The Official Costa Rica Travel Blog

Last updated on March 2nd, 2024 at 12:13 pm GMT-6 (Costa Rica time)

nikkiandrickycostarica

Hola, amigos! We’re Ricky, a born-and-raised Tico (Costa Rican), former rafting tour guide, and nature and wildlife photographer, and Nikki, a longtime Costa Rica explorer, four-time published Costa Rica guidebook author, and Tica (Costa Rican) at heart. We’re a happily married, adventurous couple in our 17th year of discovering Costa Rica together. (Click here to read our full bio.) In addition to writing this Costa Rica Travel Blog, we’re also the team behind several other Costa Rica-based projects, including:

Kudos

LUX Life Magazine’s Travel Blogger of the Year 2020 – Costa Rica (Nikki Solano)

Book Authority’s #3 Pick, 40 Best New Hiking eBooks To Read In 2020 (Moon Costa Rica 2019)

Recipient, Versatile Blogger Award

Recipient, Liebster Award

Recipient, Very Inspiring Blogger Award

Recipient, Trip 180’s Traveler’s Award

Feedspot’s Pick, Top 30 Costa Rica Blogs And Websites To Follow In 2018 and 2021

Asher Fergusson’s Pick, Top 5 Costa Rica Travel Blogs

Viva Tropical’s Pick, Top Costa Rica Tourism Sites and Top Blogs About The Costa Rica Lifestyle For Expats And Investors

Prosoft Nearshore’s Pick, Best Costa Rica Travel Blog

GotSaga’s Pick, Top 40 Incredible Travel Bloggers’ Sites That You’ll Want To Follow

Smartlad’s Pick, Top 100 Travel Blogs You Should Be Following In 2017

Some (yes, only some!) of the Costa Rica sights and attractions that Nikki and Ricky have experienced:

