Travel Tips

When to visit Playa Flamingo, Brasilito and Conchal: the month-by-month calendar, what the Papagayo winds change, the best month for Conchal’s clear water, and when villa rates drop 30 to 40 percent.

By Rob Cosman | Updated October 2026 Do you need a 4×4 in Costa Rica? If your trip stays on the Guanacaste Gold Coast, the honest answer is usually no, and the rental counter has no reason to tell you that. Here is the route-by-route reality for Tamarindo, Flamingo, Potrero and Conchal. Quick answer: Every…

By Rob Cosman | Updated September 2026 Tipping in Costa Rica confuses almost every first-time visitor to the Gold Coast, because a 10 percent service charge is already baked into your restaurant bill by law, yet nobody at the table tells you. Here is how it actually works, from a soda lunch counter in Tamarindo…

When to visit Tamarindo, month by month: dry season late November to April, cheapest rates in September, and why the first three weeks of December beat Christmas week. Real prices, crowds and booking windows.

Five booking traps that catch Gold Coast visitors every season, from wire transfer deposits to all-inclusive quotes that grow at the dock, and the local fix for each.

Forget What You Heard: Rainy Season in Guanacaste is the Best, Period. You’re probably stressing about “rainy season” here in Guanacaste, but seriously, don’t. It’s actually the prime time to visit, and I’ll tell you why the tourism brochures are lying to you. Most people think “rainy season” means endless downpours, gray skies, and cancelled…