Costa Rica Expat Forum

fredosilva
Joined 2015
Posts: 18

8 years ago

My Trip this to Costa Rica Aug 2015

8 years ago

My trip to the Caribbean side of Costa Rica this past week in August was a huge let down. I researched and planned for it for months; read the books; talked to missionary people via Skype; emailed real estate people, participated in Expat forums online etc… only to find out that much of what I had been told online and read about in books was not the “Pura Vida” that everyone raves about. From San Jose, their busiest town where all their homes have bars over the windows and businesses are strung from one end to the other with barbed wire wrapped in coils of razor wire, to the poor who live in the surrounding towns and villages with dirt floors in huts and shacks made of concrete block with metal roofs and corrugated metal patchwork … Costa Rica is truly a country that on the surface appears to be doing quite well in cities where McDonalds, Pizza Hut, Kentucky Fried Chicken, Applebee’s and Wal-Mart have all moved in to take part in the charade of the country’s growing commerce that is mostly dependant on the money that comes in from so many tourists from all over the world… from packs of well-off 20 & 30 Somethings… with their pockets filled with Colones, clothed in T-shirts and sandals, laced with tattoos and piercings to thongs and surf boards, toting their pot pipes and back packs… to the expat retirees who are looking to buy into a piece of the pie… hoping to live out the rest of their lives in luxury while the poor all about them continue to wilt… without little help from their government who doesn’t seem to lift a finger to assist them. The tourists flit from zip lines in the rain forests to white water rafting down mountainous rivers to trekking up volcanoes and exploring the beaches while most of the population lives in squalor. The heat and the humidly along the shore line is far worse than anything I’ve ever experienced. And even though the country does have its pleasantries and cooler climates up in the mountains where it’s always raining… there is as much danger in the jungle as there is in the local traffic… with no regard for personal safety; where the washouts and the potholes can literally destroy your car if another vehicle doesn’t take you out first. It just wasn’t what I expected. There’s so much chaos and poverty mixed in with the laid back serenity and beauty of the country that it can easily become overwhelmingly depressing. Unfortunately for me, the small one street town of Manzanillo whose beaches are littered with trash and debris with no shells or signs of life among the dead reefs was very disappointing, including the town of Puerto Viejo inundated with tourism amid so much poverty and strife. From San Jose over to Limon and all the way down to Manzanillo… the beauty of the country was simply a backdrop to the terrible conditions I encountered while visiting there. In short, it wasn’t the “Pura Vida” I had bought into while researching Costa Rica from the States at all. Rather it’s more like “Pure Hype!” So, I cut my trip short and returned to the United States where so many of us, including myself, take so much of what we have in the USA for granted. Peace & Love, Alfredo

GeoBlue

Top-quality coverage for people who live, work, study and travel internationally.
Get Quote

GeoBlue

Top-quality coverage for people who live, work, study and travel internationally.
Get Quote

Living in Costa Rica Guide

Our Living in Costa Rica Guide is a primer on everything about living in Costa Rica: best places to live, cost of living, pros and cons, healthcare and insurance, and more.

Costa Rica Forum
Join our Costa Rica forum to meet other expats and talk about living in Costa Rica.

Contribute
Help other expats and newcomers by answering questions about the challenges and adventures of living in Costa Rica.

Best Places to Live in Costa Rica

If you're dreaming about living in Costa Rica, here are the 15 Best Places to Live in Costa Rica in 2023.

Healthcare in Costa Rica

Costa Rica has both public and private healthcare systems. When you become a resident, you must enroll in the public healthcare system (CAJA). Many expats use the public system for routine healthcare and have private expat health insurance for specialists, surgeries and emergencies.

Cost of Living in Costa Rica

If you're moving to Costa Rica, you'll want to understand the cost of living in Costa Rica. Lifestyle, location and health insurance are part of the formula.

Moving to Costa Rica Guide

Moving to Costa Rica has become more popular among expats. Making this choice requires a lot of research to ensure the expat experience you hope for will be realized.

Real Estate in Costa Rica

Real estate listings in popular cities and towns in Costa Rica.

Pros & Cons of Living in Costa Rica

Take off your rose-colored glasses and learn what expats have to say about the biggest challenges and the greatest rewards of living in Costa Rica.

Retiring in Costa Rica

Advice for people retiring in Costa Rica.

Costa Rica Visa & Residency Guide

Applying for residency in Costa Rica can be a daunting process. Which type of residency is right for me? Do I need an attorney? Do I have to leave the country every 90 days? What is a cedula? This article answers these and many other questions.

10 Tips for Living in Costa Rica

If you've recently arrived in Costa Rica, here are 10 tips for digital nomads living in Costa Rica.

Additional Information:

Visit our Costa Rica Index for a Full List

GeoBlue

Top-quality coverage for people who live, work, study and travel internationally.
Get Quote

GeoBlue

Top-quality coverage for people who live, work, study and travel internationally.
Get Quote

Contribute
Help others in Costa Rica by answering questions about the challenges and adventures of living in Costa Rica.