iahphx

When I was telling people I was going to Costa Rica, they would often say "Oh, great choice -- I hear the dollar still buys a lot down there."

From reading the guidebooks, I had my suspicions that there was not entirely true, though, and my experience confirmed it.

The problem seems to be "gringo prices." Things that gringos are likely to want to purchase -- particularly hotel rooms and activities/tours -- are often no bargain.

The "activity" prices were particularly annoying. Want to see the La Paz Waterfall Garden? Thirty-two bucks, please. How about a coffee tour? That will be twenty bucks, senor. A zipline ride will be $45 or $50, and most operators don't offer discounts for kids. A modest roadside snake or bird "zoo" is likely to be 15 bucks. Or how about a dip in a hot spring? That can cost more than 50 bucks! And the list goes on and on. Even the gov't gets in on the action: a "national park" -- which may consist of only a single 1 one-kilometer trail -- is 10 bucks for gringos. And maybe you'd like a staff member to lead you on that trail for an hour -- what's we'd call a "ranger walk" (which would be free) in a US nat'l park? That's an extra $20 per person.

Admittedly, these prices aren't that astonishing by US standards, but by Costa Rican standards they are a small fortune. I doubt many locals could afford them. And no doubt they don't -- they either don't do the tourist things, they do them elsewhere, or they get a discount (the gov't for example charges locals only 1/3rd what gringos pay for national parks).

And it's very difficult to get the locals to cut you a private deal. For instance, after a balked at paying $200 for 2 children and 2 adults to take a modest 2 hour "float trip," I tried to get a couple of operators to give me a discount -- at least on the kids, who were being charged full price. Nobody would do it: the price was the price, even if was mucho dinero.

I did find some ways around this. Staying at hotels geared towards Ticos (locals) sometimes netted better activity prices, and being flexible on activities helped. For instance, in the Arenal area, I found that Ecoglide would give me half-off the zipline for kids, and they did an excellent job. And when I couldn't get a reasonably priced raft ride, I hired a regular boat for less than $30/hour.

One thing that is affordable in Costa Rica is dining, as long as you go local and stay away from the tourist hotels and tourist-minded restaurants. Indeed, "going local" as much as possible is definitely the way to get your dollar's worth on just about anything in Costa Rica.

CRHeel94

I don't think higher prices for touristy spots is something exclusive to Costa Rica. The cafes on the Champs Elysees soak the tourist crowd.

The average Costa Rican makes one tenth of the average American. For a tour operator to have different prices for the two customer segments makes perfect business sense if they want to get any local business.

The best advice is to shop around. You can find all sorts of prices for hotels and operators. Heck, there's more than one hot spring to choose from as well (the $50 is definitely the most expensive one).

iahphx

Actually, the most expensive hot springs (and the most popular one) now charges $60/day.

http://www.tabacon.com/day-passes

The problem with "shopping around" is that it's virtually impossible to do for the average tourist in Costa Rica. For whatever reason, the Costa Rican tourist industry has virtually no price competition. The price is pretty much the price no matter who you buy from. Folks will literally let you walk rather than give you a discount. Zip-line prices, for example, are pretty much the same everywhere.

Hotels are an area you can save money on -- if you're willing to go downscale. There are many inexpensive lodgings in Costa Rica catering to "locals." Whether most American visitors would want to stay in them -- after all, we're looking for "ecolodges" not cinderblock huts -- is another story.

zakami

While this happens in lots of parts of the world, specially the poorer ones, I have not had it as bad as iahphx described it to me in Costa Rica. Seems like lack of research or resourcefulness to me. Sure, I've paid more than the local but not prices you are quoting.

iahphx

Then go to Costa Rica and try to do these activities for less.

FWIW, I did plenty of research: lots of websites, at least 7 guidebooks (including the cheapos like Lonely Planet). I presume that if I LIVED in Costa Rica, I could find some local deals. Indeed, one innkeeper to whom I explained the problem in Arenal said she agreed with me, but that "since she was in the hospitality industry, they let her in for free." But for the typical tourist -- even bargain hunting ones -- there are not too many options. Indeed, "shopping around" for better prices is most often a waste of time since prices are generally fixed across operators. I know I wasted a morning trying to get a break on a float trip, only to be turned down by half a dozen operators.

CRHeel94

Tabacon has always been a ripoff, for locals and tourists. It's pretty, but just way too expensive. There's a much more modest hot spring down the road towards La Fortuna that costs maybe $20; not as big and sprawling as Tabacon but the facilities are well maintained and the wading pools are clean.

Why does Tabacon charge those high prices? Because they can, basic supply and demand (I actually think the owner of Tabacon is a gringo btw). Just like any other business anywhere in the world.

If you think you have it bad, we--the locals--have been priced out of the local tourist spots. Places that use to go for $50 a night now go for double that amount. In the high season, it's cheaper to take my family of four to Panama or Miami than it is to go to a beach resort in Costa Rica.

iahphx

Thanks for the insight, CRHeel. So you get more value for your money in Panama? After our visit to Costa Rica, my wife and I agreed that we'd probably want to see Panama (only ever been to the airport!) before returning to Costa Rica. If the value equation was better, that would cement our plans.

