I recently spent a few days in San Jose. The following report is a brief guide based on a few days in San Jose.
Overview
The transportation hub of Central America, San Jose is the capital and largest city in Costa Rica. The city holds roughly half the population of the country. It is surrounded by green mountains and valleys. Most travelers use San Jose as a starting point for other destinations within the country.
Logistics
You will most likely arrive in Juan Santamaria International Airport (SJO) which is the busiest airport in Central America. Downtown is about 20 minutes from the airport with no traffic. However, there is construction on the bridge that connect the airport highway to San Jose. This will double your time.
The cheapest option is to take a local bus to downtown for $1 and then a taxi to your hotel. Taxis from the airport will run a minimum of $25. You can pay most taxis in U.S. dollars.
The drive to and from the airport will be your about as dangerous as it gets in San Jose. The traffic is horrendous and taxi drives rely on GPS and have a poor understanding of navigating the streets. My Uber driver got into an accident on the way to the airport. Unfortunately, all parties were not hurt. However, after this accident, I was all too happy to leave the gridlock of San Jose behind.
A ride within downtown will cost between $3-5. Downtown to San Pedro will cost about $7. Uber will be about half the price. Taxis drivers are clueless about street names. Identify a well-known landmark close to your location as a point of reference for your driver.
On the surface, downtown looks to have an edge. However, the people are quite friendly and is safe to walk. Downtown is bustling with car traffic and pedestrians. It is easily walkable but after 1-2 hours, you will find yourself bored. Besides a few landmarks, there isn’t much to see and the city lacks charm.
I stayed a the Best Western Irazu Hotel
Pros
• Great amenities: pool, jacuzzi, gym
• Casino and three restaurants
• Close to a supermarket
• Shuttle service from airport for $8 (limited availability)
• Guest policy: register the room for two guests and you should not have a problem.
• Decent price of around $60
Cons
• Not a central location. 10-15 minutes from downtown
Taxis
Public Taxis are easy to identify, indicated by their red color. Most accept credit cards and are fairly priced. Uber is available but be cautious as taxi businesses are trying to eliminate Uber. Taxis drivers may get angry if they see you order an Uber in a busy place with available public taxis.
Sites
The National Theater
The Museum of Pre-Colombian Gold
The National Park
Morazon Park
Girls
The average Cosa Rican girl is nothing to write home about. Costa Ricans are mainly descendants of Spain, so you will see European features in the women. I saw a fair amount of Gingers.
Lighter-skinned than their cousins in the region, they are short, slim and less voluptuous than other Latinas. The upper class white women can be very hot, stylish and sophisticated.
What they lack in attractiveness in general, they make up for with a friendly, approachable vibe. They are easy to speak with, open and have pleasant dispositions.
Game
The girls respond favorably to a well-dressed, international man. The girls are accustomed to Gringos, however, San Jose is an overlooked destination for the International Player. A player can do quite well here and it is easy to distinguish yourself from the other tourists.
Girls are generally friendly and open to meeting foreigners. For Nightgame, be ready to open groups. Check out some of the bars in San Pedro, frequented by college girls. Daygame in downtown will lack quality. Your best bet for meeting girls during the day is to hit San Pedro Mall where the quality will be better. Opening up girls during the game is easy and they respond well.
Conclusion
San Jose more than any other city has garnered mixed reviews. Some swear by it as the overlooked city in Latin America, others report an underwhelming experience with the ladies and sites. Having spent just a few days in San Jose, I remain ambivalent. Consider these impressions based on a short duration.
The girls are friendly and approachable. Any man with solid Game and respectable looks will have an easy time differentiating himself from the old mongered-out tourists. Costa Rica has received a large amount of tourism over the past two decades, but often comprised of eco-tourism, families, and sex tourists. A player can do quite well here if he can bear with a lackluster city.
Overview
The transportation hub of Central America, San Jose is the capital and largest city in Costa Rica. The city holds roughly half the population of the country. It is surrounded by green mountains and valleys. Most travelers use San Jose as a starting point for other destinations within the country.
Logistics
You will most likely arrive in Juan Santamaria International Airport (SJO) which is the busiest airport in Central America. Downtown is about 20 minutes from the airport with no traffic. However, there is construction on the bridge that connect the airport highway to San Jose. This will double your time.
The cheapest option is to take a local bus to downtown for $1 and then a taxi to your hotel. Taxis from the airport will run a minimum of $25. You can pay most taxis in U.S. dollars.
The drive to and from the airport will be your about as dangerous as it gets in San Jose. The traffic is horrendous and taxi drives rely on GPS and have a poor understanding of navigating the streets. My Uber driver got into an accident on the way to the airport. Unfortunately, all parties were not hurt. However, after this accident, I was all too happy to leave the gridlock of San Jose behind.
A ride within downtown will cost between $3-5. Downtown to San Pedro will cost about $7. Uber will be about half the price. Taxis drivers are clueless about street names. Identify a well-known landmark close to your location as a point of reference for your driver.
On the surface, downtown looks to have an edge. However, the people are quite friendly and is safe to walk. Downtown is bustling with car traffic and pedestrians. It is easily walkable but after 1-2 hours, you will find yourself bored. Besides a few landmarks, there isn’t much to see and the city lacks charm.
I stayed a the Best Western Irazu Hotel
Pros
• Great amenities: pool, jacuzzi, gym
• Casino and three restaurants
• Close to a supermarket
• Shuttle service from airport for $8 (limited availability)
• Guest policy: register the room for two guests and you should not have a problem.
• Decent price of around $60
Cons
• Not a central location. 10-15 minutes from downtown
Taxis
Public Taxis are easy to identify, indicated by their red color. Most accept credit cards and are fairly priced. Uber is available but be cautious as taxi businesses are trying to eliminate Uber. Taxis drivers may get angry if they see you order an Uber in a busy place with available public taxis.
Sites
The National Theater
The Museum of Pre-Colombian Gold
The National Park
Morazon Park
Girls
The average Cosa Rican girl is nothing to write home about. Costa Ricans are mainly descendants of Spain, so you will see European features in the women. I saw a fair amount of Gingers.
Lighter-skinned than their cousins in the region, they are short, slim and less voluptuous than other Latinas. The upper class white women can be very hot, stylish and sophisticated.
What they lack in attractiveness in general, they make up for with a friendly, approachable vibe. They are easy to speak with, open and have pleasant dispositions.
Game
The girls respond favorably to a well-dressed, international man. The girls are accustomed to Gringos, however, San Jose is an overlooked destination for the International Player. A player can do quite well here and it is easy to distinguish yourself from the other tourists.
Girls are generally friendly and open to meeting foreigners. For Nightgame, be ready to open groups. Check out some of the bars in San Pedro, frequented by college girls. Daygame in downtown will lack quality. Your best bet for meeting girls during the day is to hit San Pedro Mall where the quality will be better. Opening up girls during the game is easy and they respond well.
Conclusion
San Jose more than any other city has garnered mixed reviews. Some swear by it as the overlooked city in Latin America, others report an underwhelming experience with the ladies and sites. Having spent just a few days in San Jose, I remain ambivalent. Consider these impressions based on a short duration.
The girls are friendly and approachable. Any man with solid Game and respectable looks will have an easy time differentiating himself from the old mongered-out tourists. Costa Rica has received a large amount of tourism over the past two decades, but often comprised of eco-tourism, families, and sex tourists. A player can do quite well here if he can bear with a lackluster city.