Costa Rica - what to pack

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Does anyone on DCUM not go to Costa Rica?

El Salvador is now better to travel to than Costa Rica.

Nope.

Costa Rica has natural beauty that El Salvador, as a tiny country, never will.

LOL, you can be a "tiny country" and still have "natural beauty."

Having said that, and having been to both, I'd recommend neither. El Salvador may be a lot safer than it used to be, but lots of "safe" places still aren't tourist friendly and El Salvador remains one of them. For starters, they need to clean it up. There's litter everywhere and it really detracts from the experience.

As for Costa Rica, it's become a victim of its own success. It has focused for so long and so exclusively on international tourism that it's lost all authenticity. It's like a theme park. Everyone who goes there does the same carefully orchestrated thing. Better said, everyone goes there and does the same orchestrated thing.

DP

But people aren't going to Costa Rica for "authenticity". Costa Rica's appeal is: Proximity (to mid-Atlantic). Safe. Predictable. Orchestrated.

Costa Rica isn't the bad boy you date for excitement and explosive experiences. Costa Rica is the boring, predictable tax accountant - sure he's terrible in bed but he'll make a reliable father.

Not as safe as it was. Not by a long shot.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Does anyone on DCUM not go to Costa Rica?

El Salvador is now better to travel to than Costa Rica.

Nope.

Costa Rica has natural beauty that El Salvador, as a tiny country, never will.

LOL, you can be a "tiny country" and still have "natural beauty."

Having said that, and having been to both, I'd recommend neither. El Salvador may be a lot safer than it used to be, but lots of "safe" places still aren't tourist friendly and El Salvador remains one of them. For starters, they need to clean it up. There's litter everywhere and it really detracts from the experience.

As for Costa Rica, it's become a victim of its own success. It has focused for so long and so exclusively on international tourism that it's lost all authenticity. It's like a theme park. Everyone who goes there does the same carefully orchestrated thing. Better said, everyone goes there and does the same orchestrated thing.

DP

But people aren't going to Costa Rica for "authenticity". Costa Rica's appeal is: Proximity (to mid-Atlantic). Safe. Predictable. Orchestrated.

Costa Rica isn't the bad boy you date for excitement and explosive experiences. Costa Rica is the boring, predictable tax accountant - sure he's terrible in bed but he'll make a reliable father.

Not as safe as it was. Not by a long shot.

Compare Costa Rica to something other than Costa Rica.

Costa Rica is the Bethany Beach of central/South America.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Does anyone on DCUM not go to Costa Rica?

El Salvador is now better to travel to than Costa Rica.

Nope.

Costa Rica has natural beauty that El Salvador, as a tiny country, never will.

LOL, you can be a "tiny country" and still have "natural beauty."

Having said that, and having been to both, I'd recommend neither. El Salvador may be a lot safer than it used to be, but lots of "safe" places still aren't tourist friendly and El Salvador remains one of them. For starters, they need to clean it up. There's litter everywhere and it really detracts from the experience.

As for Costa Rica, it's become a victim of its own success. It has focused for so long and so exclusively on international tourism that it's lost all authenticity. It's like a theme park. Everyone who goes there does the same carefully orchestrated thing. Better said, everyone goes there and does the same orchestrated thing.

DP

But people aren't going to Costa Rica for "authenticity". Costa Rica's appeal is: Proximity (to mid-Atlantic). Safe. Predictable. Orchestrated.

Costa Rica isn't the bad boy you date for excitement and explosive experiences. Costa Rica is the boring, predictable tax accountant - sure he's terrible in bed but he'll make a reliable father.

Not as safe as it was. Not by a long shot.

Back in 2017 (or so) our dea “helped” them talk out the sole cartel leader, who make sure the cocaine passed safely through the country en route to points north. Predictably it led to fractured trafficking routes, and people are now paid in product, who then resell to locals. This had led to more addicts on the streets looking for a fix and crimes of desperation like you see in Seattle.

Another W for us.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Does anyone on DCUM not go to Costa Rica?

El Salvador is now better to travel to than Costa Rica.

Nope.

Costa Rica has natural beauty that El Salvador, as a tiny country, never will.

LOL, you can be a "tiny country" and still have "natural beauty."

Having said that, and having been to both, I'd recommend neither. El Salvador may be a lot safer than it used to be, but lots of "safe" places still aren't tourist friendly and El Salvador remains one of them. For starters, they need to clean it up. There's litter everywhere and it really detracts from the experience.

As for Costa Rica, it's become a victim of its own success. It has focused for so long and so exclusively on international tourism that it's lost all authenticity. It's like a theme park. Everyone who goes there does the same carefully orchestrated thing. Better said, everyone goes there and does the same orchestrated thing.

