Things to Look For When Renting a Car in Costa Rica
By: Fabiola Grosshan
Submitted: 2010-07-06 03:23:41 | Word Count: 527
When you are visiting Costa Rica, the best way to get around the country is unquestionably by car. However, driving within the country’s borders can sometimes be challenging when you are a tourist and tends to leave room for the unexpected, considering you will be required to comply with unfamiliar driving legislation and face unexplored and foreign road infrastructure. Due to this, it is advisable that you learn the basics of driving in Costa Rica prior to employing the services of a Costa Rica car rental company, and choose your rental car according to the duration of your visit and the driving distance that you expect you’ll be covering during your stay. If you account for these two things when renting a car in Costa Rica, you will know how to choose a suitable vehicle and you may even be able to reduce overall rental costs.
If you fly your way to the country and happen to land at the Juan Santamaría International Airport, San José’s major air node, then you will have the chance to find a good car rental deal right there on the spot. Most car rental Costa Rica companies are situated next to the International Airport or on Paseo Colon, in the western area of the city, not far from where you will be landing. Considering all the larger Costa Rica car rental companies run their services in offices located right into the airport or nearby, you can seal a car rental deal within minutes after boarding off the plane, take the burden off your shoulders and turn your focus onto other things like enjoying your vacation.
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The other way of renting a car in Costa Rica stands out as the more convenient and affordable alternative to on-the-spot car rental services, and comes in the form of dedicated Costa Rica car rental online resources. Similar to other aspects characteristic to the travel business, it is advisable that you leave seasoned professionals in the branch get the best car rental deal for you. Considering you may be a stranger to Costa Rican road infrastructure and driving conditions here, it might be more advantageous and convenient that you employ the services of a travel agency or tour operator in order to take care of the Costa Rica car rental process in your place. Such companies often collaborate with car rental services, which means it is easier for them to find the better deals in the market and secure them for you.
An important thing to remember is that despite the satisfactory state of the Costa Rican highway system, the quality of the roadways drops considerably as soon as you exit the country’s major road arteries. Due to this, your best bet would be to opt for a four-wheel drive ride to get around the country, as you will be able to take on any terrain and eliminate the need to stick with a particular route.
