What are /r/costa_rica's favorite Products & Services?

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I work remotely here for a European company. Some thoughts: - I have a Costa Rican bank account with BAC but rarely use it for day to day transactions. - I use NordVPN: no complaints so far. - Biggest obstacle has been the time difference. I work NY hours to maintain the overlap with Europe but sometimes NY hours means I start at 7am and other times I start at 6am. It's effectively killed morning runs with my dog.

Would be similar to "mimar" in spanish:

http://www.wordreference.com/es/en/translation.asp?spen=mimar

Depending on how you are using could go from spoil someone to pamper

Actually the airport isn't in San José but in Alajuela...

Be extra careful when on your own.

Tripadvisors best suggestions can be seen on the link below:

http://www.tripadvisor.com/Attractions-g309293-Activities-San_Jose_San_Jose_Metro_Province_of_San_Jose.html

I think it might be tricky to get to Monteverde in a sedan, but I do think it is doable. Might want to read some other discussions on the subject. Sorry I can't offer a more precise answer, and good luck! Enjoy your trip :D

I use MAPS.ME app and it works really well for my GPS related needs, full version comes with routing and search options wich make it easier to navigate, you just download the map that you want and you're ready to go. I like this app because you can use it offline so you don't have to worry when there are no Wi-Fi or data networks available.

Have fun!

Memorigi no es tangible pero es tico 100%. Link del Play Store app https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=io.tinbits.memorigi.

Ha ganado varios premios (Android Authority y Digital Trends entre otros) y ha quedado en la posición #1 como mejor app de tareas y recordatorios compitiendo contra grandes como Todoist, TickTick, Asana, Google Tasks, Microsoft Todo, etc. Tiene más de 700mil descargas, está disponible en 13 idiomas y sigue mejorando.

Acá les dejo el subreddit por si desean unirse a la comunidad /r/Memorigi.

Saludos!

Café de Altura is my go to. Probably not going to find it in every grocery store, but I have good luck at the pulperías near me. The grind is too fine for a French press, so I grind it myself. I use an automatic grinder, that I bought from Amazon.

Someone asked this question like a week ago, I suggested the move! App https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.appttitude.move. It's well updated and even lets you pay for the entry fee, it also keeps track of other sports

Not sure about Puerto Jimenez but in Drake Bay (an awesome spot to launch off into Corcovado) there are great guides including Pacheco and Kenneth. Can't really go wrong with either one. You can find both of them with a little google searching. i.e. http://www.tripadvisor.com/Attraction_Review-g313830-d3684867-Reviews-Corcovado_Info_Center-Drake_Bay_Osa_Peninsula_Province_of_Puntarenas.html
http://www.tripadvisor.com/Attraction_Review-g313830-d3252876-Reviews-Pacheco_Tours-Drake_Bay_Osa_Peninsula_Province_of_Puntarenas.html

You can do white water rafting from Cañas. about 45 mins. drive There are three white water rafting companies that operate from Cañas on the Rio Tenorio , including riostropicales mentioned above, and obviously much nearer. Another place to consider is Rio Perdito. Those not keen on a rafting may want to take a boat trip on the Rio Tempisque to Palo Verde National Park originating from www.elviejowetlands.com There is also mud baths and hot springs at the Las Hornillas Volcano Hot Springs at the Miravalles Volcano, but you may want to take old bathing suits, as the tend to 'hold the smell' from the sulphur. A nice waterfall is Lanos de cortez just outside of Bagaces and 30 mins. from Liberia. It is 'free' but 'donations' for parking goes to the local school is 'encouraged. A short walk down over slippery rocks so may not be suitable for all.

Since the heaviest rainfall is usually in October, there may still be some heavy rain. Another waterfall is near Africa Mia or can be part of this excursion, http://www.tripadvisor.com/Attraction_Review-g309240-d946991-Reviews-Africa_Safari-Liberia_Province_of_Guanacaste.html

For photography: Bring extra memory cards because you will find literally thousands of photo ops wherever you go.

