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Many people who travel to Costa Rica choose all-inclusive trips that include tours and transportation. However, Costa Rica is a fully developed nation that you can travel safely on your own. It is often much more affordable to book a flight and secure your own accommodations in the country than it is to go through an agency. If you do that, your best bet is probably to rent a car and travel through the country that way.
Prepare for the Winding Roads Through the Mountains
Costa Rica is a popular destination for the ecologically-minded. After all, the country takes great pains to reduce the environmental impact of its industries, including tourism. However, there is one area in which eco-consciousness should take a backseat, and that is when it comes to vehicle selection.
Unless you plan to stay in the same area for your entire trip, chances are good you will find yourself on the winding, narrow roads that go through the mountains in Costa Rica. Even traveling to the suburbs of San Jose, the capital city, can require going through mountain passes. Your best option is to secure a truck or SUV with four-wheel drive. That way you know you have adequate traction to make it up even steep inclines. In the more wild parts of the country, you may have to take your vehicle through streams, so the added height of an SUV is beneficial as well.
Costa Ricans Struggle With Distracted and Drunk Driving
Costa Rica is a fully developed nation with excellent medical and educational infrastructure. Ticos, as Costa Ricans are called, pride themselves on having many of the popular accessories available in the United States, including smartphones. That means that Costa Ricans, just like people in the United States, struggle with distracted driving.
Drunk driving is also an issue here, as it is anywhere in the world. That means that you should take great care to keep yourself, the vehicle and your passengers safe while touring Costa Rica. Always be on the lookout for people driving in dangerous, erratic manners, especially on narrow mountain roads.
Driving yourself is an enjoyable way to see all that Costa Rica has to offer. From mountainside waterfalls to incredible jungle vistas and cloud forests, there is a lot to see in a very small amount of land. You can travel safely through the entire country by car if you prepare yourself and commit to driving safely.
Source: latinflyer.com