Backpacking Ireland

Cities and Things to Do There

I flew into San Jose, the Capital city. Well, actually the airport is located in the city of Alajuela, but it’s considered San Jose.  They are connected and huge cities.  There isn’t much to do in San Jose. The Capital cities in Central America are massive, very crowded, and not the safest.  There is a popular bus station called La Coca Cola where you can buy cheap bus tickets to a lot of cities.  It’s a great place to venture off to other cities to.  Always be careful and aware of your belongings while at this bus station.

Manuel Antonio was my favorite place in Costa Rica.  It is what you picture Costa Rica to be like; full of green plants and jungles, gorgeous beaches, wildlife. There is a national park located down the hill near the beach that costs $10 and you can walk through it and see lots of animals like monkeys, birds, sloths, strange animals, etc. It leads to the most stunning beaches. When at the main beach in the park, as a local beach worker where the pathway to climb to view over the beaches is at. It leads to a cool view up high overlooking the beaches.  Manuel Antonio is a city with one main road that leads up and down to the beach so it’s really easy to get around there. The daily bus that leads up and down the main road costs only like 10 cents.  There is also a private beach that you can walk to that’s in the opposite direction of the main beach below.  It’s cool because all that is there are some wild cows chilling on this beautiful empty beach.

South of Manuel Antonio is a city called Dominical.  I hadn’t visited there but I heard that it’s amazing and has great beaches too. I’d recommend going there.

From Manuel Antonio or Dominical, you have to get a bus to Quepos then took a short/cheap taxi to Puntarenas to buy a cheap ferry ticket (the ticket office is in a small bakery, ask people where it is) across the Nicoya Peninsula to Paquera.  From Paquera, you can catch a bus to different places. That ferry costs like $2 and take like 1-3 hours. It’s a huge ferry and it’s a nice time.

I went from Paquera to Cobano (a short change of bus) to Santa Teresa, a surf town.  You can rent surf boards or take surf lessons here.

I went from Santa Teresa to Mal Pais to Barranca (change of bus) to Montezuma.  The beach is nice here. It’s a cute little town. I walked to a huge waterfall where you can cliff jump or swim.  You have to ask around to where to find the way to the waterfall.  I paid $40 (be sure to shop around and bargain and try to pair up with others in a group) for a boat ride to an island called La Isla Tortuga from here.  The tour included a speed boat ride, sightseeing of the “Rainbow Rock” in the ocean, snorkeling, hanging out on the island, lunch and water.  There are lots of types of tours to choose from.

I then crossed the Nicoya Peninsula to the mainland and went back to San Jose for the night. I then caught a bus to Monteverde. This is a city up in the mountains known for it’s “Cloud Forest Reserve”.  It’s high up above clouds.  It’s a small town with lots of tours for nature and activities.  I walked across hanging bridges above the forests.  It was super cool but scary lol. You can also zipline and other stuff here.

I went from Monteverde to Liberia (another big main city with a popular bus station). I caught a bus northwest to a beach surf town called Tamarindo.  This was my second favorite place.  The beach is awesome.  You can take surf lessons and walk around the town. There are lots of tourists here and lots of people to meet and hang out with.  There are lots of beach cites just north and south of Tamarindo such as Playa Flamingo, Playa del Coco, and Playa Conchal.  All of those I heard were nice.

I did not get over to the Caribbean side of Costa Rica but I heard that Tortuguero is extremely nice.

La Fortuna is another place that I didn’t get to but is popular for it’s volcano which you can climb and hike. The same for Arenal, another popular volcano area.

The Hostels that I Stay At

San Jose: Molino Rojo. Located on Paseo Colon, a busy main road.  This hostel is nice for a short overnight stay.  They have a kitchen to use to cook food, just like most hostels do in central America, which is nice. There are computers to use for free and free wifi. Grocery stores and places to buy food are walking distance.  La Coca Cola bus station is a short taxi ride away or a good walk down the main road. 