For Santa Teresa and the Nicoya Peninsula: www.nicoyapeninsula.com

For the Osa, this is a good overview: http://wikitravel.org/en/Osa_Peninsula You don't say which side of the Peninsula you are visiting so difficult to give more specific information. Also -- if you are planning on hiking Corcovado, you will need to arrange a guide ahead of time. You cannot go into the Park without a guide.

For Arenal: www.arenal.net or www.fortunawelcome.com

In any of these areas, there are a gazillion things to "check out" so it will depend on your interests.

As for "beautiful locations" -- everywhere in Costa Rica is a "beautiful location" once you get away from the cities. And sometimes, even there.

Yes. I just read that it is open on Mondays during high season December 1st-July31st. First paragraph on , http://www.tripadvisor.com/Travel-g309274-c18272/Manuel-Antonio-National-Park:Costa-Rica:Touring.The.Park.html

I was not impressed with Tortuguero. I suppose if we went during the season when we could have seen turtles, it would have been better. The nature was great, but it is very similar to other parts of the country that have better hotels and surroundings. My review of my hotel stay is here:

http://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowUserReviews-g309268-d308651-r234278329-Manatus_Hotel-Tortuguero_Province_of_Limon.html

I have not been to Drake Bay but have been meaning to make the trip each time I go. I only get as far south as Manuel Antonio each time. For sure, it will be on my next trip. There appears to be a ton of high end places as well as those that are very affordable.

Here's the spots I stayed at in August. One in Quepos near Manuel Antonio, one in Cahuita, near PV. Both were Airbnb with fantastic properties and hosts.

Have a great trip!

https://www.airbnb.com/rooms/275029?sug=50

https://www.airbnb.com/rooms/2670846?sug=50

Thanks! I appreciate it.

Guanacaste is very nice. We stayed in an Airbnb in Tamarindo which was a few miles from the coast so if you have your own car it's great. If you're going to Tamarindo, Guanacaste I would recommend exploring the beaches in that area - playa Pirata, Flamingo, Grande, etc. We also went to Black Stallion Ranch for ziplining, horseback riding and a BBQ which was a very memorable experience.

I hope you have a blast on your honeymoon!

Found it! It is this one. Cafe Agua Azul.
The airplane place is cool just to say that you have been there. The food is decent. This place has really good food and a great view.

You may want to consider a tour, that include the mudbaths up there. This latest 'review' should be ignored as common sense would tell you that sulphur smells...8-) but check on the good ones, who enjoyed it. http://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowUserReviews-g1119814-d2536026-r152579974-Miravalles_Volcano-Area_de_Conservacion_Guanacaste_Province_of_Guanacaste.html

Or if you could afford it, the Rio Perdido, offers a great trip,http://www.tripadvisor.com/Attraction_Review-g309237-d3136995-Reviews-Rio_Perdido-Bagaces_Province_of_Guanacaste.html

Jaco is one of the places you love or hate. All of your choices will possibly be more exciting than Liberia 8-) Have you gone to Playas Hermosa or Coco which is just a quick trip by bus? Visited Rincon de la vieja? http://www.tripadvisor.com/Attraction_Review-g309235-d302083-Reviews-Rincon_de_La_Vieja_National_Park-Province_of_Guanacaste.html The 'Llano de Cortes' waterfall just outside of Bagaces, makes a nice day trip from Liberia, http://www.letsgoguanacaste.com/costarica-guanacaste/cantones/bagaces.html

Hi OP! I also arrived late at night. We stayed at this place which is about $60/night: http://www.tripadvisor.com/Hotel_Review-g309224-d1977785-Reviews-Hotel_Catedral_Casa_Cornejo-Alajuela_Province_of_Alajuela.html

which is a $6 taxi ride from the airport. The staff was very friendly and served us a small tico breakfast in the morning. Then in the morning you can catch a bus to MA (you need to go to Quepos town, and you can take the bus from San Jose).

