Off Season

[ELIZABETH SMITH]

Our first trip to Costa Rica. Would like to visit reala

Planning our first trip to Costa Rica in 2014. Four adults looking for a retirement haven. Coming from Colorado thinking the Central Valley would best suit our physical needs. Would like to be able to rent a car and drive. Thinking about renting a home for a year to be able to visit the whole country before buying a home.
I know the dry or summer season is Dec to April and the Rainy/Winter is May to Nov. When do you suggest we come for lower rates?
Do you suggest we rent a house for two weeks and commute from a central location or maybe stay at different hostels or hotels.
Our budget is modest and tight.
Do we need to make all reservations in advance? Use to “flying by the seat of our pants” but a little nervous about doing that in a country where we don’t speak the language.
Thank you in advance for your time and attention to this matter.
Elizabeth Smith

[JASON HOLLAND]

Hi Elizabeth,

Lower rates are during the rainy season. And it’s good to visit then so you can see what it’s like. In some areas it rains daily for weeks at a time. Whether you rent a house is really dependent on the areas you want to visit. From a place in the Central Valley you can visit the whole of that region easily with day trips. You could even visit the Central Pacific coast in day. But anything beyond that like Arenal or Southern Zone or Northern Pacific would require an overnight stay. So it might be a good idea to rent a home in a region you’re already very interest in for about a week and then do some traveling to other areas and stay at hostels/hotels. There are all levels of accommodations in Costa Rica. So you’ll be able to travel on a budget. Hostels aren’t just for backpackers – with a private room they can be pretty good and you have access to a full kitchen.

I’ve found that it’s better to make at least some reservations so you don’t spend a lot of time looking for a good deal on a room for the night – time you could be spending exploring. Most everybody involved in the tourist industry speaks English so no problem there. And you can make reservations online or by phone – many places have a U.S. phone number.

As far as your long term plan, renting a home for a year and exploring the country by rental car is a great way to scout things out. The Central Valley is a great home base as you can be in most area of the county within 5 hours or so.

[Author]

Posts