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Costa Rica is a very diverse country and has a lot to offer. What do you need to know when you go to Costa Rica, what do you need to bring, and how do you travel around? The topics on this page will offer guidance and help you plan your trip.
Check out kiwi.com, when searching for flight tickets. It allows you to easily compare different airlines, set multiple airports, set price alerts, and has a convenient 'pricing table' which shows prices for dates before and after your selection. Check out more details about using kiwi.com on the Travelling to Costa Rica page.
Planning Your Trip
Planning Your Trip
Planning your trip is fun but might be overwhelming with so many interesting places to visit and things you have to arrange and think about. There are various options to consider like renting a car or use public transport or shuttle services. Routes between destinations are also not always as straight forward and a specific order of the places you want to visit is best to get the most out of your trip. Although the planning of your trip might seem overwhelming at first, note that Costa Rica is a very friendly country to travel on your own.
Driving in Costa Rica
Driving in Costa Rica
Traveling by car can be an exciting and rewarding experience, offering the freedom to explore the at your own pace. Costa Rica is an ideal country to drive around by yourself. The main roads are in good condition and will get you to most touristic areas without issues. However, planning ahead and being prepared is important because driving in Costa Rica can be challenging at times, with secondary gravel roads, windy mountain roads, and unpredictable weather conditions.
Public Transport
Public Transport
Public Bus
Public Bus
The primary public transportation in Costa Rica is by bus or taxi. Traveling by bus is an affordable way to explore the country. Faster but more expensive are tourist shuttle services, which are also widely available in Costa Rica. The most expensive form of public transport are domestic flights.
Taxi's
Taxi's
Official taxis are red with a yellow triangle on the door. The yellow triangle contains the license number and the region the taxi is allowed to do business in. Red taxi’s usually have a meter running. Avoid using so-called pirate taxi’s as they are unlicensed and therefore not allowed to operate as a taxi. If you do (have) to use a pirate taxi, negotiate a price beforehand. Since they are unofficial, they can charge you whatever they want. Official orange taxis run the airports. These can be booked and paid for inside the airport. You pay a fixed price to get to your destination. Uber, although prohibited in Costa Rica, is available mainly in the urban area's.
Tourist Shuttles
Tourist Shuttles
In addition to public transport, there are also options for tourist transport. These shuttle services are often operated with smaller vans between tourist destinations and often need to be booked in advance. This option is of course more expensive than public transport, but you will travel more comfortably, and you will often reach your destination faster. In addition to this kind of shared tourist shuttles, private shuttles and private drivers are also an option. If you are not with a large group, the price per person can be quite high.
Domestic Flights
Domestic Flights
Domestic flights are another convenient way to travel between different parts of the country, especially if you don't want to deal with the challenges of driving. The planes used for domestic flights in Costa Rica are typically small, with seating for 10–20 passengers, but are considered safe and comfortable. Domestic flights are operated by Sansa, to many popular tourist destinations.
Renting a car is a great way to explore Costa Rica. When you plan on driving yourself in Costa Rica, renting a car, besides your flight tickets, is probably the most important aspect to have arranged before arrival. Discover Cars is a convenient search engine to easily compare and book car rentals. Check out more details about using Discover Cars on the Renting a Car page.
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