http://www.visitcostarica.com/ict/paginas/LEYES/pdf/ItinerarioBuses_en.pdf

I presume, you will return to San Jose/Alajuela area to spend the night before catching your fight, unless it is late in the day? You may want to stay and splurge at the http://www.tabacon.com/ or just 'drop in for a few hours'. There is some zip-lines in Monteverde and Arenal. I would suggest you visit 'The Gallery', http://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowUserReviews-g309277-d3477561-r147756132-Hummingbird_Gallery-Monteverde_Cloud_Forest_Reserve_Monteverde_Province_of_Punta.html if you want see many species of beautiful tiny gems... Personally, I would rather watch them in the wild, but the chances of seeing these in a short space of time, 'in the forest' is worth a visit. You will need a 4x4 to get to Monteverde. Don't forget to bring a light rain jacket and long pants for the higher altitude, and shoes other than sandals.

Unless you are going to do some rafting, there isn't much happening in Siquirres. You could try getting accommodations without a reservation, when you arrive. If you are rafting ask the company rep for recommendations....other than their own, if possible.

Try Rios Tropicales Lodge and Hotel Pacuare. Check http://www.tripadvisor.com/Hotels-g2048709-c3-Siquirres_Province_of_Limon-Hotels.html

We stayed at Hotel Vista del Cerro for about $65/night. It was pretty good. We would have had a vista del cerro (view of the mountain) if it hadn't have been cloudy that whole part of the trip :(

http://www.tripadvisor.com/Hotel_Review-g309226-d648460-Reviews-Hotel_Vista_del_Cerro-La_Fortuna_de_San_Carlos_Arenal_Volcano_National_Park_Province_of.html

Hey, I live in the southern Nicoya Peninsula and I have to tell you, Playa San Miguel is one of the best kept secrets in all of Costa Rica. It's a beautiful, undeveloped beach where, depending on the day, you can practically have the beach to yourself. There's pretty much only one place down there to stay but it's a great place with super nice owners. It's called The Flying Scorpion and it's actually the #1 ranked B&B in all of Guanacaste. I've never done any of their activities but I know they offer surfing lessons, horseback riding, and a hike to a nearby waterfall. If you go, tell them Austin the Peace Corps volunteer sent you.

BTW, I am selling property there. Here is the link http://www.reddit.com/r/costa_rica/comments/2i4v1u/property_for_sale_in_manzanillo_costa_rica/

You must also reach out to Abel Bustamante. Here is his linkedin account: https://www.linkedin.com/profile/view?id=115108462&authType=NAME_SEARCH&authToken=5oml&locale=en_US&trk=tyah2&trkInfo=tarId%3A1412289290521%2Ctas%3Aabel%20bust%2Cidx%3A1-2-2 He is the best tour guide in the town and one of my very dear friends.

Get a credit card (in the US) with no foreign transaction fee and pay it off from your US bank account (assuming your clients will pay you there). I do that and only need to get cash out for petty stuff.

I use NordVPN with no issues. Phone I use Google Voice, but IDK if you can still get a free number. I got mine in the beta phase a decade ago.

VPN: VPNSecureMe

Mobile internet: Claro (with 4G roaming) and of course I’m talking about a mobile router paired with a WiFi enabled phone.

Phone: Anything with WiFi calling with a US number, use it while you travel the country (and I hope you do)

Provider from the US for expenses: T-Mobile. If you aren’t using the Claro (or can’t get service) then you still have free international data and texts, for $30-$40 a month. Doesn’t matter what provider from the US you use there as far as actual service, you’ll be at the will of whatever your phone can handle, so make sure your phone can handle all MHz frequencies, and make absolutely sure it’s unlocked.

Google Voice can be your friend too (or similar services) just make sure your caller ID shows up correctly when you call people back.

All I can think of at the moment, hope it helps.

I highly recommend ExpressVPN because you can flash a router with the software and it allows all devices including smart tvs to go through the VPN. This opens up using some streaming that you couldn't otherwise. I also use skype with a US calling plan. Cheap and reasonably reliable.