DP

But people aren't going to Costa Rica for "authenticity". Costa Rica's appeal is: Proximity (to mid-Atlantic). Safe. Predictable. Orchestrated.

Costa Rica isn't the bad boy you date for excitement and explosive experiences. Costa Rica is the boring, predictable tax accountant - sure he's terrible in bed but he'll make a reliable father.

Not as safe as it was. Not by a long shot.

Compare Costa Rica to something other than Costa Rica.

Costa Rica is the Bethany Beach of central/South America.

Well, if we're talking strictly about safety and nothing else, at least two close neighbors -- El Salvador and Nicaragua -- have less violent crime.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Does anyone on DCUM not go to Costa Rica?

El Salvador is now better to travel to than Costa Rica.

Nope.

Costa Rica has natural beauty that El Salvador, as a tiny country, never will.

LOL, you can be a "tiny country" and still have "natural beauty."

Having said that, and having been to both, I'd recommend neither. El Salvador may be a lot safer than it used to be, but lots of "safe" places still aren't tourist friendly and El Salvador remains one of them. For starters, they need to clean it up. There's litter everywhere and it really detracts from the experience.

As for Costa Rica, it's become a victim of its own success. It has focused for so long and so exclusively on international tourism that it's lost all authenticity. It's like a theme park. Everyone who goes there does the same carefully orchestrated thing. Better said, everyone goes there and does the same orchestrated thing.

DP

But people aren't going to Costa Rica for "authenticity". Costa Rica's appeal is: Proximity (to mid-Atlantic). Safe. Predictable. Orchestrated.

Costa Rica isn't the bad boy you date for excitement and explosive experiences. Costa Rica is the boring, predictable tax accountant - sure he's terrible in bed but he'll make a reliable father.

Not as safe as it was. Not by a long shot.

Compare Costa Rica to something other than Costa Rica.

Costa Rica is the Bethany Beach of central/South America.

Well, if we're talking strictly about safety and nothing else, at least two close neighbors -- El Salvador and Nicaragua -- have less violent crime.

Both also have authoritarian leaders.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Does anyone on DCUM not go to Costa Rica?

El Salvador is now better to travel to than Costa Rica.

Nope.

Costa Rica has natural beauty that El Salvador, as a tiny country, never will.

LOL, you can be a "tiny country" and still have "natural beauty."

Having said that, and having been to both, I'd recommend neither. El Salvador may be a lot safer than it used to be, but lots of "safe" places still aren't tourist friendly and El Salvador remains one of them. For starters, they need to clean it up. There's litter everywhere and it really detracts from the experience.

As for Costa Rica, it's become a victim of its own success. It has focused for so long and so exclusively on international tourism that it's lost all authenticity. It's like a theme park. Everyone who goes there does the same carefully orchestrated thing. Better said, everyone goes there and does the same orchestrated thing.

DP

But people aren't going to Costa Rica for "authenticity". Costa Rica's appeal is: Proximity (to mid-Atlantic). Safe. Predictable. Orchestrated.

Costa Rica isn't the bad boy you date for excitement and explosive experiences. Costa Rica is the boring, predictable tax accountant - sure he's terrible in bed but he'll make a reliable father.

Not as safe as it was. Not by a long shot.

Compare Costa Rica to something other than Costa Rica.

Costa Rica is the Bethany Beach of central/South America.

Well, if we're talking strictly about safety and nothing else, at least two close neighbors -- El Salvador and Nicaragua -- have less violent crime.

Both also have authoritarian leaders.

And Costa Rica just elected one. Why? Because of crime concerns.

Keep up.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Does anyone on DCUM not go to Costa Rica?

El Salvador is now better to travel to than Costa Rica.

Nope.

Costa Rica has natural beauty that El Salvador, as a tiny country, never will.

LOL, you can be a "tiny country" and still have "natural beauty."

Having said that, and having been to both, I'd recommend neither. El Salvador may be a lot safer than it used to be, but lots of "safe" places still aren't tourist friendly and El Salvador remains one of them. For starters, they need to clean it up. There's litter everywhere and it really detracts from the experience.

As for Costa Rica, it's become a victim of its own success. It has focused for so long and so exclusively on international tourism that it's lost all authenticity. It's like a theme park. Everyone who goes there does the same carefully orchestrated thing. Better said, everyone goes there and does the same orchestrated thing.

DP

But people aren't going to Costa Rica for "authenticity". Costa Rica's appeal is: Proximity (to mid-Atlantic). Safe. Predictable. Orchestrated.

Costa Rica isn't the bad boy you date for excitement and explosive experiences. Costa Rica is the boring, predictable tax accountant - sure he's terrible in bed but he'll make a reliable father.

Not as safe as it was. Not by a long shot.

Compare Costa Rica to something other than Costa Rica.

