Your bags are packed and you’re ready to go. Costa Rica has been on your must-visit travel list for ages and you’re finally ready to explore. From the bustling capital of San Jose to the steamy volcanoes up North, down to the stunning beaches along the coast. Costa Rica is a land with a vast array of landscapes, with something to please all. But where do you start?
In a country just shy of 5 million people stretched out along 19,000 square miles (roughly the size of West Virginia in the States or Denmark in Europe), Costa Rica is a beautiful country covered in lush biodiversity and speckled with incredible beaches.
While guide books are readily available, my go-to before visiting (or while visiting) is to read blogs about that particular country. Carrying around a bulky guide can get cumbersome and sometimes the information isn’t up-to-date. A benefit of using travel blogs is that the information that’s offered is often current and routinely updated. A savvy blogger will be putting 1-2 posts up a week, making the information relevant and current. This is especially important when it comes to transportation, timetables and visa requirements.
When it comes to Costa Rica, there is no shortage of blogs and finding that perfect blog can take a lot of clicks and time. The Costa Rica blogs I’ve read through offer a wealth of information from the point of view of either an experienced traveler or local Expat. Getting the perspective of a place through a resident will give you a concise overview of an area with secrets about the destination along the way. From coveted favorite food spots, tucked away waterfalls and tips only an insider can offer.
I’ve taken the time to comb over dozens of blogs and have put my favorites down below. Each has something special to offer. So, go ahead and get ready to experience the best (and sometimes the worst) of Costa Rica through the lens of some impressive, International bloggers.
Best Blogs About Costa Rica
1. This American Girl
This is one of my favorite blogs. Period. Authored by a sensible gal, Camille, she takes the reader on a wild ride chronicling her life whilst living in Puerto Viejo. Camille’s writing is bold, honest and raw. What’s most impressive is the fluidity she retains in her writing while still keeping the subject itself intact. She always links her experiences back to a grand life lesson that can be applied to her readers wherever they may be in life. With each post we watch Camille grow and mature, learning from her and celebrating with her all the same.
Her posts are written in a youthful, fun manner but also exhibit mindfulness and awareness in life. What I love about Camille is that she responds to every comment on her posts with sincerity and gratitude. Building these relationships with the readers shows that she’s down-to-earth and not too blinded by the recognition she’s gained from her blog. It conveys the message that what she writes about is important to her and wants it to be as equally beneficial to the reader.
And while she does divulge a lot of incredible information about her life as an expat in Costa Rica, she also offers destination guides to other places around the world such as Asia, Europe, and Central America. I always look forward to reading her posts not just for her wise words but her stunning pictures as well. So, treat your eyes and your soul with a little slice of wonder from this blog.
2. Two Weeks in Costa Rica
Two Weeks in Costa Rica began as a journal of a couple traveling through Costa Rica. They wrote about what they saw in order to help others who decided to visit in the future. The journal soon led to a published book and eventually this blog. Matt and Jenn (the aforementioned writers) have spent lots of time to scour Costa Rica and provide useful, up-to-date information about Costa Rica. Their blog is formatted in a way that’s user-friendly and packed with well-written posts. The posts usually contain a place, some history of that place, attractions, places to stay and where to eat. Each post is thoroughly crafted and provides the reader with an abundance of helpful information.
My favorite feature of their website is their interactive map that can be found on the “trip planning” drop-down tab on their homepage. This map is a great visualization of the places they’ve visited and written about in Costa Rica. Simply click on one of the red-flagged locations and it will bring you directly to the article they’ve posted about that place. As a visual person, this is a handy tool. It makes mapping out a trip to Costa Rica easy, and could sway you if you’re on the fence about visiting a place.
3. Costa Rica Travel Blog
OK, this is not my favorite blog about Costa Rica BUT it does have a lot of useful information about Costa Rica that most other blogs don’t do as well. Given the content of this blog, I decided to include in the list of ‘the best.’
The good: This blog has an abundance of information about Costa Rica that is current and thorough. They’ve got lots of goodies in there about driving in Costa Rica, budgets, and fun traveling tips. Being a young couple living in Costa Rica, these two have done a lot to put this blog together and for that, I can use and appreciate the blog.
The bad: Visually, the blog is just overwhelming. Overwhelming with words, information, EVERYTHING. It’s like walking into a crowded concert, with no lights while trying to look for your friend who’s “somewhere in the middle.”
The ugly: These posts are LONG and not very well written. When you click on an article it should be easy to read and contain relevant information for the reader. Sometimes you’ll be paragraphs in and the topic proposed still has not been mentioned. Regardless, the time spent going into the article I’m sure took a great deal of effort, so kudos to them for that.
4. A Cruising Couple
This blog is not solely about Costa Rica but does include a lot of creative posts about Costa Rica. Written by a fun couple traveling the world and sharing their insights along the way we learn about Costa Rica through the eyes of Casey and Dan. What separates their blog from the rest is that their content is mature (no, not in a naughty way). You won’t be reading about any dormitory disasters or bus breakdowns here. Casey and Dan travel with a bit of style and class leaving the reader with reliable information about fun activities and nice places to dine and sleep.
While the posts are varied I especially enjoyed Casey’s writings on her experience with the yoga teacher training she attended at Blue Osa Yoga Retreat. In those posts, we learn about Casey and details of the teacher training. Reading about her 30-day journey was fun and informative.
Another great post was their “Ultimate Guide to Costa Rica.” This truly is the ultimate guide and will help anyone traveling to Costa Rica, from when the plane lands to clever insider tips. Whether it’s your first time or you’re a seasoned traveler coming back for more, this guide will definitely help you out.
5. My Tan Feet
Similar to A Cruising Couple, My Tan Feet chronicles the tales of a couple (Yeison & Samantha) globetrotting around the world. While their blog is not only about Costa Rica, there is a lot of great information here! Clicking on the “Costa Rica” page will immediately set you up with all the information you need about the country. The layout of their blog is clean, simple and easy to navigate. It’s a nice little breakdown of everything wonderful about Costa Rica basically like a Costa Rica crash course.
The content of their blog is definitely some of the most useful with regards to basic information about Costa Rica. They’ve touched on the food of Costa Rica, which most of the other blogs mentioned did not. There are also useful language articles and other cultural posts as well. Some of my favorite posts are the National Park posts. With about a dozen to choose from, these posts are sure to keep anyone busy and craving the outdoors.
So there you have it! A quick guide to some of the best blogs out there with information about Costa Rica. Also, don’t forget to read more of the articles on the Blue Osa Blog! The articles featured here contain awesome articles about Costa Rica and also topics such as health and well-being, yoga, particulars about Osa Peninsula and so much more! Looking for something specific? You can use our search tool to narrow down exactly it is that you’re looking for. Did we miss a must-read Costa Rica blog? Post in the comments down below or share some of your favorite blogs! Happy travels!
About The Author
Tara DeAugustine is an elementary school teacher, presently taking a much-needed break from teaching, and in turn dabbling in and out of different job roles. Her travels have taken her all over the world, previously living in Thailand, Taiwan and Cambodia. Currently, she’s a volunteer writer and yoga instructor at Blue Osa Yoga Retreat & Spa in Costa Rica. When she’s not busy at work, you can find her doing what she loves, which is included but not limited to: lazing about in hammocks, eating salad, watching sunsets and reading.
