[BEKAHBOTTONE 0]

How exciting Joan!

I have never done this trip, and never thought I would want to, until I chatted with Amy about her trip and she made it sound so fun!

You can check out this article to learn more. (https://internationalliving.com/colorado-to-tamarindo-the-road-trip-of-a-lifetime/)

I don’t have any experience doing this road trip, yet Amy gives good advice.

In my opinion, here are the most useful points for you to look from the article:

“Safety was our priority, and we felt secure everywhere we ventured. We camped and stayed at RV parks, Airbnbs, and hotels. Those reservations at a few Airbnbs along the way were a lifesaver since we got to do laundry at them.”

Amy says the iOverlander app made life easier. It’s full of advice from seasoned travelers, sharing the best parking spots, places to avoid, and where to refuel.

The family also used Facebook groups like the Pan-American Association to help navigate their road trip.

“My biggest recommendation is to only talk to people who have done or are currently doing this trip,” Amy says. “Don’t look for advice from people in a random group because everyone’s going to tell you it’s too dangerous and you’re going to die. I learned these negative comments came from people who had never even made the trip. The people who had done it and those currently doing it all told us it would be the time of our lives.”

I LOVE my lawyer and always love to share her contact. I am very grateful I found her a few years ago.
https://themislegalcr.com/
Rosa +506 8831 2261

Good luck with your new adventure.
-Bekah Bottone, IL Costa Rica Correspondent

[BEKAHBOTTONE 0]

I just wanted to add that Semana Santa (Holy Week) is a very busy time (big vacation time for Ticos) on the beaches and one of the most expensive times too. You may see prices increase during that time. If you have trouble finding something that week or notice prices are super high, it may be a good time to visit some places inland and then return back to the beach after Easter. Just an idea.

Have you thought about which beach area you prefer? Choose from the following: Guancaste, Nicoya, the Central Pacific coast, the South Pacific coast, or the Carribbean coast.

Guanacaste is the dryest area and the South Pacific and Carribbean are the wetest ones. Yet March and April are the end of the dry seaon in Costa Rica.

[BEKAHBOTTONE 0]

Hi Kathy. How exciting to come visit Costa Rica.

What part of Costa Rica do you plan on visiting?

I live in Tamarindo and can give some recommendations in this area for rental companies: https://rpmvacationrentals.com/, https://tamaluxury.com/, and https://www.stayintamarindo.com/.

Most expats I talk with say that they prefer using Airbnb to find rentals. So you might want to look here too: https://www.airbnb.com/tamarindo-costa-rica/stays. At Airbnb, you often get lower rates when you stay for a month or more.

I hope this helps. Let me know if you have any other questions or if you know which part of Costa Rica you want to visit. When you come to Costa Rica, you can fly into Liberia (LIR) in Guanacaste or into the Central Valley (SJO) depending on where you want to spend your time here.

[BEKAHBOTTONE 0]

I was just looking on GOOGLE FLIGHTS and I would search flights Avianca, Spirit, Delta, Copa Airlines, and America. Those were the airlines with only one layover.

I also looked up JET BLUE as that is who I always fly from Liberia to NYC for usually $500 or less. And it looks like JETBLUE flies from Washington to SJO. I see flights for between $325 to $550 on their website.

I always try to avoid overnight flights too. They are really exhausting.

[BEKAHBOTTONE 0]

Hi! I have a cat and dog and have never had any issues with wildlife (knock on wood).

Yet, there is a lot of wildlife, and I have heard of some issues here in Guanacaste. I love close to Playa Tamarindo. For example, frogs are poisonous when licked. My dog is a beagle, so she prefers to point out wildlife rather than touch it.

In addition, we have lots of snakes and scorpions. I think my dog had gotten stung by a scorpion before as she swelled up, but she was okay. Vets have some antivenom. If a rattlesnake bites your dog, you must get it to the vet immediately. It’s the same protocol for people in the area.

Skunks are my main issue at my house. They often come into my yard at night and drive my dog crazy!

In Costa Rica, the monkeys don’t tend to bother people or pets. They often keep their distance and stay in the trees.

I believe there are fewer issues with wildlife in the city.

Tick fever is also common in my area. If infected, dogs get lethargic and need medicine. It is different from the States, as people don’t get Lyme disease here.

Check out these articles to learn more: https://internationalliving.com/countries/costa-rica/move/
https://internationalliving.com/how-to-travel-with-pets-to-costa-rica/ (this information is a bit older, but share some personal experiences that may be interesting)

[BEKAHBOTTONE 0]

Here in more info about different visas: https://internationalliving.com/countries/costa-rica/visa/

And now in CR, you can legally stay in the country for 180 days, so this is a great option especially for snow birds who want to enjoy the warm weather for more than 3 months.

The United States and Canada are included on the list of group one countries eligible for the 180-day visas.

However, the Traffic Law states that foreign drivers holding a valid foreign driver’s license who are in the country as tourists or in transit are authorized to drive the same type of vehicle as permitted by their license for a period of three months.”

Therefore, it’s important to note that if you stay in Costa Rica for 180 days, the foreign license will only be valid for the first three months (90 days).

[BEKAHBOTTONE 0]

Personally, I have some people I trust that stay in my house while I am away. There are many people looking for these opportunities in Facebook gorups in Costa Rica, so that might be one place to start. I would also try TrustedHousesitters.com. Good luck!

[BEKAHBOTTONE 0]

Just wanted to give a bit more info about costs… I have a colonoscopy schedueld for this weekend and it will cost $360 and a mamogram is about $70. A general office visit costs around $45 and I just bought an additional insurance for about $16 a month from INS (Instituto de Seguro Nacional) which should help reduce some out of pocket costs on some procedures. It is much more affordable to pay out of pocket in Costa Rica.

[BEKAHBOTTONE 0]

I thought I would give an idea of some prices, as I have an appointment for a colonoscopy and it will cost $360. And a mamogram is about $70. I pay around $45 for a general office visit. I have the public Caja insurance and pay out of pocket for other procedures. I just got an insurance from INS (Instituto de Seguro Nacional) for about $16 a month that will also give me some benefits to help reduce those out of pocket costs.

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