Everything You Could Want to Know About Costa Rica
Vibrant macaws. Fragrant orchids. Ambrosial monkeys – wait, did that monkey simply steal my food?? Republic of costa rica is a tropical, eco-friendly paradise, filled with colorful wildlife and lush wood canopies just waiting to be explored on ziplines and hanging bridges. Visiting Costa rica makes you want to go a "pura vida" tattoo and a lifetime supply of salsa lizano, and it'south a hard place to get out.
Which is why I've been back iv times! My first two trips to Costa Rica were with my family. I was 8, and Republic of costa rica was the most magical place I could imagine. I remember galloping on horseback along the beach, kayaking through rapids on a river, chewing sticks of fresh sugarcane, befriending a baby squirrel monkey, and plucking a sweetness starfruit from a tree. Our family trip was filled with wildlife and adventure, which cemented much of what would later become my preferred travel style. (Major props to my parents for picking such a bada** vacation spot.)
To this twenty-four hours, when I close my eyes at night and endeavour to autumn asleep, I imagine that I am in Costa Rica, listening to the patter of rain and swinging gently on a hammock. To help cement the illusion, I have filled my entire house with tropical plants, despite living in arid California.
Republic of costa rica has pulled me back a few more times since those first visits over ii decades ago. Jeremy and I spent a few weeks backpacking Costa Rica on our yr-long honeymoon, and we returned again this year to celebrate our v-year ceremony.
Through all of my trips, I've learned a few things about Republic of costa rica. Similar that you lot demand Really good problems repellant (I swear by this combined with this). Or that starfruit really is the best fruit always. Listen: not everything I've learned is helpful, OK?
From gallo pinto to hot ziplining scientists to monkeys flinging poop, hither are 35 things nobody tells yous about visiting Costa Rica!
Costa rica At-a-Glance 🐒
Here's a bite-sized snapshot of everything you need to know to plan your trip!
- When to Go: The platonic time is June & July, aka "green flavour," when prices are depression and the pelting takes a break.
- Where to Stay: Hostel Plinio most Manuel Antonio NP is an astonishing, budget-friendly hostel. Aguila de Osa Rainforest Lodge near Corcovado NP is an incredible, sustainble eco-lodge in the rainforest overlooking the body of water – basically, paradise!
- How to Get Around: Public transportation is excellent in Republic of costa rica. Buses, shuttles and ferries volition get yous everywhere you need to get! We recommend using Bookaway to reserve transportation online before your trip.
- Top 3 Highlights: Ziplining & hanging bridges through the cloud forest canopy in Monteverde, snorkelling in Corcovado National Park, white water rafting in La Fortuna.
- Earlier Yous Become: Get travel insurance!
Psst: Planning a trip to Costa Rica? Bank check out some of our other posts!
- Republic of costa rica Packing List: 42 Essentials to Pack for Costa Rica
- 42 Backpacking & Travel Essentials for Hot Climates
- How to Be a More Responsible Tourist: a Traveler's Guide to Ethical Tourism
Need some assist packing? Nosotros've created a FREE Printable Packing List with everything you demand to programme your trip to Costa Rica. We'll as well ship our favorite travel tips direct to your inbox! Just sign up beneath.
Things Nobody Tells You lot …
… About the Food in Costa Rica
- "Soda" means something unlike than you'd call up.
And no, it has nothing to practise with the beverage. In Costa rica, a Soda is a locally owned eating house or cafe serving typical tico food, unremarkably at very reasonable prices.
Caput hither to gustation traditional Costa Rican fare: literally, but walk into any soda filled with locals enjoying their lunch. It will probably be delicious
- Same with "casado."
Casado means married in Spanish, just you'll be seeing that word everywhere – even if you lot're not on your honeymoon!
In Costa Rica, a casado refers to a typical plated lunch consisting of rice, beans, plantain, salad, tortilla, and a meat. Supposedly it'southward called that because that'due south how married men eat at habitation thanks to their hardworking wives, to which I say, must be dainty.
- You will have gallo pinto every morning for breakfast.
Gallo Pinto, Republic of costa rica'south near delicious and ubiquitous dish, is served pretty much everywhere. At its core, gallo pinto is rice and beans – but it'south and then much more than than that. Information technology'south like, the best rice and beans ever. In my life, all other rice and beans are held to the standard of gallo pinto.
