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Renting a car, flying in Costa Rica? Everything you need to know!

When we are planning a trip, one of the things we have to keep in mind during the organization is how we are going to move to our destination we are going to visit.

So I would like to recommend two companies for tourist transportation in Costa Rica, that will help you with this part of your trip and providing the best service. The first company is for renting cars, Adobe Rent a Car and the other one is for local flights, Sansa Airlines. So let’s start:

Adobe Rent a Car

Adobe Hyundai Grandi

I am offering the services of Adobe Rent a Car for a lot of time and I can tell you that offering these services means peace, confidence, and security.

Adobe is a Costa Rican company and committed to both the quality of customer service and environment, in fact, it is one of the few companies that have the Carbon Neutrality certificate, which is granted by the Government of Costa Rica.

Why Adobe Rent a Car?

Adobe stands out for its excellent customer service. For example, they provide immediate roadside assistance. Their vehicle fleet stands out for its excellent conditions and this is because each vehicle has a rental cycle of 24 months, after that time, it is replaced by a new one.

Their vehicle fleet offers something for every type of client, from those who travel as a couple and are looking for a small car, 4x4 and economic, or for those who are looking for more luxury like a premium vehicle and also for those who travel in family and want to be all in the same vehicle, like a Minivan.

Offices of Adobe

The company has 16 offices in the country. Actually one of the most important offices is in Guapiles because many itineraries start in Tortuguero, which they sell as a package where a guide, transportation, lodging, and activities are included. At the end of the Tortuguero package, the clients are dropped off at the office of Adobe in Guapiles, where the client will be welcomed by a representative who helps them rent the car and start their trip driving through Costa Rica.

The many offices of Adobe let them give them fast and efficient customer service or even bring the car comfortably to the hotel where the client can receive the vehicle.

Which car should I rent in Costa Rica?

If you want to explore the hidden corners of Costa Rica, I recommend you a car with 2 WD or 4WD, especially in the rainy season; and even though the street conditions in Costa Rica have been improved, you will get to many places that are not optimal for a sedan. A sedan is useful if you just move in the capital or its surroundings, but many other destinations you should get to know are located outside the capital.

For those itineraries that include highlights of the country, except Santa Teresa, Mal País or Boca Tapada, we recommend a middle SUV with 2WD. The vehicle offers space and comfort for the travellers and enough space to the ground. For people that travel to Santa Teresa, Mal País or Boca Tapada I recommend a vehicle with 4WD all over the year.

What do I need to rent a car with Adobe Rent a Car?

You need a credit card (Visa, Master Card, American Express) of the main driver to be responsible for the vehicle.

Furthermore, you need the drivers' license and the original passport. The age to drive a car is at 21 years or older, and the driver needs to have the license at least for two years. An international license is not necessary.

Car insurances with Adobe Rent a Car

Basic insurance

This is mandatory and consists of the following two partial insurances:

  • PLI (primary liability for damages to third parties): This liability insurance covers:

- Liability to third parties in case of injury or death: USD 100´000 per case

- Liability for material damages to third parties: maximum USD 20´000

Other insurances that have been purchased online or outside Costa Rica are not accepted.

  • LDW (Waiver of Damages for Loss):

The LDW Insurance covers damage to the vehicle that is higher than the USD 1´000 deductible.

This amount also applies in the case of robbery of the vehicle. The insurance does not cover:

- Loss of keys, license plates or car registration documents.

- Damages through vandalism, partial theft, damage to the front windshield, rear lights and tires, towing service and recovery of the car in case of an accident.

The deposit at the time of acquiring the Basic Insurance is USD 750, payable at the beginning of the rental by credit card (Visa, Mastercard, American Express) for all types of vehicles.

Additional Insurance

The additional insurance is voluntary (official name: "Plan de protección supplementaria", SPP) and ideal risk coverage. With this insurance, the deductible is reduced to USD 0 and the overall responsibility increased to USD 5 million per case. It also covers damages through vandalism, partial theft, damage to the front windshield, rear lights and tires, towing service and recovery of the car in case of an accident. It does not cover the loss of keys, license plates or car registration documents.

The deposit reduces to USD 100 when you choose the additional insurance.

