20 Costa Rica Facts to Know Before You Visit

I can’t believe it has already been over a week since I got back from Costa Rica. Every time I visit a new country or destination, I think of all the things I wish I had known or would want to know. I’ve put together a post full of Costa Rica facts that I think will help you plan your next trip to Costa Rica, get through your trip or just pique your interest.

COSTA RICA IS SMALL…

Did you know that the entirety of Costa Rica can fit inside lake Michigan in the US? We didn’t either. We had a driver tell us that and immediately googled it because it seemed so crazy! We shouldn’t have doubted him because he was absolutely right! This is a Costa Rica fact that totally blew me away!

…BUT THAT DOESN’T MEAN YOU CAN GET AROUND IT QUICKLY

That said, it takes forever to get around here. Because of all the mountains, valleys and rivers that make this country so beautiful what would take you less than an hour on flat ground will take you up to 4 hours!

THE SUN SETS (and rises) SUPER EARLY HERE

The sunlight on the longest day of the year clocks out at at just around 6pm. Luckily, that doesn’t mean that there isn’t any daylight. The daylight hours around here are super consistent with the sun coming up in the 5am hour and setting about 12-13 hours later. All you have to do is readjust your schedule and get up early.

RAINY SEASON IS FROM MAY – EARLY DECEMBER

The rainy season is long, but that doesn’t mean that there will be a downpour all day everyday during that time. In San Jose, we found there to be more rain, starting at 2pm daily. In Guanacaste, it didn’t rain at all during the five days were there. Just be prepared for it. The good news is all that rain makes the country so lush and green!

SUSTAINABILITY IS PART OF THEIR DAILY LIVES + SUCH AN INSPIRATION

As I’ve mentioned throughout this year, sustainability has become a major focus in my life in 2019. While I still have a long way to go, I came back from Costa Rica all sorts of inspired! They’re the 3rd most sustainable country in the entire world. They’re hoping to be completely carbon neutral in 2021. Each hotel had a sustainability mission, one lake produces 40% of the country’s power and so much more. In fact, the government gives money to local farmers who start rebuilding natural forests as well! I’m just truly in awe of their dedication. We joined in on the trend by planting a tree for the Blue Zone here as part of El Mangroove’s Leave Your Leaves program!

DON’T BOTHER BUYING BOTTLED WATER

The tap water in Costa Rica is safe to drink. We never actually purchased a single bottled water. In fact, we brought reusable water bottles from home and filled them up. Being able to do this makes me feel like a much more sustainable traveler. However, there was one place we stayed that recommended us use their filtered water dispenser to fill it rather than tap water, but they were sure to let us know that upon arrival.

DRESS FOR OUTDOOR ACTIVITIES

While it can be tempting to pack those cute dresses or outfits, 9 times out of ten I was waiting on my leggings or gym shorts to dry so I could put those back on. We had several outdoor activities planned like zip-lining, hiking, kayaking and more, but something in my mind had convinced me I was going to getting dolled up too… I was wrong. By evening time I was beat from all the activities we had done all day. The thing I wish I had brought more of was exercise/outdoor clothing. And, for the love of god, bring your rain jacket! (Speaking of these outdoor activities, don’t forget to book some travel insurance!)

SLOTHS DON’T LIVE ALL OVER COSTA RICA AND THEY’RE AMAZINGLY GOOD AT HIDING

I knew that I wanted to see a sloth, but I also knew I wanted to see it in the wild. Yes, I would love to hold a sloth, like really love to, but I also feel strongly that I’m the only being that would benefit from that interaction, and I want the sloths to live their best lives. We were lucky enough that one of our drivers spotted a mama with her little baby. That said, it was difficult to see, but still cool we got to see them! Turns out, they’re not everywhere. Don’t expect to find them in Guanacaste!

THERE ARE LOADS OF POISONOUS, VENOMOUS + DEADLY CREATURES HERE

I am a person who stresses out about wildlife that can kill me. I came to Costa Rica terrified of caimans, jaguars and sharks (which I saw none of). Turns out there are also poisonous frogs, venomous spiders, 22 venomous species of snakes, pumas and crocodiles! Turns out Costa Rica has the most crocodile deaths in the Western hemisphere! I don’t say this to scare you, but to make you aware. Sometimes, for people like me, ignorance is bliss because this kind of thing literally will keep me up at night. However, I feel it’s good to be informed and know what to look out for. We saw two eyelash vipers and a banana spider (most venomous spider in the world) and we were only there for a short amount of time. Just keep your eyes open and don’t grab any trees because that’s where these were all hiding. I was so grateful for our guides because they pointed them out and led us away from the danger.