Plus, it has a fun proper noun: gallo pinto means "spotted rooster," so named because the black beans against the white rice look kinda similar a spotted rooster. Cute, right?
- Y'all will never go sick of eating gallo pinto.
Whenever nosotros visit Costa Rica, I'm perfectly happy eating gallo pinto for breakfast, tiffin and dinner, every unmarried day. Gallo pinto with eggs. Gallo pinto with craven. Gallo pinto with water ice cream. (OK – maybe that last one isn't exactly traditional, but I was hungry.) It never gets old!
- You will notice the undercover of gallo pinto, and you volition bring a bottle of information technology home with you.
The cloak-and-dagger to a succulent gallo pinto isn't the chopped veggies and black beans mixed perfectly with the rice, it'southward the secret sauce that gives information technology all of its flavour: salsa lizano.
What is salsa lizano? It's basically a tangy, salty, slightly sweet condiment – think Worsterchershire's fashion improve cousin. It'southward made with saccharide, salt, carrots, chili peppers, cucumbers, cauliflower, dry mustard, celery spice, turmeric, and molasses, and it's the national sauce of Republic of costa rica and as well of my heart.
Luckily, this succulent sauce isn't hard to find: it'due south got a permanent home in pretty much every soda, eating house, grocery shop, or souvenir store. Which is good news, because you're going to need to bring some home with you lot (or spend years trying to brand it, so that you tin make proper gallo pinto, only to somewhen surrender and order a bottle online, which is much more than expensive than if you would've just picked some up with you and brought it home in the outset identify. Practise we speak from experience? Maybe.)
- There is fantabulous gallo pinto in the San Jose airport, of all places.
Every time nosotros fly through San Jose we stop at Restaurante Malinche. There'due south a location correct outside of customs in one case you exit the airport, and one inside after security. It'south like shooting fish in a barrel to write information technology off as a typical airport buffet, just don't, because information technology has really good gallo pinto.
Conveniently, the mail service-security location is besides where some shuttle buses option upwards travelers, so you lot might get lucky and have an excuse to enjoy gallo pinto while you wait!
… Well-nigh Visiting Costa Rica
- Don't be afraid of visiting during Costa rica's rainy season.
Costa Rica'due south rainy season mostly lasts from May to Nov. But it isn't a monsoon, with non-cease heavy showers. It's just a wetter-than-usual time of the year! That means everything is incredibly green and lush, waterfalls are flowing, and you can look a rainshower each day during your visit (so pack accordingly).
Personally, I dearest a good pelting – and an excuse to spend a few hours relaxing on a hammock and listening to information technology! Plus, "rainy flavour" tends to scare abroad tourists, which ways lower prices and less crowds – win/win.
- Plan a trip during "Footling Summer" to enjoy perfect atmospheric condition during the off-flavor.
In mid to belatedly July, Republic of costa rica experiences a weather phenomenon in the middle of their wet season bringing mostly dry, sunny conditions! It's known as "Petty Summertime," and it's the perfect time to visit because it's nevertheless the tourist off-season.
We happened to plan our last trip in the middle of Little Summer completely on accident, but we highly recommend doing information technology on purpose
- Don't throw your toilet paper in the toilet.
Like many other countries in Central and Southward America, Costa rica's plumbing organization does not respond well to toilet newspaper. So, you'll need to throw your toilet paper away in the trash can (if there is no trash tin can, and no signs instructing you to employ it, you tin can probably presume it'due south safe to throw it in the toilet.)
If you lot're not used to this, you lot might at first exist a little grossed out, but don't worry: restrooms in nearly places are cleaned frequently. A polite thing to do is to wrap any actress- gross toilet paper $.25 (you know what I hateful) in more toilet newspaper, so nobody has to see …well, yous know.
- It's never a bad idea to bring forth some fill-in TP.
On occasion, y'all'll come across a bathroom without TP in the stall. It's ordinarily out front, on your manner into the stalls. Just I've literally never noticed this earlier I'm reaching for it. So, I've gotten in the habit of keeping a little bit of toilet paper with me at all times. I keep a bit folded up and tucked away in a pocket of my passport holder or money belt, and go along it stocked upward whenever I tin can.
- Ziplining was invented in Costa Rica.
