How many towns to visit: I advise
4 to 6 towns on a trip of two weeks. That gives each place two or three nights, enough for a slow morning in a plaza, a market lunch and a day trip, without living on buses. Beyond six, you spend more hours in cramped minibuses with roosters and sacks of rice than you do in town squares.
Choosing the kind of town: Pacific colonial towns suit first-timers: they have
hostels, restaurants, ATMs and shuttles, and the evenings smell of grilled meat and wood smoke. Choose the
northern highland towns if you want cooler air, coffee and cigar workshops, and fewer travelers. Choose the
Caribbean if you want Creole cooking, coconut bread and a slower, humid rhythm, accepting that it is the most expensive and hardest to reach. Surf and beach villages are loud and social, …
read more 👉 How many towns to visit: I advise
4 to 6 towns on a trip of two weeks. That gives each place two or three nights, enough for a slow morning in a plaza, a market lunch and a day trip, without living on buses. Beyond six, you spend more hours in cramped minibuses with roosters and sacks of rice than you do in town squares.
Choosing the kind of town: Pacific colonial towns suit first-timers: they have
hostels, restaurants, ATMs and shuttles, and the evenings smell of grilled meat and wood smoke. Choose the
northern highland towns if you want cooler air, coffee and cigar workshops, and fewer travelers. Choose the
Caribbean if you want Creole cooking, coconut bread and a slower, humid rhythm, accepting that it is the most expensive and hardest to reach. Surf and beach villages are loud and social, so pick them for company, not quiet.
What it costs: Budget
US$25 to 40 a day for dorm beds (US$8 to 15), market meals (US$3 to 6) and local buses. Mid-range comfort with a private room and restaurant meals runs US$50 to 90. Chicken bus rides cost roughly US$1 to 4 for short hops, and shuttles US$10 to 20 per leg. Guided volcano or coffee farm tours typically run US$20 to 60, and reserve entry fees usually fall at US$2 to 10. Carry some cash, because card machines and ATMs are sparse outside larger towns.
Safety and etiquette: Most towns feel calm in daylight, with families on doorsteps and kids in school uniforms.
Petty theft happens on buses and in crowded markets, so keep phones and cameras tucked away and use a padlock on your bag. After dark, take a taxi and avoid walking empty streets. Since 2018 the country has seen political unrest, so avoid
protests and political photography, do not film police or government buildings, and check your government’s advisory before you go. Tap water is unsafe in most places, so carry a filter or buy sealed water. Greet people with a quick “buenas” when you enter a shop, bargain gently in markets and ask before photographing locals. A few phrases of Spanish go a long way, and the warmth you get back across a counter or a plaza bench is often the best part of the day.