Popular articles

where to go in Costa Rica Where To Go In Costa Rica: 70+ Costa Rica Destinations (In Photos) See our master list of Costa Rica destinations for photos of 70+ places to consider when narrowing down where to go in Costa Rica. Read our full article
Costa Rica car rental scams How Not To Fall For Costa Rica Car Rental Scams Avoid falling for Costa Rica car rental scams by learning about the latest ploys and reviewing our must-know car rental tips. Read our full article
Best Ziplines in Costa Rica: Comparing 6 in Arenal and Monteverde Looking for the best zipline in Costa Rica? We compare and contrast a number here, and offer free discounts for ziplining tours! Read our full article
Self-Guided Adventures: 20 Things To Do In Costa Rica Without A Guide Want to experience Costa Rica without a guide? We outline which tours and activities do and do not allow for unguided adventures. Learn more! Read our full article
Costa Rica transportation Renting A Car In Costa Rica: Should You Do It? Debating renting a car in Costa Rica? We outline advantages and disadvantages, scenarios to consider, and rental tips to help you decide! Read our full article
Rick Steves Costa Rica Nikki Solano Talks Costa Rica on Rick Steves’ Europe Monday Night Travel Show Watch Nikki Solano cover 10 of the most sought-after Costa Rica destinations (and standout experiences at each) on Rick Steves' Monday Night Travel Show. Read our full article
when to go to Costa Rica When To Go To Costa Rica According To Cost, Weather, Wildlife, And More! Debating when to go to Costa Rica? We outline the best times to visit if you want to save money, have great weather, see wildlife, and more! Read our full article
plan a trip to Costa Rica How To Plan A Trip To Costa Rica For Free Step By Step Want to plan a trip to Costa Rica? Follow our steps for free and easy Costa Rica vacation planning help! Read our full article
Costa Rica waterfalls 30 Popular Things To Do In Costa Rica And Where To Do Them We detail the 30 most popular things to do in Costa Rica (with photos) and describe the attractions, beaches, cities, and towns that offer them! Read our full article
Costa Rica pura vida 80+ Costa Rica Beaches (In Photos) And Where To Find Them See our master list of Costa Rica beaches for photos of 80+ beaches in Costa Rica to help you decide which one(s) to visit! Read our full article
best hanging bridges in Costa Rica Best Hanging Bridges in Costa Rica: Comparing 4 in Arenal and Monteverde We compare the most popular hanging bridges in Costa Rica and offer free discounts for hanging bridge tours and entrance fees! Read our full article
Playa Junquillal Costa Rica Costa Rica Off The Beaten Path: Where To Go And What To Do We detail (with photos!) which destinations and beaches to pick, and things to do if you want to experience Costa Rica off the beaten path! Read our full article
Costa Rica canyoning Costa Rica Guided Tours: Are They Necessary, Valuable, And/Or Worthwhile? Curious if you need a tour guide in Costa Rica? We explore whether Costa Rica guided tours or unguided tours are better, and why. Read our full article
Monteverde Costa Rica Must-Know Info About Monteverde Costa Rica From Seasoned Visitors Our free Monteverde city guide (Santa Elena) covers everything we've learned from exploring Monteverde Costa Rica for years. Read our full article
Monteverde cloud forest How To Decide Between La Fortuna / Arenal or Monteverde (or Why You Should Visit Both) We compare and contrast La Fortuna / Arenal and Monteverde, plus offer a quiz, photos, and discounts for both areas to help you decide! Read our full article
Costa Rica Highway Conditions By Route We compare and contrast Costa Rica highway conditions by design, terrain, pace, traffic, flow, tolls, river crossings, and 4x4 requirements. Read our full article
10 Things To Do In And Around San Jose Costa Rica Have some free time to spend in San Jose Costa Rica? Our list of the top 10 things to do in San Jose span museums, markets, and more! Read our full article
Costa Rican foods 50+ Common Questions About Costa Rica And Our Answers To Each! Have questions about Costa Rica? We answer the top questions we receive about Costa Rica travel, tourism, trip planning, and saving money. Read our full article
Costa Rica tours and activities Costa Rica Tours And Activities: Should You Book In Advance Or Wait? We explain when and why you should (or shouldn't) reserve Costa Rica tours and activities in advance, with recommendations month by month. Read our full article
to eat in Costa Rica Costa Rica Food Guide: 30+ Things To Eat In Costa Rica & Where And When To Eat Them We detail the top things to eat in Costa Rica, including where and when to eat them, and how to pronounce them! Read our full article
Our Master List Of Costa Rica Do’s And Don’ts Our list of Costa Rica do's and don'ts (compiled over 14 years of Costa Rica travel) will maximize your Costa Rica travel experience. Read our full article
Playa Tropical Costa Rica Costa Rica Transportation: 15 Ways To Get Around Costa Rica We compare/contrast 15 types of Costa Rica transportation, plus offer free discounts for shuttles and car rentals. Learn more! Read our full article
Paradise Hot Springs Best Hot Springs In Arenal: We Compare All 12 La Fortuna Hot Springs Looking for the best La Fortuna hot springs in Arenal Costa Rica? We compare and contrast all 12 and offer discounts for hot springs passes! Read our full article
Must-Know Info About La Fortuna Costa Rica From Longtime Residents Our free La Fortuna city guide covers everything we've learned from living in and exploring La Fortuna Costa Rica for years. Read our full article
the cost to go to Costa Rica How Much Does It Cost To Go To Costa Rica? Costs Of Activities, Hotels, Food, Transportation Services, And More! Our helpful charts illustrate the cost to go to Costa Rica according to activities, hotels, transportation services, meals, souvenirs, and more! Read our full article
Costa Rica Safety Guide: Is Costa Rica Safe? Yes, If You Do This. We answer the question "is Costa Rica safe?" while assessing robbery, assault, water safety, car safety, money safety, and other travel risks. Read our full article
Costa Rica trip reservations Costa Rica Trip Reservations: Booking In Advance, How Much Time Is Needed? Curious about Costa Rica trip reservations? Here's when you should book hotels, tours, transportation services, rental cars, and restaurants. Read our full article


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