Traveling to Costa Rica can be a thrilling experience if you are ready to travel by road upon landing at the Juan Santa Maria International Airport of San José. Even if you are going to Costa Rica on a business trip, you can have a travel plan to visit captivating sites in the country. Costa Rica has beaches, resorts, wild animals, parks, and hot spring rivers. Renting a vehicle and traveling by road inside the country will allow you to see famous places on your terms. Those sites will enrich your travel experience as you meet the locals and absorb their culture. If traveling safely has been a challenge to your desire to go to Costa Rica, this piece is on how to have a safe road trip in a rented car in Costa Rica.
Why should you rent a Car in Costa Rica?
Tourists come for several reasons to Cost Rica. One of the most common goals they have is to travel through the inner cities and see popular places. To do that, they must leave the tarred highway roads to the unfamiliar routes. The second reason is that though the highway roads are tarred, many local roads are untarred, and you will need an SUV to travel. To rent a car, visit Jumbo Car Costa Rica, a seasoned car hire business, renting tested cars to tourists for the past 40 years. Click here https://en.jumbocar-costarica.com for more information.
Another reason is that you require a car to see compelling places cost-effectively. A rented car allows you to visit any locality you like and experience the local culture. If a group is traveling with you, it is practical to rent a car for privacy reasons. For those on a business trip, renting a car will allow you to arrive on time for meetings. You will also be able to rent a vehicle that it is to your taste. All this takes a few minutes through the internet or the car rental offices in Costa Rica.
Why Should You Choose Jumbo Car
Tourists on holiday or business travel are assured that Jumbo Car supports their road travel. Here is why:
- You can book in advance online and cancel the order in 24 hours and receive a full refund of your money.
- Jumbo cars are new and of various categories ranging from Sedan, Hatchbacks, 4×2, and 4×4 to SUVs.
- Their cars are brand new, and the oldest car in their fleet is 2 years.
- The cars are reliable because the company has deployed professional mechanics who use the manufacturer’s manual and buy parts for their maintenance from manufacturers or their representative.
- These car specialists are within 2 hours from any part of the city in case of a breakdown.
- Their vehicles run on Petrol.
- They offer cars that run on Diesel on demand.
- They have dedicated phone lines, WhatApp, emails and social media channels. Customers can reach support through multiple methods.
Furthermore, the rental company has more than 40 years of professional car rental experience in different parts of the world. Jumbo Car is part of GBH, a French International company operating in over 15 countries for sixty years.
The staff at the agency at the main Costa Rica airport are multilingual so they will give you expert service in French, Spanish and English language. You will get the best car rental deal from Jumbo Car by booking in advance via their websites on the internet.
How Much Does It Cost to Rent a Car
Cart rental operators’ fees start from $20.99 per day to $69.99. The category of the car determines the rate to charge. A tourist may rent a Sedan for $20.99 for a day. SUV 4-wheel drive may rent for $39.99 to $69.99 daily. Car rental practitioners advise tourists to lease a car that completely hides their luggage in the boot, to avoid prying eyes and getting any criminal ideas about stealing their things.
Where Can You Rent a Car in Costa Rica?
Renting a car is uncomplicated so far you have an international driver’s license. You may book the vehicle in advance over the internet and pay a lower fee instead when you arrive at the Airport. This also allows you to pick the car you prefer from available choices and drive off with that particular vehicle when you arrive at the destination. The operators advise tourists to select a vehicle for the comfort and safety it delivers to the user on the road. Saying they shouldn’t scrimp on the rates.
Apart from the firm’s websites, the best car rental services have agencies in the Juan Santa Maria International Airport of San José. It is a convenient place to rent a car and start your road trip. For example, Jumbo car staff speak Spanish, French and English. They will work you through the rental contract and car inventory. In a few minutes, you can take possession of the car leased and head to your destination.
Tips on safe travel on the road
These are sundry things you should adhere to so that you will have a safe and successful trip while you are in Costa Rica.
Driving Law
Their laws are similar to US-driving laws. Tourists are allowed to drive with their foreign driver’s license for three months. A few of their citizens may not obey the traffic light. They may drive through a red light when they feel they could beat the traffic lights. They might not signal to the side they are making a turn to, or give pedestrians the right of way. Tourists should drive a rented vehicle defensively to avoid accidents.
Observe Costa Rica’s Speed Limits
Follow the speed limits rule to avoid being booked and receiving a ticket and paying a fine for your offense. The highest speed limit is 120 km per hour which translates to 74 miles per hour. On minor roads, the speed limit is 60 km or 37 miles per hour. On inner city roads, it is 40 km or 25 miles per hour.
State of the Road
The road network in Cost Rica is good in the city and highways, but the provincial roads are unpaved. The roads may be flooded, moody and slippery. In the rainy season, some town roads are almost unusable without an SUV. A few bridges have one way and one vehicle may pass at a time. When you drive a rented vehicle, you should be conscious of this impediment to avert accidents.
Accidents and Car Failure
When you suffer a breakdown that does not involve major accidents, call the number of the car rental service. Call the federal emergency number 911 only in the case of a major emergency.
Places to see in Costa Rica
There are various places a tourist can see in Costa Rica. Two notable places tourists may visit while they are in Costa Rica include:
Manuel Antonio National Park
Manuel Antonio is a beautiful town and a tourist destination all year round. It features spectacular white sandy beaches. Tourists go there to see the wonders of the beach sand and greenish-blue Pacific Ocean water. Again, the green equatorial forest is full of wild animals. They are occupied by varieties of monkeys and other wildlife. Not only that, but tourists also have multiple hotels and restaurants to choose from in that town.
Tamarindo Beach
Tamarindo town is a favorite locality for travelers. It is another vibrant village that hosts famous beaches in the northern Nicoya Peninsula. The villagers provide surfing instructions and beach saloons for travelers. There are multiple first-class hotels, restaurants and bars and pulsating nightlife in Tamarindo. The equatorial forests provide different wildlife.
Other Driving Tips
These are additional tips you might need to move around challenging routes in Costa Rica.
Road Condition Awareness
The road conditions in the inner towns are troublesome so be aware of that and compensate for it in your driving. Don’t forget that you are on a foreign road you know nothing about apart from using GPS and other navigational aids.
If you travel 99 miles on some municipal roads, that is progress considering the poor condition of those inner-city routes. To avoid getting lost, use the car GPS and don’t panic even if you lose your way. The country is small, and help will be on the way. Instead of making a fuss, enjoy the adventure. It gets dark very fast in Costa Rica. Do not travel at night.
Learn Basic Spanish Language
Learning a second language can seem problematic. If you are traveling to a foreign country where English is not their first language, it is a necessary thing to do. To discuss easily with the citizens, learn the fundamental Spanish language or write a few down in your digital notebook. Supposing you miss your way and meet natives who do not speak English, that little Spanish language skill could save the day and get you back on the correct route again.
Fording a River With a Rented Vehicle
Fording a river is not a regular occurrence when traveling by road in Cost Rica. But during the rainy season, you might do so if you are on a flooded road with rivers nearby. Some country roads go through Rivers.
Assuming you want to visit the Nokoya Peninsula during the rainy season and the road is flooded, don’t rush to cross a river unless you have passed through one before. Wait to watch others do it before you drive the rented car through a river. Put the gear in the 4X4 status and gently go forward through the impediments under the water to the dry portion of the road and continue the journey.