Really disappointed with Costa Rica! (page 2 of 3)

Toucans, quetzals, and red macaws in abundance on the Pacific coast...

Hello, Could you specify where and under what conditions you saw quetzals? I don’t get the impression many people see them, so I’m definitely interested. Thank youuuuuuuu.

When a platypus goes looking for the Quetzal, you know it’s impossible!

The only place where you’re 100% sure to see them is in the San Gerardo de Dota valley—a stunning little valley tucked deep in the mountains, but it’s a long way to get there. That’s also near where the "Los Quetzales National Park" is located. To see them, no worries—every morning at dawn, a guide will take you there for $20. And it’s right on the route!

You can also find them in the Monteverde forest, but they’re harder and more unpredictable to spot there.

Anyway, quetzals look for calm and cool temperatures, so they’re in the mountains.

Hi there,

Yes, of course! We saw quetzals really well—males and females—and several times, in San Gerardo de Dota. We stayed at Casa Monge in a great bungalow. In the garden, there are several trees whose fruit they eat. The owner will show them to you. We’d get up, take just a few steps, and wait for them to arrive. We had front-row seats. So, for us, no need for a guide! Some guides come here with tourists to see them. We also saw them in Monteverde, but from *very* far away. Click on the photo to enlarge it!

Have a great trip! Florence

Very well summarized, I just spent a month in this country. I had reservations before arriving that didn’t fade away. Overall, I agree with your analysis—I met a few tourists I talked to: for me, a country without culture, without history, without heritage is an empty, hollow country. It’s people who make history, even if you can appreciate nature. Here, nature is a "consumer product"—everything is paid for and very expensive, which is outrageous... paying to walk in the middle of nature! The pseudo-eco hipsters ease their conscience by visiting these parks, but Costa Rica is also the world champion in pesticide use, and banana and pineapple plantations are soaked in toxic chemicals, just like in Almeria, Spain. I won’t even get into the food—bad and downright awful, greasy + sugary + Coca-Cola = rampant obesity. Overrun by Americans who’ve colonized the Pacific coast, the locals just want to imitate them or at least flatter them. They give them jobs—slavery in disguise! I wouldn’t recommend this country. There are better places, even for wildlife—I’ve seen more monkeys, birds, and even plants in northern Vietnam or Laos. Making ecology an economic system is an aberration—it’s a mindset, not a consumer society!

Hello Yves,

I don’t know Costa Rica at all, but I’ve traveled a lot in Mexico, Guatemala, Colombia, Ecuador, and Brazil, so I feel like I’ve already sampled a bit of "Latin America." I’m not at all surprised by the bitter remarks (who started this discussion again?), and I agree with a lot of your comments. I’ve traveled a lot around the world, and I’m always wary of euphemistic reviews about a place I might visit. A few points are enough to curb my possible enthusiasm for Costa Rica: no notable history + over-commercialization of "nature."

I love Latin America, but there are plenty of other options—I’ll look elsewhere!

Making ecology an economic system is an aberration, it's a mindset not a consumer society!

Good evening, luckily it *is* an economic system—otherwise, how would we preserve natural spaces? Without the financial boost from tourism, even in Africa, Tanzania, or elsewhere, let’s not kid ourselves: elephants would have disappeared long ago. The fact that there’s a tourism "industry" in Costa Rica or anywhere else means we can pay park rangers, ensure economic management of parks, and maintain trails, plots of land, etc. Do you really think the funds to finance the preservation of this country’s natural areas just fall from the sky?

And I’ll add that no matter what people say about Costa Rica’s "eco" standards, when you compare the upkeep and cleanliness of its parks or beaches to its neighbors... there’s just no comparison.

Hi there,

I think a lot of tourists come back disappointed because they feel like they didn’t get their money’s worth since it’s a pretty expensive country. Personally, Costa Rica isn’t my favorite country in Central America, but I wouldn’t go so far as to say I was disappointed—I still saw plenty of animals (all kinds of birds, crocodiles, *lots* of monkeys, sloths, turtle nesting, etc.).

I think a lot of tourists come back disappointed because they feel like they didn’t get their money’s worth since it’s a pretty expensive country.

For me, money isn’t the issue at all.

