Tips For Costa Rica

Costa Rica is known worldwide for its adventure tourism; however windsurfing in Costa Rica is one of the less popular extreme sports. Accurate information as it pertains to windsurfing in Costa Rica is hard to obtain, therefore we at Tips for Costa Rica have compiled a list of the top 3 windsurfing destinations in Costa Rica.

1. 1. Lake Arenal:  The Lake Arenal area of Costa Rica is a paradise for windsurfers, and it is considered one of the top spots in the world for high-wind boardsailing. The water is warm all year round, there are predictably high winds, moderate temperatures and excellent accommodations.  The lake offers 48 square miles of warm water (approximately 73F/23C), up to five foot swells for jumping, and easterly wind speeds averaging 25mph/40kph from December to March. The winds are very stable, and it is common to use only one sail size all day. The worst months for windsurfing at Lake Arenal are June and October.




2. 2. Bahia Salinas: Located in the province of Guanacaste on the northwestern coast of Costa Rica, Bahia Salinas offers calm, 80 degree water and side shore winds. These ideal conditions are comparable to that of Lake Arenal, making Bahia Salinas the second-best location to go windsurfing in Costa Rica. The surrounding hills and topography funnel the winds in a consistent pattern here, with the strongest and most reliable winds blowing from December through March. There is also a windsurfing school which offers lessons and rentals.




3. 3. Pacific Coast: Although not as popular, windsurfing equipment rentals can be found in Manuel Antonio beach as well as Tamarindo, both located on the Pacific Coast of Costa Rica. Although the winds are not as predictable as Arenal Lake, the temperatures are moderate and the accommodations are excellent. Some hotels which offer windsurfing as an excursion are: Si Como No Hotel and Resort, Buena Vista Villas, Parador Resort and Spa, and Hotel Playa Espadilla. For a list of hotels and resorts offering windsurfing in Costa Rica click here.

Experienced windsurfers can rent gear in Costa Rica for approximately $70 per day. Rental shops offer a variety of sails for differing wind conditions, skill level and body weight. On colder days, it is recommended to wear a wetsuit, although waters are usually warm all year. A three-day beginner course costs approximately $300 with an additional cost for gear.

**A special thank you to VirtualDavis ( www.virtualdavis.com or @virtualdavis) for the topic idea of windsurfing in Costa Rica.

***If you have a question or idea for an upcoming blog, or if you would like to submit a guest blog post, contact us at Stephanie@answerswanted.com or send us a tweet @CostaRicaTips

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Typical Costa Rican food or “Comida tipica” is usually very simple, as the usual meal is made up of rice, beans, salad and some type of meat. Rice and beans are staple foods in Costa Rica. Gallo Pinto, the national dish of fried rice and black beans is particularly served as a breakfast. Almost every restaurant, including fast food places (such as McDonalds and Burger King) offer gallo pinto at breakfast. At lunch Gallo Pinto becomes “Casado” which is rice and beans, a side of salad, fried plantains, and meat. Vegetables do not form a large part of the Costa Rican diet; however fruit such as melons, papaya, mango and pineapple are common snacks. Costa Rica food is usually fried, contributing to the high population of overweight people in the country.

Other popular Costa Rican food dishes include “arroz con atun” or tuna rice, “arroz con pollo” which is rice with chicken mixed together, “pollo sudado” which is chicken made in a pot with achote and other spices.

Acohte, lizano sauce, and cilantro are common spices used in Costa Rican food. Travellers who are allergic should check the menu or ask the waiter before trying food which it may contain.

Seafood is expensive in Costa Rica in general, as the country exports most of its seafood such as shrimp, lobster and fish. Travelers with a low Costa Rica food budget should stick with the casado or ‘plato del dia’ (plate of the day) for most of their meals.

A popular and delicious drink in Costa Rica is “jugo natural “or natural juice. Natural juice can usually be strawberry, mango, pineapple, mixed fruit, or papaya juice (although some restaurants may have more or different choices). Natural fruit juice can be made in either water or milk, although when made with milk it is usually a little more expensive (and is different than a milkshake).

Another popular drink in Costa Rica is the “Imperial” beer, Costa Rica’s national beer. Although it is quite bitter, this is a cheap and popular beverage in Costa Rica. Imperial and other alcoholic beverages can be purchased in grocery stores, corner stores, and at restaurants. Alcohol cannot be purchased at grocery stores on holidays.

Many bars in Costa Rica serve “bocas” or appetizers with each drink. Bocas are different types of food in small amounts, usually “ceviche” or chicken wings or some type of appetizer. Some bars offer them for free with your drink, however others may apply a small charge.

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When visiting Costa Rica, you may overhear locals using Spanish words which you may have never heard in other Spanish countries. Common words such as “pulperia,” “Tico” and “pura vida” may confuse people who are learning Spanish and even some native Spanish speaking people. We at Tips for Costa Rica have compiled a list of the top 9 Costa Rican slang words to help you on your visit.

1. Pulperia: (Pool-pa-ree-a) A Pulperia is a small corner store, usually family run which sells basic food items and occasionally items one would expect to find at a bazaar. There are thousands across the country, and they are in close proximity to all major tourist areas, cities, small towns and even in most rural areas.

2. Tico/Tica: (Tee-ko, Tee-ka) A Tico or Tica is another name for a Costa Rican born male of female (respectively). This term is ONLY used to refer to a person born in Costa Rica, not Spanish countries in general.

3. Tuanis: (Twan-ees) A slang word for “cool” or “neat,” Costa Ricans use this word quite often without realizing it.

4. Que Chiva: (Kay-Chee-Ba) Similar to “tuanis,” “que chiva” is used as a slang word for “how cool” or similar words.

5. Mae: (My) Usually translated as “buddy” or “man,” this word is often used to start or end sentences. “¡Pura Vida Mae!”

6. Pura Vida: (Poo-ra Vee-da) As Costa Rica’s official slogan, tourists may hear this term very often. Directly translated it means “pure life,” although Costa Ricans use it in a plethora of different contexts. For example, locals use it to replace the word goodbye, you’re welcome, and thank you. It is also a common response to many questions (for example “how are you?” or “how was your day?”) and it translates to “awesome” or “great.”

7. Rojo: (Ro-ho) A rojo in Costa Rica is another word for a 1000 colones bill. Rojo (meaning red) is the color of the bill, hence the name. If you are at the pulperia and they tell you the cost of your items is “dos rojos,” your cost is 2000 colones.

8. Teja: (Te-ha) A teja is a 100 colones coin. For example if you purchase an ice cream at the pulperia and the cost is “tres tejas,” you need to give them three hundred colones.

9. Toucan: (Two-can) A 5,000 colones bill is also called a “tucan” as there is a picture of a toucan on the bill.

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Another Earthquake hit Costa Rica at approximately 9:30pm local time.

Region: West Coast
Magnitude:5.7 – 6.1 (preliminary magnitude)
Epicenter: 84.33°W   9.43°N
Depth:29 km

The earthquake was felt in Heredia, Puntarenas, Liberia and David, Panama.

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On the road to Manuel Antonio

Pacific Coast

At the market in Puntarenas

If you have seen any amusing or funny signs in Costa Rica, please email us at Stephanie@answerswanted.com or post them on our Facebook Fan Page http://www.facebook.com/TipsForCostaRica

Have a great day, and keep your eyes open for funny signs in Costa Rica! Pura Vida!

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