Road tripping around Costa Rica?

Question

Hi,

I'm planning on visiting Costa Rica in January, and I want to see as many places and do as many things as possible in about a week, so I guess I want to rent a vehicle and just road-trip around the country. I'm pretty adventurous, self reliant and able to handle myself in situations. I don't take foolish chances, and If I get a bad feeling about something, I'm extra careful. I do a lot of adventure motorcycling in the US and Canada, so I like to just go with the wind and see the "real life" in places I go and stay. I want to do some surfing and some partying. I'd like to also see some of the natural wonders of CR. I guess my question is because this is the first time I've been to central America, and I want to just go on my own with a friend and stay in different places every night. I do have some safety concerns though, and I was wondering if anyone else has done this before? Also any tips on where to get a good vehicle? I also want to get out of San Jose' when I land.

Thanks

Answer 1

You are smart to want to get out of San Jose.... BUT dont travel at night. If you get one of the late flights in (I usually end up landing at like midnight every time I go) then you should get a taxi to a close hotel, like the Hampton Inn or Best Western Irazu, and sleep, and leave early the next morning.

Both of those hotels have Alamo or another car rental company on site so you can rent a car the next morning.

The car rental places at the airport close at like 10pm.

So yeah, there are plenty of car rental places... just use google, do the research for your exact dates, and find the best price.

You probably need a 4x4 such as a RAV4... if nothing else, you need a roof rack for your boards.... you are not in the rainy season, so the roads should not be *that* bad. Beware of the driving though... it can be scary when you driving over a 1-lane wooden bridge that has runners just wide enough for your tires.... and if you go 6 inches to the left or right, you die. And a bus is coming at you in the other direction...

Although that is all a part of the adventure. You have to be VERY careful driving though. You will be driving on winding mountain roads with a 1000+ foot drop and no guardrail.... and crazy drivers all around you.

1 week is not a lot of time.... you dont want to spend a lot of time in the car.... so plan on a few places to stop and surf. It can easilly take 10 hours to travel just 250km. The travel on some of the dirt roads is very slow.... you can get stuck behind a line of traffic behind a slow truck for an hour.

Or, you can be like me, ride the breaks too much going downhill, and overheat and lose your breaks. Then you can either stop for an hour for them to cool down, or do like me, and just stay behind a slow truck the whole way down the mountain.... knowing if you get out of control you can just rear-end the truck to stop....

(seriously, dont forget low gears.... I'm from Florida, I didnt know mountain driving. :)

You have to be VERY careful partying. An American was murdered there while I was on my last trip... he was flashing his money in a club in Jaco, got jumped and stabbed to death. Do NOT carry a lot of cash, and be very careful at night, especially in tourist areas.

Leave San Jose and go towards the Pacific and decide if you want to go North or South.... and just make your way down (or up) the coast... and check out the breaks along the way... but dont spend your whole trip in the car.

Answer 2

Well, the roads in Costa Rica tend to by narrow and curvy, as its rather mountainous, and the drivers are not as cautious as I'd prefer. Most of the major roads are not in bad shape but they can get a bit rough in less populous areas.   My impression is that crime is not a major problem except in parts of San Jose and on the Caribbean coast; and overall its fairly low by regional standards; still, some basic caution is probably a good idea.  Anyway, you'll probably have a lot of fun.

Answer 3

If u wanna party go to Tamarindo beach, excellent for surfing AND for partying. It´s on the pacific coast and from there u can move to a lot of near by beaches.

Answer 4

I don't see you'll have any problems with your plan, but go to a book store and get a good book on CR. There are plenty of them and some list different places to stay. Keep your passport handy as there are numerous roadside check areas. Watch the traffic closely especially the mirror as we learned the locals don't pay much attention to traffic signs. We were told {quite accurately} that traffic signs are more a suggestion then a law. Of course you'll get ticketed if your a foreigner and drive as badly as they do. Be carefull and have fun.

Answer 5

costa rica is completly safe, you wont be harrasses at all, the airport would be a good place to rent a car. stay away from san jose, its a pit with nothing to do.