Solo Female Travel in Costa Rica

Solo travel experience

I spent 2 weeks in Costa Rica and it was beautiful. My itinerary was: 2 nights Manuel Antonio 3 nights Samara 2 nights Monteverde 2 nights La Fortuna 4 nights Puerto Viejo I used Interbus Shuttles to travel from city to city. I stayed in hostels. My favorite of the whole trip was Samara which is right on the beach on the Nicoya Peninsula, definitely wished I stayed there a little longer.

Solo travel experience

Costa Rica is super safe. I was there for 3 weeks last year and loved it. I split my time between renting a car and using public transportation. If you can you should rent a car and drive around (just be sure to get 4wd). It's way easier and faster than the buses which often require several connections and are super slow. I don't recommend staying in San Jose for more than one day. There's really not much to do there. On the Caribbean side Puerto Viejo and the surrounding towns and Tortuguero were super nice. On the Pacific side, I really enjoyed Uvita and Puerto Jimenez. Jaco was nice too but very touristy and westernized.

Group travel experience

I went in February. Skipped the resorts and shuttles, stayed in Airbnbs and used taxis. I really enjoyed my time in Manuel Antonio and Quepos, and though it is a bit touristy it's not as bad as Jacó. Advice: - don't eat much at the restaurants oriented to the tourists. Find the roadside cafes, called sodas. They're much cheaper (by a lot), better food, and where the locals tend to eat. If you do go to the Manuel Antonio area, Soda Sanchez in Quepos was where I had my favorite meal. - I do recommend seeking out a biodiversity tour with a local guide (small group), if you're gonna do something touristy. A knowledgeable person pointing out the sloths and monkeys and hummingbirds is definitely worth the price. The variety of wildlife in Costa Rica is a major reason to go. - Try to find a beach that's not on everyone's top 3 list. Even still, go early. We arrived at a gorgeous beach at 8:00 a.m. and had the place basically to ourselves for almost two hours. - If you're using taxis (I don't recommend trying to rent a car), it's best to get the taxi driver's card and arrange for him to pick you up later at a certain spot. There are a lot of places with no cell service and you don't want to get stranded. The cross-country bus system is very good and clean, though they only take cash for the tickets, so plan ahead.

Solo travel experience

I've travelled solo for 2 weeks in Costa Rica this year and it was such a great experience!! Felt safe everywhere and locals were really nice but.. I definitely think it’s important to speak some level of Spanish.. I’m fluent so I had no problem navigating by myself but I felt like, if I didn’t speak the language, it would’ve been a bit harder..

Group travel experience

I have been to Costa Rica twice, and was solo for a couple of days the second time. I love Costa Rica, it is a beautiful country with lots to experience. However, I have found it hard to experience much of the Costa Rican culture and I think it's closely tied to the fact that their economy is tourism-based. It's all about the experiences like ziplining, snorkeling, scuba diving, hiking, etc. which are spectacular and I would recommend them, but it makes the trip expensive and less immersive, if that makes sense. I want to return again to maybe live for a little while and maybe to teach so I can experience more of the Costa Rican culture and less of their experiences. I have had a car rental both visits because it makes getting around easy, but I did see a few bus lines throughout the country. I can't say how reliable they are though. Renting a car was easy and it's not difficult to find parking or places to stay with parking (I mostly stayed in Airbnbs).

I just came back from Costa Rica and I loved! Such a beautiful and amazing county! I would highly suggest not going to Tamarindo! It was like Florida Spring Break, but much worse! A bunch of drunk college kids were getting arrested for being highly intoxicated. It also was the dirtiest place we visited with people peeing on the street and trash everywhere! Places I do suggest visiting are Monteverde, La Fortuna, Manuel Antonio, Samara, Puerto Viejo de Talamanca, Limon, and LA Tortuguero!

Solo travel experience

I traveled solo through Costa Rica at the beginning of the year and had a great time. It is safe, easy to navigate, absolutely beautiful and you will 100% meet other travelers. Stay at the Selina hostels if you are looking for connection and a backpacker vibe, while still being in a more upscale environment. You can book your tours with them as well.

I haven't done a tour or gone solo to CR, but visited with a friend twice. Tamarindo is pretty touristy due to being such a surfing destination. I met a girl who stayed in a hostel on the main strip, signed up for surf lessons, and was able to meet loads of friends (she's still there years later teaching). I did an adventure tour one day and went tubing, zip lining, thermal pools, etc. If you decide to go solo without a tour, you can easily keep yourself busy 😃 I felt safe, men can be quite forward, but I didn't feel unsafe (common sense, trust your gut, watch your drink, don't go to the beach at night).

Solo travel experience

I went to Costa Rica and really enjoyed it although being a little lonely by myself. I speak a little Spanish but everywhere I went, there were people who spoke at least some English. I felt very safe.

For hostels, I recommend Selina in La Fortuna or Tamarindo (this beach town is one of the coolest places if you like partying or are looking for a night-life place). I recommend to visit Manuel Antonio National Park with a guide, since they show you all the hidden animals and explain every detail to you! You can get a guide for less than $10 USD. I really enjoyed going rafting in La Fortuna, totally worth it! About safety...the local transport is not so good talking about punctuality, but people are very nice and guide you when you're there so you know how to use it. If not, you can take taxis, but they're not very nice and you'll probably not feel that safe alone. If you're with people, always get in with someone. My recommendation is if you find a taxi who you feel comfortable with, ask him for his number so he moves you from one place to another. Or, walk as much as possible, it is beautiful!

Solo travel experience

I was there in April. Definitely Selina hostels, all of them are amazing, people are nice, activities all the time, good food and vibes. La Fortuna is a must do! Río Celeste is amazing! I did most of the things by myself just renting a car and using GPS. I ended up un Jacó, and from there took a one day trip to Isla Tortuga, beautiful white sand and turquoise water Island.

Solo travel experience

Costa Rica is very easy solo. It's actually the first place I ever did a solo trip and it set me up for a lifetime of solo adventures! It is fairly safe, although valuables can easily be stolen on the beaches and overall you should follow typical safety practices. It helps to know Spanish but a lot of people do speak English in the touristy areas. I've seen a lot of the world but honestly think Costa Rica is the easiest country to make new friends in.

Itinerary: I spent 11 days and did 3 destinations: Manuel Antonio, La Fortuna and Monteverde. Loved all. Things to do: Manuel Antonio is very beautiful, but beware of all the people trying to get you to park in their lots. It's very confusing because they will walk into the road and make you think they are the last available parking lot even if they aren't. The high through the park was one of my favorites. I got some awesome drone footage while I was there. La fortuna was a really and beautiful but had SO MANY stairs to climb up after you get to the bottom. Make sure you can climb stairs without assistance. Safety: I felt safe in every place I went. Recommendations: If you are on a budget, skip the car rental. Way too expensive. Getting around is super easy via shared shuttles (i.e. Interbus), regular bus and the occasional Uber. For budget accommodation Selina hostels are good. Costa Rica is so much more than beaches - it's more about the flora and fauna. Amazing scenery and wildlife.