Here'southward a fun fact for nerds like us: nix-lining was actually invented every bit a inquiry tool to aid scientists study the tops of forest canopies. I was skeptical of the idea of teams of scientists careening at summit speed across the treetops, frantically trying to record measurements as they pass by, merely facts are facts.
The inventor of scientific ziplining – who was a immature, attractive guy, a fact which I discover merely slightly relevant but still notable – went on to write a fascinating book about his experiences and learnings, and was the master consultant for the 1992 moving-picture show "Medicine Man," featuring Sean Connery flying through the canopy on ziplines collecting plant specimens to cure cancer. YASS, hot audacious scientists, yass!
- Costa Rica arguably has the best nix lining in the world.
(And yes, we're prepared to argue about information technology.)
Long later on its origins in the realm of hot-scientist enquiry, ziplining was turned into an audacious action for tourists. The very first commercial zipline was in the cloud forest of Monteverde, Costa Rica.
… Just shortly, there was major drama. The guy who "invented" ziplining (but definitely merely ripped it off of Hot Scientist) filed a patent for his "creation," and then proceeded to sue everyone else who dared to operate similar canopy tours in Republic of costa rica.
And just in example suing wasn't plenty, he also marched right into the forest with a pair of clippers to cut down anybody else's zipline ties, accompanied past the very adult female from the International Property Rights Registry who had granted his patent. The DRAMA!
Of grade, he was fighting a losing battle – ziplining caught on faster than he could cut downwardly wires, and today, there are enough of crawly ziplining tours throughout Costa Rica (and the rest of the world, for that matter).
On our virtually recent trip, Jeremy flew on a one-mile long Superman tour across the cloud forest canopy in Monteverde. I don't know if he managed to collect any specimens to cure cancer, but he did have a fantastic time.
- There'southward a good chance you'll exist taking a boat to get somewhere at some point.
Lots of places in Republic of costa rica are only accessible by boat, and so there'south a good take chances you'll find yourself taking a river taxi or shuttle gunkhole at some point. There'southward also a expert gamble your gunkhole ride volition be accompanied by crocodiles (if in a river) or dolphins (if on the ocean).
Don't be surprised if at that place are some tricky waves to navigate or a wet landing, either (in fact, expect it). But don't worry: those massive waves that look similar they're going to trip over your boat are probably no big deal to your experienced boat captain. Pura vida, amirite?
Travel Tip: I recommend packing dramamine and a pair of sturdy water-friendly sandals or water shoes.
- If you tend to get ear infections, maybe be actress conscientious around rivers in Costa Rica.
This is maybe simply a genetic curse, merely both my dad and I were afflicted with horrible ear infections later getting Costa Rican river-water in our ears.
For my dad, information technology was on my outset trip to Costa rica. I was 8 years erstwhile, and all I retrieve is that we went kayaking and he took it way too seriously. I don't think he if flipped the kayak or I but imagined he did, merely either way, he ended upward with a nasty ear infection that he claims took years to fully go away.
For me, it happened on a white-water rafting trip during our year-long honeymoon. I didn't fifty-fifty make it the water, just water got on me, and within 24 hours, I was writhing in excruciating hurting. It took a week and some heavy steroids to clear up – I've never had an ear infection like that in my life. And I've had ear bug my whole life, although they've only gotten worse since then.
Nowadays, I stick to the sea in Costa Rica. And if I'm going anywhere virtually river water, I jam a couple of pond earplugs into my ears and hope for the all-time.
- The healthcare in Costa Rica is fantastic.
Ane small upside to getting the worst ear infection of my life during my tertiary trip to Costa Rica was that I had the pleasance of being treated by several local doctors. (I hateful, I was in horrible hurting the entire time, but hey, they were corking!)
Thanks to my Earth Nomads insurance policy, I was connected to a small physician'south function in a rural expanse, as well as a big infirmary in bustling San Jose, where I had the unfortunate feel of getting a painful shot in my barrel (which sucked, but at least it cleared my ear infection right upward.)
Everything was super fast, efficient, and clean, and billing was a snap. And although the whole affair was surprisingly inexpensive – thanks to Costa Rica's Universal Healthcare system – I was able to get my claim processed with Earth Nomads with no issue (along with the extra 3 nights I had to spend writhing around in hurting before the doctors cleared me to fly safely).
And then, lesson learned: don't go in the water, just if you lot DO happen to share my family'southward genetic predisposition to awful ear infections from Costa Rica, at least y'all know you'll be well taken care of! (Oh, and make certain you pick up a Globe Nomads insurance policy, too. It was a HUGE assist!)