First, it’s the only country in Central America without Indigenous peoples—unlike Guatemala, Honduras, or Nicaragua. It’s a place where culture and history are practically nonexistent. Second: Costa Rica is just parks! Nature is put under glass and turned into a consumer product. Outside the parks, there’s not much to see. Thankfully, I visited over 45 years ago because what I read about it now wouldn’t make me want to go back. Lines in the morning when the parks open! Crowds everywhere… Third: The food is pretty bland (given the lack of Indigenous culture), with no real standout specialties. It feels like Costa Ricans are trying to imitate North American culture—sugar everywhere, fast food, Coca-Cola, etc. Partly because (I feel) North Americans make up most of the foreign tourists. I wouldn’t say I was disappointed by the country, but I definitely preferred Guatemala—culturally and humanly much richer, where you can explore and hike freely without having to buy a park ticket just to be funneled onto rigidly marked trails!

I agree with you about the cultural aspect—it’s not very pronounced in Costa Rica. There aren’t any pretty colonial towns like in Nicaragua, Guatemala, or El Salvador either. But I think most tourists who go to Costa Rica aren’t there for the culture; they go for the nature and beaches. And since the parks are paid entry, they expect to see animals on every tree, which obviously isn’t the case because it’s not a zoo.

As for Indigenous peoples, there *are* some in Costa Rica, but it’s not really highlighted for tourists.

By the way, I recommend visiting the Gold Museum in San José—it’s interesting with some really beautiful pieces. I’d also heard good things about the Jade Museum, but I didn’t get a chance to visit it.

Panama is also pretty "Americanized" and quite expensive, but there are some lovely little villages with colonial churches, well-developed handicrafts, Indigenous peoples who speak languages other than Spanish, etc...

Otherwise, yeah, Guatemala is the most "complete" country in Central America, with a strong cultural side *and* opportunities for nature activities: volcanoes, beaches, hikes (I’m not counting Mexico as part of Central America).

I recently read that tourist numbers are dropping in Costa Rica while they’re rising in Guatemala and El Salvador. That doesn’t surprise me, and I think the prices in Costa Rica have something to do with it.

As for indigenous peoples, there are some in Costa Rica, but it's not really highlighted for tourists.

Practically insignificant and with no particular impact on the "culture" and local life of mestizos.

By the way, I recommend visiting the Gold Museum in San José—it’s interesting and has some really beautiful pieces. I’d also heard good things about the Jade Museum, but I didn’t get a chance to visit it.

I haven’t been there, but if you go to Colombia, the one in Bogotá is definitely worth it!

I recently read that the number of tourists is dropping in Costa Rica while it’s increasing in Guatemala and El Salvador. That doesn’t surprise me, and I think the prices in Costa Rica have something to do with it.

That’s probably true, but when I went, the prices weren’t much higher than in neighboring countries. The cost of living in Costa Rica must have risen faster since then.

Yes, the Gold Museum in Bogotá is a must!

For San José, I recommend checking out "Galeria Namu," which showcases some truly beautiful handcrafted items. Some of the pieces for sale—like masks, for example—aren’t made for tourists but were actually used in traditional celebrations. This shop is like a little museum, and you’ll find plenty of items made by Indigenous communities.

Hi everyone,

I’ve just returned from a few weeks in Costa Rica in January 2026 (itinerary including La Fortuna, Puerto Viejo, Cahuita, Monteverde, and Manuel Antonio). I was really looking forward to discovering this country, praised for its nature and "Pura Vida," but overall, it was a huge disappointment. I’m sharing my thoughts to help those who are still undecided.

**Positive points** The wildlife specific to Costa Rica: sloths, monkeys, exotic birds... That’s the only real highlight. If you’re passionate about animal watching, it’s worth it for those unique moments.

**Negative points**

**Widespread Americanization and Disneyfication:** Every natural site has been turned into an amusement park. Ziplining for $300 a half-day (with suspension bridges in Monteverde), mandatory "Instagram photo" lines in Manuel Antonio, and overwhelming overcrowding. You walk in herds, like in a tropical Disneyland.

**Unmanageable mass tourism:** Groups everywhere, online reservations required for national parks (with lines at the entrance and inside). Nothing wild or authentic—everything is marked out, paid for, and packed.

**Exorbitant prices:** Restaurants more expensive than in France (expect 20-30 € per person for bland dishes), $20 just to see a waterfall in a single file.

**Disappointing food:** Rice, beans, and flavorless chicken, even in local sodas. A few good restaurants here and there, but rare.

