Costa Rica has an excellent international reputation among travelers interested in wildlife, beaches, rainforests, volcanoes and outdoor adventure. The country is also remarkably serious about conservation. More than a quarter of its territory is protected, and that commitment is noticeable when traveling around the country.
There were definitely things I enjoyed during my trip. La Fortuna Waterfall is beautifully powerful and easily the highlight of my time there. The drive from La Fortuna to Monteverde was gorgeous, Arenal Volcano National Park gave us a couple okay opportunities to look for wildlife — my friend even spotted a toucan (with binoculars) — and the country in general felt clean and well taken care of. I expected to see way more wildlife though.
In the end, Costa Rica left me conflicted. I just didn’t understand the hype. It felt like a marketing scam. I kept thinking, like – “man….Nicaragua is way better.”
Before going any further, I should make one thing clear: I only spent about one week in Costa Rica. Most of my time was divided between La Fortuna and Monteverde, followed by a couple of days near the beach in a more tourist-oriented area. But I got the sense that the entire country was tourism. As someone who has traveled extensively around Central and South America, I came away with a fairly strong opinion:
Costa Rica is beautiful and well maintained, but I found much of the experience underwhelming for the price. You can get most of the same landscapes and adventures in Nicaragua, Guatemala, or maybe even Mexico for a lot cheaper, plus their food is way better.
Where Costa Rica Is Worth the Premium: Corcovado
The best example is Corcovado National Park and the surrounding Osa Peninsula.
This is also the place I most regret missing. I wanted to make it there, but with only a week in Costa Rica, the logistics didn’t work with my schedule. If I ever returned, Corcovado would be at the top of my list.
The park protects more than 41,000 hectares of lagoons, mangroves, rivers, wet forest, cloud forest and coastline. Its wildlife includes hundreds of bird species and more than a hundred species of mammals, along with a great variety of other animals.
This is where paying Costa Rica prices makes sense to me.
You can see volcanoes in Nicaragua. You can hike through spectacular landscapes in Guatemala. Tropical beaches, waterfalls and jungle exist throughout Central America.
Corcovado’s combination of protected rainforest, coastline, biodiversity and serious conservation is much harder to replicate.
Visitors currently need to enter Corcovado with an authorized guide, so planning ahead is important. If wildlife and biodiversity are the reasons you’re interested in Costa Rica, this is the type of experience I’d prioritize.
If you’re going to pay Costa Rica prices, spend your money on what Costa Rica does exceptionally well.
What I Liked About Traveling in Costa Rica
Before getting into more of my criticisms, Costa Rica deserves credit for what it does well.
What impressed me was Costa Rica’s commitment to environmental protection. Aside for the capital city, the country feels clean and conscious of its natural resources. Roughly a quarter of its territory is protected, and that conservation effort may be Costa Rica’s greatest strength.
It has spent decades building it’s reputation for nature conservation, safe adventures, family friendly travel and large tours.
This has attracted a sizable United States expat community, with U.S. government estimates historically putting the number of U.S. citizens living in the country at around 120,000.
Things to Know Before Visiting Costa Rica
Many hiking and wildlife experiences take place inside national parks, biological reserves or privately managed nature reserves. Something that looks like a simple hike on a map may involve an entrance fee, specific access point or operating hours.
I learned this the hard way using AllTrails around La Fortuna. I tried three separate times to find the highest-rated hike I had saved and somehow ended up somewhere else every time.
Tap water is potable in most of Costa Rica, and U.S. dollars and major credit cards are widely accepted. If you want to do a wildlife or night tour, however, plan ahead. Some tours I looked at required advance reservations, and waiting until the same day limited my options.
Is Costa Rica Worth It for Budget Travelers?
This is where I think budget travelers need to look beyond Costa Rica’s reputation and ask a simple question:
What am I paying extra to experience here?
Costa Rica has volcanoes, tropical forests, waterfalls, beaches, wildlife, surfing and hiking. They’re all legitimate reasons to visit.
The problem is that many of them aren’t unique to Costa Rica.