- There is amazing woodworking in Costa rica.
Walk through whatsoever souvenir shop in Costa Rica, or an outdoor patio at a restaurant, or fifty-fifty only a random subcontract, and y'all will quickly plough into a office-time Ron Swanson, drooling over a peculiarly juicy slab of alive-edge wood or an intricate chevron design. You'll observe yourself admiring the mitt-carved brute displays, saying things like "wow, wait at that dowel joinery," and looking sadly at piece of furniture while yous cram as many cutting boards and coasters into your carry-on luggage as you can.
… Or maybe it's just because Jeremy picked upwards woodworking as a pandemic hobby and reads Nick Offerman'due south woodworking volume as a bedtime story.
Merely in any case, Costa Rican woodworking is absolutely cute and volition give you a new appreciation for woodcraft. They really know their manner around trees there – I mean, there are even restaurants literally in trees, like this one.
Just be sure to leave some room in your suitcase for wooden souvenirs!
- There is a very different culture between Republic of costa rica'south Caribbean and Pacific coasts.
It'due south difficult to visit both of Republic of costa rica'due south coasts on ane trip – getting in betwixt the 2 isn't terribly easy. And each coast has its own selection of attractions for visitors, slightly dissimilar weather, and so on. At that place are plenty of helpful comparison guides to help visitors decide which declension to visit on their trip (similar this one). But one affair that is often disregarded or non mentioned is the difference in culture.
Republic of costa rica's Caribbean coast is largely defined by Jamaican descendants, who came to Costa Rica in the late 1800'south to subcontract bananas and build railroads. Over the decades, Afro–Costa Ricans – which includes one of the largest communities of Jamaicans outside of Jamaica – accept retained their culture and mixed it in with Costa Rican culture.
The consequence is a unique blend of civilisation, nutrient, music, and even language. Visiting the Caribbean side of Costa Rica, you'll likely hear reggae or Calypso music playing in cafes and locals speaking Mekatelyu/patois or Creole. You'll gustation Caribbean Tico food made with Carribbean flavors like coconut, ginger, curry, allspice, cinnamon, and chili peppers.
… Near Communicating in Costa rica
- At that place are a lot of unique Costa Rican slang terms and phrases.
We're pretty OK at basic Castilian. I like to explain my personal level of Spanish aptitude equally "Taxi Spanish," meaning I can accept a pretty decent conversation with taxi drivers. Jeremy's Spanish aptitude level is "Restaurant Spanish," but he'south making good headway on "Hostel Spanish."
But that all flies out the window when it comes to Tico Castilian. There are so many Spanish slang terms and phrases that are completely unique to Republic of costa rica (similar "tico" itself, which incidentally means Costa Rican). Bomba means gas station, and birria, which is both a Mexican dish and a Spanglish attempt to say beer, actually does mean beer.
Want to learn some Tico slang? Chiva! Here's a list. And another i. At that place'southward also one at the lesser of this folio.
- Pura Vida is more than a saying in Costa rica: it's a lifestyle!
Pura Vida, or "pure life/simple life," represents the Tico life: happy, depression-stress, worry-free, and filled with gratitude. You know, just living in paradise with sloths for neighbors, basically.
As anxiety-prone travelers, we're not usually the blazon to wander around carefree. We're more probable to exist found in a state of constant panic, dripping with sweat and chugging h2o xx minutes behind any group we're with.
Simply Republic of costa rica has a unique effect on us: it's as if Pura Vida seeped into the states through the gallons of lizano nosotros're consuming at breakfast every morning. Oh my god, is THAT the secret ingredient?!
- …Just Pura Vida is also a proverb.
Pura Vida is the correct response to literally every question in Republic of costa rica, especially if y'all don't speak Castilian. You can use it for hullo, goodbye, thank you, or simply to say you're having a great time (or yous're having a terrible fourth dimension but want to be polite). To quote a song most a different and entirely unrelated phrase, "it means no worries, for the remainder of your days."
Pura Vida is too appropriate in a broad range of scenarios. Similar, you know that feeling you get when you're hanging out on the beach and feelin' really practiced? This is a good fourth dimension to exubarantly shout Pura Vida! Or when you're nigh to dive off a cliff to swing out a mile into the tree canopy below? Definitely a skilful time for an exclamation of Pura Vida (even ameliorate if yous shout and jump at the aforementioned fourth dimension). Or when a howler monkey flings poop at you? Yep: Pura Vida!
