Depending on where you plan to spend your time in Costa Rica, a rental car may not be necessary at all for you to enjoy a vacation...

Depending on where you plan to spend your time in Costa Rica, a rental car may not be necessary at all for you to enjoy a vacation.

For instance, in destinations like Tamarindo, Flamingo and Jaco, you can enjoy the beach life and be within walking distance to town center for other entertainment and necessities. Short taxi rides are inexpensive. There is a great variety of day tours and sightseeing excursions for those who prefer to experience Costa Rica in the comfort of chauffeured air conditioned minivans, some will even pick you up from your hotel or villa.

In self-contained resorts such as Reserva Conchal in Guanacaste and Los Suenos Golf Resort and Marina just north of Jaco, you can enjoy a splendid vacation without ever stepping outside of the resort if you choose not to; there are more than sufficient recreational activities in-house to keep you busy for a week or more: golf, fishing, casino, spa, beach life and extensive beach club amenities. In Los Suenos, you can get around the resort by golf carts, and in Reserva Conchal, by regular resort shuttle. If and when you decide to venture outside, concierge services are on-site to arrange all sorts of tours and activities.

For first time visitors, private airport shuttle buses offer the best option for traveling from the airport to your vacation destination. There are half a dozen or more companies to choose from and all can be booked online in advance or with a toll free call. Some offer regular scheduled service as well as private pickup service; in the later, you have the vehicle exclusively to yourself or your group. The same companies that operate airport shuttles also offer trips between major towns and cities.

In Costa Rica, it is cheap and easy to travel between cities and towns on public buses. For visitors to Manuel Antonio National Park, you can stay within town limit in an authentic Tico town like Quepos which is about 6km outside the park, and access the park and its beautiful beaches by public buses that run regularly between Manuel Antonio and Quepos.

If your vacation plans include spending time in San Jose or other main towns and cities, you can get around conveniently by taxi, which is inexpensive in Costa Rica. If you are in a group of four or more, taxis may actually be an affordable way to enjoy a city tour.