Benefits of booking a car of Adobe Rent a Car with us

Additional to what I have already told you, when you book on our website, you benefit from unique conditions. For example, if you book a package with all insurances, they will include a device for Wifi and a mobile phone (or SIM card) with 60 Minutes of locals phone calls for free.

If you are travelling with children you will get a child seat without any additional cost. In Costa Rica, the use of child seats is obligatory by law for children until the age of 12.99 years. Children between 110 and 145 cm need a booster seat. If you book directly at Adobe, there is an extra charge per day. For children under 3 years, it's recommended to bring a baby seat.

Two additional drivers are free for any type of vehicle.

Additional information

Descubrir bellos lugares Costa Rica con Adobe Rent a Car.jpg 1

The fuel cost in Costa Rica is 1.08 USD per litre of Super and 1.05 USD per litre of Regular. The representative of Adobe Rent a Car will indicate the type of fuel you have to use when you receive the vehicle. Everywhere in the country there are gas stations but, of course, there are fewer in the rural areas, so we recommend always have the tank at least half full.

In case of an emergency or any issue with the vehicle, the representative of Adobe will give you a phone number to contact them and get assistance.

Costa Rica is a paradise for those adventurous people that like to drive around the country and have the time to make unexpected stops and explore hidden routes.

For this reason, I recommend you to book Adobe Rent a Car and to get to know Costa Rica! To make a reservation you can click on This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. and if you have any questions you can This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. and we will be very happy to assist you.

Sansa

SansaCessnaGrandCaravanEX1

Even though Costa Rica is a small country with a territory extension of about 51´100 km², our time at our vacation is valuable and for this reason, taking local flights is always recommended to connect different places.

Sometimes people travel everywhere through Costa Rica and return the car to Adobe Rent a Car at the South Pacific (Sierpe) where the lodge in Corcovado will pick them up. Using domestic flights will allow you to experience more of the country and safely save time. If you decide to do that, you will end your trip to Corcovado and take a Sansa flight to the capital San José, to spend there the last night before flying back to your country. If you did this trip by car it would take you about 7 hours.

Why Sansa?

Another advantage of taking a local flight, besides saving time, is that Sansa offers unique experiences, for example, fixed flight schedules to the different destinations, while some other local airlines just fly to each destination once per day. Sansa offers more than one flight per destination per day. This makes it easy to connect with different destinations.

Another advantage of Sansa is that all their flights connect to/from San José and are operated at the new and modern terminal for domestic flights at the International Airport Juan Santamaría.

Variety of destinations

Besides their good daily flight frequency, they fly to 16 destinations in Costa Rica. For this reason, it’s a good choice to book at Sansa, because you can find the closest runway to organize your local flight, doesn’t matter where you are.

Vuelo Aeropuerto de Limon Sansa

Flying with Sansa is like booking a tour

If you are lucky with the weather, you can observe the incredible landscapes of my beautiful Costa Rica.

I always remember the flight to the Peninsula Osa I took some years ago to spend some nights at this beautiful place and since we were at the whale season, I had high hopes to see them.

And when we got closer to the runway in Drake, the pilot had spotted a whale with its baby and flew over the ocean where these incredible animals were, so the passengers were able to see them closely. That was amazing!

Benefits of booking Sansa with us

Immediate reservation assistance, through the direct reservation link that accesses the Sansa system!

Volar con Sansa Paisajes 2

We also have attractive flight prices, so don’t think to linger and This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. to book your Sansa flights, and you will have more time to spend at your destination instead of spending many hours on the street.

Another recommended tourist transportation is the shuttle service with Interbus, at our next blog, we will talk about his service. Just wait!

Do you have any questions about this transportation, how could I help you? This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. and we will be happy to help you with your reservation!

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  • Janaina & Dieter, Brazil

    The trip was wonderful! Your help was invaluable and without your choices it would not have been so good! I am very very satisfied and very happy with the choices you made!

    Thank you very much for everything!

    Janaina & Dieter, Brazil
  • Kathrin, Ines, Matthias & Ingo, Germany

    Hello dear Aline, many thanks to you for the great compilation and organization of the trip. We were able to spend eventful, interesting and wonderful days in Costa Rica and will keep them in good memory. A thank you also goes to the ARA Tours team, which was available 24/7 for problems and questions, which were solved and answered quickly and reliably. The punctuality of the transfers offered should also be emphasized. In summary, it was a wonderful holiday.