Information technology can hateful annihilation from "whatever, I'm still having a great time" to "I'm honestly having a terrible fourth dimension, but I'm in Costa Rica and so all things considered, I guess I'm even so doing pretty OK!"
For united states, it serves equally a reminder to limited gratitude and appreciation for life's unproblematic joys and for the simple deed of living. Pura Vida.
- You don't demand to speak Castilian in Costa Rica, but it volition certainly assist.
There are lots of places where non speaking the linguistic communication will make your travels very difficult, just in Republic of costa rica, you'll be OK even if you don't speak much Spanish. Although Spanish speaking volition definitely make your trip easier, English language is very mutual – peculiarly among guides and at hotels.
Just make sure you know a few words, like "please" and "give thanks you."
Or, when in doubt, but say pura vida.
… About Conservation & Politics in Costa Rica
- Costa Rica is a leader in conservation, eco-tourism, and upstanding wildlife tourism.
As responsible travelers, it's incredibly important to us that the money we spend every bit tourists, and the businesses we support as travel writers, align with our values. (You lot can learn more about what that means, and how to be a more responsible tourist, in our upstanding tourism guide).
Costa rica is one of the few places in the world (along with the Galapagos Islands) where we know with confidence that every single tour we book volition follow upstanding and responsible tourism guidelines.
No tour guides will try to feed wild animals to brand them come closer. Nobody in our group will be allowed to get likewise shut to an beast just to take a selfie. No wild fauna, fifty-fifty in sanctuaries or Rescue Centers, will be bred for profit. And the money we spend on our bout, and as visitors to Costa Rica, volition play a function in reforestation and environmental conservation.
Why? Considering it'south the law. Lots of laws, actually, similar the Biodiversity Law and the Wildlife Conservation Police force. Lots of things are illegal in Costa Rica that are merely "guidelines" elsewhere, such every bit touching or disturbing plant and creature life, keeping wild animals as pets,
Costa rica's commitment to conservation and the environment isn't just a marketing claw: they walk the talk, and they pull other global leaders forth, too. They're aiming for total decarbonization by 2050. They've established a fossil fuels tax and a water usage tax. And today, they're pushing for a global commitment to biodiversity policies. Costa Ricans play a major role in international environmental politics
- Costa rica learned its lessons well-nigh wildlife conservation the difficult way.
Betwixt the 1940s and 1980s, many of Republic of costa rica'southward beautiful and biodiverse forests were destroyed and replaced with cattle farms and crops. In merely over four decades, rampant deforestation stripped away nearly 80% of Costa Rica's cute forests. The country quickly degraded from lush and greenish to a distressing, arid landscape.
And while the increase in farming led to economical development, it was short-lived: in the late 70's, the price of coffee dropped and the price of oil rose. Suddenly, coffee farming as a primary source of income for Costa rica didn't brand sense anymore.
But the story doesn't end there: the state took action and completely changed course, speedily pivoting away from agriculture. In the early ninety's, deforestation was fabricated illegal. The forests grew back with astonishing speed (considering nature is astonishing), and Costa rica invested its efforts into other sources of income.
Today, eco-tourism is i of the primary sources of acquirement for Costa Rica!
- Costa Rica does not have an army.
Costa Rica has had a pretty peaceful being every bit a state. Although they were colonized past Spain along with the balance of Central and South America, they were the poorest of the Spanish colonies, with no gilded or minerals for greedy conquistadors to fight over. Nobody put up a fight when they overthrew Castilian rule and established a commonwealth
And with fiddling to provoke conflict, the country has existed peacefully, fighting no wars in its 180-year history.
The ground forces was abolished in 1948 post-obit a short just violent Civil War, and the country has had peace ever since. And like, how incredibly crawly is that?!!
- Costa Rica has 12 unlike political parties, but they all generally agree when it comes to environmental conservation.
Since 1948, the land has had peace. That political stability has allowed long-term visions for the country to continue, rather than change with each new administration.
Which is wild when you consider how many political parties there are in Costa Rica (like, a lot). How practise they get annihilation done? Simple: they all agree on a few important things, like conservation and eco-tourism.