​

I don't know what kind of clients you have but I did lose one job because the client found out I was in CR and didn't like that I had to cancel a meeting last minute due to a temporary phone outage. They were a new client and not a direct one so it wasn't a big deal but it can happen. Other than that, it has been no problem working remotely even in a very rural area. Good luck!

yo se que tere tiene una piedra asi pero me parece que no...la verdad no se está bien dificil.

pueden usar esto http://osxdaily.com/2015/05/08/view-exact-location-photo-taken-preview-mac/

I took this photo over on the Caribbean side a few months ago. I live in Guatemala and have seen an abundance of sloths (both 2 and 3 toed) down in the Limon Province for many years. As others have said, the Caribbean side is where you will find them. I am heading back there next week and I expect to see many more - they are very common in that area.

Some quick tips in Arenal:

Take the short hike to the La Fortuna waterfall, it is worth it. http://www.arenal.net/la-fortuna-waterfall-costa-rica.htm

Then nearby is the chocolate tour, I had a great time there http://www.tripadvisor.com/Attraction_Review-g309226-d3947982-Reviews-Rainforest_Chocolate_Tour-La_Fortuna_de_San_Carlos_Arenal_Volcano_National_Park_P.html

Then go relax in the hotsprings. Baldi is good, and you hotel more than likely has one. There is a good italian restaurant in the road to La Fortuna called Vagabondo, good place to go have dinner.

As for beaches in the Pacific (west) side, check out Manuel Antonio in the central pacific, it is beautiful. If you go to the north pacific I really liked the hotel Bahia del Sol in Playa Potrero, or the Sugar Beach hotel. The drive from La Fortuna is about 4hrs.

I recommend buying on Amazon if you have time. Everything is much more expensive here and generally worse (a lower tier or older model) as well. Not to mention, the selection and ease of purchase via Amazon is night and day vs figuring it out here.

It sounds like this is a phone just for your time here, correct? Price criteria? Hard to recommend anything without more info. This site should help you narrow it down. Kolbi uses LTE band 7, so I prepopulated that one field for you. I also totally agree with /u/NoBSforGma that you should get a local sim card rather than try to rely on your T-Mobile roaming abroad. As a T-Mobile user, I know how handy that can be, but for "several months", it's going to be a hindrance at 2G speeds. A case of "better than nothing" but not great. And despite phones and electronics costing more here, the service is much cheaper than you're used to, so definitely pick up a local pre-paid sim card at the airport. You'll be glad to have everything working smoothly rather than trying to get by with frustration.

With the limited info I have, and you not mentioning iPhone specifically, I'd suggest Pixel 3A. Brand new phone, top of the line camera, mid-level processing specs, stock Android, $400. But with more info, I could maybe make a better suggestion since phones are something I follow with moderate interest.

Samara is a sleepy beach town - with great restaurants. You should not be bored by a week there. Last visit I spent 2. Hiking - book a trip with Alvera

http://www.tripadvisor.com/Attraction_Review-g309247-d2043119-Reviews-Samara_Trails-Playa_Samara_Province_of_Guanacaste.html

Def do a surf school - if you can afford it splurge and go to Elagarto

http://www.tripadvisor.com/Restaurant_Review-g309247-d1116437-Reviews-El_Lagarto-Playa_Samara_Province_of_Guanacaste.html

Also worth a visit Lo Que and Esmerelda

In Monteverde we used (El Trapice Tours)[http://www.tripadvisor.com/Attraction_Review-g951347-d1553318-Reviews-El_Trapiche_Tour-Monteverde_Province_of_Puntarenas.html] and our house was Jairo, very knowledgeable and funny.

For night tour we used Kinkajou night walk but it wasn't that great. We kept hearing that Santa Maria night tour is better. After the walk and taking to different people it sort of depends on luck if you see any animals. It's interesting regardless.

Good luck and have fun! Let me know if you have any other questions.