    Kind regards

    Kathrin, Ines, Matthias & Ingo, Germany
  • Carina & Thomas, Germany

    Hello dear Aline,
    Now we have arrived back at San Jose Airport after a great trip. Everything worked out great and the tour was just perfectly planned and organized. Thank you very much. We take a lot of positive memories with us.
    Best regards.

    Carina & Thomas, Germany
  • Yvonne, Switzerland

    The Costa Rica trip together with my family is already behind us - it was wonderful!!! Everything went smoothly from A to Z, we had a wonderful time, no incidents and wonderful experiences.
    We all enjoyed it very much; the nature is enormous, but also the warm-hearted people, the cleanliness, the food - we are very enthusiastic!
    At this point I would like to thank you very much for your support in the preparation, for all the bookings, clarifications and enquiries!!!
    We visited the waterfall in La Fortuna and had a great view of the Arenal. In Monteverde we did a Hanging Bridges and Zipline tour and in Nosara a surf course. In Finca Rosa Bianca we did the coffee tour, it was all great, fun and interesting 😊. All in all, we saw lots of animals, always ate well, enjoyed the beaches....even in rainy weather 😊. Often we were even glad that it was overcast, otherwise it would have been almost toouuu hot for us.
    So THANK YOU again so much for everything!!!!

    Yvonne, Switzerland
  • Christina, Switzerland

    Many thanks for the extensive support (before, during and after the trip) and the professional handling of our concerns. With your support we had a smooth and unforgettable vacation in Costa Rica! Our favorite hotels: Hotel Plaza Yara and the Poas Volcano Lodge - a dream!
    All the best
    Christina

    Christina, Switzerland
  • Jeanne, Bernd & Bill, USA

    Yay! I´m glad we are back on track. Thank you again for helping us with all these changes.
    I´m glad we choose ARA-you are amazing! Thanks for all your help! It made it a very memorable visit!

    Jeanne, Bernd & Bill, USA
  • Janka, The Netherlands

    Hi Eli & ARA Team,
    We have spoken to the guest and they are super enthusiastic about their Costa Rica roundtrip! Everything was well organized, nice hotels, nice mix of activities & beach and they have big compliments for you guys!!
    Many thanks for all the good work!! The guest highly appreciate it!!
    They had lunch nearby in Ara Ambigua Lodge, and they loved this place. Friendly staff and good food!
    Do you work with this accommodation? If so, we would love hear 😊
    Once again, heads off for this amazing trip!
    With warm regards

    Janka, The Netherlands
  • Thomas, Deborah, Eva & Paula, Switzerland

    Dear Priska
    Happily I write some words to you in English, so you can easily forward them also to Ara Tours, please. Thank you all, we spent a magic time in Costa Rica! Baumeler's and Ara Tours organisation and logistics were perfect, everything worked out even better than we expected. The tours were brilliant, we really enjoyed everything very very much!
    All the accomodation was absolutely wonderful... the setting, the quality, the food, with happy helpful friendly staff everywhere. It was a wonderful way to experience this beautiful country the way we did, on a private tour with personal guide and drivers. We saw and learnt sooo much - it would have been impossible to do so on our own.
    Especially we praise our brilliant guide Fernando Perez, we benefited so much from his truly wide knowledge and deep love for his Country which he passed on in lovely encouraging way. We even became friends and we will meet in Switzerland coming September! Also our driver Carlos Sandi was great, not only as a driver but also as a compagnion, animal spotter and photographer. Thank you!
    So.... now we just enjoy our last day...
    Sunny greetings, pura vida

    Thomas, Deborah, Eva & Paula, Switzerland
  • Yvonne & Andrea, Switzerland

    Hello all
    Unfortunately, our wonderful trip is already over and everyday life has caught up with us again. We would like to thank you very much for everything. The trip was planned exactly according to our wishes and we have seen so many beautiful places.
    Thank you Stefanie!
    We have felt completely comfortable and top cared for by you. Via Whats App we got immediate answers to our questions, with the car everything worked out great. In all locations we were treated very warmly and nicely. It was just so indescribably beautiful, we will dream of the beautiful experiences for a long time. In any case, we will warmly recommend you and hope for a next time. Thank you, thank you, thank you.
    Best regards.

