Costa Rica Solo Travel Guide: Safety & Tips

What is it like travelling in Costa Rica?

I had no idea what to expect before my trip because countless other travellers had complained about how expensive and touristy Costa Rica is compared to other countries in Central America.

Having visited, I really think it depends on your experience and tolerances. If you’re a budget backpacker who loves exploring adventurous destinations, well, Costa Rica may not fit the bill. I would recommend Guatemala or Nicaragua instead.

However, if you’re looking for a comfortable vacation and amazing wildlife (and you have the budget), then I think you will love Costa Rica.

Tip – casada (translating as married) refers to meals usually comprising meat, veg, salad, rice and beans. They’re served at restaurants called ‘sodas’. Look out for these as they can really save you money! Plus, the casada meals are huge and relatively healthy.

Nature walk in Monteverde Cloud Forest

You can visit this spectacular virgin forest without a guide but I felt I saw much more because of having one including the rare quetzal bird!

Entry to Monteverde Cloud Forest costs $26 and the guide was a further $25 including pick-up from your accommodation. However, I chose to get the bus back so I could spend more time in the park crossing the hanging bridges.

I also enjoyed the chance to sit in the cafe and watch the hummingbirds drink from feeders. A pesky (but cute) coati even joined me, desperate for scraps of my food!

I booked a guide through my hostel but there are well-rated tours on Viator

Nature night walk

It’s a great place for adventure as well as nature because zip-lining was invented in Monteverde! I went with Monteverde Extremo and it was great fun; just little expensive at $70. As a self-certified big baby, I probably wouldn’t have done this completely solo but I got coerced by a new friend in the hostel who was going. I love hostels for that!

However, if you’re more adventurous than me, there’s no reason not to go zip-lining solo! You’ll definitely meet others in the group, plus the guides were great. Included is the optional Tarzan swing. Onsite (but not included in the price) is the highest bungee in Central America. Not for me!

They offer a return shuttle from Monteverde for just a couple of dollars extra which is probably cost-effective even if you have a car as it’s a 20-minute drive from town.

Book zip-lining from $70

After Monteverde, the other most popular destination in the north is La Fortuna. It’s a good place for solo female travel in Costa Rica because there are plenty of hostels (as well as other types of accommodation if that’s not for you) and it’s easy to organise activities.

The only slightly pesky thing about La Fortuna is how much easier it is to get around with a car. I didn’t hire one as a solo traveller so I had to DIY it by taking the local bus (that only went once a day) to hike near the volcanos. Afterwards, I tried to walk 5 minutes to the hot springs but it was so dangerous on the road without a pavement, I had to call Uber!

Then, from the hot springs back to La Fortuna, there was no signal to call an Uber so I started to wonder how I’d ever get home… Luckily, I bumped into someone at the hostel who had a car! Overall, it’s tricky for travellers (solo and otherwise) sin car.

Best things to do in La Fortuna:

• Hike near the volcanos – originally I planned to visit the popular Arenal Volcano National Park then changed to Mirador el Silencio Nat Park at the last minute as I learnt it’s closer and cheaper ($10 entry). I didn’t see much wildlife here and sadly the views of the volcano were blocked by clouds that day but it’s still a lovely hike through peaceful forest
• Find other volcano viewpoints around the lake, easiest if you have your own vehicle
• Soak in hot springs – there are so many, some offering pricey day packages up to $80, however I visited the free La Choyin ones close to the national parks mentioned above
• Visit Fortuna Waterfall – some would say $20 to visit a waterfall is a lot and they would be right! Provided swimming isn’t prohibited due to bad weather, it could be worth it, plus apparently proceeds are reinvested into preserving nature
• Day trip to Rio Celeste – this is another popular waterfall known for its bright blue waters
• Adrenaline activities – try repelling down waterfalls, white water rafting, zip-lining, horseback riding… Name it and you can do it here! Use GetYourGuide to browse and book activities
• Mistico Hanging Bridges Park – what it says on the tin! Cross 16 hanging bridges offering striking views over the forest
• El Salto rope swing – another free activity within walking distance from the town. I didn’t go because it was pouring with rain and the river was too high, but I hear good things.

Cahuita (Caribbean coast)

I enjoyed visiting this chilled town on the Caribbean coast of Costa Rica during my solo travels. There isn’t loads to do but it’s somewhere you can escape the hustle and bustle of busier tourist towns.

A morning walking in Cahuita National Park is a breath of fresh air: there’s no entry fee (just an optional donation) and plenty of animals to be seen including sloths, monkeys, racoons and toucans. The capuchin monkeys – seen on the 5 mill bank note – were particularly cute.

Go at opening time (8am) to beat the crowds!

I stayed at Hostel Hakuna Matata near the entry to the park. It was nothing fancy but did the job from $12 a night with a kitchen, swimming pool and some cute hostel cats!

Note – if you’re short of time, it’s also easy to visit Cahuita National Park from Puerto Viejo.

This remote region accessed only by boat or plane is somewhere I skipped as it was far out of my way and not turtle nesting season. However, if you have the time, I hear great things about the winding waterways of Tortuguero home to otters, crocodiles, toucans and more.

Things to do in Tortugero:

• Take a guided turtle walk from June to October (the peak being July-September) and visit the Sea Turtle Conservancy Visitor’s Centre to learn about the conservation of Green and Hawksbill turtles who call the beaches home
• Take a guided or self-guided canoe trip to see wildlife
• Hike extinct volcano, Cerro Tortuguero (just 1km return)
• Enjoy the beaches
• See sloths and more on a guided night walk.

