As people are getting more interested in other cultures and some flights get less expensive, the world is getting more globalized and people tend to travel more. These days, no one would be surprised if an 18 year-old traveled around the world. In every country there are various great and crowd-pleasing tourist destinations which should not be missed. It is also becoming more popular to travel like the people living in the country. Traveling like a local will not only be more informative, it also could save lots of money! In this blog entry, we will give you 10 tips to see the real Costa Rica and see the country through the eyes of a "tico" or "tica." By the way, many of the tips below could apply for many more countries.

1. Stay with a host family
Instead of a hotel, it might be not only fun but also very educational to stay for a couple of nights (or longer) with a local family. Staying with a local family will certainly give you the entire local package reaching from the language to the food.

2. Eat local
This might be one of the best examples of a tip which involves saving money. In Costa Rica, there are many "sodas;" these are little budget restaurants in which you can get budget menus from $3. Many of the dishes listed on the menu are typical Costa Rican dishes. Instead of choosing fast food or more costly meals, you might want to try some cheap but "rico" typical Costa Rican meals such as Pinto – which is rice and beans. 

3. Go really off the beaten path
You read it very often in guidebooks, on how to avoid the touristy highways. However, when things are mentioned in guidebooks it is likely to still attract many other tourists. If you really want to experience undiscovered places, you should just look for places which aren't mentioned in the guidebooks. Likely you won't behold sights you will find on google images when looking for Costa Rica, but you will have a wonderful time! An important aspect which might play a role is that you would need to speak some basic Spanish to communicate. 

4. Travel by public transport
This really is not always a comfortable way, but a great example on how to skimp on your budget. In the local buses you will find more local people you could chat with to learn about the country and to improve your Spanish.

5. Instead of the huge discotheques, have a beer in a small bar
We do understand your need for partying when on holidays or after a tiresome volunteer experience. But if you want to communicate with the locals, you'd probably be better off in a small bar. 

6. Work as a volunteer
This tip is not mentioned only to promote Tropical Adventures' activities in Costa Rica. Volunteering will give you the possibility to work very closely together with both the Costa Rican people as well as its beautiful nature. Moreover, if you stay on one place for a longer time, which you'll probably do when volunteering, you can make some genuine friends and have better possibilities to get closer to the other tips listed in this blog post.

7. Visit traditional parties and occasions
Costa Ricans love to party, as is obvious from the many festivals and feasts that go on in the country. Just ask the locals if there is anything going on, and if you think they like you, just ask if you could join them!

8. Learn dancing like a Costa-Rican
Of course, when going to a party it is important that you also know how to dance like a "tico" or "tica." Thus, it is highly advised to take some dancing classes before, so you can steal the show at the traditional parties.

9. Take Spanish classes
OK, Spanish language schools obviously are solely occupied by tourists. Even though at first glance, this might not seem the perfect way to go local, it will make your travels easier and on the long-term you are able to understand the locals better and have more profounding conversations.

10. Travel by horse
This certainly is not an example of experiencing the country on a tight budget. Riding a horse in Costa Rica in fact can get pretty expensive, and on the other hand is somewhat touristy too. But, if you want to feel how people were traveling in this country years back, you have to get on the back of the horse to get the feeling! If you would like to travel as a real Costa-Rican, just rent or buy a horse. 

We are happy to provide you with more information on how to see the Real Costa Rica. If you are in the need of some more information, please send an e-mail to bram@tropadvent.org. If you would like to add tips to this list, feel free to leave your comments below!
 

Written by Bram Voets, Marketing Intern