costa rica bungalows
Roughin it in costa rica…?
I’m planning on going solo to Costa Rica for a surf trip from around the beginning of Nov to the middle of Dec. Will a budget of a little less that $2,000 USD be enough to stay in little bungalows (w/ shower/bed) on the beach and travel from San Jose to Jaco, to Mal Pais, to Nosara?
Will I still meet fellow travelers/surfers during these months?
Anyone else done this trip solo before with advice, ideas or stories?
Appreciate the help
I haven’t done the surfing trip. I was there for five weeks in 2004. I stayed in San Jose, and the little inn I stayed at was $500 USD for the month. Very cheap, clean, but nothing fancy. You should be able to get by on the amount of money you’ve planned. Costa Rica is known for its coffee, so if you’re a coffee drinker, plan on bringing some of it home (take an extra bag). Watch out for taxi drivers. Some really tried to take advantage of the “American.” I travelled alone for 4 of the 5 weeks, but I managed to get by. Most places I went took Visa/MC. There are banks all over. What I did was take money and converted it when I was there. That took care of not having to pay the exchange rate here. I did have people walk up to me and randomly ask me for money. Don’t take any money out on the street. A lot of times, thieves work in pairs. Roads in Costa Rica are not as wide as in America, and not as sophistocated. Trips are long, so be aware. If you plan on renting a car and driving, be sure to get the insurance. I didn’t do this, but I was cautioned. Most cars there are standard. Buses are cheap, and a pretty good, safe way to travel. Taxis are also fairly cheap. I was told by the locals that tipping is not necessary (not expected), but I always did. If you decide to go back to San Jose for souvenirs, La Casona is probably the best place to go. The taxi drivers will know exactly where to take you. If you have any questions, email me. jebnifer@hotmail.com
Hope this helps!
Megan & Kyle Arrive in Costa Rica