Manuel Antonio: Backpackers Manuel Antonio.  Cool hostel, lots of people. Cool location. Outdoor kitchen. Free wifi. Free use of their phone for one international call a day. Bus stops right in front of it. Located on the main road. Beach is a short ride down the hill.

Santa Teresa: Tranquilo Backpackers. Cool outdoorsy hostel with hammock hanging everywhere. Big outdoor kitchen to use. Surfboards to rent. Located off of the main dirt road. Free wifi. Free computers to use. Walking distance to the beach.

Montezuma: Hotel Lucy. I loved this place. I shared a room with a friend. It was cute, had mosquito nets, located right on the beach, Oceanside patio. Kitchen to use to cook.  Free wifi. Free towels to use.

Monteverde: First I stayed at Las Cabinas el Pueblo.  Common room with cable tv to watch, kitchen to use, free breakfast, free wifi, free computers to use, cute little place.

Then in Monteverde I stayed at Montelena Hostel Backpackers. Nice, free wifi, kitchen to use, cheaper.

Tamarindo: First I stayed at Pura Vida.  It’s located further up the road, away from the beach. Kind of hard to find. Nice little place.

Then in Tamarindo I stayed at Coral Reef.  I liked this place a lot. It was cabin-like, located in the main area, close to the beach. It’s cheaper than most places. Lots of tourists there. Fun place.

ADVENTURE and ACTIVITIES

Hanging bridges

Zip lining

Outdoor markets

Volcano hiking/climbing

Snorkeling

Beaches

National Parks

Whitewater rafting

Coffee plantations

Visit islands

Kayaking

Surf lessons

Horseback riding on beaches

Lots more...

TRANSPORTATION

You can book your bus ride the day of (or the day before if you are anxious).

But, I just got to a bus station and booked on the spot for the next place.

Buses are the main means of transport for travelers there. Buses are very cheap

and cost anywhere between 50 cents to $5, depending on how far and what kind of

big it is.

The TICA bus company is popular and good to use.

Night buses are a nice way to save on a nights accommodation pay and to get to a

new city by early morning. They're safe as long as you're smart about your

belongings. Put a small lock on your bag of suitcase when putting your bag

beneath the buses, especially at night. Keep your important stuff on and with

you at all times while on the buses. Don't let anyone see anything of value of

yours.

You can take taxis for super cheap (always bargain with the prices. Start very

low) to and from the bus terminals.

The bus terminals in general are common areas for theft. Always keep your stuff

close by.

Chicken buses are a great cultural experience to try at least once. They aren't

always the safest but you should be ok. They are chaotic, crazy, crowded, and

very colorful lol. But they are extremely cheap, like 20 cents, and are a fun

and adventurous experience.

BOOKING ACCOMMODATIONS

You can book ahead using websites like hostelworld.com, hostelbookers.com,

hostels.com, booking.com. Hostelworld and booking.com are my favorites.

I recommend looking up some places in a travel guide or online, writing their

name and address down, then getting to the city and walking around to compare

prices bad fund a place you like. You'll always find a place so never worry

about that.

I only recommend booking a place to stay ahead of time if you are arriving

somewhere at night.

Always write down the address (and my directions if provided) of where you're

trying to go because it's possible that the taxi will night know what place

you're talking about or where it is.

In Central America I mainly stayed in private rooms at guesthouses, hostels, and

budget hotels.

SAFETY

It's very important to always be aware of your surroundings, people getting too

close, people behind you, just to make sure in one is thinking of stealing

anything somehow from you.

Always keep your stuff locked if and when possible

Keep a smaller backpack or bag with you to carry on your front side that holds

all values  (passport, money, credit cards, jewelry, exiting flight itinerary,

phone, electronics,camera, etc). Carry thing with you always, when you leave

your hotel, go hiking, on buses, walking around, everywhere. If someone wants to

steal anything somehow, it's fine, as long as it's not something of value like

your passport.

When using ATMs, always be aware of your surroundings, watch behind you, cover

your PIN number when entering it, pull your card out as soon as you can because

the machines are known to eat them if left in too long.

It's not the best idea to walk around at night or late at night. Anything can

happen.