    Yvonne & Andrea, Switzerland
  • Anita, Switzerland

    We have arrived safely in Switzerland and have already returned to work.
    It was a wonderful trip you put together for us.
    Your excellent service, as well as the 24 hour support service from ARA Tours, was truly outstanding.
    I have already recommended you several times and would book with you again and again. Thank you very much and keep me informed if there are any interesting offers.
    Best wishes.

    Anita, Switzerland
  • Lukas & Isabelle, Switzerland

    Hello Pedro, our time in CR is coming to an end and we wanted to say "thank you very much for organizing a phenomenal week". Everything has been well organized and we have seen many beauties of nature. Thanks!

    Lukas & Isabelle, Switzerland
  • Reinout & Yvonne, The Netherlands

    Thanks Jenny for the clear answer. We will make an appointment via the link you gave us.
    Today we visited National Parc Cabo Blanco. What an amazing park, so quiet for tourists, so full of animals, really lovely and therefore together with Monte Verde, Cahuita and Corcovado the park today, Cabo Blanco, scores high in our ranking of most beautiful parks of CR.These parks give us reason, together with the Pura Vida in CR, to come back soon. We'll keep in contact.

    Reinout & Yvonne, The Netherlands
  • Dominik, Germany

    Good day Jennifer
    As we have already told Simone, the stay at Lapa Rios is extremely enriching, thanks to the well planned planting and the untouched environment we see a lot of animals. Contrary to the plans before the stay, we do not want to visit more animals in captivity at the end. We will have a look at the few hours before we leave.
    We thank you and your team very much for the excellent advice and the permanent support! We can only recommend Ara Tours.
    Best regards.

    Dominik, Germany
  • Daniel, Jana & Theo, Germany

    A big thank to you, you saved our vacation!
    Communication already worked very well in Germany. The help from you, especially through Aline, should be mentioned here. This was fantastic from the first WhatsApp message to the last. We already know Costa Rica, so we knew what we wanted and what not. Ara Tours was an important point of contact for us. We are very grateful to Aline precisely because our actual travel agent cancelled our trip 36 hours before departure. She immediately organized everything for us. Whether the hotel in beautiful Punta Leona, the tours to the national parks, even the shuttle service with the great driver Guillerno Ortega has to be mentioned here. We are very grateful to you, dear Aline, but also to the entire Ara Tours team. You too made our almost 3-week trip to Costa Rica unforgettable again. We would love to come back and of course we will book through Ara Tours again.

    Daniel, Jana & Theo, Germany
  • Alexander & family, Switzerland

    Thank you, everything really worked out great. Super organization and at any time quick info / help / support from you!
    We liked it very much. The conclusion in Quepos was crowning. We liked the beach in the National Park Manuel Antonio very much. We would have liked to stay longer, but we take home many wonderful, unforgettable impressions. PURA VIDA!
    Many thanks to you Aline! We will gladly recommend you to others.

    Alexander & family, Switzerland
  • Neumann Family, Germany

    - The route was super planned, first on the beach time to arrive and then only from Monteverde with excursions inland etc. and at the end again beach - perfect!
    - Support from Ara Tours was VERY good!!! Through Whatsapp reachability the service was great, very quick answers / very flexible, good suggestions etc. Also with the doctor Ara Tours helped with translations by phone - that was really very, very good!
    - The home stay day was an absolute highlight - very authentic - so we got to know the locals REAL, the family was super friendly and very open and have talked about everything. Not at all touristy perceived.

    Neumann Family, Germany
  • Marine & Bruno, France

    Hello
    We would like to thank you personally for this beautiful trip that you organised for us and for the follow-up that you did throughout the stay. A big thank you also to Jennifer d'Ara tours! Thank you again and have a great week!

    Marine & Bruno, France
  • Walter, Switzerland

    We really appreciated your (almost) daily updates from Costa Rica on Covid and related issues. That was a highlight compared to other incoming agents worldwide! We thank you for your effort and wish you that you manage the coming time well and stay healthy.

