Posted: 1/25/24 | January twenty fifth, 2024

I really like Costa Rica. It used to be the primary position I visited on my own over 15 years in the past and the rustic that set me on my nomadic adventure. From its surprising seashores to its lush jungles, this biodiverse country is well-liked by backpackers, honeymooners, and expats alike. And whilst it’s small, there’s a ton to look and do. That you must simply spend a month and nonetheless slightly scratch the outside.

It’s additionally wonderful for road-tripping.

Up to a backpacking bus or hitchhiking journey may to begin with sound interesting, the truth is that ready within the sizzling solar after which bouncing alongside bumpy roads in an outdated bus with out shocks or air-conditioning isn’t for the fainthearted. If you need actual freedom to discover, you wish to have a condo automobile.

That will help you plan your outing, right here’s the entirety you wish to have to find out about renting a automobile in Costa Rica.

Choosing the Proper Apartment Automobile (and Apartment Corporate)

Earlier than you hire a automobile, learn and examine opinions for automobile condo corporations. Whilst the usual giant corporations are to be had right here, there are many native ones too.

Upon getting narrowed down the listing to a delegated few, ask for quotes for the kind of car and trip dates that you simply require. The quote must come with obligatory third-party insurance coverage, taxes, and every other surcharges, like airport tax. Maximum websites come with all this data when getting a quote on-line.

Whether or not you’re booking on-line or immediately with an agent, double-check the main points of your reservation. Crossing time zones might imply that your condo pickup time and even date is other in Costa Rica than your nation of departure. It is very important ascertain the time, date, and placement of your car’s pickup and drop-off, the car class, transmission, and protection required.

Issues to bear in mind when renting a automobile in Costa Rica:

• A guide transmission is also inexpensive than computerized and extra not unusual in Costa Rica however must most effective be decided on if you’ll power a stick shift.
• Returning your automobile at a vacation spot other from the place you picked it up will most certainly incur an extra price.
• Maximum condo corporations is not going to ensure a selected make and type inside the condo class.
• Be expecting to hire for 24-hour sessions. Time your pickup and drop-off accordingly.
• Supply your flight quantity ahead of you arrive, so the corporate can observe your flight.
• If in case you have an early flight, imagine losing off the car the night time ahead of and the use of a resort go back and forth to the airport.
• On-line trip businesses (OTAs) ceaselessly fail to incorporate all fees, so when you e-book via one, make sure you verify the overall worth with the automobile condo corporate, wherein the pricing is also extra clear.
• Maximum corporations now be offering a web based check-in procedure to add paperwork similar to passports and driving force’s licenses to chop time on the counter and get at the street sooner.

My go-to condo automobile corporate in Costa Rica is Vamos. You’ll click on right here to get a quote. (You’ll get 5% off simply by the use of that hyperlink).
 

Arriving on the Airport

Each global airports in Costa Rica have automobile condo corporate desks inside the construction; on the other hand, the places of work (the place you’ll get your automobile) are off-site. They usually have a go back and forth provider to take purchasers to their places of work, maximum of which can be situated inside a 10-minute power of the airport.

Native hustlers may inform you that your corporate has long gone into chapter 11 to persuade you to head with a special corporate that can pay them a fee. Search for an indication along with your corporate’s emblem and forget about the hustlers.

In case your flight is not on time otherwise you leave out your connection, touch the corporate along with your new estimated arrival time to steer clear of having the reservation canceled as a no-show.

Whilst you arrive on the condo place of business, the agent will fill in any remarkable forms that has now not been achieved on-line and behavior a car inspection with you. Even if the agent will word current injury, you must take pictures or video of the automobile for backup functions.

Your car would possibly not have a complete gasoline tank whilst you select it up, however the gasoline gauge stage must be logged at the inspection shape. It is very important go back the automobile with the similar gasoline stage. Even if you are going to now not be reimbursed for a degree upper than the only registered, you are going to be charged whether it is beneath the beginning stage.

Returning the Car
Verify your drop-off location and time whilst you select up the car. In case you are stuck in site visitors or are not on time for any reason why, touch the condo corporate to steer clear of a penalty. Ensure that your gasoline gauge is on the proper stage, or else head to a fuel station ahead of you drop it off. The corporate’s consultant will check up on your car with you after which procedure the deposit repayment.
 

Paperwork Wanted for Renting a Automobile in Costa Rica

Right here’s the entirety you wish to have to hire a automobile in Costa Rica:

Driving force’s license – You’ll use your native driving force’s license all through the condo length so long as it’s revealed within the Latin alphabet. In case your license is in a language that doesn’t use the Latin alphabet (e.g., Mandarin, Arabic), a global using license is needed. Your driving force’s license should be legitimate for everything of your keep.