**Disappointing welcome:** Costa Ricans aren’t as smiley or warm as advertised. Cold service, potential scams targeting tourists, and a general sense of indifference. On the road, you have to assert yourself.

**Ecotourism: pure marketing** Costa Rica sells itself as an ecotourism champion, but on the ground, it’s a joke. Outside the parks (which are kept clean for tourists), trash and plastic litter the ground everywhere: roads, beaches, villages. In Puerto Viejo, it’s glaring. In restaurants and sodas, plastic straws in every juice or soda, with no systematic alternative. Nothing coherent or sustainable—just greenwashing to attract American crowds.

In short, aside from the endemic animals, there’s nothing interesting to see. Plus, it rains a lot, even in the dry season. Costa Rica seems to have sacrificed its authenticity for American mass tourism.

thanks for the feedback—$300 for the zipline is really expensive :(

I forgot to mention it was $300 for two, but still!

Good evening I completely agree with your point of view. We weren’t at that level yet (especially in terms of crowds and pollution outside the parks) when I went, but I could tell it would become that way sooner or later.

in Guatemala for $300 for two you can hire a guide to hike from Tikal to El Zotz over 3 days in the jungle with comida included

Hi Fab,

I was there in 2016, and what you describe shows it’s gotten worse, especially with the rampant "Disneyland-ization."

Back then, there was no mandatory online booking for the parks, and I didn’t reserve anything at all.

As for Costa Rica, which markets itself as an "eco-friendly" country, we could also talk about banana farming, which uses intensive pesticides—some of which are banned in the European Union.

Regarding Americans, not only do they vacation in Costa Rica or retire there, but they also go for medical care since it’s so expensive in the U.S. I met an American tourist in El Salvador who was getting her dental work done in Costa Rica, and she wasn’t the only American doing that. So yeah, the country is "Americanized" in every way.

Hello, This is practically what I wrote two years ago—nothing has changed. Ecotourism marketing is taking over! What a massive scam!

Even in front of hotels, there were different bins for sorting waste... due to insomnia, I saw at 4 AM how the collection actually works! The garbage collectors mix all three bins together in the collection truck without any regard for sorting. And so many other irregularities in the so-called nature protection. I did meet an American who had lived in France, though, and she was well aware of this ecotourism scam, but the system is powerful, and Costa Rica relies almost entirely on this tourism... It’s time travelers opened their eyes and chose their destinations more carefully. There are other countries where nature is better respected, even if it’s not perfect, because the mercantile obsession is unstoppable.

What we should really worry about is the wildlife and flora. It’s basically a huge zoo—I saw more monkeys near small shops than in the deep forest. Their living space is being reduced to mere survival zones. Nothing can resist commerce and the exploitation of nature, and the profit-driven management of these places by private companies is growing exponentially... Soon, Costa Rica will be the world’s biggest zoo and amusement park. I’m so sad for the wildlife. The flora adapts to the environment, and as long as it stays humid and hot, it’ll survive.

I love reading reviews about this destination, to the point of "refund, refund"

I think the truth is that Costa Rica is a victim of its own image—the one the country wanted to project to the world...

Comparisons aren’t always fair, and even if I almost agree with everything written here, the country still has plenty of strengths worth visiting for. If you step outside the usual tourist spots, you can find some real gems...

$300 for a zipline? Okay, but no one held a knife to my throat to buy a ticket...

I visited Manuel Antonio Park practically alone—we were there right at opening...

Disneyfication? Every country frequented by Anglo-Saxon tourists (especially Americans) goes overboard with safety measures because backlash can be quick if something goes wrong. They adapt to their clientele, that’s all...

Hi there,

Before choosing a destination, it's important to do your research, and these days there’s no shortage of information online.

Back in 2015–2016, I was already reading a lot of posts from travelers who were disappointed with Costa Rica (too expensive, not much culture, etc.), but that didn’t stop me from going. I kind of knew what to expect, and I wasn’t disappointed when I got back—but since then, I’ve visited other Central American countries that I enjoyed more because they matched what I look for in a trip.

If you’re after wildlife, culture, and lower prices, Nicaragua is a great option.

Otherwise, some Central American countries are pretty "Americanized" and attract a lot of U.S. tourists. In fact, in Panama and El Salvador, the currency is the dollar.