Do they not give locals discounts in Costa Rica? Heck, they do in Hawaii, and the income disparity is obviously MUCH higher in Costa Rica. I can't imagine being able to afford ANYTHING touristy in Costa Rica as a local paying gringo prices.

BTW, I think that hot spring you're talking about is Baldi. I heard they sell tickets for $20 in La Fortuna. We didn't try it, because I was told kids were also $20 (putting it beyond what we thought it would be worth for a family dip).

A good alternative about an hour east is Themales de Bosque near Quisada. For the price of a swim (one person) at Tabacon, a whole family can get a room, breakfast and access to their jungle hot spring pools. Needless to say, it's popular with locals.

CRHeel94

You will find specials for the locals during the low or rainy season and those are usually pretty good deals. During the high season, which includes popular local vacation periods like New Year's and Easter Week, you have to scour to find affordable options. I don't blame the hotels...why sell a room to a local for $80 when you can charge a foreigner $150 (and remember everything looks cheaper to the European travelers)?

My sister lives in Panama and has property on the beach...so it's cheaper for me Of course you have to fly to Panama and those tickets are not cheap ($400 per); going to Panama makes sense only for those weeklong vacation periods.

Hotel inventory in Panama City is very tight which makes for some very high prices. The situation is different at the beaches where you can find good deals (Decameron, Boca del Toro, etc). The beach tourist infrastructure is not as developed in Panama as in Costa Rica (and it's not like CR is developed), so there arent as many options. Still, I think it's a pretty interesting destination if you're looking for something different.

I think that Baldi is the place you're thinking off. I was there a long time ago and haven't been back so I don't know about pricing for kids.

craz

Was at both Baldi and Tabacon. Baldi last Nov, I walked around Tabacon a few yrs ago when I was waiting to do their zip-line (rip off as there was only 3 or 4 lines but got free entrance into teh Tabacon local springs (since closed) which was across the road from the main 1.

You cant compare the 2 Baldi & Taba. Taba is so much nicer in every way. However that said I wouldnt want to bring any kids to Taba, its like going to a FS Hotel its Class and set up really for couples. As for Baldi its more like a water park so much so that they were building a tall slide when I was there.

I see Taba sort of like the Spas at the higher class Hotels, it really isnt aplace for kids taht are gonna want to run around and scream, simply want to be kids and do kid things.

Stayed the 1 night at a brand new place called Magic Mt owned by a Tico but who doesnt live in the area. Asked $130 for us 2 , we ended up paying $80 with tax, remember it was Nov and still the rainy season,I doubt that would have reduced it even $1 in peak times. Sort of like MIA or PHX in the winter compared with the summer.

The days og a cheap inexpensive trip to CR are long gone unfortunately, for that one needs to go to Nico or Hondrous, which are now where CR was say 10--15 yrs ago

iahphx

Yeah, in the guidebooks I read that Honduras and Nicaragua were much less expensive than Costa Rica. Never really considered them -- maybe I'll read up.

As far as Panama goes, it seems that the fares from the US are often significantly higher than to Costa Rica (where there's more competition), so that might negate whatever "on the ground" savings a tourist would have. On the other hand, for Americans with ff miles, you have the advantage of flying CO's partly-owned Copa Airlines, which does a nice job and is relatively easy to find ff seats (at least the last time I transited through Panama City).

I have a suspicion that if Costa Rica continues to raise tourist prices as rapidly as they are (from the date of my guidebooks, it seems about 10% a year), the US tourist business will begin to dry up. The country is not without its charms -- particularly for those interested in seeing tropical wildlife -- but it also isn't so fabulous that Americans will visit if its perceived as an expensive destination. For me, Costa Rica was about as expensive a trip as Hawaii ("rack rates" are still significantly cheaper in Costa Rica, but savvy American travellers can get better discounts in Hawaii). Costa Rica is no Hawaii.

Jaimito Cartero

Entry into many of the parks used to be free, but many of the park trails and such didn't get taken care of, so these fees go to help There are many parts of the world where there are tourist rates and local rates. It's very common in Asia, and I've had to pay it a lot. As well, as the local Hawaiian rates.

Martinis at 8

Actually, I long for the old days. To many Gringos visiting and living there now, to include Canadians. Costa Rica needs to get back to its own culture and not the culture of blue jeans and MTV.

cynicAAl

The owners of Tabacon are Israeli, not American.

Tabacon has positioned itself (via pricing) as a high end resort. If you're looking for "local color" and "the Costa Rican experience", do not stay at Tabacon. There are nearby resorts just as nice as Tabacon at half the price.

CRHeel94

I wasn't sure about the Israeli part, but definitely Jewish. He lives in Miami, but is of Latin descent.

tazi

We did a tour to Arenal that included Tabacon that turned out to be a great deal. Bus transportation from San Jose area with stops for lunch at base of volcanao, ride around Arenal, entrance to Tabacon with towels locker and buffet dinner included. I think it was about $75 per person. There is an overnight option that I wish we had taken advantage of.