We don’t commission.
We believe your itinerary should be a unique edition.
Most travel agents give you tips for traveling in Costa Rica that are interest-based (aka: they receive a comission) so they might recommend the best option for them ($), but not necessarily for you. Don’t risk your time and money on a Costa Rica itinerary that could result in a tourist trap or an experience that was not customized for you!
We’re driven on authenticity and transparency so you can have the real Pura Vida Experience, while you’re supporting local travel entrepreneurs that are focused on the quality of the experience over the big bucks!
Are you trying to plan a trip to Costa Rica but are getting overwhelmed in the process?
Do you normally plan trips for yourself, but somehow with Costa Rica you’re having difficulty making decisions?
Are you scared of making decisions that will take you to touristy places and not getting what you expected out of the trip?
Where do I go? Where should I stay? What can’t I miss? There simply seems to be so much to do!
If you want an authentic off-the-beaten path Costa Rica vacation and simply don’t know where to start, or you’ve already invested hours researching the best Costa Rica itinerary, you’re definitely not alone!
Why is it harder planning a Costa Rica trip?
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Too many destinations to choose from
Yes, we are a very small country, roughly the size of West Virginia or Denmark. However, different from other Central American countries, most of Costa Rica is “visitable” and the landscape varies a lot: rainforest, dry forest, cloudforest, white sand beach, black sand beach, surf beach, active volcanoes, inactive volcanoes, waterfalls, indigenous towns, national parks, Caribbean Coast, Pacific Coast, etc etc etc. This gives you a very wide range of options to choose from and, we get it, you will most likely not have enough time to do it all.
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Costa Rican topography
We already established that Costa Rica is a small country, and this might make you think that it’s easy to discover it all in a few short days…but in real life it’s much harder than you think, and there’s a simple answer to that: we like to call it “welcome to the jungle!”. Our topography varies a lot and this means that from getting to point A to point B it’s usually not a straight path but rather a very uphill, downhill, curvy, bumpy ride! Which is why being smart about your itinerary is super important to make sure you’re squeezing out the most out of your vacation time…and it’s really hard to do that if you’re not a local, we know (especially because we don’t really have addresses and also traffic jams can get intense in certain routes)!
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Not everything is for everyone
We see it over and over again: travelers in Costa Rica come to do the exact same route and then go on suggesting it to others. You know the one: Jacó, Manuel Antonio, La Fortuna, Monteverde and Tamarindo. However, there’s a whole ‘nother country out there waiting to be explored, but A) many don’t know about it, and B) there’s not much reliable information out there. Sticking to the traditional first-timer’s Costa Rica itinerary is a safe bet given that so many travelers have done it, but there’s also the risk that maybe those destinations might not be the ideal ones for you and your travel preferences.
Little did we know just how much more there would be to discover!
I will be recommending CoolRides to everyone that I know who is planning to visit Costa Rica. The authentic, personalized touch really made for a unique and memorable experience, and to me that's what travel is all about. Having Pia explain everything in great detail and answer our many questions was truly invaluable - I'm so glad we had the chance to work with her on our first trip to Costa Rica!
We had actually never hired itinerary planning services before this trip, so we didn’t know what to expect or how the process even works. Pia came highly recommended by a Costa Rican friend of mine who strongly suggested avoiding the more typical tourist destinations in favor of a more authentic “off-the-beaten path” approach.
Joel Cassady, drummer from Walk Off The Earth
How to plan an authentic Costa Rica trip in 4 easy steps:
Get unstuck and say ‘adiós’ to the overwhelm of trying to plan a trip to Costa Rica.
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Let us know what you’re expecting out of your trip: do you have bucket list experiences (such as waterfalls, beach, volcano and ziplining for example), or maybe you have some specific destinations you don’t want to miss out on or…maybe you have a preference such as traveling with kids, volunteering, surf travel or wellness vacations, etc.
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We set a virtual appointment to go over a few of our suggestions, including lots of visual aid, going through some more in-depth questions and editing what needs changing.
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You get to choose whether you just want help with your itinerary, or you want us to be there for you during your trip in case you need assistance to make changes, contact a travel provider (hotel, tour, etc), make a decision, etc.
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Because we’re on a mission to curate travel guides for off-the-beaten-path travel in Costa Rica, we’ve made professional relationships with many local travel entrepreneurs we really like (lodging, restaurants, experiences, etc) and we transfer those discounts directly to you! Unlike most travel agencies, we don’t commission over absolutely anything, so all the perks go to you and your travel group :)
Our recommendations for lodging, culinary adventures, tours and experiences have three things in common:
Conservation
Because we love Costa Rica, we love those who pour their love into Costa Rica too! Which is why we’re always supporting those who put an effort into keeping our country as green as possible. We value travel entrepreneurs and travelers who prioritize not only Mother Earth, but also supporting the growth of their local communities and protecting local traditions.