    Walter, Switzerland
  • Ronald, Germany

    Our great compliments for keeping us informed every day on the developments. We wish you all the best and keep yourself and families in good health and mood during this unprecedented period!

    Ronald, Germany
  • Kathrin, Germany

    You are really super! It is impressive how you manage the crisis with your super flow of information and the great reversal. Hats off!

    Kathrin, Germany
  • Michael, Germany

    Hello, we were on a round trip in Costa Rica from 27.11., which was booked through BigXtra and organised by them. We would like to take this opportunity to thank you very much. The tour was simply amazing! The support by Carlos was just great. We have done many trips before, but this one was an unforgettable experience thanks to Carlos. Carlos speaks very good German and was able to sensitively introduce us to Costa Rica, its incomparable nature and its great, friendly inhabitants. Pura Vida became for us a term for the attitude towards life in Costa Rica. Please say hello to Carlos from us and once again a huge thank you to him in the name of the whole group of 8. We wish him only the best for his future.

    Michael, Germany
  • Evelyne, Switzerland

    Wie just did a 4 week trip in Costa Rica which was organised from ARA tours and we really liked it - well done Ara Tours! We also had a guide - his name is Enrique. His German is really good and he knows a lot about Costa Rica and he showed us a lot of animals. We had a wonderful time with hime - thank you so much Enrique!

    Evelyne, Switzerland
  • Tanja, Germany

    perfect tour perfect tour guide pablo, everything very well organised 👍👍👍👍🇨🇷🇨🇨🇷 were thrilled

    Tanja, Germany
  • Ines, Germany

    Many thanks and great praise to our tour guide Mauricio and our bus driver Adrian! We felt very comfortable during the 2 weeks in Costa Rica. The wide-ranging knowledge of Mauricio and the super driving skills of Adrian were particularly admirable. Thanks to the eagle eyes of both of them, we had the opportunity to observe a variety of animals in Costa Rica. Thank you for everything!

    Ines, Germany
  • Sabine, Germany

    I can only recommend ARA Tours. Thanks again to Nicole for the great planning of the tour and the support. Our tour guide Peter Käser was simply incredible (a walking encyclopaedia) and always had an answer to all my questions about the flora and fauna and the history of CR. Our driver Julio carried my father on his hands, for which I am very grateful. CR is also worth a trip for wheelchair users at any time (with ARA Tours, of course).

    Sabine, Germany
  • Thieme Family, Germany

    We would like to thank you once again for organizing our trip [...] through the beautiful country of Costa Rica. Our special thanks go to our tour guide Enrique, who with his extensive knowledge of flora and fauna about his country brought it very close to us and made us want to come even a second time. We were very glad and happy to travel with him, as he was also very committed to our problems on site, in addition to his competent function as a tour guide.

    Thieme Family, Germany
  • Antonia-Maria & Boris, Austria

    Thank you from the bottom of my heart for your sensational effort! I do not know such a competent tour guide as with you really from nowhere else... and we have already traveled a lot... 🙏🏻🍀

    Antonia-Maria & Boris, Austria
  • Katja, Germany

    I wanted to thank you again for the great Costa Rica trip. We flew back home very happy and with many great impressions. A compliment for the super organisation. Everything worked out perfectly (except for the handover of the rental car, which was force majeure...). So thank you again and I have already recommended you to friends:-)!

    Katja, Germany
  • Denise & Alain, Switzerland

    Thank you very much for your email and the tickets. We really appreciate how quickly and efficiently you deal with our requests each time!

    Denise & Alain, Switzerland
  • Philippe, Switzerland

    Hello Christine Thank you very much for this information. The support is super👍 many thanks Gruss

    Philippe, Switzerland
  • Marianne & Stefan Gräub, Switzerland

    Otherwise, the planned trip was a complete success. Everything went well and the visits you organised were all very interesting. The visits you organised were all very interesting and gave us a great insight into the respective topics. The fact that the Ticos are very friendly and always ready to help was fully confirmed.

    Marianne & Stefan Gräub, Switzerland

    Contact Information

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    Phone: +506-2232-0400
    Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

    Address

    Apdo 799 – 1007
    San José, Costa Rica

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