And that, my friends, is how you become a global leader in sustainable tourism. Simple, correct?
- Costa Rica has a phenomenal National Parks system.
Nosotros're huge fans of our U.s.a. National Parks, but Republic of costa rica'due south National Parks arrangement really gives us a run for our money. From the tidy boardwalks at Manuel Antonio to the lowlands of Tortuguero and the rugged coastline in Corcovado, the national parks in Costa Rica are ballsy.
In addition to the jaw-dropping scenery, each park is well organized, with make clean bathrooms, maintained trails, clear maps, and expert guides to safely lead visitors in and out of the parks (and brand sure they respect the local wild animals).
And, to our delight, there is also a clear emphasis on accessibility: many of the parks and reserves we visited had wheelchair-attainable paths or offered tours past golf cart for differently-abled visitors.
… Virtually Wild animals in Republic of costa rica
- There is always a sloth nearby.
Costa Rica is a magical wonderland filled with sloths, and as a huge sloth fan, I am never non on #slothwatch. As I write this from Monteverde, Republic of costa rica, there are probably like, 18 sloths in the forests surrounding me, just chillin with their little claws eating leaves and stuff. They are everywhere.
Simply it's hard to spot them! They tend to look like bundles of leaves, perfectly composite in with the trees. Ambrosial leaf bundles with adorable little snouts hanging upside downward bein' the cutest little tree muffins ever! I love sloths so much, y'all.
If I'thou non with a guide, looking in the aforementioned direction equally a group of people with better eyesight than me, or actively looking for sloth butts in trees with my travel binoculars, I normally can't meet 1 unless it literally crosses the road in front of me or, in i memorable example in Manuel Antonio, does a little shimmy movement on an electrical pole directly beyond from the window of my hostel room. (Yep, I spent the next 5 hours watching it very slowly move its way from the electrical pole back into a tree, where it promptly vanished from sight. It was amazing.)
- Almost of Costa rica's wild animals is nocturnal.
It'due south pretty much impossible to get out Costa Rica without seeing a TON of wildlife.
It'southward non rare to see a blue morpho butterfly dancing flitting by a toucan while a monkey tries to steal your breakfast because you're distracted by watching the butterfly and toucan.
Every bit you lot lay by the pool, you lot'll watch macaws fly overhead yelling their majestic very recognizable WHAAAAAAT while Jesus Christ lizards scamper over the pool water a coati ambles by your chair. That's merely an boilerplate day in Republic of costa rica!
So it might be hard to believe that 60% of Costa rica'southward wildlife is really nocturnal. Only it'southward true: if you're but looking for wildlife in the daytime, you're missing out!
We highly recommend taking a night tour to see the rainforest come alive – they're offered at almost of Costa Rica's rainforest destinations. You'll meet so many more than of Costa Rica's resident tree frogs, lizards, snakes, insects, and spiders (then. many. spiders).
And then again, if you'd rather not know how many spiders are quietly snoozing all around you lot waiting the sun to become downward, maybe just stick to daytime wildlife spotting.
- At that place are 4 kinds of monkeys in Costa rica, and they're all totally different.
Capucin monkeys, aka white-face up mokeys, are brown with a tan/white head and shoulders, simply like a foamy cappuccino (hence the name). They're And so freakin' beautiful, just they're also wiley, and excellent jumpers.
Years ago – before strict food rules were put into place at Manuel Antonio – we watched a monkey jump onto an unsuspecting tourist, snatch their tiffin from a backpack, and escape into the trees before the guy even noticed.
Spider monkeys are huge, with long limbs and a very long tail (like a spider). They employ their long tail similar a fifth limb, and they can move through the woods canopies faster than any of the other monkeys.
Squirrel monkeys, aka mono titi, are the cutest monkeys on the planet and I love them. They are teeny tiny, with a black snout and a white face on meridian of a yellow torso. They are sadly endangered, simply you might be able to see them on the Osa Peninsula.
On my very first visit to Costa rica, one climbed on me and sat on my head. I was 8 years old and it was the greatest moment of my entire life (information technology might still be).
Howler monkeys sound like Rex Kong himself is careening through the jungle on a mission to kill. They are LOUD! Just despite sounding absolutely terrifying, they're all bark and no bite: howler monkeys are super lazy, and are much more probable to fling poop at you from the trees than physically attack. (That said, if a grouping of howlers is to a higher place y'all screaming, move away quickly, because poo and pee come up next.)