Be careful when/if you go out to party and/or drink. Always keep an eye on your

stuff and on your drinks,naps well as when you walk back to your hotel.

When going on hikes of any sort, try to go with a tour or group so that there

are more of you.

Always drink bottle water and yes it yo brush your teeth, wash cuts or blisters

with, and wash your face with.

As much as you love dogs, do not touch, pet, or get too close to any animals

there. I know a few people who have gotten bit by dogs, monkeys and bats and

ended yo go get a rabies vaccine exile traveling.

Keep your souvenirs locked up or with you when you travel. Airports go through

your belongings. I recommend waiting to buy gifts and stuff until the end of

your trip. Then carry them on board for  your flight.

Write on a post it "in case of emergency contact"... Put all your info and

parents info on it. I keep mine in my money pouch.

If you want (I should but never do but a man told me about this), you can go on

the u.s embassy website to register for free with your info letting the u.s know

what country you’re in. This is in case anything were to happen or even if

your passport is lost or stolen.

LANGUAGE

everyone speaks English, some can understand some English.

If you are afraid of having a hard time communicating something you can bring a

small dictionary.

Also, write the names of where you're trying to go, cities, hostels, any

attractions, streets names, etc on a piece of paper to show to someone to read

instead of them not knowing what you're saying.

CURRENCY

They take U.S dollars everywhere in Central America but, they'll give you the

change after a purchase in local currency.

I recommend taking around $200 U.S in cash with you before you leave.

You don't have to exchange currency anywhere.

But when you pay with U.S dollars, say at a store for instance, you will get your change in local currency, Colones.

Always count your change!

I recommend bringing just one debit card (and one credit card if you want one).

Don't bring more than you need.

SHOULD INCLUDE IN PACKING

A sweater or light jacket. The cities more inland can get cooler at night, as

well as on hikes in higher elevations.

A small flashlight. Power outages may happen at night in some cities for a short

time.

A small scissors

Sunscreen

Hand sanitizer

Small hand soap for places that don't provide it and for bathroom stops while on

buses.

A roll of toilet paper or tissue because sometimes it's not provided, especially

while on buses.

Good walking shoes

I have a money pouch that I got from walmarts travel section. I've had it ever

since my first backpacking trip to Europe. I use it as my wallet. I keep my

passport, passport photocopies, money, credit/debit cards, ATM receipts, any

payment receipts, boarding passes, itinerary, etc. in it.

A small, light towel. When you get there, I highly recommend buying a sarong for

cheap. They're amazing to have because not only are there lots of cute ones to

choose from but they are great to use as a towel, for beaches, and as blankets.

They dry super quick so you can hand wash it often and hang it to dry. Then give

your towel away because it takes up too much space in your luggage, it takes

long to dry, it can get heavy when wet, and it's hard to get sand and salt from

the water off of. I have 2 sarongs and I use them for everything.

Small bottle of Imodium in case you get an upset stomach from any food bacteria.

Echinacea  tablets or cold meds in case you get sick. (I tend to get colds often

when I travel)

Bring a small notepad and extra pens. Use this to write everything in and keep

it with you always. Write details on your accommodations, flights info, bus

info, etc. include opine numbers when provided so that someone can call a hostel

or bus off you if need be. This happens to me all the time. I write everything

in my notepad.

Don't worry about an electric currency converter, they yes american outlets.

It's helpful to have a cordless battery pack charger for your electronics in

case your battery dies while on long buses or hikes (mostly for emergency

purposes)

Mosquito repellent spray. You don't really need to take any malaria pills, they

aren't good for you, just always have on bug spray.

Get a spray or oil that is eucalyptus to out on yourself or to spray on your

beds and in your luggage. Most bugs, especially Mosquitoes and bed bugs hate the

smell of eucalyptus. 

Bring a pad lock because some hostels provide lockers but usually don't have a

lock.

An efficient small first aid kit with band aids and antiseptic gel.

Pack less. Once you test pack, then edit what you have. You'll regret bringing

too much. You'll also want room for stuff that you buy.  You'll realize how

little you actually use and wear.

