About Costa Rica Vibes
Hi! We Are Sarah and Thomas!
Thomas is from Germany and Sarah is from the United States. Since 2016 we have called Costa Rica our home.
We have made it our mission to help travelers who are struggling to plan the perfect trip to beautiful Costa Rica.
Curious to know how we ended up here? Grab a pina colada, it’s a bit of a story!
Have you been dreaming of the perfect Costa Rica vacation for way too long? Let’s make it a reality!
We’re here to help you discover the best path to the ideal Costa Rica trip.
If you’ve stumbled onto our corner of the internet you probably:
- 🍍 Are ready for a thrilling and relaxing vacation in a tropical environment.
- 🍍 Tried to start planning your trip, but are overwhelmed by all the info out there.
- 🍍 Have most of your trip planned but need to iron out the details
That’s where we come in! Costa Rica Vibes is here to save your vacation!
Our Costa Rica Travel Vibe
Sarah is usually planning the trips. Thomas is picking up the pieces (how very German of him).
Sarah is the dreamer. Thomas is the practical thinker.
We love to deeply explore the places we are visiting, but we also make a point to stop and just enjoy the moment.
It is not unusual for us to spend a day drinking margaritas on a beach and spend the next day doing a several-hour-long hike followed by a sunset kayak trip.
We like to get the best deals possible (which we always share with you) but also find places with the best vibes.
We are all about supporting local businesses.
And, we love to be outside.
Why We Started Costa Rica Vibes
Costa Rica Vibes started in 2017. At that point, we had been living in Costa Rica for a year.
In that first year, we wanted to travel a lot and explore this new country we were in. However, we were on a tight budget.
We struggled to find good information online about traveling in Costa Rica that wasn’t geared just to high-end travel.
Luckily, we made some great friends who helped us discover the real Costa Rica without spending too much.
After a year of getting to know this new paradise that we called home, we decided we wanted to share what we had learned to help other people visit all the beautiful aspects of Costa Rica.
And, on a sunny day in June of 2017, Costa Rica Vibes was born.
Over the last several years we have been fortunate enough to help hundreds of thousands of people plan their dream trip to Costa Rica through our website.
How We Met….In Detail
We met in 2010 while volunteering for a year in a community for adults with mental disabilities in Virginia.
After just a few months together we needed to plan our future.
Thomas needed to go back to Germany because his visa was about to run out.
So, we brought a picnic to our favorite lake, and vowed not to leave until we figured out our future.
Thomas didn’t want to try long distance. And to stay in the US legally our best option would have been to get married.
So, Sarah decided she would move to Germany.
Looking back, it was crazy.
Two months after Thomas left the US, Sarah followed and we started our life together.
Our Move to Costa Rica
After four years of living in Germany, we were ready for a change.
After applying to companies around the world, Thomas was offered a job at a school in San Jose, Costa Rica.
Less than two months later, in January 2016, we packed our bags and flew to Costa Rica. We had never even been to Central or South America before moving here.
It didn’t take long for us to fall in love with this beautiful country we now call home.
Our Life in Costa Rica
Life in Costa Rica is pretty perfect for us.
Running the Costa Rica Vibes website has given us the opportunity and reason to see almost every area of the country.
Sarah loves Costa Rica because the weather is always good (she does not do well with dark winters), she sees her family in the US much more than she did while living in Europe, and she absolutely loves running the Costa Rica Vibes website.
Thomas loves that he can go fishing every day, that there is always something interesting to explore, and that it’s always warm out.
You Should Know….
🥥 We believe in being completely authentic with our opinions. There are certain activities or places we will flat-out say are not worth your time.
🥥 We only promote things we genuinely feel strongly about. You are spending a lot of money and using your coveted vacation time, you deserve to have an amazing experience.
You Can Trust Us Because…
🌴 We have been living in Costa Rica since 2016. We have extensively traveled to every corner of this country.
🌴 We are foreigners just like you! We understand the cultural differences and things you will want to be aware of before coming here.
In other words, we are all about transparency and making sure you have the best information possible when planning your trip.
So, are you ready to plan your dream vacation? Here are some good places to start. ↓
Most Popular Planning Posts
Adobe Rent-a-Car
- 10% discount for Costa Rica Vibes readers
- Free second driver
- 0% deductible on Liability Protection Insurance
- Excellent customer service
- New fleet of well-maintained vehicles
Language
Spanish is the official language. Most people in tourism speak some English.
Currency
The main currency is Costa Rican colones. US dollars are also widely accepted.
Outlets
110 volt (same as the US)
International Airports
There are two international airports in the country. These are Juan Santamaria International Airport (SJO) in the capital city of San José and Liberia International Airport (LIR) in the northwest corner of the country.
Must Do Activities
zip lining | exploring national parks | surfing | wildlife tours
Sun Rise/ Sun Set
Sunrise: between 5:15am and 5:45am
Sunset: between 5:30pm and 6pm
Time Zone
Central Standard Time