Playa Panama is pretty desolate. You could consider a trip to Rincon de La Vieja, but then your day would be over...or go to the Llanos de cortez waterfall, just before Bagaces, about 15 mins out of Liberia. There is also a http://www.africasafaricostarica.com/en/ perhaps 5 mins. out of Liberia. Another suggestion is to visit the Mud baths, http://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowUserReviews-g1119814-d2536026-r152579974-Miravalles_Volcano-Area_de_Conservacion_Guanacaste_Province_of_Guanacaste.html

Realize that it gets dark just after 6pm, so this should be taken into consideration. Note that the Arenal volcano is dormant.

Yes...that makes no difference how long you intend to stay, as they MAY insist you purchase them and they will check with the airline. Search the internet for info on this...and remember as the other poster explained, you can't take a rental out of the country. The funds are to make sure you have enough money to support yourselves, while there.

Read these reports: http://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowTopic-g291982-i813-k6918377-Border_Crossing_Costa_Rica_to_Panama-Costa_Rica.html

Yep! Here's a link. Brasil de Mora is the nicer neighborhood because it borders the canyon so you get incredible views, but there are also nice places in the center of the town!

Pavones could be fun, it is a bit out of the way, from San Jose airport fly to Golfito with Sansa or Nature Air, not expensive at all. From there, take watertaxi or normal taxi to Pavones. There is a villa that also rents out the detached cabin, so enough sleeping space for 10. I have not rented that villa but Pavones has great beach and waves. https://www.airbnb.com/rooms/11554346 or another oceanfront https://www.airbnb.com/rooms/4386911

If you're the adventurous type and looking for a unique experience, I'd recommend staying a night in the Nature Observatorio Treehouse. The host is a retired structural engineer turned naturalist. You spend the night in the jungle canopy with howler monkeys, toucans, and other creatures. He hikes in dinner from any restaurant in the area along with a bottle of wine/champagne, etc. Many proposals have happened here. It's an amazing experience. It is near the town of Manzanillo, which has beautiful beaches that aren't too crowded on weekdays, and is mainly populated by locals. Great food in the area too.

There's lots available in Costa Rica and you can always find people to hang out with. Where you go will depend on your interests and your budget.

Surfing: Mal Pais and Santa Teresa are popular. Tamarindo is also popular with surfers but very Americanized and overpriced. For more great locations for surfing: www.crsurf.com is a good resource.

Biking: Some of the greatest biking is in the southern Caribbean area where you can rent a bike and go up and down the coast and visit several beach towns and Gandoca-Manzanillo Wildlife Refuge. Cahuita north of Puerto Viejo is a great place. Laid back and "beachy" but not really for surfing. Otherwise, you can do mountain biking in many areas, including the Arenal area. www.puertoviejosatellite.com for more information.

Hiking: Everywhere. If you want an amazing experience, go to Corcovado National Park. It is pricey because you are required to go with a guide, but you can often find people to share the cost. The Osa Peninsula has been called by the National Geographic as the "most biologically intense place on earth." This is a good overview. http://wikitravel.org/en/Corcovado_National_Park

From the Caribbean coast, you can do a few days in Tortuguero to see the sea turtles nesting and to experience a place that you can only get to by boat and has no streets, sidewalks, banks or ATMs. www.tortuguerovillage.com

You may want to consider a shuttle service from the Marriott in San Jose - Santa Cruz.

http://www.tripadvisor.com/Travel-g291982-c109576/Costa-Rica:Transportation.html

I too, think to much time is going to be spent, in San Jose but it is what is...8-)..and you will waste a lot of time traveling back and forth.