You will need to word that even though maximum vacationers shall be given a 180-day visa once they input the rustic, their driving force’s licenses are most effective legitimate for 90 days, and they’ll be required to depart Costa Rica and go back to legally power once more.

Bank card – You want a legitimate bank card on your identify to pay the automobile condo and to put the deposit.

Passport – Your passport must be legitimate throughout your keep. Legally, vacationers should elevate it with them always. The transit police will wish to see it and your access visa if you’re pulled over.

A Observe at the Minimal and Most Riding Age
Every automobile condo corporate has insurance policies in regards to the age of the drivers it insures. Many don’t have a most age, however some set a restrict of 70-75 years outdated. The felony age to power in Costa Rica is eighteen; on the other hand, maximum corporations require that drivers be a minimum of 25. More youthful drivers might be able to hire a automobile for an extra surcharge and insurance coverage prices.
 

Insurance coverage Protection

Costa Rica has obligatory third-party insurance coverage for automobile leases. It’s not conceivable to acquire this protection every other manner. Take a look at that this value is integrated on your condo quote, because it’s ceaselessly unnoticed, so you could finally end up paying greater than what you to begin with idea.

A collision injury waiver (CDW) covers losses from injury in your condo automobile. That is legally required when renting a automobile in Costa Rica. Maximum corporations be offering quite a lot of tiers of insurance coverage, with quite a lot of deductibles. Many renters choose complete protection for peace of thoughts, as then any injury that happens all through condo is roofed. Some corporations be offering further protection for tires and the windscreen (windshield), as they aren’t all the time coated by way of the CDW.

In case your bank card supplier has a CDW as a perk, you’ll waive the in-house CDW. Simply word that you are going to wish to carry a letter that explicitly states the quantity of protection, that Costa Rica is integrated within the spaces coated, and the remaining 4 digits of the motive force’s bank card. A replica of the bank card corporate’s phrases and stipulations isn’t normally enough.

One essential factor to notice is that the condo corporate might dangle a deposit for the condo length, which may well be as much as $5,000 USD if the renter is the use of their bank card supplier’s CDW. The deposit shall be launched on the finish of the condo length. Remember to have a bank card that may soak up this accretion.
 

Riding in Costa Rica

Right here are some things to bear in mind whilst using in Costa Rica:

Pace limits – Indicators are in kilometers somewhat than miles, and pace limits are usually less than you’d be expecting, with a 90 km/h (55 mph) restrict on primary highways. Pace limits exchange with restricted caution between spaces, so keep alert to signage.

Fuel stations – Just remember to know in case your condo car is fueled by way of fuel or diesel. This data must be at the car inspection file when you’ve forgotten. Fuel stations don’t seem to be self-service, so be ready to invite for the type of gasoline you wish to have in addition to the quantity.

When you’re renting one of the crucial EVs which might be beginning to shape a part of fleets in Costa Rica, then plan your direction across the community of charging stations around the nation. You’ll be informed extra about the ones right here.

Navigation – Use Waze, which is up to date in actual time by way of an enthusiastic staff of volunteers, so that you’re conscious about injuries or different eventualities that can impact your trip time. Google Maps is to be had however does now not all the time have correct data. It additionally has a tendency to underestimate adventure occasions, so that you must take that into account when making plans your itinerary when you plan to make use of it.

Regardless of Costa Rica’s authentic cope with machine, which is composed of calles (roads that run north-south) and avenidas (avenues that run west-east), virtually all locals give instructions the use of landmarks, and few can give instructions the use of street or street numbers. It’s useful to grasp {that a} block is normally described as 100 meters.

So as to add to the confusion, a location might use landmarks that now not exist however have been recognized smartly sufficient to stay in dwelling reminiscence. So you will be directed to head 600 meters south of where “the place the large mango tree was once” or to show left after “the grocery store that was once purple.” Fortunately, Waze is a navigation lifesaver, however chances are you’ll develop to benefit from the quirky tico (Costa Rican) manner of discovering puts!

Parking – All the time park in safe parking so much, and don’t depart valuables in an unattended car, as break-ins can happen.

In the previous few years, there were instances of the transit police issuing fines and doing away with license plates from cars parked on yellow strains at widespread vacationer spots like Manuel Antonio. The headache on this scenario is that the car can’t be pushed with out plates and should be towed again to the place of business, the place it stays off the street till the automobile condo corporate reclaims the plates from the related authority. This can be a time-consuming and dear process, so consider of the place you park!
 

Further Apartment Issues

Many automobile condo corporations price a day by day worth for apparatus or services and products past the elemental condo prices. You must take this into consideration when budgeting your outing. Those can come with:

Further drivers – Be expecting to pay a day by day fee for each and every driving force added in your condo settlement after the primary driving force. (Vamos Hire-A-Automobile provides further drivers with out additional value.) It is sensible to have a minimum of one further driving force to percentage the load for longer trips or to take over if the primary driving force is feeling below the elements.