Where to stay in Tortuguero:

• Budget: Aracari Garden Hostel – with a big garden and access to the unique nature of the region, this is easily the best rated low cost accommodation in Tortuguero. Dorms from $12 and privates from $25.
• Mid-range: Casa Marbella’s double rooms for $40 are the best value in town.

Tamarindo

Surfers need look no further than Costa Rica’s Pacific coast which is world-renowned for its impressive swell. Although it’s no longer the hippie town it once was (in fact, it’s one of the most expensive places in the country), it’s still a favourite for many with great restaurants and nightlife once the impressive sunset is over.

Costa Rica solo itinerary

Here’s my exact itinerary including central, north and east Costa Rica as I headed down Central America.

1 day in San Jose: some travellers will skip the capital and I can see why. Truly, it’s not an essential if you’re short of time. If – like me – you’re not in a rush, stay in the Barrio Escalante neighbourhood (Chillout Hostel is good), enjoy the nice cafes & restaurants, and take a free walking tour of the city centre.

2-3 days in La Fortuna (north): spend a couple of days visiting the waterfalls, national parks and hot springs. Take a day trip to Rio Celeste waterfall if the weather is good (apparently the stunning blue waters appear muddy when it’s been raining).

2-3 days in Monteverde (north): a couple of days is enough in Monteverde. I spent one going zip-lining and another doing a daytime nature walk in the Cloud Forest followed by a guided night walk.

1 day in Cahuita (east coast): get up early and walk in Cahuita National Park before the crowds arrive.

2 days in Puerto Viejo (east coast): hire a bicycle, preferably for a couple of days, and explore the national parks and beaches of the Caribbean coastline.

Want to visit the Pacific Coast too? Add the following destinations…

Tamarindo: two days or longer for surf lessons or a surf camp.

Uvita: snorkel, scuba dive, hike and explore the whale tale formation at low tide in this relaxed escape from busier beach towns like Tamarindo.

Manuel Antonio: a day is enough to explore the wonderful national park but you may want to spend up to 3 days in Manuel Antonio to enjoy the area’s beaches.

I’ll put this simply: Costa Rica IS expensive but it doesn’t have to be.

During my few weeks in Costa Rica, I spent the very reasonable amount of $56 a day (I use the TravelSpend app to record my expenses; it’s so helpful). This was definitely on a backpackers budget as I was travelling as part of a big, nine-month trip.

I stayed in hostels, travelled by local bus and cooked around half my meals at my accommodation. The other half were at budget soda restaurants. Still, I did activities from zip-lining to guided nature walks so I didn’t feel I missed out.

However, the sky’s the limit when it comes to Costa Rica spending. For a mid-range budget, I recommend $80 a day.

As a solo traveller in Costa Rica, the bulk of your expenses will be private rooms if you’re not a hostel person. So if you can hack hostel life, I recommend it. There are some fantastic hostels in Costa Rica with ‘superb’ ratings (over 9 stars) from $7 a night.

Now in my 30s, I opt for smaller dorms (4 or 6 beds) with privacy curtains and individual chargers and lamps. Many hostels offer female-only dorms, too.

More budget tips for travelling Costa Rica alone:

• Book accommodation with kitchens and cook rather than eating out
• When eating out, visit ‘sodas’ – these local restaurants serve reasonable ‘casada’ meals usually including a choice of meat (inc. fish), veg, beans, rice and salad for less than $10
• Take local buses rather than shuttles (on average 75% cheaper)
• Visit off-season – the months either side of the summer like May and September have decent weather without the bulk of the crowds. The Christmas, Easter and summer holidays are the most expensive, busy times.
• Bring a reusable water bottle – you can drink the tap water so there’s no excuse to buy plastic bottles
• Opt for self-guided hikes than tours – I always felt safe hiking solo in Costa Rica so didn’t feel I needed a guide
• Do a volunteer placement with Workaway or Worldpackers, helping out a few hours a day for food and accommodation. I can offer you discount codes for both Workaway and Worldpackers.

Useful tips for Costa Rica travel:

– The currency is the Costa Rican Colón, at the time of writing there are 500 colones to 1 USD
– To charge your devices, use plug types A and B (the same from Canada all the way down to Bolivia)
Visas: many countries including the UK and the US get 90 days visa-free on arrival in Costa Rica.

The tourism to Costa Rica is more based around popular holiday dates than the weather: the Christmas, Easter and summer holidays are busiest.

Rainy season runs from late September to January but can be a good time to visit if you’re not on a tight schedule (and can be flexible about spending a few rainy afternoons inside) as prices are lower.

An ideal time to visit Costa Rica (when I went) is in the weeks or months after Christmas because the crowds have thinned out and the rains have stopped.

However, weather is getting increasingly unpredictable due to climate change and I had a lot of rain even though it was meant to be the dry season. Be prepared for any eventuality, especially as Costa Rica is full of microclimates.

Yes, I never have and never will travel without insurance. It could save your life!

I recommend True Traveller which I use myself. I pay around £30 (€40) a month when getting a year’s plan. As well as pre-existing health conditions, they’ll cover you if you’re already travelling and/or don’t yet have your flight home booked. The claim process is easy; I’ve done it twice and received the money within days. Click to get a quote.

Note – they include activities you’ll likely want to do in Costa Rica such as zip-lining for no extra cost under their standard ‘traveller’ pack. Check ts&cs for all potential activities.

True Traveller is just for European residents (including the UK) so, for other nationalities, I recommend Hey Mundo and for long-term digital nomad travellers, I suggest Safety Wing.