Travel Tips

I was mistaken when I thought I would be eating mostly Latin food but Costa Rica has a phenomenal diversity in the foods that it serves. You would be surprised to find that there are many Asian restaurants and just as many European restaurants. The food is plentiful and the cost is reasonable. Of course every fine hotel has a restaurant on the premises but you will want to eat at the local restaurants.

In San Jose there are quite a few fine restaurants. Ristorante Bohemia is a fine European restaurant that serves a formal European dinner with a fine wine list. While looking for restaurants to try out, I repeatedly found Tin Jo’s on the list. This is a restaurant that seems to have stood the test of time and is still in business. The food is considered Pan Asian and you can find Chinese, Japanese, Thai, and even some East Indian food. The deserts are delicious.

I once went to a Cuban restaurant and found out the hard way that not all Latin food is like Mexican food. I embarrassed myself and asked for chips and salsa. Big oops, I got a dirty look for that one. The same is true of Costa Rica; don’t go expecting the native food to be like Mexican food. It could be considered bland and is healthier than the Mexican food that we usually eat here in the States. Costa Rican food is considered healthier because it is more fresh and natural. No canned peas here!

The nicest thing about eating in Costa Rica is that all fruits, vegetable, and seafood are very fresh. In some cases the beef and pork are actually fresh as well. In all restaurants the juice served is usually fresh. It seems that it is cheaper to serve fresh rather than frozen. Many smaller restaurants actually grow their own fruits, vegetables, and herbs There is also the cheese made by the Quaker community from Monteverde and if you travel through Monteverde you will get a chance to meet the Quakers. .

One thing that I have to have in the morning is a hot cup of coffee. I don’t care if the weather is hot or not, I must have a cup of hot coffee to get moving in the morning. One nice thing is that Costa Rica produces a fine crop of coffee. You may want to stock up and take bags of coffee home with you as gifts for friends and family. Many of the hotels are located on either old coffee plantations or on actual functioning coffee plantations.

One of the local dishes is Ceviche, which is wonderful and is made from seafood. I make my own version here at home with cooked shrimp and crab. One of the delicacies found in most salads is Hearts of Palm. I think that is great, especially since I love Hearts of Palm. Here in the states they are expensive and I haven’t had any for quite some time.

As with any Central American country, Plantains are a staple it the diet of Costa Ricans. When I was a kid my Puerto Rican friend was served fried Plantains for breakfast made by her mother. I was shocked to see her put ketchup on a fried banana. Well I soon found out that Plantains are in the banana family but they are used more like potatoes.

Because of all the fresh produce available, Costa Rica is a heaven for vegetarians or those with vegan diets. You will find many vegetarian restaurants available for your dining pleasure.

Most of the big hotels have buffets and you can always eat at these but you will do yourself a disservice if you don’t try the local cuisine with it being as fresh and original as it is. There are a many Americans and others that come to Costa Rica and open up businesses. No matter where you are in Costa Rica, get out and try the food. Visit someplace new every day.

When you are planning your vacation it is good to know a little about the area so you can choose what suits your fancy. The locals refer to themselves as Ticos and they are warm and welcoming wherever you visit in Costa Rica. My friend and I plan to visit all areas of Costa Rica but you may have to consider what to put in your itinerary if you have only 7 days. The following is a list of the various regions and what they might offer in the way of entertainment. Pick and choose whatever combination you like.

San Jose
Most museums and art galleries in Costa Rica are found in San Jose. The central part of San Jose is noisy and crowed as the capital of any city will be. The airport is located outside of San Jose and you may come into Costa Rica via San Jose anyway, why not check it out while you are visiting. I have been told that you step of the curb carefully in Europe or get run over. Pedestrians do not have the right of way in San Jose either so watch yourself when you cross the street.

The Northwest
Arenal and Monteverde are located in the Northwest. Arenal is the Volcano located in this area and it is a game of wait-and-see to get the opportunity to view the cone of the volcano spew hot lava. Arenal is one of the only active volcanoes in the world that can be safely viewed by tourists without the threat of bodily harm. I live in the Pacific Northwest, also in the shadow of Mount Rainier so volcanoes don’t bother me.

The road to Monteverde runs from the small town of Santa Elena to the Monteverde Cloud Forest Preserve with hotels, nightclubs and restaurants. This area is usually very dense with tourists. Originally settled by Quakers this area now has a thriving eclectic artist community. Quakers are also reported to be great cheese makers in this area. I just love cheese and Quakers are cool too so I gotta plan to visit the cheese farm. Although this is one of the busiest this region offers many day trips and interesting things to do.

Nicoya Peninsula
While the Costa Rican government would certainly welcome the revenue from more tourists, for the moment the beaches of Nicoya remain somewhat of a secret. Beaches are still relatively deserted. If golf is your thing the course at Playa Conchal is renowned. This would be the vacation for you if you have water sports in mind. There is snorkeling, swimming, diving, surfing, fishing, and even kayaking. The drive from Carrillo to Mal Pas by 4-wheel drive is simply amazing. This area is also surfer heaven. Horseback riding is also offered by most of the hotels.

Quepos & the Central Pacific
This area is known for beaches and water sports. There is an abundance of quiet beaches to choose from while you do see surfers frequently the beaches are not crowded and it is easy to relax. Along their Pacific Coast Highway there is a vast array of lodging anywhere from the seedy to the luxurious and in between. This area is a wonderland for any beach lover with diving, fishing, golf, and horseback riding, kayaking and even surfing. I want to try the Titi Canopy tours. A canopy tour is like a ski lift going from tree to tree like the monkeys. If you are afraid of heights this is not for you!

Osa Peninsula & Golfo Dulce
This area is much more remote, however there are several luxury hotels. Drake Bay has whale-watching tours and you can often spot dolphins playing around your boat. Corcovado National Park offers tours that are teaming with wildlife to see and take photos of. In Golfo Dulce the are 2 botanical gardens, Casa Orquideas Botanical Garden and Wilson Botanical Garden.

South Caribbean
Miles of banana plantations can be found here. Some believe these to be the most beautiful beaches in the country, although it is much more humid. The culture here is more Caribbean in it’s inhabitants. The usual water sports can be found here.