Roof racks – When you’re touring with numerous baggage or surfboards, then renting a roof rack at a day by day fee is also a way to a cramped car internal.

Child or automobile seating – When you’re touring with youngsters, Costa Rican legislation about seating (see beneath) is precisely enforced. Both carry your individual kid seat or hire one at a day by day fee from the corporate.

Costa Rican seating regulations for kids are based totally both on age or weight/top:

• Rear-facing child seat: Required for kids not up to a 12 months outdated and below 22 lbs (10 kg)
• Kid seat: For the ones as much as 4 years outdated or not up to 40 lbs (18 kg) and below 3’7”
• Booster seat: For the ones 5 to twelve years outdated, 40 kilos or extra, and nonetheless below 4’9”
• Seat belt: For the ones 4’9” or taller or over the age of 12

Wi-Fi – Keep hooked up all through your outing with out paying extortionate roaming fees by way of the use of a Mi-Fi (cell Wi-Fi) tool out of your condo corporate. It’s normally rapid sufficient to add your newest vacay pics onto Instagram, attach in your Spotify road-trip playlists, and navigate with Waze, however downloading motion pictures is most certainly an excessive amount of to be expecting. Web protection in Costa Rica is huge, however don’t rely on it if you’re touring off the crushed observe.

Injuries – In case you are excited about a site visitors coincidence, verify that nobody is harm then transfer to protection off the street. Don’t transfer the car. Name the transit police and your insurance coverage corporate. You must additionally name your automobile condo supplier to evaluate if the automobile may also be pushed, if a mechanic is needed onsite or if the automobile must be exchanged and towed. The car may also be moved as soon as the transit police give permission.

Crossing the Border – Apartment cars can’t be taken to neighboring international locations (Nicaragua or Panama) because of insurance coverage restrictions. If you wish to seek advice from the ones puts, you’ll organize to drop off your condo car on the border and reserve a automobile to be delivered while you’ve crossed it.
 

11 Riding Pointers for Costa Rica

1. Stay a detailed eye on pace restrict indicators, as this will exchange briefly inside a brief distance.

2. You’re renting a automobile, now not a ship, so withstand the temptation to power via rivers (even supposing the locals are doing so). Insurance coverage insurance policies are voided if the car is pushed via any frame of water. And the digital parts of recent cars are prone to enjoy pricey injury in water.

3. On a equivalent word, it’s unlawful to park at the seaside. That is to give protection to flora and fauna, similar to turtles. Even supposing locals are doing it, discover a safe automobile parking space as a substitute.

4. Drivers within the different lane might flash their lighting as they’re coming towards you. That is normally a caution that there are transit police forward or that there’s an upcoming impediment.

5. Pace bumps is also giant and may well be unmarked. Keep vigilant.

6. Bridges is also one lane, so you wish to have to search for signage that signifies which path has precedence.

7. If using a manual-transmission car, exchange gears when using downhill, and don’t experience the brakes or else the pads may just overheat.

8. Use warning whilst using at night time. Roads are ceaselessly poorly lit, and cyclists or pedestrians might use the street edge in puts the place there’s no sidewalk. Plan to reach at your vacation spot by way of sundown or round 5:30pm. Stay your eyes peeled for sloths or different flora and fauna crossing the street.

9. When you’re touring outdoor of the Central Valley or essentially the most visited vacationer spots like Jaco, hire an SUV for the upper clearance that the car provides. For extra rural locations, a 4×4 is also required, particularly within the wet season. Be happy to invite your automobile condo supplier for recommendation on the most efficient car on your itinerary.

10. Flat tires don’t seem to be normally coated by way of in-house or bank card insurance policies. When you get a flat tire, a neighborhood storage can normally repair it for not up to $20 USD.

11. In case you are pulled over by way of the transit police, you must provide your driving force’s license, passport, and the forms supplied by way of the automobile condo corporate. Visitors tickets may also be issued by way of officers, however the cost can most effective be made in a financial institution or by the use of your automobile condo corporate. Must a police officer ask you for money, name the police immediately or your automobile condo corporate for help. Don’t pay any bribes.

Costa Rica is a gorgeous nation and one among my favourite locations in Central The usa. To be sure you profit from your seek advice from and get off the crushed trail, hire a automobile. You’ll have extra freedom and versatility, and be capable of discover past the usual vacationer websites. I will’t suggest it sufficient!

Click on right here to get a quote from Vamos Hire-A-Automobile. You’ll get an automated 5% off simply by the use of this hyperlink!