The tropical jungle life awaits you on the Caribbean Coast of Costa Rica. It’s an absolute paradise for lovers of warm days, palm trees, and animals. But before you hop over, there are some things you should know before coming to Costa Rica’s Caribbean Coast. Here’s what you need to know.
There’s so much life.
From animals, bugs, plants, and people, there’s so much life happening on Costa Rica’s Caribbean Coast. With this in mind, it’s entirely possible that unfamiliar insects may find their way into your room or land on you while you’re wandering the jungle in search of howler monkeys.
Yes, monkeys! You’ll see so many free roaming monkeys and sloths here. Monkeys hopping from tree to tree and sloths lazily lounging on branches are common sighting on the Caribbean Coast, and many other areas of Costa Rica, too.
Life moves at a slower pace.
Just like the sloths of Costa Rica, life moves at a slower pace. Ok, not that slow, but it’s pretty laid back. An event may start at 7 pm, but people might not be showing up until closer to 7:30 or later (even the host!). Time is so subjective here. It might takes some adjusting if you’re used to being timely.
It’s very humid.
I knew Costa Rica was humid, but I was not prepared for the Caribbean humidity. I constantly feel a bit sticky, and the air lacks that refreshing feel of fresh air. I find it a bit difficult to take a big deep breath with the amount of humidity here.
You’ll cycle everywhere.
One of the most popular ways to get around is by cycling. Most bikes don’t have gears and there aren’t back lanes or infrastructure to really support cycling, but everyone — locals and tourists alike — cycle around these areas.
There are endless beaches to explore.
Not actually endless, of course, but it sure feels like it. Many beaches are surrounded by the jungle with soft sand of many hues and plenty of interesting sites to see. A lot of the beaches have little trails that you can follow along and discover more secluded beach spots. For example, Playa Chiquita is a great spot for finding interesting, tree-filled beach posts away from the people.
If you crave the beach, Costa Rica’s Caribbean Coast will greet you with open arms.
READ MORE: Best Caribbean Beaches in Puerto Viejo, Costa Rica
The mosquitoes are feisty.
If there’s one thing you need to prepare yourself for, it’s mosquitoes. Mosquito repellent and a mosquito net for your bed are crucial. You’ll have a hard time being comfortable if you don’t. I once had over 50 mosquito bites all over my legs and feet — the mosquito problem can become very tiring after some time.
Some accommodations include a mosquito net, but if not you can find one here. As for mosquito repellent, I try to opt for the most natural options for things I put on my skin. A great plant-based option with peppermint, lemongrass, rosemary, and beeswax is this mosquito repellent from Murphy’s Naturals.
You need to bring sunscreen.
Try to bring as much sunscreen as you can before coming here. Locals don’t typically wear sunscreen, so the price can be quite high (like $20) for a bottle. Don’t skip this in your packing list because the UV Index is very high, like UV 11 every day. You 100% need sunscreen in this country.
Pro tip: Bring a rash guard for extra sun protection when swimming or surfing. Your skin will thank you.
You’ll get a feel for small town Caribbean life.
There are lots of little towns along the Caribbean Coast that you’ll really be able to get a feel of the lifestyle here, should you decide to stay awhile. Staying in Puerto Viejo, I’ve gotten to know many of the locals, develop a routine, see friendly faces, and immerse myself in the pura vida of the Caribbean.
And despite Puerto Viejo being a small town, it has quite a nice international community. You should easily be able to meet other English speakers if you don’t speak Spanish. And if you’re wondering about English-speaking levels among Costa Ricans, see this guide on how much English is spoken in Costa Rica + Spanish tips and phrases to help you get around better.
You can learn to dance at the beachfront bars.
The perfect backdrop for practicing your salsa and batchata skills on the dance floor, the beach bars are a great place to go dancing. You’ll find that the night starts very early here — it’s dark around 6 pm every day — so when the sun sets, it’s the perfect time to immerse yourself in the local culture, listen to Latin music and dance the night away in beach towns like Puerto Viejo.
In Puerto Viejo, there’s so many ladies nights, which typically means free drinks for ladies until midnight. Mango Sunset does free mojitos every Monday night from 10 pm and it’s a good spot for dancing. Another favorite ladies night is at Johnny’s Place on Wednesday nights. They serve free shots and free rum and coke for ladies, the beach front spot is perfect, and the dance floor is big enough for salsaing the night away. Not a bad reason to go out, right?
Want to know more about life in Puerto Viejo, a popular beach on the Caribbean Coast? Click here!
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