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A homestay in Costa Rica. That might sound fun, but what exactly is it? Literally translated it means that you are staying in someone’s house. And that will certainly happen during a homestay in Costa Rica. You will experience the true and authentic Costa Rica by staying with a local family for a day or two.
Our intern Marieke (20) from The Netherlands visited 6 homestays in Costa Rica.
In this blog she brings you along on her adventures and tells you why staying with a local family is a great idea!
In Costa Rica there are several small communities that invite travelers to come stay over to see how they live. There are many fun things to do and see in these small villages. Just like Marieke (on the left on the photo here), the Edventure team visits the communities regularly. We love experiencing the true Costa Rica and we like to give you that possibility too!
You can stay in your own room within the families´ house, or you can spend the night in a cabin on the property of the family. The mattresses may not be orthopedic, but the rooms are clean. You eat with the locals and you get to enjoy traditional Costa Rican dishes. Diets, allergies or special wishes can be taken into account.
You also have the freedom to discover and experience the surroundings and activities during the day. There´s lots to do!
Not all of the host families speak English, but with some help of Google Translate you can easily have a good and interesting conversation! These families love to have you over and they are always very curious about your stories as well. You might like to bring a game or treat from home to share with them.
Fun and authentic activities are organized within the community of your host family. For example, you can participate in a traditional trapiche (the processing of sugar cane), see the coffee production, go for bird watching with a guide or do a tour on the exotic farm.
Some are worried that a homestay in Costa Rica is uncomfortable, but that is never the case. The Costa Rican people are warm and open, the activities are authentic and it is a unique opportunity to experience the real Costa Rica!
A nice plus: by visiting homestays you automatically sponsor sustainable tourism.
Text by: Marieke Schouten (20). Food Innovation student at HAS University of Applied Sciences and also founder of World Wide Food Stories.
The village of Zapotal de Miramar is located beautifully on top of a mountain. In this village you can stay in cute pink cabins, but the best thing is of course a homestay at one of the families home.
You will be welcomed with open arms and assigned your own bedroom. The delicious home cooked meals will be shared with the family.
There is lots to do during the day. You can help out on an ecological farm, go hiking in the cloud forest, learn to make cheese or take a cooking class. Whatever you choose, you will be guaranteed to have good fun!
Providencia is beautifully situated in a valley surrounded by beautiful green mountains. The best coffee in all of Costa Rica is produced in the region of Providencia, which ofcourse you want to taste!
But even if you don’t like coffee, there is plenty to experience. You can go hiking with a guide in search of the beautiful quetzal bird, learn how to make jam from local fruits or do an art workshop.
Tourism hardly exists here. It doesn´t get much more authentic!
Stay on a typical Costa Rican family farm in Sarapiqui. Your host Don Rodolfo, his wife Doña Rosa and their 8 adult children invite you to participate on the farm and feel, look, smell, taste and try the farm life yourself.
A lot of crops and fruits flourish here, such as the juiciest pineapple you will ever taste, but also vanilla, cocoa, coconuts and much more. This is really delicious!
You stay in a simple, but clean cabin or room and eat in the family restaurant. Doña Rosa and her daughters make this farm stay a true celebration with their delicious dishes.
Click on one of the 3 mentioned homestays above, to read more about them. Select the ones you would like to visit and put them in your ´suitcase´.
Then add other destinations to complete your trip and send us your suitcase. We then get into action and send you a customized itinerary based on your wishes.
Do you have questions or doubts about a homestay in Costa Rica?
Or could you use some more help by compiling your own itinerary? Let us know by sending us a message through our Chat or Whatsapp.