Costa Rica is the Bethany Beach of central/South America.

Well, if we're talking strictly about safety and nothing else, at least two close neighbors -- El Salvador and Nicaragua -- have less violent crime.

Both also have authoritarian leaders.

And Costa Rica just elected one. Why? Because of crime concerns.

Keep up.

The election of Daniel Ortega in Nicaragua was not about crime. Keep up yourself.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Does anyone on DCUM not go to Costa Rica?

El Salvador is now better to travel to than Costa Rica.

Nope.

Costa Rica has natural beauty that El Salvador, as a tiny country, never will.

LOL, you can be a "tiny country" and still have "natural beauty."

Having said that, and having been to both, I'd recommend neither. El Salvador may be a lot safer than it used to be, but lots of "safe" places still aren't tourist friendly and El Salvador remains one of them. For starters, they need to clean it up. There's litter everywhere and it really detracts from the experience.

As for Costa Rica, it's become a victim of its own success. It has focused for so long and so exclusively on international tourism that it's lost all authenticity. It's like a theme park. Everyone who goes there does the same carefully orchestrated thing. Better said, everyone goes there and does the same orchestrated thing.

DP

But people aren't going to Costa Rica for "authenticity". Costa Rica's appeal is: Proximity (to mid-Atlantic). Safe. Predictable. Orchestrated.

Costa Rica isn't the bad boy you date for excitement and explosive experiences. Costa Rica is the boring, predictable tax accountant - sure he's terrible in bed but he'll make a reliable father.

Not as safe as it was. Not by a long shot.

Compare Costa Rica to something other than Costa Rica.

Costa Rica is the Bethany Beach of central/South America.

Well, if we're talking strictly about safety and nothing else, at least two close neighbors -- El Salvador and Nicaragua -- have less violent crime.

Both also have authoritarian leaders.

And Costa Rica just elected one. Why? Because of crime concerns.

Keep up.

The election of Daniel Ortega in Nicaragua was not about crime. Keep up yourself.

Duh. No one said it was. Another poster simply suggested that Nicaragua had lower crime because it has an authoritarian leader. No one said that's why he was elected.

What I am saying is that crime concern IS a major reason why Delgado was just elected in Costa Rica. In fact, it was his central platform.

So you keep up.

[Anonymous]

Meet a costa rican and they’ll offer you some nice drug offers from Colombia or Venezuela.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Does anyone on DCUM not go to Costa Rica?

El Salvador is now better to travel to than Costa Rica.

Nope.

Costa Rica has natural beauty that El Salvador, as a tiny country, never will.

LOL, you can be a "tiny country" and still have "natural beauty."

Having said that, and having been to both, I'd recommend neither. El Salvador may be a lot safer than it used to be, but lots of "safe" places still aren't tourist friendly and El Salvador remains one of them. For starters, they need to clean it up. There's litter everywhere and it really detracts from the experience.

As for Costa Rica, it's become a victim of its own success. It has focused for so long and so exclusively on international tourism that it's lost all authenticity. It's like a theme park. Everyone who goes there does the same carefully orchestrated thing. Better said, everyone goes there and does the same orchestrated thing.

DP

But people aren't going to Costa Rica for "authenticity". Costa Rica's appeal is: Proximity (to mid-Atlantic). Safe. Predictable. Orchestrated.

Costa Rica isn't the bad boy you date for excitement and explosive experiences. Costa Rica is the boring, predictable tax accountant - sure he's terrible in bed but he'll make a reliable father.

Not as safe as it was. Not by a long shot.

Compare Costa Rica to something other than Costa Rica.

Costa Rica is the Bethany Beach of central/South America.

Well, if we're talking strictly about safety and nothing else, at least two close neighbors -- El Salvador and Nicaragua -- have less violent crime.

Both also have authoritarian leaders.

And Costa Rica just elected one. Why? Because of crime concerns.

Keep up.

And because Costa Ricans don't care that their country is getting infested with more drug dealers.

[Anonymous]

We did not have hiking boots. Even the long hike to the zip lines were fine. Sneakers were enough.

Bug spray and sunblock!!

[Anonymous]

Costa rica is so overrated. Why would you even go?

[Anonymous]

Love CR, you will have a blast.

Don't overthink it, as long as you've got your sunscreen, comfortable shoes and exercise clothes, swim suits, and bug spray you will be fine. You can definitely wear shorts. You don't need hiking boots or water shoes. If you or kiddos are a weak swimmer, consider packing a life vest because the tide can be strong and there are rip currents. Don't forget a camera, the wild life is awesome.

Have fun!

[Anonymous]

Security

[Anonymous]

Our clothes always had a slight damp feel to them, so stick with quick dry stuff. For footwear, I would do something between a tennis shoe and a hiking boot. We encountered a lot of wet terrain.