About the author
Hi! I’m Sarah McArthur
I’m the co-founder and main writer of Costa Rica Vibes. I’m originally from the United States, and since 2016 I’ve lived in Costa Rica with my husband and website co-founder, Thomas.
Together we explore the country and bring you practical, honest advice on all things Costa Rica, from where to stay to how to get around.
10 years
living in Costa Rica
2017
Costa Rica Vibes founded
San José
our home base
Every region
explored firsthand
Why Trust My Advice
My goal is simple: to create the most accurate, helpful, and trustworthy Costa Rica travel guides on the internet, based on real, on-the-ground experience.
10 years on the ground
We’re based in San José and travel to every region of the country.
We go there ourselves
Beaches, volcanoes, cloud forests, and remote corners, all visited firsthand.
Hotels and tours we’ve tried
Hundreds of hotels and activities personally reviewed or tested.
We drive the roads
Driving experience on nearly every major route in Costa Rica.
Repeat visits
We return to the most popular destinations again and again, so our advice stays current.
Local insight
We talk daily with Costa Rican guides, drivers, hotel owners, and residents.
Our story
How Costa Rica Vibes Started
I moved to Costa Rica in 2016 with my husband, Thomas.
At the time, we didn’t have much money, but we were determined to explore this beautiful country as much as possible. What we quickly discovered was that planning a trip here wasn’t always simple. Most information online was either geared toward backpackers on a shoestring budget or luxury travelers staying in high-end resorts. We were looking for something in the middle and needed practical, honest, real-world travel advice.
As we explored Costa Rica more deeply, we started keeping notes on everything we wished we had known earlier. Those notes eventually grew into Costa Rica Vibes.
In 2017, we turned our experiences into a website to help travelers avoid the confusion, stress, and guesswork we went through.
Who Else Is Behind Costa Rica Vibes
Costa Rica Vibes is a two-person team. My husband Thomas takes most of the photos you see on the site, and he runs the business side, from the accounting to keeping us on the right side of the legal fine print.
That leaves me free to do what I love most: exploring the country and writing about it.
How We Choose Our Partners
We only work with companies we truly believe in and trust, and that we think will give you a great experience.
Costa Rica is filled with tour companies, hotels, and transportation services, and most of them are really good. But some stand out above the rest. Those are the companies we personally reach out to and ask to work with us, so we can bring them to you.
Some links on Costa Rica Vibes are affiliate links, which means we may earn a small commission if you book, at no extra cost to you. Our goal is simple: we want you to have the best trip possible.
My Editorial Process
I maintain and update Costa Rica Vibes using:
- Ongoing travel throughout the country
- Direct communication with local experts
- Frequent reviews of hotels, tours, and transportation options
- Official sources for accurate rules, park regulations, and safety updates
- Annual or seasonal content updates, especially for car rental, insurance, safety, and weather posts
- Reader feedback from our email list, Facebook group, and planning requests
Spotted something out of date? Email me at sarah@costaricavibes.com and I’ll fix it.
Where I’ve Been Featured
Publications I’ve written for or been featured in
Huffington Post
Expat Focus
We Are Travel Girls
Uprooted Traveler
My Adventures Across the World
Moving to Costa Rica?
Cheap Homes Costa Rica
If you’re thinking about moving to Costa Rica, I also run Cheap Homes Costa Rica, a Substack newsletter where I share affordable homes for sale around the country.
For creators
Teaching Travel Creators
I also teach travel creators how to build a successful business from their work.
Contact
For travel questions, collaborations, interviews, or corrections:
📧 sarah@costaricavibes.com
