Costa Rica may be more expensive but I think is way safer than the rest of Central America, also the fact that you can drink water safely from any tap is amazing. Great video.
Lo que pasa es que lo hizo hace un año,el caso de Nicaragua es que el año pasado el régimen que controla el país desató una brutal represión en el país que lo ha hecho caer en una profunda inseguridad...Solamente mira el millar de nicas en Costa Rica,es triste pero sin duda alguna los ticos han sido sumamente mas inteligentes que nosotros en ése aspecto de construir un país seguro y con bienestar.
You are completely right... I have traveled around Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras and Panamá, you won't feel as safe as in Costa Rica in any of these other countries... Cheers
Explanation: Pacha is a strong sugar cane alcohol for really extreme people (or pretty much the 80% of the youth) and jet its an energy drink like redbull. So here its a common dank meme to say you are going to drink them mixed. I have never drink alcohol in any form (im kinda straigh edge) but that mixing its just brutally insane.
Me encanta lo peruana que es tu foto. Amaria que nuestras culturas indigenas hubieran alcanzado el nivel de desarrollo que sus Incas. Cuiden a sus nativos :)
Costa Rican here... Additional advise: try and get a local to help you out to buy stuff, retailers will rip you off if they spot that you're a tourist.
For the most part... The locals were awesome. We did get ripped off once while in a grocery store. Make sure that everything you are paying for... actually ends up in your cart. LOL We learned the hard way after returning back to the rental, several miles away, only to realize how much we were missing but not worth the long drive back. 😞
Actually the taxis are pretty safe! Won´t be a problem taking a legal taxi (those are red cars), the only disadvantage is the price, they are higher, but safe? yes
I think it is better to take an Uber cause they already have a route indicated by Uber with the fastest way to get to your destination. The reason I say this is because taxis normally give some extra turns so that the price gets higher and you have to pay more. So like now the go to for me is Uber, but if you don't trust Uber a taxi is the safest option:) Btw thanks for visiting Costa Rica
First thing. land in San Jose then Get the hell outta there. get to the mountains or the beach! If you can, fly direct into Liberia and take the rental car to the ocean. Much less stressful driving from there.
David Kozlowski Absolutely! Costa Rica is a beautiful country but you dont come here for the city, in that case Panama is the better option. Go to experience the real costa rica! If you stay on the city just stay away from “el centro de san jose” and the poor zones (like la carpio o lomas del rio).
And don't forget that *_sodas_* are not Coke and Pepsi but are in fact small, casual, family run restaurants serving budget friendly, traditional Costa Rican food. Really enjoyed this video. 👍
Tosh T matterfact, if you ask for a Soda they will give you sparkling water instead. You have to ask for "Gaseosa" or Coca Cola. I learned it the hard way!!! 😂
@Fred Jaminson If you ask for a soda in the street they will think of a restaurant. If you are in a restaurant they will think of a drink call soda which is basically carbonated salty water without flavour. So just say the brand you want.
Don't underestimate the distances in Costa Rica. (it looks so small on maps). Driving the 400 km from Pacific Coast to Atlantic Coast will take at least 8 hours. The traffic (especially the huge American Trucks) is horrible. But it is a fantastic country with very friendly people.
Another Costa Rican here. Although it might be safer than other Central American countries, DO NOT let your guard down. Be clever, be safe. There IS a lot of crime (at least in San José downtown). Don’t take you phone out when walking down the street, don’t leave your stuff unattended, ever, don’t take your camera out in the city unless you are traveling with a bigger group, don’t walk alone at night, and just be overall careful. Everything else in this video is pretty accurate and you will have fun, Oh, and I wouldn’t pay in dollars. Changing your money to colones is better. POPS rocks! Thank you for making this video!
I've been in Costa Rica many times and you're overreacting. "Don’t take you phone out when walking down the street" is not a true statement. Just be careful as anywhere in the world. And by the way, who goes to San Jose downtown? is the worst part of the country, don't even go there when you have the most beautiful country in the world to visit around.
Ami Saranie Exagerado es poco. Si anda asustado compre perro mae, xq la descripción que está dando es más que exagerada. Sea serio y si es de CR deje de poner al país en mal.
Lol he said no shootings.. there’s dead bodies on the news every morning. But that happens anywhere actually. I live in New York and Costa Rica and its here too in New York. So, thats just the whole world. It does happen. But just be safe, don’t mess with sketchy people and you’re good.