Tripadvisor has some good reports, and I know a few of the 'advisers' and they do visit many hotels and check them out. http://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowUserReviews-g6510596-d6510597-r240167496-Dreams_Las_Mareas-El_Jobo_Province_of_Guanacaste.html#UR240167496

MA is very tourist oriented . Have no idea how close you will be to nightlife. Ask the owner where exactly they are located and how far they are from evening entertainment. Comments say it is across from this hotel. Looks too far to walk to the beach. http://www.tripadvisor.com/Hotel_Review-g309274-d300835-Reviews-Hotel_La_Mariposa_Manuel_Antonio_National_Park_Province_of_Puntarenas.html

Montezuma was my favorite spot in Costa Rica this year. Depending on the swell, waves can be really good—nice peeling lefts. I actually had terrible waves in Santa Teresa—just a bad angle for the swell at the end of May.

Through a series of fortunate events, we ended up at Proyecto Montezuma - awesome hostel/school that sits above tide pools & is a short walk from town. $14/night for the dorm beds. Amazing people as well. They have boards for rent & Maykol arranges surf lessons from there. Michael y Maykol will be there!

Have so much fun! I miss Montezuma every single day.

> I know things like a zipline canopy tour will cost money, but are there free (or really cheap) hikes around the volcano? And is it easy enough to get to the national park from La Fortuna via bus or taxi?

We stayed in La Fortuna, then took a taxi to Arenal Observatory Lodge (cost was probably north of 20 bucks) and then hiked from there back to La Fortuna, stopping by Cerro Chato on the way. (They charge $8 to do the hike).

http://www.tripadvisor.com/Attraction_Review-g309236-d1837464-Reviews-Cerro_Chato-Arenal_Volcano_National_Park_Province_of_Alajuela.html

NB: when we went it was super muddy and it poured on us a few times. It was a real jungle adventure.

Also: there are hot springs in the area, and there is a free-flowing one about halfway to Arenal Observatory Lodge from La Fortuna, or you can pony up the $25 to go to a developed one in the town.

Finally, there is a nice waterfall just outside of town. It also costs about $10. Very few things in Costa Rica are completely free in my limited experience - it was strange to me to pay in order to go on a hike, but that's how things are there.

My wife and I stayed at Arenas del Mar the last weekend in Jan of this year. It was super nice and had private access to the beach. We walked down to Manuel Antonio along the beach every morning. Not too crowded at all. It certainly wasnt cheap either.

I’m here...been here for 20 years.

It is different and it does take some adjusting but if you are motivated you can make it work.

I have done over 200 podcasts episodes that talk about moving, living, and running a business in Costa Rica. You can see it here.

Hit me up on Facebook or Twitter if you have any questions. Always happy to help.

Kayak has a good list of what world countries restrictions are on air traveling. Check it out it has lots of good data.

Canada is Completely closed.

Costa Rica is partially open and they stablished restrictions on top of US passport holders, Mostly residents of New England are allow to enter CR, including NY and New Jersey.

https://www.kayak.com/travel-restrictions

Stayed at the Parador last year in Quepo and loved it. It was a beautiful place on the peninsula and an easy drive to Manuel Antonio National Park. We did a bike tour with Eva Tours and had a great time. We did a short zip line and repelled down a water fall with Quepo Canyoning I use TripAdvisor for planning our trips and it hasn't let me down yet. We rented a car and drove down from San Jose. Get the GPS if you rent a car. There was a small private beach down the street from the Parador where you could kayak out to a platform and snorkel.
Only thing I would have done different was stay at the hotel more. It was so beautiful, the spa was great and there were wildlife all around the hotel. You can msg me if you want any other details.

There is a small B+B, which seems to have some very consistent reviews. https://www.airbnb.com/rooms/725225?s=KuMo It is very different from most homes in Costa Rica. I carry my camera and lenses with me all the time. Put them into a non-camera bag. Do not leave any items in your car...or lying around on tables...

I am not sure what your budget is but as far as a place to stay I can suggest https://www.airbnb.com/ If you look at some of the places there are some that are close to the beaches if that's the type of place you like to be at. I would suggest staying on the pacific side of Costa Rica just because of the beaches.

