Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
Looking a trip to Costa Rica. How do you guys think I should get around? I am trying not to rent a car while there but I would like to visit a few different parts, like the west coast. Thanks.
When I was there maybe 5 or 6 years ago. We were on the Pacific costal side. We rented a jeep and drove to some national reserve and some other area to go to a wedding.
I would suggest getting a jeep or something solid. The roads are rough!!!!
Also our GSP did work in terms of directions... but time was way off.
Our drive to my freinds wedding was suppose to be 1.5 hours based on the GSP, but ended up being a 3 hour drive.
Roads in some parts are really sharps and rough at least on the Pacific areas where we were.
Try and get something with a spare tire.
The prices for rentals seemed a lot higher then we were use to but likely because we needed to rent from the resort instead of the outside.
We were going to try to travel to San Jose to meet some distant family... but we did not have enough time and I was nervious driving with my husband and daughter that far considering none of us speak Spanish.
A good amount of people in Costa Rica speak English which can be really helpful.
Taxis are everywhere. Another option is to hire a driver for the times you want to make a trip somewhere.
My personal recommendation, after years of seasonal living in the Jaco/Herradura area and working on boats out of Los Suenos. If going to the Pacific side, take a taxi to your destination from the airport, that will get you aquented with some of the roads and driving habits, as well as let you take in the scenery without driving. Then, at you destination have a rental car reserved (4 wheel drive with low range highly recommended). I know you stated that you would prefer not to rent a car but it could make any adventures more rewarding as they will be on your terms. I did a lot of driving/exploring on some of the mountain roads and stumbled across some beautiful views of the Pacific, some neat little towns with non touristy local food and cheap beer that you could have a drink or 2 while taking in the views of the mountains.
again, I will stress a true 4 wheel drive with low range as some of the grades up the mountains on dirt "roads" may require low range help with climbing and more importantly, descending.
If in the San Jose area with a rental and you don't feel comfortable driving in that environment as it can be quite congested and hectic and it would be an unfamiliar city you can always do what I did anytime I had to go into the city. Park on the outside, such as the airport, and take a taxi into town. Made everything a lot easier.
I just rented a car. The road ways are pretty good except that one hwy that goes from Puntarenas to San Jose. It is a modern hwy, but it has no street lights, is one lane each direction, winds, twists, and turns, and you are on a cliff. Everyone high beams, so is hard to see. One mistake, and you will fall off and to your death.
Looking a trip to Costa Rica. How do you guys think I should get around? I am trying not to rent a car while there but I would like to visit a few different parts, like the west coast. Thanks.
It's easy to rent a car and easy to drive there but don't underestimate how long it takes to get places. They don't have interstates and the going is slow. If I did it again I would skip some places so I wasn't driving so much.
My wife, daughter, and I rented a Toyota Yaris 5 speed. We stayed the first night in San Jose, then drove to Manuel Antonio, then to Arenal for a couple nights. Next we took the ferry at Punta Arenas and spent a couple nights in Montezuma. We drove to Playa Santa Teresa too.
For the most part we were fine with the Yaris, but you may want a more powerful vehicle with better ground clearance. They put us on the bottom level of the ferry and we were the first vehicle in the bottom level, which means the front of the car was right at the ramp with no room for any running start. The Yaris struggled, and if the ramp had been a little longer or steeper we would have stalled.
Also, be warned, we were driving along the coast from Montezuma toward Cabuya Island and seen a road leading to Santa Teresa. We took it and it ended up being a 4 wheel drive road. There were no signs indicating that it was a 4 wheel drive road. We made it though, but went back to Montezuma another way.
After driving in Costa Rica, especially San Jose, it felt like I was driving in slow motion when I got back to the United States.
Observations:
Lots of people, cars, and buses in San Jose and cars do not stop at stop signs or yield to pedestrians unless there is a red light to accompany the stop sign.
Roads are rough in many places outside San Jose. Even rougher in Puntarenas.
I never rented a car there, I drove my own down. But from the experiences I heard about down there, pay a bit more and rent from a recognized franchise. I met way to many people who had their vacation spoiled by a car that broke down and it took them days to get a replacement.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