I live in Costa Rica. And watched your vid out of curiosity to see whats the perception tourists have for us. Gotta say that I loved the vid. The point ln Lizano sauce was spot on.
Yo me quede super contento con que le encantara el pinto y la lizano haha. I love talking and helping tourist, just in case some people see this comment and they are into coming, just know, most of the people here will be glad to help you or just have a talk.
@@omarjzunigacampos861 si de hecho. Pero muchas cosas usan el formato de US y la ñ no está en el abecedario de US entonces la ñ da problemas. X eso uso N
7:50 This a MUST! A lot of people doesn't know that but here, we drink water that comes directly from the mountains, so putting the toiler paper on the basket is something that you have to do.
I am a Costa Rican born 17 year old. I moved to the US in 2004. As I’ve grown older and visited my home country more and more, I have come to truly be grateful for how beautiful my Costa Rica is. Pura Vida🇨🇷❤️
Yes that's what I was going to say, it is true that we accept dollars almost everywhere BUT the exchange rate is insane, so go to the bank or pay with card.
NEVER PAY IN DOLLARS. The official change here is around c590 for $1 and anywhere you go they will take it as c500 for $1 or even less. Just change some bucks for some reds (that's what we call colones, "rojos") at any bank, and there are banks all over the place.
Thank you for such amazing report of my country, everyone is welcome here and we all enjoy having people visit. You are welcome back anytime. PURA VIDA MAE! 🇨🇷
Watching this a month after being in Costa Rica. Was an amazing experience, truly once in a lifetime. Thanks to this anyway, wish I saw this before because I admit I didn’t do some of these things. Always put Lizano sauce on my beans + rice which made it better. My dinner usually took 2 hours for a three course meal. PURA VIDA!!!!!!
Man that's honestly some of the most legit and transparent review about my Country, thanks for being honest and open about everything, truly appreciated.
I loved Costa Rica both times I was there.....it has been awhile but my experience was cheap...with no hassles at all...thanks for the video tho, as I am going back in the future..
@@joannrotenberry5855 yea that because the new big taxes that came with the new laws called IVA that adds 13% to a lot of services and products but anyway if you find the good place is gonna be cheap here just ask to the locals where they buy the most common products to save money in my experience I could recommend the Pali and some Chinese grocery stores but I the problem with the chinos is that they don't pay taxes so it doesn't help to the country. So go the most cheap super or grocery stores that are around you and don't pay anything with dollars because is a rip off. Stay away from the big restaurants because they're super expensive even for the rich people. The local sodas or Los mercados are a good affordable option. Greetings from Zona de Los Santos, Costa Rica. The place with one the best coffee's of the world. Check out and have a Pura Vida
I am from Costa Rica and i live in Costa Rica and i love it !!!!! I live in the mountain so there’s so many trees and flowers and it’s just a beautiful we also have 2 rivers
thank you for said all these good things about Costa Rica. I'm from CR and It's so nice see how you descriptive our country. Hope you come here again ♡
I'm in Costa Rica now. Staying with my girlfriends family in San José and they keep going on how dangerous the city can be. They won't walk around their own neighbourhood, and no this isn't in la zona roja. The rest of the country I've seen I haven't felt unsafe nor have I in San José but I do listen to the locals
San José is the worst place that we have You'll only find pollution and people trying to rob you The next time you come try to avoid San José, instead go to Guanacaste, Monteverde, Puntarenas or Limón If you only want like warm weather don't even go to the central valley (San José, Cartago, Alajuela, Heredia) Those places also have some cool stuff but not as cool as the others (some crazy waterfalls most of the time)
San José is the capital of the country, so we have lots of people and not a of them in the best economic situation, so it gets kind of dangerous with thiefs and things like that. Some neighborhoods get a little dangerous after certain hour but in general is not that bad. (source, Costa Rican)
Fairly accurate review. Overall CR is one of the best option for tourism. Paying in dollars is ok depending on what type of service you're paying for. Otherwise, choose to pay in colones.
Costa Rican here, if you are coming to Costa Rica keep in my that are thousands of places to visit. Mostly tourists will go to Monteverde (rain forest and my fav place) , La Fortuna and Jacó. But there are breath taking locations you might find. It just takes to do some research. It might be harder to arrive, but it will be worth it. Visit indigenous communities. Visit national parks. Etc.farewell and pura vida!
