Costa Rica is an incredible country brimming with a ton of different outdoor activities for its natives and visitors alike. The country itself is actually quite big and public transportation isn’t really a convenient option, so having a mode of transportation during your visit is key if you plan on exploring different areas. While you may be able to taxi to the beach from the airport and set up shop, I highly recommend looking into renting a car for some of your time here to get the most out of your stay in this beautiful country.
I was a little skeptical myself about renting a car in a foreign country I was totally unfamiliar with. A friend of mine told me a horror story about their recent rental car experience in Costa Rica. Misinformation about acceptable insurance and availability of the vehicle ended up costing them a lot of extra money. Thanks to the heads up, I made it a point before arriving to read the fine print and do plenty of proactive research. This left me with a near flawless and inexpensive rental experience. My grand total ended up being extremely affordable at $110 (including gas) for 4 days. If you are considering renting a car for your visit to Costa Rica, check out my tips below before signing on the dotted line…
CHOOSING INSURANCE:
If you rent a car through an American or foreign company such as budget, orbitz, hertz, etc., the car itself will be insured. Additional insurance for any medical injuries or damage to other persons or vehicles will not be covered. YOU HAVE A CHOICE on if you want to purchase this additional Costa Rican insurance or not when you get the car. Do not let them tell you that you do not have the choice, you do. The additional insurance would have run me about $100; more than the cost of the car combined with the American insurance. I wanted to save money, so I declined the additional insurance. If you want the peace of mind of having the Costa Rican insurance, make sure to budget this extra cost into your total rental car price.
BE MINDFUL OF THE SMALL PRINT:
The rental car companies in Costa Rica require a credit card hold of around $1000 – $1500 on a valid credit card in the name of the renter. If you decline the Costa Rican insurance, this credit hold will go up (mine was $3000). Make sure whoever rents the card has these funds available so that you do not end up without a car. Having to use a taxi can end up being quite a bit more expensive and can greatly limit your mobility here. The charge pending on your account can seem scary, but as long as you are responsible with the vehicle and/or have the full insurance, you will get every penny back. I got mine within 24 hours of returning it.
TAKE THE INITIAL INSPECTION SERIOUSLY:
The roads in Costa Rica can be really rough, especially if you plan on going on excursions that require mountain driving. I recommend renting an SUV with four wheel drive capabilites if you are. Make sure you have the rental company document any marks, dents, and scratches BEFORE you drive anywhere. The last thing you want is to return the car with a few dents from previous users that weren’t marked down.
*If you are renting from one location and dropping off at another, MAKE SURE YOU DON’T LOSE THIS DOCUMENT…we almost didn’t make our flight the second time around because we misplaced it. Luckily the company was able to fax one over from the rental location we picked the car up from.
KNOW THE RULES OF THE ROAD:
When driving in this country, make sure that you always have your passport AND drivers license on you. It is a good idea to make sure passengers have their documentation as well as there are often routine road stops. Large fines can result from not having this proper documentation. Abide by speed limits (they use kilometers/mile) and always wear a seatbelt.
UTILIZE A GPS OR OTHER DIRECTIONAL DEVICES:
Driving in Costa Rica can be overwhelming so having a directional device is a thousand percent necessary. You can rent these with the car company for charge by the day OR to save money, you can download the Maps.Me phone application. This app is amazing, it is free, and it works by using your internal phone gps. This means it can be used without any internet access or international data plan. All you have to do is download the map of the country or city you are visiting ahead of time over wi-fi. The driving directions will be spoken to you step by step just like when using a GPS. We used it when driving in the mountains and were able to find our destination with ease.
Don’t let renting a car here scare you! Having the freedom to go where we wanted really made our experience here so much more memorable. Just follow my tips, buckle up for the ride, and enjoy every minute of your time in the beautiful, wide open country.
The road is yours for the taking!
Pura Vida!
Do you have any valuable tips from your experience with renting a car here? Share them in the comments below!