SLOTHS AREN’T THE ONLY BEAUTIFUL ANIMALS YOU CAN SEE IN COSTA RICA

Yes, there are loads of scary animals and sloths are insanely cute, but did you know that there are several other super cute animals that you can find in Costa Rica? Beautiful butterflies and birds fly through the air. There are interesting animals like peccaries, coatis, howler monkeys, tapirs and anteaters to see as well! I have to admit, seeing an anteater run across the road one night was absolutely the highlight of one of my days in Costa Rica.

THE LEAST FUN OF THE COSTA RICA FACTS: IT ISN’T DIRT CHEAP

There are obviously exceptions to this. Stacey and I stayed in very nice places while we were traveling, which drove the cost of food up since we typically ate there. We had read that it isn’t wicked cheap here, but I was still taken aback by some of the prices because they were comparable to prices back home in the US. Just keep that in mind. I know you can do it significantly cheaper than we did, but I’ve heard it’s one of the most expensive destinations in Central America. My last heads up with Uber is that while it is available, if you’re not in a city, it may be quite difficult to get a ride. We weren’t able to get from our last place to the airport using Uber because there were simply no drivers. So, definitely have a backup plan, but it is so much cheaper!

 
THE COLÓN IS THE OFFICIAL CURRENCY

Although the Colón is the official currency, you can use USD as well! So, if you’re from the states, don’t bother with exchanging money. Also, I found that the exchange rates were very fair. So, don’t stress about that.

UBER WORKS JUST FINE IN COSTA RICA, BUT NOT PERFECT

Before going to Costa Rica, I had planned to use Uber for most of my transport in and around cities. Stacey found a blog post that scared us about this a bit. Hearing it was unreliable, unsafe and and illegal kept us from wanting to use or rely on that. So, once we got Costa Rica and we were trying to find transport from Xandari to Britt Coffee Tour, and it was suggested we use Uber by someone at Britt. That was all it took to trust it. Full disclosure, it isn’t actually legal. Not like people are pulling random cars over to search for “illegal Uber-ers”, but your driver may ask you to sit up front with them to not arouse suspicion.

WHILE ON THE SUBJECT OF DRIVING, AVOID SAN JOSE AT RUSH HOUR AT ALL COSTS

This is the hub of the country. Many factories are here, the major airport is here and many government jobs are here. When we were leaving San Jose early one morning, we witnessed a traffic jam like none-other. Our driver told us that it can take 45 minutes to go 15 km. That’s just insane. He said there are frequent accidents during this time as well (just fender benders) that slow down the traffic even more.

THERE ARE SIX ACTIVE VOLCANOES IN COSTA RICA

That’s a lot of volcanoes for such a small place. It’s this volcanic activity that makes for some stunning landscapes as well as the exceptional hot springs you’re able to soak in. Plus, in addition to that there are over 100 more that are dormant or extinct! That’s a lot of volcanic activity going on!

THE ARENAL VOLCANO AREA IS FULL OF ITS OWN COSTA RICA FACTS (4 fun facts in 1)

There are four Costa Rica facts about Arenal that stand out to me. The first is that you can’t always see the top of Arenal Volcano! In fact, you’re more likely to be unable to see it. Guides told us that some people will stay in La Fortuna for a week and never see the top. Secondly, Arenal Lake is manmade! I never would’ve guessed, but it sure is beautiful! The third one is Lake Arenal is the aforementioned lake that produces the electricity for 40% of the entire country. Lastly, during the 1968 volcanic eruption, locals in La Fortuna were completely caught off guard – they didn’t even realize that Arenal was a volcano. In fact, they thought an airplane had crashed into the side of the volcano.

PURA VIDA IS VERY MUCH A LIFESTYLE

Sometimes when you see something dubbed as a motto or a lifestyle it seems like it’s no longer actually a part of that culture or lifestyle. That isn’t the case in Costa Rica. Living a pure life seeps out of every facet of their lives. Ticos are laid back, generous, friendly people who greet each other + end conversations with an emphatic pura vida! It’s easy to meld into their laid back lifestyle while visiting this country whether you’re there for a few days or a few weeks.

I hope these Costa Rica facts have inspired, informed and intrigued you! Costa Rica is an amazing destination that I’m already looking forward to visiting again! I feel like we left a lot unseen, but I’m always willing to explore more. Who knows, maybe after another trip I’ll have even more Costa Rica facts to add to this list! Have you been to Costa Rica? What Costa Rica facts surprised you on your visit?

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