Just got back from Costa Rica . It helps to know someone who lives there..was extremely glad I was hanging with locals and not at a resort with other americans ! Haha we stayed in samara and nicoya then took a truck up into the mountains drove thru a river and had lunch way up in the mountains at my friends godmothers house . It was a fully open dirt floor hut the food was amazing up innthe mountain.. people Re friendly I was there during festival .. there was a huge party in the streets all week.. highlight was the horse paprade!!! Suuuch a fun trip going back for two weeks next summer one week was waaay too short!
Dry bread, and instant milk are big in CR. So is no hot water in the residential areas. But I didn't mind it at all. Woltor is absolutely correct. Its a beautiful country. Every time I would come back to NY the bags under my eyes would be gone Id look younger my skin would be clear etc etc. The country has a de aging effect on you. Just look at the people they are on average very fit, attractive etc. Most of the food there comes from there. Check out the church in Cartago if your into that sort of thing. You might see a pilgrimage. and yes the water is probably safer then the water in the US
Great vid but definitely DO NOT agree that you don't need to exchange money, only the ultra touristy places will take US dollars, most places in San Jose will not. Highly recommend having colones for simple and quick transactions. Even those places that do take US dollars will often round up the exchange rate and you'll end up paying more than if you paid in colones.
People like you are the ones we love to come to Costa Rica. Our whole country is for the kind of people like you who appreciate our nature and people. Welcome!!
As a costa rican I also recommend that you should try not to expose that you are a tourist otherwise shop owners especially near coastal towns will rip you off shoving "gringo" prices up your ass. It is one of the only things I am really ashamed of my country. My other advice, get a loca friend to help you it is not that hard we are pretty friendly for the most part. Just have common sense like you would in any country and you should be allright
There are a scarce amount of beaches where waters are really dangerous at ankle's deep. That can't be taken as almost all are dangerous. Some popular beaches here in CR doesn't have a humungous banner to alert swimmers of ripping currents and that is something that cannot be denied. Alerts of ripping currents are, I would say, kind of small and can be missed if you don't pay attention. Ask the locals if the beach you're going have ripping currents to watch for... "En guerra avisada, no muere soldado" which roughly translates to "On warned war, no soldier dies".
As a Tica I think you video was amazing! Everything was very real and true ;)! I love my country and love when people like you appriciate the little things and get to know the smaller business and want to lear our life style! Keept it up 😊
stayed in Playas del Coco with my boyfriend a couple of months ago! We visited a natural hot spring at the base of the Arenal volcano, went ATV’ing on the beach and in the forest, and went zip lining by the beach. my boyfriend lived in Costa Rica for 9 years, and he was awesome at showing me Tico culture and the natural beauty of Costa Rica.
Hello! I noticed that some don't or otherwise do's apply mostly to the coastal regions (either Atlantic or Pacific) and the experience over the Atlantic side is quite different from what you get at any part of the country so if you come again I strongly recommend to visit that side which has strong carribean influence. Great video once again!
Dated a girl from CR. I stayed in Cartago AND on the Pacific so I got the real Costa Rica and the more touristy effect. CR is expensive but it is noticeably cheaper then the US, especially if your with a native spanish speaker who can haggle on your behalf. We used Collones bc my ex actually said it would save money. Manuel Antonio is a MUST! I preferred Manuel Antonio to Tamarindo but if your young and single Id check out Tamarindo as well. Tamarindo is more of a party vibe, Manuel Antonio is more for nature lovers and families.
There are many eco-tourism options that let you experience the nature of Costa Rica without having to actively seek it out. Resorts are nice, but you can experience that virtually anywhere and they tend not to be too eco friendly. Locals really care about maintaining the natural beauty of their country, and I feel that tourists should respect that and travel responsibly :)
Five years ago, my son took me to Costa Rica with his wife and 6 of his kids... He rented homes thru websites. He is not wealthy... Just the average family guy. We got lot's of attention while going thru the airport with his young kids and even more with how much all the locals enjoyed his blue eyed, blonde kids. It was a bit of a novelty for them. We were there for long enough to rent three homes which came with a maid service. It was an awesome experience and will be going back next year for a destination wedding. Bring an umbrella/poncho! We had a down poor of rain at least once during the day. It was light early in the morning and dark early in the evening. We were in the rain forest area. Lot's of monkeys, etc. He rented a vehicle and according to my son, the way he did it was very economical... vs...
