Costa Rica Trip

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Costa Rica Trip

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I want to start off by saying that Costa Rica is a very beautiful country(except for San Jose).
I know some members and readers of this forum were/are considering Costa Rica as an alternative to Thailand.
I will itemize things as it's easier for me.
1. Taxi's are extremely expensive, the alternatives are walk or use the buses.
2. Cost of living - Food, Clothes, Personal Electronics and Rent are 2-3 times more expensive than what I and others pay here in Thailand.
3. Ladies of Costa Rica - It's not the same as Thailand, there are very few ladies available for foreigners and you can expect to pay a lot more($150 - $1,000+ for 1 night). Some ladies will not even go with a foreigner and they can be very 'cold'.
4.The only similarities between Costa Rica and Thailand are basically KFC and McDonald's.
5. Weather is 50 - 60% humidity most of the time and temperatures are about the same, it does get cooler at night.
6. Immigration and Visa Laws - U.S. Passport holders receive a 90-day visa on arrival/visa exempt stamp at the airport, not sure about other nationalities/Passport holders.
7. The food is expensive but also very good. I love eating tortillas, which are very cheap obviously.
8. Jaco is a very nice small town on the Pacific side and has a very beautiful and pristine beach.
9. Drugs and Drug paraphernalia are everywhere, especially marijuana.
10. Costa Rica does not have any massively HUGE Shopping Malls that we have here in Thailand.
I will add more in reply posts because I am having internet connection issues with the forum.
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Re: Costa Rica Trip

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11. They have Wal-Mart's in Costa Rica but most of the products for sale are locally made. I think they have a total of 5 Wal-Mart's in the whole country.
12. Not all of the 'working girls' in Costa Rica are Costa Ricans they could be Columbian, Nicaraguan, Venezuelan, Guatemalan, Mexican maybe even Panamanian, not that I think it matters but just fyi.
Last edited by Name Taken on Fri Sep 18, 2015 11:15 am, edited 2 times in total.
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Re: Costa Rica Trip

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costa rica looks great. but it rates low on my boom boom scale.
and 70% Catholic so they are going to want you to be unhappy.
it would be boring for me. i like it here in Thailand where every day is a fight for survival.
and i would miss being asked ten times a day if i am married.
I really like this forum because there are no personal attacks. All the members contribute in a positive way to my posts.
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Re: Costa Rica Trip

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JamesWest wrote:costa rica looks great. but it rates low on my boom boom scale.
and 70% Catholic so they are going to want you to be unhappy.
it would be boring for me. i like it here in Thailand where every day is a fight for survival.
and i would miss being asked ten times a day if i am married.
:agree:
Yeah, I think Catholicism definitely plays a big role in that in Costa Rica.
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Re: Costa Rica Trip

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Unlucky 13. Gambling is legal in Costa Rica and there are quite a few Casinos, which I personally did not like to be honest.
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Re: Costa Rica Trip

Post by Don »

Since I'm just back to the forum after an absence. ...
First HH 2007-back same day 2008. Researched several parts of the world and LOS wasn't one of them......
Anyway, during my lust to see Thailand, so many people feared my going to SE Asia and their place was usually CR. And it's beautiful. And it's affordable (?) And it's got the right level of Socialism.
And it's an American backyard.
Easy. I'm American.
But CR was "taken over by Americans" so long ago that I doubt I'd ever want to see it-let alone live there.
You beautiful, Tai lovin peoples, are all I need.
God its good to see this forum again.
I think it's time to come home.
Chok dee khrap pom pee Chai lair pom pee sow.
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Re: Costa Rica Trip

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I was in Costa Rica in the 90's much different from the OP's description it was nice and there were plenty of beautiful Tica's. I remember having the best pizza ever at a Pizza Hut of all places, it was made with fresh pineapple, coconut and cheese from Monteverdi.
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Re: Costa Rica Trip

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Was going back and forth between California and either Costa Rica or Honduras for a time in early 2000's. Had met a Honduran Lady while we were both on vacation in Costa Rica so would either go to her place, or meet in CR.

Before that went a couple times with friends and one trip taking my (then) 15 year old son over to get him licensed in scuba diving.

Always enjoyed it, loved the country and food. Drove many miles around the country.
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Re: Costa Rica Trip

Post by pharvey »

Always fancied visiting Costa Rica, but unfortunately as yet have not managed it. Might just have a look into it again - as always, the issue is the issue of the visa for the LHG.
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Re: Costa Rica Trip

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HHCanuck wrote:I was in Costa Rica in the 90's much different from the OP's description it was nice and there were plenty of beautiful Tica's. I remember having the best pizza ever at a Pizza Hut of all places, it was made with fresh pineapple, coconut and cheese from Monteverdi.
I agree. I too made several trips to Costa Rica during the early 90's and the girls were very welcoming to foreigners then (at least to Americans). Prices started at $20 and topped out at $100, or so I was told by fellow divers. Food was cheap and good and there were several Thai style (or better) go-go bars in San Jose. Great diving on the Pacific side. I visited quite a few Central American countries and on land Costa Rica was by far my favorite. The diving was better (on the Caribbean side) in Belize and Honduras but I didn't like their mainlands very much, especially Belize where I never felt safe.
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Re: Costa Rica Trip

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HHCanuck wrote:I was in Costa Rica in the 90's much different from the OP's description it was nice and there were plenty of beautiful Tica's. I remember having the best pizza ever at a Pizza Hut of all places, it was made with fresh pineapple, coconut and cheese from Monteverdi.
Well, then I think a lot has changed there since the 90's.
Costa Rica still has Pizza Hut's though. :)
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Re: Costa Rica Trip

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I think there has been an increasing number of very wealthy Americans that have moved to Costa Rica in the past couple of decades or have a second home/condo there and that's the reason for the increase in prices for everything.
Costa Rica is a very small country when compared to Thailand.
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Re: Costa Rica Trip

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^ Just like the increasing number of Europeans that moved to Hua Hin after 2004 and drove the cost of living there up by about 50% over the next 10 years.
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Re: Costa Rica Trip

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hhfarang wrote:^ Just like the increasing number of Europeans that moved to Hua Hin after 2004 and drove the cost of living there up by about 50% over the next 10 years.
Yeah, similar.
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Re: Costa Rica Trip

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Anyone know if Ethiopia or Somalia are any good?
:laugh: :wink:

















just kidding
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