Vacation On The Cheap: Little Known Budget Travel Tips For A Prudent Costa Rica Vacation
For nearly two decades, tiny Costa Rica has been a favorite vacation destination for Americans, Canadians and, increasingly, Europeans. Merely as big as West Virginia, its many attractions are world-famous: more than 1600 kilometers of uncrowded coastlines on two oceans; parks and reserves covering 25 percent of its land area; and an incredible diversity of fauna and flora.
Volcanoes, terrific angling, some of the best surfing anywhere, whitewater river rafting or family rafting adventures, ziplining 80 feet in the top of tropical canopies, and, of course, nightlife for adults. What happens here stays here, unless you want to brag about your adventures in My Space.
There is a Costa Rica vacation fitting everybody's budget. For the rich and famous (or wanting to vacation in high style) , there are places like the Real Intercontinental Hotel, Papagayo Four Seasons Resort and Los Suenos Resorts. But, if these are too expensive, you can travel Costa Rica quite easily on a smaller budget. Here is how.
1. Experienced travelers can save 20 percent on accommodations by traveling off season
a. Budget travelers should avoid Peak Season, of which there are two: Easter week and Christmas. Christmas through New Years week (December 15-January 5) and Easter Week are Peak Season for two groups of tourists: overseas visitors and locals. Summer vacation for Costa Rica schools begins in December and tens of thousands of Ticos head to the most popular beaches. Easter week is another very popular vacation period for locals. They will find the cheapest bargains. For you, prices will still be way better than in Florida or Cannes but your money will go much farther at other times.
b. High Season extends from January through April coinciding with winter in North America and Europe . Many tourists travel Costa Rica during this time to escape the dreary days at home, a fact not lost on resorts and hotels. Though prices in this Latin American country are less than in Florida, Arizona, and the Texas coast, Snowbirds get plucked a bit more than during off-season (just like back home).
c. The experienced bargain travel seeker will take pains to travel to Costa Rica during the Green (Low) Season because the very best travel and accommodation bargains are found then. Unfortunately, some travelers mistakenly take it for granted that it rains every day though, indeed, most days are sunny and warm. Typically rains last an hour or so and occur in the afternoon or early evening. Many college students and families from the northern countries visit between June and mid-August but prices are good and accommodations available in most places. For the very best travel (airplane) and accommodation prices come between September through mid-November. Savings of 20-35 percent off High Season prices often await.
2. If you plan to rent a car, think ahead and save $25 a day
Many visitors reserve a car online before they come and are distressed to learn when they arrive that the rental agency plans to impose an additional fee of $25 or more per day for liability insurance! Informed travelers never pay that money because it is unnecessary, provided three rules are followed. Rule 1: If your home vehicle policy provides liability coverage, that insurance is good in Costa Rica. Recommendation: bring a copy of the policy along with the fax and email of your insurance agent and save that money for your vacation. Rule 2: Many credit cards offer a little known benefit: liability insurance coverage for rentals when the card is used. Contact your credit card company before you travel for best results. Rule 3: Be polite but informed. If you don't have the insurance info the first day, have your agent fax your coverage as quickly as possible. After all, it is your money. Budget travel can be fun, particularly when you do not pay for unnecessary insurance that you already have.
3. Save at least five percent on things you buy because Cash is King
Many Costa Rica merchants welcome dollars over credit cards and when asked for a cash discount will offer 5 percent or more. You need to ask :"Que (pronounced "K") es discuento por efectivo?" which means "What is the discount for cash?" Be sure the bills are new and not defaced with even a tiny tear. And, bring $20 and $50 bills. Many restaurants, merchants, and hostels cannot break a $100 bill.
4. Do not accidentally pay two tips in a restaurant and save 10 percent
Many Costa Rica restaurants, particularly those serving foreign visitors, automatically include a 10 percent tip (called "servicio") on a bill. They are required by law to note that charge on the menu but few bars or restaurants do so and are rewarded by unknowing foreigners who leave a second tip. It is up to you, the budget travel patron, to pay attention to your bill. If you are in doubt, ask if the tip ("servicio") is already included on the bill. Over the course of a vacation, this little tip can save you serious money.
About the author: Vic Krumm writes about spectacular Costa Rica. Visit his acclaimed website about and see why is world-famous.
Medical Care In Costa Rica: World Class Accredited Hospitals And Care
Every year, more than 25,000 people, overwhelmingly Americans, hop a jet or cruise ship and travel south for medical care in Costa Rica. And, more and more travelers take vacations to Costa Rica that include medical tourism. Why? Because they are onto the fact that medical care in Costa Rica is now equal to that of the best hospitals in the States but at a shadow of the cost.
Ever hear of Joint Commission International (JCI) Accreditation? It is what the cream of the crop hospitals seek. There are thousands and thousands of hospitals on earth but only the best hospitals are certified and have Joint Commission International Accreditation, meaning that that they meet the highest international benchmarks for hospital standards and patient care. A JCI accredited hospital in Europe, Asia, and Australia is every bit as good as a similarly accredited hospital in New York City.
JCI hospital accreditation is the exception, not the rule in the world. Few hospitals in the world have been able to meet the rigorous requirements and standards to become accredited. But, three Costa Rica hospitals have JCI Accreditation. They are , Cima, and Clinica Biblica, all in or very near to San Jose. Each provides a wide range of surgical services and Board Certified physicians.