Another thing to watch, go to very small town “pueblitos” : in the mountains or close to the coast, in those little towns you will find out the best of our lifestyle
my non by blood grandparents are locals. We live in non touristed areas when i went there, its beautiful, every local is nice when we pay they always say”Pura Vida!” and pops was great aswell.
3:40 I agree about Costa Rica being relatively safe. The best man in my dad's wedding moved from Southern California to Costa Rica with his family 21 years ago in 1996 soon after his daughter was born and still lives there now. In the 21 years that the family has lived there neither he nor his wife or daughter have EVER experienced a robbery or any bad crime. The family visited us three years ago and I remember him saying that he felt more unsafe living and growing up in LA then he did in the years since moving to supposedly unsafe and "drug-crowded" Costa Rica.
You did great!!!! Great tips for the tourist!!! I'm a tica living in the U.S.but I worked with tourists when I was living there. I miss my country that's why I watched your video. Hugs and pura vida!!!
Bottles of Lizano Salsa and Lizano Chilero are available on Amazon.com. I brought some home from Costa Rica a couple of weeks ago, and I’m happy that it’s easy to get more.
so we went to costa rica on a vacation.........and never went back to america! lived here 14 years so far. I'm practically half n half at this point. i love this place. it's home.
A tico here, I'm happy that you enjoy our country you are welcome Everytime you want you will be received here's another don't Don't. Go alone in the night in San Jose there's the dangerous place but I hope you come around here another time. Pura Vida!!
You made a good point on safety. Costa Rica, Panama and Nicaragua are really safe places. Locals may complaint about safety, but in the end of the day are really safe places to go.
We went to Costa Rica last November. We went with a tour company and had a wonderful time. We went to some of the same places that are in your video. We had rice and beans everyday, breakfast, lunch and dinner. It was fixed different at every place and was outstanding. The rice and beans are what I miss most.
I’ve been to Costa Rica once to a tiny village that no one has ever heard of. They had one little store and I got a drink and an ice cream for about $1.50USD. When I going through the more populated areas that were set up for tourists everything was so pricey
Here's a funny fact, Costarricans choice for ice cream cones and milk shakes is Pops, as Mark said, but the choice for a bucket of ice cream to take home is Dos Pinos, which you can get almost is every grocery store (or Pulpería, as we call them). There are also lots of local Ice cream producers that you can also try.
Hey! Greetings friend. It's awesome that you love it, so just a little thing. I understand what you were trying to say but the names are: San José, Alajuela, Cartago (you got it right), Heredia, Guanacaste, Puntarenas and Limón (even if the translation is Lemon it doesn't have anything related to it, besides the name lol). I thought maybe you wanted to know the names. Have a nice day. ;)
Costa Rica also has very limited malaria cases and is generally safe disease wise. It is recommended to get a Hep A vaccine if you have not yet prior to traveling as many people will eat unwashed produce from roadside stands and such and you can’t always count on proper food hygiene so Hep A is common.
great food, it is safe, beaches are so beautiful and warm, people are nice af, weather is nice af, national parks are just mesmerizing i felt in awe surrounded by CR's beautiful fauna and flora, i came back from CR a week ago so believe me when i say theyhave nice renewed streets (i was adviced to get a 4x4 SUV or truck to drive around, i say you can go ahead and rent a regular sedan or hatchback, you will be fine). it's all about attitude, once you get to CR, CHILL AND RELAX and enjoy all of it, it's beautiful and you will not regret visiting it.
Im from costa rica and he said how everyone is nice thats not very true if you live in a local place in costa rica its very dangerous to walk around the streets at night
@@brandonryan8143 It does, for example, San Jose City, not the best place to walk around at night, but then again, there's not much to do downtown at night (unless you come here for the "chicas"), but if you are going to a more tourist friendly spot, like let's say Coco, then it's all cool because it's a nightlife specialized town so there is lots of people going out at night and the law enforcement is more strict and tight at night so obviously, crime rate goes down.
SigmaTV You can walk in San José safely at night in central Boulevard or 4 Avenue or any crowded streets, just follow the people, It’s a matter of common sense. Just avoid dark alleys with no people.