- If you take a selfie with an animal, you could be breaking the constabulary.
Animal selfies have long been a contentious subject for ethical wild animals travelers, because frequently an animal selfie is made possible by feeding or touching an fauna or getting too close to it. That's. not OK, and it's non ethical.
But Costa Rica takes things a footstep farther: animal selfies are not immune at all in their national parks. The government has even created a #stopanimalselfies campaign full of ethical animal selfie tips. Use the hashtag to share your (ethical) wildlife photos!
… Most the Flora & Fauna in Costa Rica
- Don't impact the trees.
And listen, I'thousand not only saying that considering "don't touch" is a core tenet of ethical wildlife tourism.
Here'southward the affair about touching trees in Costa rica, fifty-fifty accidentally: yous're going to regret it. Between the spiders, lizards, and snakes who make their home in the leaf, and the spines and thorns on the bark, the copse in Costa Rica fight dorsum. Much like Ents. Was Tolkien inspired by Costa rica??
Although this alarm was shared with us by multiple guides, like many things in life, I had to learn my lesson the hard style: I touched ane of these trees for about 2 seconds while hiking (northwardot on purpose -I tripped and my paw but flew out, seeking anything to grab on it). The tree, which is covered in inch-long spines, directly up punctured my hand.
I spent the residuum of the hike watching where I was going, nursing my bleeding palm, and wishing I'd brought trekking poles. Travel Tip: bring trekking poles!
Side Notation: Bated from having insanely sharp expiry spikes, the pochote tree likewise has one of the most delightful smelling flowers I've ever sniffed! Just … sniff carefully.
- Costa Rica has both deject forests and rainforests.
Rainforests are humid, tropical forests with a dumbo canopy which receive a ton of rainfall. Cloud forests are humid, tropical forests with a dense canopy which receive a ton of rainfall. Wait, hang on – so what's the difference??
The difference between a cloud woods and a rain forest is elevation. Rain forests are located at a low elevation, like body of water level. This is why in all of my embankment pictures from Costa Rica, there is a looming rainforest literally steps abroad from the ocean. If yous visit Manuel Antonio, Tortuguero, or Corcovado National Parks, you lot're visiting a rain forest.
Meanwhile, cloud forests are located in higher elevations, such as in the mountains. Considering of the higher elevation, the temperature is much cooler. Combined with the humidity, you'll usually detect cloud forests covered in a dense mist or fog (which fabricated united states of america feel right at dwelling coming from the the foggy Bay Surface area.) If you're visiting La Fortuna or Monteverde, yous'll be visiting cloud forests.
Both rainforests and cloud forests are dwelling house to myriad critters and fascinating eco-systems. But personally, I think I adopt deject forests. There'due south something virtually the pleasant temperature, the hanging mist, and the behemothic, looming strangler figs (and then named considering the tree grows effectually other trees and slowly starves them to death, leaving a hollow centre) that reminds me of the redwood forests dorsum at domicile in California! Except, like, with monkeys.
- There are hundreds of types of avocados growing hither. Including cinnamon!
Was anyone else'due south mind blown when they found out that cinnamon comes from the bark of a type of avocado tree? Just me?!
Anyhow, there are hundreds of varieties of avocado trees native to Republic of costa rica – and the kind that humans eat is just one of them. They come in all sizes and colors, and they make a yummy, nutrient-rich food source for birds and monkeys!
- Houseplant lovers: litereally every tropical institute grows hither.
I'1000 pretty sure Jeremy got sick of me shrieking every fourth dimension I saw an enormous monstera or giant alocasia, only I couldn't help it: Costa Rica makes me want to turn my embarrassingly big modest institute drove into a full-blown indoor jungle.
Except I know my calathea will never be every bit happy in my California bath equally they are in the wet, tropical forests of Costa rica. *cries in institute mom*
- The secret of the magic of Costa Rican forests is epiphytes.
And so, here's the thing: forests in Costa Rica aren't just like, filled with trees. They're non *just* dense, tropical forests with a thick canopy and shade-loving vegetation covering the ground and providing a home to thousands of happy critters.
Because growing on every single tree torso, branch, and limb, are epiphytes.
