August 2019

Aug 26, 2019

8 Useful Apps to Download for Your Trip to Costa Rica

Are you planning a trip to Costa Rica? There’s an app for that! Well, actually, there are a lot of apps that are useful to have downloaded before your trip to Costa Rica. If your cell phone provider doesn’t offer a reasonable international plan, you can easily buy a SIM card and purchase data to use on your unlocked cell phone when you arrive in Costa Rica. While we strongly recommend embracing a bit of a digital detox while you are here, having access to the internet when you are out of Wi-Fi range can be very helpful in numerous scenarios.

Navigation App

Driving around Costa Rica can definitely be a bit of an adjustment if you have never driven here. There are no addresses in the traditional sense of numbers and street names; directions are instead given using landmarks and meters. To make getting from one place to another a bit more easy-breezy, you should use a navigation app. Both Google Maps and Waze work great in Costa Rica.

Translation App

While many Costa Ricans, especially those working in the tourism industry speak English, there might be instances when communicating in Spanish is the only viable option. If you don’t speak Spanish, you can utilize a translation app to help you bridge the language gap. Google Translate is an easy-to-use and relatively effective translation tool when you are stuck in a bind.

Surf Report App

The consistent and diverse surf scene is what draws thousands of visitors a year to the duel coastlines of Costa Rica. Knowing the tide, swell, and wind report is helpful if you are planning on scoring some surf on your trip. Magic Seaweed is the best surf report app to use while you are here. There are 65 surf breaks in Costa Rica on Magic Seaweed.

Communication App

WhatsApp is a widely-used communication app in Costa Rica. This is a great app to use if you need to communicate while you are here with tour operators, private drivers, Airbnb hosts, and new friends.

Currency Exchange App

The exchange rate is constantly changing. At one point, the exchange rate stayed around 500 colones to USD 1, which made it very easy to work out conversions in your head. Lately, that hasn’t been the case though. EX Currency app makes converting dollars to colones and vice versa a no-brainer.

Weather App

If you search for the weather report in Costa Rica, you will likely come across a forecast with a high chance of rain and thunderstorms, regardless of the time of the year. Don’t worry, though, it doesn’t rain, thunder, and lightning all day and every day here, even during the rainy reason. While finding a reliable weather forecast is tricky and might not even really exists, the app Windy is as close as you are likely going to get.

Birding App

Did you know that there are over 900 species of birds in Costa Rica? That’s more than in all of North America! The Costa Rica Birds app is a fantastic digital birding field guide. The free version of this app has 360 of the most commonly encountered bird species in Costa Rica. You will find range maps, recorded vocalizations, photos, and descriptions. You can also keep track of the birds you’ve seen and include personal notes using this handy app.

More Details

Aug 17, 2019

Myth vs Reality: What Rainy Season in Playa Grande is Really Like

The majority of visitors who come to Playa Grande and the surrounding areas tend to come between December and April. These months are well-known for their cloudless sunny days and dry winds. It rarely rains during this time of the year and nearly every day is a picture-perfect beach day. While these are the most sought-after months to come to Costa Rica, you should not overlook the rainy season.

Downsides of the high season:

1. More people

2. More expensive (flights and accommodations)

3. Hotter day time temperatures

4. Colder water

5. Very windy (especially in January and February)

Myth 1: It rains all the time

The first rain usually happens around the end of April and the green season typically spans until the end of October. Don’t be fooled into thinking that the rainy season is totally rainy! It is not uncommon for days or weeks to go by where there is little to no rainfall between May and November. Sometimes big storms roll through though, which are actually quite spectacular to watch and also provide an excellent excuse to take a nap or read a book.

But, for the most part, during this time of the year, it doesn’t rain all day and every day; especially in Guanacaste, which is the driest province in Costa Rica.

The months of May, June, July, and August are actually my favorite months to be in Costa Rica!

Myth 2: Driving requires a 4×4 vehicle

The roads in and around Playa Grande are good, even during the rainy season. Other remote areas of Costa Rica might require a 4×4 car and can be quite treacherous to navigate during a very rainy bout; but, you don’t have to worry about that in this zone!

Myth 3: Everything is closed

Pretty much everything is open during the rainy season. Some businesses, especially in smaller towns, might close for September and October, but from May to August, you can expect everything that is open during the high season to be ready for your business during the green season. Restaurants, tours, attractions, hotels, and beaches are often less busy during these months compared to the peak season months.

Myth 4: Activities are limited

Unless you are the Wicked Witch of the West, you aren’t going to melt in the rain! The only time activities and tours are delayed or canceled is when there is lightning, which surprisingly doesn’t happen as often as you might think.

Activities like surfing, paddle boarding, sailing, fishing, snorkeling, zip-lining, horseback riding, hiking, white water rafting, mountain biking, and yoga all continue to take place rain or shine. As long as you bring a lightweight rain jacket, a dry bag, shoes with good traction, and a winning attitude, a little rain won’t put a damper on your fun!

Myth 5: It’s not as pretty

In my personal opinion, the green season is the most beautiful season in Costa Rica. It is during this time of the year that you will witness every imaginable shade of green. Life really abounds during the rainy season. Plus, the rainy season is also the rainbow season, and the sunsets are utterly breathtaking.

Don’t let the misconception that the rainy season in Costa Rica is nothing but rain because that is far from reality.

More Details

Aug 6, 2019

Embrace a Moving Meditation While in Playa Grande, Costa Rica

As we shared in our last post, “Don’t Hesitate, Meditate,” there are incredible inherent benefits that accompany a meditation practice. To review, this includes a reduction in stress and anxiety, improved quality and depth of sleep, a strengthened immune system, a clearer and more focused mind, a boost in creativity and productivity, an enhanced state of self-awareness, and an overall increased sense of peace and calmness.

However, for some and maybe many, sitting in stillness and with a free mind can be a great challenge. Meditation doesn’t come easy to everyone, and that is perfectly fine. We are all a work in progress! For most, developing a meditation practice takes time and dedication; but, don’t all the best things in life?

It is important to remember, though that we are all unique individuals and what works for one person might not work for another. Maybe you are more of a mover than a sitter? I know I am! There are all different types of meditations, and a moving meditation might be what you have long been seeking.

Playa Grande is an amazing place to start or continue your moving meditation journey! Between the miles of nearly empty beach, the warm sea, the salty ocean air, the verdant beach trees, and coastal creatures, the setting couldn’t be any more perfect for quieting that active mind of yours. You might find your moving meditation to take place while you are walking, running, swimming, surfing, or practicing yoga. The idea is the same regardless of what movement you choose to do.

A moving meditation is dependent on focusing on the movement and not on your thoughts. The same way you focus on your breath when you are meditating in stillness, focusing on your deliberate movements will help you still your mind.

Sunrise is a particularly beautiful time to head down to the beach for a moving meditation while you are in Playa Grande. The sun rises very early here, the beach is usually quite empty, and the temperature is rather pleasant. It is also lovely to start your day in such a positive way. You can even start your morning and meditation by setting an intention or creating a mantra.

Your meditation, whether still or moving, is entirely yours and yours to create in the way that best suits you. Play with the process and enjoy the journey.

More Details