Costa Rica, one of the biggest tourist destinations in their region, but how is Couchsurfing working in the country? How is it to be living with locals in Costa Rica? How was my experience and can I recommend it? Find it out!
Where is it located?
Costa Rica is located in Central America and borders Nicaragua and Panama, so you are also able to find articles!
The country is mainly populated in and closely around the capital city San Jose. This will also be most likely the place you are going to arrive, especially when arriving by plane. Even when coming from any neigboring countries by landway it is likely to pass through it.
Where to find hosts in the country?
As mentioned in the section above, most people are living in the capital city, so there are also most of the hosts located.
You are barely also able to find hosts in places like Liberia, close to Nicaragua and also barely in some tourist places, but the chance is not really high.
Basically you most likely need to book a “cheap” hostel or accommodation, which is not the easiest there. Due to the high amounts of tourists the cheap ones are usually booked out.
But with Couchsurfing it is like that, the bigger the city, the easier it is to find a host. In little villages, near beautiful nature, the chance will decrease and it is not easy to find, due to a missing map on the application. For this Trustroots would be good to use, but it is not big in that part of the world yet.
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Is it easy finding a host in Costa Rica?
I would say it depends what and where you are searching. In the capital, I would say that it is going to be no issue finding a host. Most people don’t want to stay in that city, due to understandable reasons, it is not a good city.
I personally were finding during my stays three hosts in the city, without an issue. With one host, I was also staying several times.
Outside of San Jose and close surrounding cities, I was not able to find anyone who was willing to host me, besides in Liberia, where I was at the end not going to.
When wanting to explore the country by seeing nature and everything, then besides being lucky, it is necessary to have an alternative. For this camping might work, just keep in mind, it could be rough, when being there in the rainy season, but camping should not be an issue in general.
When willing to spend money, finding a hostel or cheap place is possible, just sometimes fully booked, so if you can plan ahead, it could help you save money.
What did I do with the hosts?
My first host
My first host was Andres, who lived during my first stay with his boyfriend together and at the second, third and fourth time, by himself. I was enjoying time in their jacuzzi, cooking together, doing karaoke and meeting his friends a lot, who always came over. Also I had my own room.
I’ve been hosted many times by him and he is a great person, who I was spending a good time with. We didn’t really explore, due to his work and I also were sometimes not in the bad mood, due to a travelburnout. The travelburnout is going to be explained in a separate thing.
He was always willing to help me and just is a nice person who have around
My second host
Fiorella was my second host in San Jose, she was living together with her boyfriend downtown. She hosted me, so I was able to catch a bus to Nicaragua, which in the end didn’t happen, due to me being a bit stupid. It was just after staying with Andres.
We had great conversations and went out to eat at a good place. I stayed at her place for two nights and had my own room, which was actually a big place.
We also were not really exploring due to her work, but it was the same as with Andres. It was nice to stay there!
How was the experience?
Comparing it to my overall Costa Rica experience, Click here to read it!
I was really enjoying my Couchsurfing experiences. I was meeting nice people and had great conversations and overall a good time as well. It was the only thing that really made my trip there okay, because I wasn’t enjoying many things.
But like mentioned above, it is not easy finding hosts in many different places in the country. It is sad, but understandable, the country is not having many cities.
What is good to know?
This should not sound weird, it is just good to know. As a guy, it is possible finding many homosexual hosts, who are going to contact you. This is nothing bad, just when you are not interested, like me for example, just check out the profiles, to know if the person you are staying with is legit. There are many nice homosexual hosts, but some, who might be a bit touchy in a disrespectful way. I didn’t have this experience, but I heard from people who experienced that in this country.
For example my first host was also a homosexual and he was respectful, just check the profiles before. You should always check profiles before, this is a general thing. This point was just something, which I realised, when receiving requests, that there were many inappropriate ones in there.
Summary
Costa Rica at Couchsurfing is for sure a welcoming country, people would like to meet you as a foreigner. I had no issues finding a host, I even had to choose, which one would be the best match for me. This was great, compared to other places, where it wasn’t easy.
So when arriving in Costa Rica and passing through San Jose, it is for sure a thing, which you can easily try out. There it is not possible to book something, in other places, it can be more challenging.
Some of my travel gears + supporting me
Underneath there are links from my travel gears mentioned. When buying something, I get a little percentage from Amazon. This way, you are getting a good deal and supporting me as well. It doesn’t need to be the article mentioned, it could be any other purchase on the website, after clicking on the link. Thank you for your support.
Click here to get the water filter I am using
Not as cheap but worth it, when using, it can filter up to 4000L
Click here for the perfect travel soap
It is small and really efficient, there are other smells as well. In addition to it, it is a good price.
Click here to buy the drone I am using
This drone is perfect for traveling, not big with a high quality, the price of good quality drones are sadly never cheap but it is worth it when using. Not all countries are allowing drones, please check that before traveling with it.
Click here to get the travel towel I am using
Any other fast drying towels are fine, they are small, cheap and doing the job.
