When you hear the name Costa Rica, it conjures images of a beautiful country. In Spanish, Costa Rica means “rich coast,” and “rica” can also mean “delicious” when talking about food. TV shows and Hollywood movies often depict it as a stunning natural paradise—after all, even Jurassic Park was filmed there. Friends who have visited described it as beautiful and affordable, and the country’s slogan, “pura vida,” meaning “pure life,” sounds amazing. So, it’s no surprise that I had high expectations when visiting!
In January 2023, Yasmin and I entered Costa Rica by public bus. The scenery was lush and green, but it reminded me a lot of Java, just without the roadside stalls. As we neared Quepos, we were suddenly dropped off on the side of the highway, even though we were supposed to be dropped off at the bus terminal! The bus driver unloaded our luggage and directed us to a taxi that was conveniently parked there. The taxi driver, who was clearly in cahoots with the bus driver, offered to take us for 25 USD. What? I quickly checked Google Maps—the city center was only about 6 km away. He was definitely trying to rip us off! I saw that the price on Uber was half that, so I booked a ride. But after a long wait, the Uber driver just leisurely drove around and then canceled the trip.
There we were, standing on a deserted road in the scorching midday heat with no other transportation in sight. Passersby told us we’d have to wait for a taxi. It’s worth noting that taxis here can be any car, and prices are all about haggling. Finally, an older man in a beat-up sedan stopped. After agreeing on a price, he drove us to our Airbnb. When it came time to pay, he asked for extra, claiming, “The road is narrow and winding!” What? My first impression of Costa Rica was immediately soured.
We had just sat down at our Airbnb when the host demanded payment (the website didn’t allow credit card payments). Since we didn’t have Costa Rican colónes yet, we had no choice but to accept the unfavorable USD exchange rate he offered. Later, when we went out to eat, I was shocked at the prices! A simple meal at a regular restaurant cost at least 12.5 USD per person. Groceries were also expensive, even more so than in Panama, which has a higher GDP.
We had come to Quepos to visit Manuel Antonio National Park, which was supposed to have beautiful forests, beaches, and capuchin monkeys. I bought tickets online from the official website, but the site froze. Armed with a screenshot, we headed to the park the next day, only to be told, “No ticket, no entry!” The staff directed us to a scalper standing right next to the ticket counter, selling tickets for double the price! I couldn’t believe it—corruption in broad daylight!
Scalpers were everywhere outside, selling tickets at outrageous prices. It seemed like a common practice. Frustrated, we decided not to visit the national park. To calm down, we stopped at a small cafe tucked away at the end of the road. We ordered iced coffee with milk, which was listed on the menu for 2,500 CRC (around $4 USD). But when the bill came, it was 3,000 CRC + tax + service charge! Naturally, I protested! The waiter, chuckling, said, “2,500 is for regular coffee. Yours is special!” What a scam!
Our experience in the capital, San Jose, wasn’t any better. Although our hotel was located in the city center near shopping areas, the atmosphere was unsettling. All the stores closed by 7 p.m., and the streets became eerily dark and empty. This was a clear sign that the area wasn’t safe. Sure enough, the streets were filled with homeless people and drug users. We were too scared to go out at night.
One hallmark of a poorly run country is when Google Maps doesn’t show public transportation options. Buses were plentiful, but the routes were unclear. One night, we went out with some Indonesian friends studying there; even they struggled to figure out how to catch a bus to Escazu! First, we had to ask passersby where the bus stop was, then walked in the dark through the city center. Then, we had to ask each parked bus driver if their route passed by our destination. Once we got on, the bus was old and the driver was speeding! In the end, we could only visit places in San Jose that were within walking distance or, if too far, resorted to Uber.
Maybe the capital just wasn’t for us, so we considered moving to La Fortuna or Monteverde. But again, finding a public bus was nearly impossible due to the lack of information! Every website recommended taking a shuttle bus for $65 USD per person! And once we got there, we’d have to pay around $80 USD per person for tours since there was no public transportation. Even the entrance fee to a waterfall was $18 USD! No way! The places we saw in pictures—mountains, lakes, forests, waterfalls—looked just like Indonesia, and for those prices, it just didn’t seem worth it!
After much discussion, we decided to leave Costa Rica. Again, due to the lack of information, we had to visit three different bus terminals just to find tickets to Peñas Blancas! It turned out that buses depend on the company, so terminals aren’t centralized but scattered across the city. It was like trying to catch a bus at Blok M, then heading to Rambutan, only to find out the bus was actually at Ciledug! Exhausting! Costa Rica wasn’t as developed as I had expected.
Anyway, these are just some of my personal experiences that left me unimpressed with Costa Rica. Or maybe my expectations were just too high. Perhaps this is what happens with gentrification. As more Americans move to Costa Rica, the cost of living has skyrocketed, and the locals have been pushed to the fringes. Sadly, the original culture is fading, the language is shifting from Spanish to English, and even the currency is increasingly replaced by the U.S. dollar instead of the colón.
This Central American journey was self-funded, without any sponsorship. If you enjoy reading my travel stories, feel free to contribute some “pocket money” here to keep me motivated to write more. Thank you!