Off-the-beaten-path
Tourism can be a double-edged sword. It’s one of Costa Rica’s biggest economy and the main source of income for thousands of families, but can also be very harmful for the environment when it’s not managed purposefully. We encourage travelers to find a Costa Rica that is much more authentic and nourishing and to stay away from mass tourism destinations.
Quality-oriented
A great experience is driven foremost by outstanding service and fantastic destinations, which is why we focus on finding travel entrepreneurs in Costa Rica that can provide both. Not everyone is perfect, but we can sure identify when someone is trying their best to make your time and investment worth it…and that is exactly what we value.
YOUR COOLGUIDE
My name is Pía, and I founded CoolRides because I want you to avoid falling in a tourist trap and find a Costa Rica that nourishes you inside-out through local, authentic (and mostly sustainable) off-the-beaten-path experiences.
I have traveled my country curating experiences, restaurants, lodgings…and even tourist guides! so that you can have the real opinion of both a local and a traveler such as myself, with no monetary interest to advertise a specific party (I’m not a travel agency nor do I take commissions). My opinions and audiovisual content (I take a lot of photos and videos) are made by myself, mostly with my phone, so that you can get an authentic grasp on what to expect and for whom every experience and destination I think is best suited for. Nothing is overproduced nor edited to make it look better than what it actually is.
The best part is that for those experiences that I really, really like, I ask the owners to provide a discount for our CoolGuide travelers (whom I like to call CoolRiders) to create a win-win for you as a traveler, and to incentivize you to help a business owner who’s doing something great, grow! Naturally, I like to highlight those that are (mostly) local, promoting sustainable practices and/or are small business owners.
Start planning your authentic Costa Rica itinerary
The Essentialist
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We provide a complete form before meeting to make sure we tackle the important details and waste no time.
40min 1:1 meeting with Pia.
Exclusive video and photo footage of suggestions for your destinations and experiences during the meeting.
Follow-up email with suggestions and contact information of suppliers talked about in the meeting (*This is not an itinerary. For complete itinerary suggestion, please see The Voyageur package).
Special discounts for CoolRiders.
We strongly suggest that before you come to the meeting, you already have done some research and/or have clarity on what you’d like to get out of the trip (what you’d like to see, type of travel style you have, etc). However, the form will give you more clarity and direction with purposely guided questions so you can come better prepared and make the best out of your investment.
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$375 USD
The Voyageur
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We provide a complete form before meeting to make sure we tackle the important details and waste no time.
First 20-minute 1:1 meeting with Pia to get to know one another and clear out any doubts from both parties.
Proposal for your complete off the beaten path itinerary throughout Costa Rica, plus up to 2 additional revisions. This will be done in the form of email (and possible WhatsApp, if applicable) exchange.
Exclusive video and photo footage of suggestions for your destinations and experiences during the meeting.
Special discounts for CoolRiders.
Second 25-minute 1:1 meeting with Pia before final itinerary has been selected to make final changes.
Email delivery of final itinerary including complete contact information of selected providers with discount codes (if applicable), as well as important local information such as driving time, addresses, tips, local customs, etc.
Final 30-minute 1:1 meeting with Pia to clear out pertaining doubts before the trip.
Reminder email before your Costa Rican voyage with special and/or important reminders.
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$550 USD
The Barefoot Luxuryst
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We provide a complete form before meeting to make sure we tackle the important details and waste no time.
First 20-minute 1:1 meeting with Pia to get to know one another and clear out any doubts from both parties.
Proposal for your complete off the beaten path itinerary throughout Costa Rica, plus up to 2 additional revisions. This will be done in the form of email (and possible WhatsApp, if applicable) exchange.
Exclusive video and photo footage of suggestions for your destinations and experiences during the meeting.
Special discounts for CoolRiders.
Second 25-minute 1:1 meeting with Pia before final itinerary has been selected to make final changes.
Email delivery of final itinerary including complete contact information of selected providers with discount codes (if applicable), as well as important local information such as driving time, addresses, tips, local customs, etc.
Final 30-minute 1:1 meeting with Pia to clear out pertaining doubts before the trip.
Reminder email before your Costa Rican voyage with special and/or important reminders.
Complete 24/7 support during your Costa Rican journey. Nothing beats the confort of having a local Spanish-speaking travel professional to help you with changes, concerns, recommendations or any possible help and support you might want/need throughout the duration of your trip!
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Starting from $750
*Price increase for journeys of +10 days.