Pack stuff that you don't mind getting dirty, lost, stolen, forgotten, ruined,

etc. bring stuff that you ding mind getting rid of along the way or at the end

of your trip. You'll appreciate the lightness of your luggage and the space to

by stuff. I constantly give things away.

Bring a book or two to read but not too many. Most hostels have book exchange

shelves to put yours bad take a new one for free.

I recommend bringing a printed map of just the cities in those countries from online.

Just a simple one, nothing too detailed or big. When I'm ready to go somewhere

next, I look at the map and choose a place.

Make sure you have luggage tags with contact info on your baggage.

OTHER TIPS

Go to a travel physician at your usual clinic and ask to get updates and info on

what vaccines you have and need.  They will be prepared with

and provide you with info and papers on what vaccines are recommended and

required to go there. The basics are: hep A and B, measles, all those we needed

for school so you should be fine. I highly recommend getting updated on your

rabies shot if you're not already. (Strays dogs, other animals, any dirty rusty

nails and stuff can be a problem there)

The doctor will ask if you want malara pills but it's your choice. If you do

want them, malarone is the safest.

The doctor will offer you cipro (shortened name) to bring incase you get sick

from the water or any food. I always have it but never needed it. Yet.

Make a few photocopies of your passport to have with you. You may need one for

some reason. Also, keep them separate from your actual passport so that if

anything happens to it, you'll have a copy to take to the u.s embassy.

Email (or print) a scanned copied of your passport to yourself and to your mom.

Make sure your mom has a copy of your itinerary, passport, credit card photocopy

of both sides, and debit card photocopy. Just incase.

Always check your bed for bed bugs as soon as you arrive in a hotel/hostel. To

check for them, lift each end of the bed and look underneath, look around the

frame and headboard. They're the size of a small roach.

Keep your luggage locked, stored away, and especially closed whenever you leave

your room and at night. This prevents bugs from crawling in and any theft. Never

leave valuables in your room when you're away. I know lots of people who have

gotten things stolen and there's no way for you to prove that you ever had that

item.

Always ask for and keep a receipt for your accommodation payment.

Always keep your bus ticket until you arrive.

Be very stern with taxi drivers when you ask them to take you to a specific

place. They get commission from certain places so they'll lie and say your place

is booked if closed.

Try not to book accommodations or buses far ahead because plans change

sometimes. You may really like a place if want to do more somewhere and change

your mind last minute to stay longer. It happens to me a lot.

Always bargain when shopping.

As you travel, meet and talk with others about their favorite places to stay,

things that they did, where to eat, etc. most people will be on a similar route

as you or came from that direction. Other travelers are my main source of travel

recommendations. I rarely do any research on anything or anywhere.

Always buy snacks and food for long bus rides, especially night buses. You'll

stop places but sometimes the places have crap food or are pretty run down and

dirty.

When traveling on long bus rides, try to use the bathroom before you go and

drink less fluids because the toilets when you make stops are pretty gross.

Never pull all of your cash out at once where others can see it.

Most hostels and guesthouses have kitchens for you to use. You can go yo the

supermarket to buy food for cheap to cook. Remember to wash your fruits and veg

in boiling or lurked water.

*There is no entrance airport fee in Costa Rica

*You may have to pay an departure exit fee at the airport of $28 (what it use to be) in Costa Rica.

*There may be exit fees at the airport from Panama as well. Entrance fee should be included in your plane ticket.

HOW TO TRAVEL ON A BUDGET

Local buses

Hostels

Night buses

Local food

Try walking to places as much as possible instead of paying for transport for

short distance. You'll see much more that way as well.

Bargain always, for everything. Unless it's a fixed price in a store. You can

even bargain on tours and sometimes accommodation prices.

Book bus tickets at the bus stations, not from travel companies, they'll

overcharge.

Since you'll be traveling with someone, you'll save money on accommodations

already because most places charge per room, therefore you two can split it.

Sometimes I'd have to pay double (it's still cheap though).