Hey, So, Is Costa Rica Do-Able Without a Car?

Ahhh, the age-old question. (Right after, "Can I drink booze on the beach?) And I've got lots of answers for you.

First of all, Costa Rica is do-able without a car, hooray! BUT, only if you're either:

Willing to ride on hot and bumpy buses;
Willing to spend $180-$200 each way to get a private van from San Jose to wherever you're going (realistic quote);
Bursting with cash and happy to fly to every different location on a domestic airline.

All of which you can totally do! And the bus isn't that bad: backpackers do it all the time. That said, public transportation here isn't thaaaaat developed, yet—which is why so many people love Costa Rica: it's all about the virgin, unspoiled landscapes that make this place so special. (In contrast, when I lived in Santiago, Chile, ALL we did was take the metro and the buses—which are absolutely pristine.)

So while visiting Costa Rica, my personal opinion is this: if you can afford to rent a car, absolutely RENT A CAR. Not only is this a super easy country to drive (I liken it to a tropical Wyoming), car rental companies are exceptionally friendly and professional, the cars are often brand new, it's not dangerous to drive here at all, and you'll get to experience Costa Rica in a much more authentic way, being able to stop at little local stands along the side of the road, or for a coffee or beer wherever your heart desires. Bonus? You can get around the country easily and visit more places. Like, a lot more places.

The only hard part? Learning how to convert kilometers. :) That and the fact that you *must* have a credit card—they won't allow you to rent with your debit card. And they'll also require a $500 to $1,000 hold on your credit card, depending on what you're renting and for how long—which is a standard, country-wide practice. (Trust me, we've rented from all of the car companies in the country.)

And last but not least? The only thing you can't do with a rental car is cross the border into Panama or Nicaragua: you'll have to leave your car at the frontera and re-rent another on the other side. (Boo!) Other than that though? If you can rent the car, get the car. And then just hope that a tarantula doesn't crawl up your leg. ;)