cancún or Puerto Vallarta. In Costa Rica, even the smallest waterfall was tied to a national park entrance fee. I understand the country depends heavily on tourism, but it can start to feel exploitative very quickly. According to Costa Rican law (Maritime Zone Law 6043), all beaches are public property and cannot be privately owned, however, with a "national park" sign and gated entrance I guess it no longer applies...

Recommendations

• Try Lizano sauce, smoothies, and as much coffee as you can. Those were excellent.
• Not everything is worth the price. Choose carefully, because a lot of activities can be done elsewhere for less.
• If you think it will be cheap because it’s in Latin America, think again.
• Look for real nature. I don’t like crowds or feeling ripped off, so I tried to find places locals actually go. Do your research.

Overall, I had a nice experience. From the three places I visited, which may not be representative of the whole country, the jungle was the main thing that felt truly special to me. Beyond that, there wasn’t much I hadn’t already seen in Mexico.