A Very Unhelpful Guide to Costa Rica

(According to Someone Who Came for a Month and Forgot to Leave)

Costa Rica was never on my to-visit-list.

It showed up anyway.

Not with fanfare —but with a quiet yes from a Workaway host in Golfito.
And just like that, the universe booked my ticket before I could overthink it.

📍 Golfo Dulce / Golfito

DO:

Wake up to water so still it feels like a paused video.
Learn the sound of rain arriving before you see it.
Confuse peace with boredom, then realize your mistake.

DON’T:

Expect urgency.
Ask why the boat is late.
Assume your thoughts are in charge here.

Things no one warned me about:

The jungle does not care about your schedule.
Stillness can feel confrontational.
You might hear yourself think and not like it at first.

DON’T MISS:

Changing Tide Tours – their tours are exceptional.

📍 San José

DO:

Treat it like a passage, not a destination.
Eat casado like it’s a daily ritual (because it is).
Accept that cities don’t need to impress you.

DON’T:

Look for Costa Rica’s magic here.
Rush through out of obligation.
Overstay unless invited by curiosity.

Things no one warned me about:

San José is honest, not flashy.
It exists to move you somewhere else.
And that’s okay.

DON’T MISS:

Arialé Masajes – Maria is wonderful and her massage is incredible

📍 Jacó

DO:

Watch surfers fail repeatedly.
Walk barefoot longer than socially acceptable.
Let the ocean reset your nervous system without asking permission.

DON’T :

Pretend Jacó is trying to be something else.
Judge it too quickly.
Forget sunscreen. Ever.

Things no one warned me about:

Jacó wears its chaos openly.
It doesn’t apologize.
It just keeps going.

DON’T MISS:

The neighbouring beaches

📍 Paso Canoas (Panama Border)

DO:

Walk across for shopping only
Let borders remind you how arbitrary they are.
Consider leaving…. then reconsider.

DON’T:

Cross just to say you did.
Confuse movement with progress.
Forget why you’re here —Shopping/Food.

Things no one warned me about:

Borders are louder than they should be.
You don’t have to cross every line presented to you.
Staying can be braver than going.

DON’T MISS:

Shopping at City Mall

📍Peñas Blancas (Nicaragua Border)

DO:

Stand there longer than planned.
Let possibility sit beside fear.
Notice how calm can feel dangerous to a busy mind.

DON’T:

Assume hesitation is weakness.
Force a decision for the sake of momentum.
Ignore your body’s vote.

Things no one warned me about:

Sometimes the journey pauses you on purpose.
Sometimes the next country isn’t the point.
Sometimes the lesson is waiting.

DON’T MISS:

Getting there EARLY

📝 Absurd Costa Rica Checklist

☑ Lost track of days
☑ Trusted strangers (within reason)
☑ Missed plans and found better ones
☑ Confused rest with laziness
☑ Realized they are not the same