Getting to and enjoying Costa Rica (a short guide)

Anyone who loves to travel probably has one place they daydream of most when they really need an adventure, a change of pace, or just a break from it all. For me, that place is Costa Rica.

And when I was in my mid-twenties and before most of my travels, it was the one country I absolutely had to see.

Everyone who had been there raved about Costa Rica's natural beauty, great surfing, and friendly people.


Plus, the previous summer we'd actually become friends with a native Costa Rican who was in Juneau for the summer with his Californian girlfriend. Upon their departure back there, "J" told us to visit him any time.

Six months later, during a very snowy mid-January 2008, Scotty and I were actually on our way. He had been there before we met, a pre-Alaska sabbatical of a few months in and around Jaco, a beach town on the Central Pacific coast. Costa Rica had been at the top of my travel list for years and so it became the second country we visited together outside of the U.S. (the first was Mexico on our Big Trip in 2007).

At 19,730 square miles, Costa Rica is about the size of Vermont and New Hampshire combined. With just over a month long spent in the country (over two, two-week trips), I've seen a good part of it, the Central and Southern Pacific Coast. I've also been to a few towns inland when Scotty and I hiked to the summit of Cerro Chirripo, Costa Rica's highest peak. Our trips took place in mid-January 2008 and the same time of year in 2010. (Most of this post centers around the 2008 trip, with a few 2010 references.)

On both trips, we flew into the capital city, San José. From there, we had planned to immediately continue on Jaco, 80 miles west of San José.

Overview



Jaco is home to approximately 10,000 residents (according to Wikipedia), and attracts visitors with its great surfing, lively nightlife, and plenty of options for accommodations, dining, and exploring the surrounding flora and fauna. 

Center of town in Jaco

The town is walkable, with a main road running 2.5 miles down the center and parallel to the beach.



Flights

How to find the cheapest flights belong to another post entirely, so here's my very short Cliffs Notes version: For both trips we purchased our flights about three months in advance which seems to yield the best fares.

There are other airports in Costa Rica, but flying into San José is the most common. In 2008, we flew with Alaska Airlines from Juneau to Seattle and Seattle to Los Angeles, then with Lacsa, a Costa Rican carrier, from LA to San José International Airport (SJO). In 2010, our flights departed the U.S. for San José via Atlanta.

Getting around

"Helpful" road signs 

From San José, there are three common ways to get to Jaco or other destinations:

1) Take a bus. This is what we did upon our first arrival into the country in 2008. Please note: It is NOT a good idea to do this after three long flights, including a red-eye.

Completely exhausted after our marathon flights, upon arrival we randomly picked a taxi driving from a teaming crowd soliciting passengers outside the airport and asked to be dropped off at the Coca-Cola Bus Station in a somewhat seedy-looking part of the city (inner city bus stations usually are seedy, right?).

After waiting for at least an hour while keeping a close guard on our backpacks, we boarded a bus to Jaco and, packed into a small seat, tried to nap while the bus lurched through twisting mountain roads for the next torturous three and a half hours. It was very hot and there wasn't much fresh air as only some of the windows were open an inch or two. I promised Scotty (and myself) we would not take any more buses in the future.... unless they were a lot nicer or for shorter distances.

Once we reached Jaco, the bus dropped us off at the bus stop near the Best Western at the end of town.

2) Take a shuttle. Wikitravel lists Easy Ride Shuttle Services as an option, but many hotels have services or can recommend them. Prices appear to range from $80-$90 US one-way from SJO to Jaco.

2) Rent a car. On our trip in 2010, we decided to circumvent the dreaded taxi-driver barrage outside baggage claim and booked a car in advance with Alamo (yes, they have Alamo in Costa Rica). All we had to do was meet an Alamo rental car agent at baggage claim and then take a short ride in a shuttle across the highway to the off-site rental facility. This method proved to be perfect for us, allowing us greater independence as we traveled between towns and the ability to explore off the beaten path. However, driving in Costa Rica is not for the faint of heart... (post to follow).

Accommodations

In Jaco, we caught a cab and asked to be taken to the Hotel Kangaroo, a hostel recommended in my Lonely Planet guidebook.

We stayed there for the next two days in a simply-furnished double with a private bathroom on the second floor.

Double room with ensuite bathroom at Hotel Kangaroo

Upon leaving to head farther south down the coast, we asked to book a second stay in the same room for when we returned to Jaco on our way back to San José. However, when we returned a week later, the staff at Hotel Kangaroo were only able to offer us a room downstairs in the interior of the building without a window so we decided to look elsewhere. While Hotel Kangaroo is great for those on a budget or without their own wheels (walking distance to the beach), we wanted a more relaxing experience before heading home.

Instead, we decided to try out another place listed in the Lonely Planet and so, happily discovered the lovely ApartHotel Vista Pacifico. Perched up on a hill at the edge of town, Vista Pacifico is like a little slice of heaven.


Our affordable studio room, located underneath the owners' on-site residence served as the perfect place to unwind after a day at the beach or a night on the town.

Incidentally, Vista Pacifico also happens to have a pool. And if you've been reading for a while you all know what that means... (Pure. Bliss.) I neglected to take a picture of it, but here are some.

Our rental car in 2010 at Vista Pacifico with Jaco and the ocean in the background

There is (limited) secure on-site parking available and an unbeatable view all-around.


Recommended resources:

Accommodations

Budget:

Hotel Kangaroo

Recommended for a budget stay if you're looking to save money and enjoy being surrounded by backpacker and surfer types. Hotel Kangaroo is located on the opposite end of town from Vista Pacifico and walking distance to the beach and several good, local places to eat. A caveat: The neighboring roosters don't limit their cook-a-doodle-doing to sunrise.

Mid-range:

ApartHotel Vista Pacifico


This place is a true gem and it's no wonder Vista Pacifico is currently the #2 place to stay on Trip Advisor. The owners Jan and Greg are wonderfully welcoming and the location is close enough to town for those with transportation to be in central Jaco in less than ten minutes.

Hotel Perico Azul

This hotel is currently voted #1 of Jaco's hotels on Trip Advisor and I would love to stay here on a future visit, especially to be within walking distance of the beach.

Groceries 

Mas o' Menos
This large grocery store in the center of downtown Jaco gets a mention because it is THE one-stop place to buy groceries, especially for travelers on a budget like us. It's also the source of what was a very positive experience with the local Ticos* (Costa Ricans) (*more on this to come).

Parking, however, can be a bit of a challenge in the center of town. Fortunately, Mas o Menos has its own small parking lot. Both fortunately and unfortunately, it is patrolled by a guard. That said, I would recommend to park there only while shopping and not "extending" your shopping trip to other places- the guard will notice and let you know it, too.

Soon I'll be posting more about our travels to Costa Rica and why it is still one of my favorite places to get away to for both a relaxing and adventurous vacation. Or, as our Tico friends might say, to experience the "pura vida"!