American health care costs are soaring. Increasingly out of reach for many people, they are threatening not only men, women, and families, but the nation itself. American medical care is the most expensive in the world---by a huge margin. And, for the nearly 50 million Americans without health insurance, injury is added to insult because most care givers and hospitals charge uninsured patients much more for services than their neighbors who have good insurance. This is where Costa Rica medical care comes into play. While American politicians dither and the country gets worse off, thousands of suffering American travelers are becoming Costa Rica medical tourists because they want to get great care and save money. Many save up to 65% in Costa Rica for the identical surgical care they would receive in the United States-if they had the money.
Not convinced? An example. For patients without health insurance, total knee replacement surgery in the U.S. can cost $25,000-$35,000 or more. Clinica Biblica charges about $12,000.
The three San Jose internationally accredited medical hospitals and board certified doctors---many who have studied and trained in the United States and at other world renowned universities---typically charge about $3,200 for breast augmentation. Lasik eye surgery that can run up to $5,000 in the States is often less than $2,000 in the little Central America country. For more and more women wanting aesthetic surgery, Costa Rica is increasingly popular. Instead of getting a facelift for $10,000, they hop a plane for Costa Rica where for about $3,000 or so, they can have the same surgery, recuperate in a tropical paradise on a Costa Rica vacation, and go home with money in their pocket.
Great medical care in Costa Rica does not have to take place in a hospital. There are many, many clinics, too. In addition to the three Joint Commission accredited hospitals, there are three clinics in San Jose accredited by the American Association for the Accreditation of Ambulatory Facilities. They are the University of Iberoamerica(UNIBE) which offers ambulatory and surgical care; a dental clinic called Sonrise Por Todo (Smiles for Everybody; and Pino Plastic Surgery Clinic. Like the hospitals, these clinics have board certified physicians or dentists.
Aesthetic surgeries account for about-% of all Costa Rica medical tourism and more than one third of all Costa Rica medical tourists come for dental surgery or implants. Dental implants costing more than $2,500 in the United States are between $500-$750 in Costa Rica. Periodontal surgery costing $2,500 in the U.S. is about $400.
Like any place else in the world prices, of course, vary by provider so get a quote. And, always inquire if there is a cash discount if you pay in dollars, not via credit or debit card. Finally, consider this. Many health insurers cover medical or dental care in Costa Rica so, check with your carrier and Costa Rica service provider before getting a procedure.
Victor Krumm writes about lovely Costa Rica in his beautiful site. Check out more info, too.
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It Is That Time Again: Say Goodbye To Old Man Winter And Make Plans For Your Costa Rica Vacation
1. Airfares have not been this reasonable in years. The world economic downturn has come to Costa Rica. Tourism in Costa Rica is down by at least fifteen percent this year, presenting terrific travel deals to an informed and frugal traveler . Want affordable luxury? Budget-conscious folks who travel Costa Rica can rent very nice Costa Rica hostels (some with private rooms) for about $12.00. If you are a bit more flush with cash, but still looking for a deal, the Hilton Papagayo Resort is offering rooms as low as $160.00 a night. Seniors can get an extra discount. Travel Tip: always ask the hotel, resort, or hostel if there is a discount for cash. And, keep in mind that the very best rates are between May to mid-November and the premium prices are over the holidays.
2. With almost eight hundred miles of coast visit one or more of hundreds of pristine Costa Rica beaches. Fish off of Drake Bay, named after Sir Francis Drake, who visited the southern Costa Rica Pacific coast a decade before sinking the Spanish Armada and saving England in 1588. You can even walk the same Caribbean beach where Columbus named Costa Rica 600 years ago. Black, brown, and white sand beaches, sea shell beaches, rugged rock-strewn beaches are everywhere.
3. All Costa Rica beaches are public so you can frolic on the same Costa Rica beaches enjoyed by Britney Spears or Mel Gibson (but you need to bring your own Russian model). Take romantic walks or just be lazy. Do not forget to bring your surfboard because some of the best surfing on the planet is found here. Most beaches are completely free but if you prefer to visit a very popular national beach park called Manuel Antonio, there will be a small entry fee.
4. Become an ecotourist. Costa Rica ecotourism has become a booming industry and is helping to preserve endangered sea turtles, exotic macaws, and many other species while bringing in much needed revenue to local communities. Be sure to check out Ostional National Preserve on the popular Pacific Gold Coast, where thousands of olive ridley sea turtles come ashore in massive nestings, called "arribadas", perhaps the largest spectacle of its kind in the world. Arribadas take place year-round but the biggest (sometimes involving hundreds of thousands of turtles) typically are when the moon is in its last quarter during the months of July to November.
5. Costa Rica has been called the "Switzerland of Latin America." This mountainous little country has nearly as many species of birds as in the entire continental U.S., more than 900. You can hike every inch of Africa without seeing as many species of butterflies as there are in Costa Rica. Twenty Percent of all animal and plant species on the world are found in this country.
6. You can hike the tallest mountain in Latin America, Mt. Chirripo. Voted one of Costa Rica's Seven Natural Wonders, hikers start at its tropical forest base and, if they have the stamina, end at its cold alpine summit. Bring a backpack with warm clothes as you climb this beauty to a little night time shelter overlooking remnant glacial lakes carved from ancient glaciers. Climbing requires a permit and reservation but the cost is very modest and when you reach the top you may be reminded of the mighty Andes. Most hikers make this a two day trip.
Writer Victor Krumm posts from his home in Costa Rica. Visit his authoritative, lovely website about and be sure to check out the spectacular