With endless rain forests and beautiful bright blue water falls, Costa Rica is one of the most beautiful Central American countries. We spent a fabulous weekend in Guanacaste hiking waterfalls and exploring Bagaces and Montaverde area. Here is my list of mistakes to avoid in Costa Rica.
Mistakes to avoid in Costa Rica
Car Rental Cost
Do not underestimate the cost of car rental. Car rental will cost you about 70-80$ per day. This will include your mandatory car insurance and other fees. So, do not be fooled by very low car rental rates offered on booking websites like Orbitz and Travelocity.
Driving in Costa Rica
Do not rent a car if you are uncomfortable driving mountain roads. Use public transportation or organized tour instead
Cell Phone Service
Do not rely on cell phone service. Download offline google maps.
Car Rental Hours Of Operations
If renting a car, note Rental company hours or operation, majority of car rentals open 9am-5pm and do not accept early/late car drop offs.
Highway speed limit.
Highway speed limit changes significantly, speed limit can go down from 90km/h to 45km/h and then up to 90km/h all over 2 miles distance. So, be alert and pay close attention on speed limit as it is strictly enforced.
Pack snacks.
If traveling in low season, like us, do not rely on restaurants and cafes to get food. Majority of restaurants and cafes on our way to Monteverde Cloud Forest were closed due to low season. Always have some snacks just in case.
