Costa Rica is a privileged country because of its nature, geography, biodiversity and its people! To top it off, it has a long history of tourism and service, which makes it a perfect destination for your vacations.
“Ticos” (slang for costaricans) have the advantage of living in this country, visited by millions of tourists every year, and therefore they have much more time to visit all these destinations and do all the fun activities that are offered in Costa Rica. But, through the years, what is it that “ticos” do when they travel around? And, if a tourist visits the country and he/she wants to travel like a local…what can we recommend?
There are many answers to these questions, but we, at Elemento Natural, started developing a list to guide and help all those visitors that want to travel around Costa Rica the way that “ticos” do!
- When a “tico” goes to the beach, he will definitely carry his cooler with drinks and snacks, plus towels and chairs. After finding a good shade under a tree, he can then sit and spend the whole day enjoying the beach and the ocean.
- If a “tico” goes to the Central or North Pacific, he will be very tempted to make a strategic stop in “El Puerto” (the Port of Puntarenas), to eat a Churchill (shaved ice with syrup). Any costarican has done that at some point, and if for some reason they don’t do it in a particular trip, the craving will linger for a while.
- Any ‘tico’ will go to a bar at any time, near home or when they are traveling around, to have a beer or a drink with a boca (Costarican version of tapas)!
- When a ‘tico’ goes to the beach, he will find a good restaurant right on the beach to have a ceviche or a whole fish.
- If you travel like a local and you go to Puerto Viejo in Limón, you will visit Manzanillo and you will hike at least until the famous view-point, you will take some pictures and then you will relax at the beaches on the way.
- When a ‘tico’ goes to the beach on the Pacific side, waiting for the sunset will be a daily must-do. And when the time comes, he will look for a perfect spot to watch it, take pictures…and share them just to brag!
- During any given weekend wether near home or the vacation spot, a local will go to the Patron Saint Festivals to eat the tasty ‘pupusas’ or Chinese food for example, and share with their friends, maybe at a typical costarican bullfight.
- If a “tico” goes to Guanacaste, it is very likely that he will not stay at his hotel or cabina. He will take at least one day to go beach hopping, visiting at least two or three more.
- The majority of costaricans like football, one way or another. That is why, if they get a chance they will go to the stadium to watch a game and support their favorite team, especially if it is a game of “La Sele”, the national team.
- If in San José, most people have gone to Escalante, Amón or La California, especially nowadays, that the gastronomy is varied enough for every taste and budget!
- If you travel like a local, and you go to the South Caribbean, you will certainly eat rice & beans, patí or plantintá, and possibly you will stop in Cahuita to do so.
These are just a few examples of the ways that “ticos” travel around in their country, that´s the way they travel Costa Rica! So, travel like a local, #TravelWithElemento
