hey guys, im traveling to costa (playa hermosa) and i was just wondering if there was any foods and drinks to avoid so i dont get sick. This will be my first time on a surf trip so any other tips would be helpful. thanks so much in advance
street meat. other than that, choose places that look clean, don't go crazy ordering things on the menu, and drink plenty of guaro. don't go cheap on the sunscreen. get some waterman's, and don't skimp. put it everywhere, and use the stick for your face. be polite, tip well, and respect the area.
Lots of threads on this. The food in CR is very good and much less processed than our food. Find out where the local people eat (I don't know Hermosa). Bottled water only. Imperial. Be cool, have fun.
Get some Mamones! Awesome furry fruit in costa. Drinking water is safe, food is great, waves are even better.
walking distance Las Ohlas has excellent breakfast, smoothies, lunch fair. if you have a car the soda in Jaco at the bottom of the hill has the best food around(tico prices)..it will be the one with a full parking lot. Have fun!
Rancho Grande is a great place to stay its cheap and right on the beach. las olas, jungle surf, vista hermosa all have really good food. in jaco cafe del mar is good and the green room is awesome. Kip and Raquel have amaving food. apple pancakes and the breakfact burrtio are the way to go. PM if you want some more info or have any other questions.
this. & be careful on the one lane bridges. i've seen many gnarly head ons on those. it's been about 10 years since i've been to hermosa, but i really enjoyed surfing a spot called tulin's that was at the end of a dirt road south of the main town. much less crowded than the main spot & more user-friendly on the low tide.
Second "live ones" on the places to eat. No need to go the bottled water route unless you want to, the local water is fine. Make sure to wear your seat belt as the fine is pretty stiff ($600 US) for each person without one and there are check points. Great breaks all along the Playa Hermosa. Headed back the end of June for 3-4 weeks.
Playa Nosara twice. Some of the best waves of my life. Caught it at about head high for a few days, then head high plus a couple for the last 2 days. Long, long rights. Some very legit times at Bleu Dogs. The weed stunk but it didn't seem to matter. Have a blast man. Jealous.
does anyone have any tips on goingto costa for a long time, like possibly finding work down there and a place to rent for a gringo and live as cheaply as possible
living there for extended periods of time is pretty easy. Finding work can be somewhat difficult. Inexpensive places to stay are very easy to find once you get there. The best deals are not online. Where in Costa are you trying to go?
Get your base tan down then use 30 factor sun screen. I'd always bring plenty of rope, getting the most out of 4x4 rental gets risky. Stay at cabinas vista hermosa. eat Casados. Do buy guaro. It a remedy for scorpion and caterpillar stings,(I also heard it's anti venom for Fer du Lance). Go 2 weeks after easter for major deals. It's been almost 8 years, but the traffic authorities would sit in shady areas and step out to stop you. If that happens, have everyone point towards the opposite direction, say AHHHHHHHHHHH then keep hauling ass. I you get stopped, you're only required to show your drivers license, so you don't have to roll the windows down. there used to be a check point between Dominical and Playa El Rey. They accept gratuities.
In 01 we tried to make a go there. I gots a/c and refrig skills. worked for food and free rent. But Ticos resent gringos taking their jobs.
Saw this already, but seriously, don't eat the street meat...had a really bad experience!!! Take it slow, respect the locals and they will tell you everything you need to know. And bottled water. This will be your first of many trips, I'm sure. Also, if you are interested, I post a daily VIDEO surf report from Santa Teresa. Check it out to get you excited. Surf is great this time of year...it's been really clean. http://www.BarefootInPublic.com/surf-report Enjoy...
Just got back from pLAYA nosara and Playa Hermosa de jaco. the wave in hermosa is by far a better more serious wave. suppppperrrrr punchy wave. go to corners if you can ( in hermosa) the food is totally better, me and my buds crushed cheese tortillas on day trips for energy. The breakfast to get is the tico breakfast, rice and beans, eggs, and plantains soooooooooooooo gooood. if your looking for somewhere cheap to stay, Rancho Grande, def the place to stay, Brian, the owner is the man and you can hear the waves in the morning. Oh yeah and the dog, Gustava, who is the rancho grande dog- is too legit too, he'll go check the waves with you in the morning. haha have fun bro! PURA VIDA!
If you drive at night seriously, watch for people walking along the side of the road. Lots of places have (or had) no street lights. Also, buy a Trits (best ice cream sandwich) and if in Tamarindo and the casino is still there play the slots for me. winner!
if in Hermosa then Vista Hermosa is my choice, awesome lunch and dinner. can't go wrong with a casado. stay away from Backyard for food, it takes very long to get your order (even by Tico standards) and its pricey. if you have a car and want to go opposite way of Jaco, Los Alemendros in Esterillos Oeste (10 min drive) has awesome Carribean/Costa Rican food.
It is illegal to give a job to a foreigner if a local can do it, so legitimate jobs are difficult unless you are a resident. There are a lot of call centers and online gaming operations in the central valley that require good English. Won't find many cheap places in the touristy areas. You can live super cheap so you could go down there with some spending money and just camp or stay in dirty places for about $10/night, but finding work to stay for more than the money you bring allows would be hard, but not impossible. Bring a tent and some money and see how long you last. Good camping in Dominical and Santa Theresa, at least about 10 years ago, not sure now. Would not suggest camping in most places if not a campground, unless it is super remote or you don't mind increasing the risk of theft significantly.