Try, https://www.airbnb.com/s?location=Playas+del+Coco%2C+Costa+Rica&checkin=&checkout=&guests=1&source=bb and http://www.vrbo.com/vacation-rentals/central-america/costa-rica/guanacaste/playas-del-coco

Suggest you avoid Easter as rooms book up fast and are more expensive.

I wouldn't say the speeds are good, but they're definitely better than a regular T-Mobile plan. With One you get ~256kbps where without it you get ~128 kbps. Neither of these are fast. 256 is 3G, while 128 is Edge.

As far as coverage, I believe T-Mobile partners with Movistar, so your coverage will depend on where Movistar offers service. You can check coverage maps to see if you'll have signal where you'll be staying. Movistar and Claro are great for cities and highway, but if you go somewhere remote you can expect to lose signal.

With all that said, if you want good cell service and you have an unlocked phone, I would recommend getting a SIM from a local carrier. Kolbi sells prepaid SIMs at the airport for tourists at a premium ($40-60). These are good if you don't speak Spanish. They're preloaded with minutes and data. If you do speak Spanish, I'd recommend buying a SIM at a bodega from a local carrier and top it up using their mobile app (or at a grocery store, liquor store, or bodega). The difference in price is astonishing. I use Movistar as my carrier and pay $2-3/week for service.

Hi, I'm creating Cute Elements since 11 months ago approximately, I'm doing it by myself, I use an engine called Construct 2 and for the art photoshop cs6, I know there is a lot to improve and if you could play it and give me your opinion or suggestions, IT WOULD BE GREAT! hugs and thanks a million ♥
Download Cute Elements: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.XpresateStudio.CuteElements

> I proposed setting up a plex server, and buying a digital tuner + chromecast, ect, so he can get access to live TV. But... I have no idea if this solution would even work in a country like CR.

I have a solution similar to this set up. I have a wifi network at home that is VPN only and its where my phone and chromecast connect. im not a big tv watcher but hbo/hulu/amazon prime/espn+ etc work perfectly in US mode.

I only pay for internet via fiber from kolbi and it has been fantastic for me. The only thing you need to secure 100% reliable US-style access to programming is a decent VPN. PIA works on almost everything except netflix. Ive had some success with NordVPN and netflix but it is also caught sometimes. ymmv but overall, cordcutting makes total sense and is a significant upgrade.

> PIA works on almost everything except netflix. Ive had some success with NordVPN and netflix but it is also caught sometimes.

Good to know, I thought any VPN would work for accessing the US netflix catalog

Any time my vpn (Betternet) is on I get an error message that says “you have on a vpn, turn it off”.

I use a US Netflix based account here in CR and get CR shows. I’d love to use a vpn to get The Office and Parks and Rec!!

These are the ones I bought. They were fairly well reviewed, and while they don't cover my foot all the way (where Bear Gryll's producer was bit by a fer de lance) it should prevent any leg bites. Fingers crossed, anyway.

I've got a pretty good travel plan with Verizon, but I'll look into one of those cards. I don't think my phone is unlocked.

Map Factor GPS reliably got us all over the Costa Rica, coast to coast, north to south with no issues. Only once did it suggest a poor route but with a little advance research we made the necessary correction on the app. It operates only on GPS, no WiFi needed and is totally free. I downloaded the GPS App on to a tablet.

I am off to the Nicoya Peninsula next and will be using this GPS app again.

MapFactor free GPS

I drove all over Costa Rica using this without getting lost. Leaving Juan Santamaria Airport (SJO) in Alajuela can be very busy and stressful but once out of the city it gets a lot easier. The drive from Alajuela to La Fortuna is gorgeous. Driving around La Fortuna is no problem. Driving at night can be a little sketchy as I passed many cars with no headlights working and people walking along the side of the roads. Unless you are going off road you can probably get away with a basic car and not a 4x4. This can cut your rental cost in half. Check if you have car rental insurance on your credit card and bring a copy of the policy. They have different insurance level there and will try to sell you the most expensive one. Go with whatever you are most comfortable with. The top one is piece of mind but expensive and may not be necessary if you have insurance on your CC.