Costa Rica Vacation On A Budget: Pura Vida!
[I:http://cheaptravelblog.org/wp-content/uploads/2009/08/VictorCKrumm9.jpg]
The tiny Latin America country, Costa Rica, is a very popular destination for hundreds of thousands of visitors from Europe, Canada, the United States and other countries. They come for many reasons. Some love the great beaches. Others prefer the tropical mountains, great weather, outdoor activities, or adult nightlife (what happens here, stays here).
You do not have to spend a arm and leg to experience Costa Rica so long as you bring a little planning. There are some travel bargains which are not commonly known to tourists.
Adventurers and explorers have marveled about this country for centuries. Christopher Columbus was the first to discover it, doing so in 1503. He was so enthralled he gave it its name, Costa Rica–the rich coast. About seven decades later, an English captain and seafarer named Sir Francis Drake rounded the southernmost point of South America and traveled north until he landed at what is now named Drake Bay off the southern Pacific Coast of Costa Rica. You may have heard of this fellow: he is famous for destroying the Spanish Armada and saving England in 1588.
But, unlike these men, you do not need a boatload of people to help you get around and it will not cost you the Queen’s treasure, either.
Like boating? How about a nice cruise along the warm waters off the central Pacific coast of Costa Rica? About an hour and half long, traveling between Puntarenas and the southern tip of the beautiful Nicoya Peninsula (where you will find fabulous beaches and surfing), take a ferry. There are several to choose from and they set sail about every hour or so. The cost? About $1.50. Less than the cost of a bottle of water, a soda or beer. Is this value or what?
Trains are fun, too. From downtown San Jose, take a four hour ride on the Tico Train to Puntarenas. You’ll see spectacular mountains and cross deep chasms on tall bridges. The train will be packed and filled with happy Costa Rican families. Be sure to bring your bathing suit because you are going to end on the beach! How much? About $16 each way. Like the ferry, most tourists don’t know about the train. For reservations (you need them) call American Travel at telephone number 22-33-33-00.
With two coasts to choose from, nearly 800 miles of tropical beaches can be discovered, hiked, surfed, swum (but be careful about rip tides at some places), and even fished for almost nothing. All the beaches in this country are public, open to everybody. Getting there is very cheap. Public and private buses are ubiquitous in Costa Rica. For example, lots of surfers take in the lovely Pacific town of Jaco. From San Jose, a large, comfortable, air-conditioned bus ride takes about two hours and will cost you less than a Happy Meal! Less than $5!
Finally, I have one more budgetary secret to share. There are very nice Costa Rica hostels throughout the country. Sure, most folks associate hostels with college kids crammed into a dorm but the truth is that many of the hostels in Costa Rica offer private rooms for just a little more per person than a dorm. You don’t need to spend $50-70+ per person to have a nice room. I recommend them because I’ve stayed in private, quiet rooms at hostels for way less than the cost of hotels.