YOU CAN FIND MANY OF THE SAME EXPERIENCES IN NICARAGUA FOR LESS
This is the biggest issue I have with Costa Rica from a budget-travel perspective.
If you’re going primarily for volcanoes, beaches, waterfalls, surfing, jungle, lakes, hiking and outdoor adventure, Nicaragua offers many of those same experiences at considerably lower prices. Ometepe Island is a perfect example, combining volcanoes, hiking, waterfalls, wildlife and Lake Nicaragua in one destination. Volcano boarding at Cerro Negro near León gives you a spectular experience on the adventure side of things.
I’ve traveled in both countries, and that comparison repeatedly came to mind in Costa Rica. Surf lessons were one simple example: similar lessons I’d seen in Nicaragua could cost dramatically less.
Guatemala presents a similar argument. It offers volcanoes, lakes, rainforest, wildlife, archaeological sites and spectacular landscapes while also providing the cultural immersion I personally look for when traveling through Central America. Mexico has world-class scuba diving in the Riviera Maya, jungles and amazing culture.
That’s why I wouldn’t automatically recommend Costa Rica simply because someone wants a tropical Central American adventure.
If you’re backpacking on a limited budget, look at what you actually want to do. If Nicaragua or Guatemala offers essentially the same experience for substantially less money, I’d seriously consider going there instead.
Costa Rica becomes much more compelling when you focus on the things it does exceptionally well, wildlife conservation (Corcovado).
THE FOOD WAS VERY DISAPPOINTING, ESPECIALLY FOR THE PRICE
Food was probably my biggest everyday disappointment.
I tried an assortment of local and international dishes, and the best meal I had during the week was just okay. Restaurants sometimes charged prices I would associate with the United States for food that I found bland or poorly prepared.
Normally, I’d simply buy groceries, find inexpensive street food or grab some fruit. Those alternatives weren’t as easy to find as I expected either.
Food is subjective, obviously, but I spent much of the week craving a genuinely good meal, and I consider myself a foodie who grew up in a culinary household.
MUCH OF COSTA RICA FELT HEAVILY ORIENTED TOWARD TOURISM
Costa Rica’s tourism infrastructure is excellent. Accommodation was comfortable, roads were manageable with our rental car and tourism services were everywhere.
The downside was that some destinations felt almost like self-contained tourism centers. I heard an enormous amount of English and sometimes felt disconnected from the cultural and linguistic differences I normally enjoy while traveling.
I’m not someone who dislikes a place because tourists are there. But compared with my experiences elsewhere in Central America, parts of Costa Rica felt more like a resort destination than somewhere I was backpacking through.
My Advice for Backpacking Costa Rica on a Budget
Don’t begin by asking how many Costa Rican destinations you can squeeze into your itinerary.
Ask why you’re choosing Costa Rica in the first place.
For beaches, surfing, volcanoes, waterfalls and general outdoor adventure, compare Costa Rica with Nicaragua and Guatemala before spending your money.
If you’re specifically interested in conservation, biodiversity and wildlife in highly protected ecosystems, Costa Rica has a much stronger case.
I’d rather spend more money on one exceptional Costa Rican experience — particularly somewhere like Corcovado — than pay premium prices for several activities I could have done elsewhere in Central America for much less.
Final Thoughts: Would I Recommend Costa Rica?
I don’t regret visiting Costa Rica.
La Fortuna Waterfall was fantastic, I enjoyed driving through the mountains toward Monteverde, and I came away impressed by the country’s commitment to environmental protection.
I also recognize the limitations of my experience. I only had a week. I wasn’t able to visit Corcovado, and a planned day at Manuel Antonio National Park fell apart on my final day.
If you only have a week in Costa Rica, plan wisely.
For someone looking for a comfortable vacation centered around nature and organized activities, Costa Rica makes a lot of sense.
For a long-term traveler or backpacker, I’d compare it carefully with Nicaragua and Guatemala. You may find many of the same experiences for substantially less money.
The exception is what Costa Rica has done exceptionally well: protecting its natural environments and creating access to extraordinary biodiversity.
That’s where I’d spend my money.
And if I go back, that’s exactly what I’ll do.