What are epiphytes, you enquire? They're basically aerial plants that grow on other plants. Except dissimilar aggressive vines, they don't hurt the plants they grow on at all – they abound symbiotically, sharing resources with their host plants, not really needing much soil or water, and beautifying absolutely everything they abound on.
A few examples of epiphytes that are freakin' EVERYWHERE in Costa Rica, particularly in the cloud forests, are orchids, bromiliads, ferns, mosses, and monsteras.
The older the tree, the more information technology will be covered in epiphytes, and the more it will look like a work of art.
It's hard to draw the beauty of an unabridged forest filled with bushy ferns, flowering bromeliads, drooping moss, and brightly colored orchids all growing on the trunks and limbs of enormous trees, so that the very wood floor seems to be climbing all the style to the canopy.
You lot only have to get to Costa Rica see it in person!
Gear up to pack your numberless and head to Republic of costa rica? Did y'all learn something new nigh Costa rica from this post, or is there something you think should be on this list? Drop united states a comment beneath!
Psst: Planning a trip to Costa rica? Check out some of our other posts!
- Costa Rica Packing Listing: 42 Essentials to Pack for Costa Rica
- 42 Backpacking & Travel Essentials for Hot Climates
- How to Be a More Responsible Tourist: a Traveler'southward Guide to Ethical Tourism
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Our Peak Travel Tips & Resource
Hither are our favorite travel tips & resources for saving coin and planning travel logistics! For more tips, check out our travel tips resource folio or our guide to planning a trip.
- Booking Flights: To score flying deals, search on Google Flights or Kayak. Money-saving tips: fly mid-week or on the weekend; fly carry-on only on a budget airline; and take blood-red-eyes or early on forenoon flights.
- Accommodations: We unremarkably stay in budget-friendly holiday rentals, boutique hotels or private rooms in hostels. We use Booking.com to book hotels (we honey their flexible counterfoil policy) and Hostelworld to book hostels (low deposit, like shooting fish in a barrel modify/counterfoil, and splendid reviews). For vacation rentals, we prefer to book using VRBO because they've got lower fees and amend support than Airbnb, and we're not fans of Airbnb'southward unethical track record. You tin also book vacation rentals on Expedia and Hotels.com. Nosotros also use TrustedHousesitters as both hosts (for our habitation and our fur-child) and travelers!
- Travel Insurance: Nosotros always, ever, ALWAYS buy travel insurance for international trips, and nosotros STRONGLY suggest information technology - visit our Travel Insurance Guide to find out why. We recommend either World Nomads or SafetyWing for international travel insurance. SafetyWing is ane of the few policies that covers Covid-19, and they have first-class monthly policies that are perfect for Digital Nomads and long term travelers!
- Travel Credit Carte du jour: Nosotros volume all of our trips on our favorite travel credit menu. Not only practice we earn cash back that we can spend on more than travel, only the carte offers fantastic travel perks like travel insurance, trip delay and counterfoil coverage, lost baggage reimbursement, and rental car coverage, which helps protect us on our travels. Learn more here.
- Vaccines & Meds: We utilize the travel guides on the CDC website to research recommended medications and vaccines for international trips. Nosotros always recommend getting every vaccine recommended by the CDC! Y'all can get them at your master care doc'southward office or a walk-in chemist's.
- Tours: We dearest booking guided tours, especially food tours and walking tours, to get a local'southward perspective and a history lesson while sight-seeing! Nosotros book our tours using Viator and GetYourGuide.
- Transportation: We use Rome2Rio to figure out how to get from place to place, and book local transportation online using Bookaway wherever we tin can. When we book a rental automobile, nosotros use Kayak to compare rental companies and detect the all-time deal.
- Luggage Storage: Whenever we're checking out early on or taking advantage of a long layover, nosotros use LuggageHero to safely store our luggage while we're running around. Use the code PRACTICALW for 2 hours of costless luggage storage on united states.
- VPN Service: A VPN keeps your digital information (like website login details, bank info, etc) prophylactic, even when y'all're continued to an unsecured network while traveling. Plus, it lets you use Netflix & other streaming sites abroad! We utilise NordVPN. Use the code WANDERLUSTPROMO when you lot sign up!
- What to Pack: Hither are the travel essentials that we bring on every trip. We too accept packing lists for hot conditions, cold weather, and many more. Take a look at all of our packing guides!
Source: https://practicalwanderlust.com/things-nobody-tells-you-visiting-costa-rica/
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