Manners – Faux Pas – Pura Vida

Sunbathing Topless - Not Cool on a Public Beach

Like any country there is respect with the culture and Costa Rica in no different. Faux pas varies from country to country, but in Costa Rica modesty, politeness, good manners, and common courtesy are the main keys. Even if you do not speak Spanish, learn to say, Buenos Dias (Good Morning) and Muchas Gracias (thank you) and you will see a world of difference. Costa Ricans call themselves, Ticos (TEE-kos).

The number one term in Costa Rican is slang “Pura Vida” (Pure Life) and you will hear it all the time – so when a foreigner says it,  automatically they get the thumbs up. Costa Ricans are usually very polite, quick to shake hands or place a kiss on someone´s cheek. They have a very high literary rate because schooling is required, so they speak formal Spanish.  If you speak Spanish, do not use the the form of “tu”, since they consider that informal or uneducated Spanish.The family is also important, and it is considered very  polite to ask, “How is your family doing?”

Wearing bun huggers shorts or pants is not a good idea

Now if you are invited to Costa Rica’s home for the first time,  take a small gift such as flowers, chocolates, beer, wine, or  if you can, something special from your home country. If you are offered food, try to eat it even if you are not hungry. Not eating is a form of insult.

Dress code in  San José is a little bit more formal than in the countryside or beach cities like Jaco and Tamarindo.  People usually don´t wear shorts outside the beach areas, but it is accepted from foreigners; being invited to a home, don’t wear them.  But if you think you can wear those baggy shorts that hang half down your ass to a party – think again!

Strangely, a country where prostitution is legal, modesty also plays a major part in Faux pas. Catholicism is the major religion; old-world traditions is highly respected among the elderly. Walking into the hotel lobby wearing a bikini without covering up is not  cool!  If you are sunbathing topless on a public beach, and a cop politely walks over and ask you to put your top back on,  but ten minutes later after the cop has left, you take it off again, expect problems.  This is total disrespect for the culture and shows that you are looking down on the people, not counting the fact, it is against the law unless you are on a private clothing optional beach.

Another lack of respects is getting overly drunk. Remember three things,

• Everyone on vacation likes to get drunk the first night they arrive.

• Costa Ricans love to drink

• But they don’t like drunks, especially those that cause problems and are loud and obnoxious.

Arguing out loud with management or hassle the waitress over a bill as trivial as a $1, again this is not cool because Costa Rica’s are generally peaceful and despise conflict.

Costa Rica Eco-Tourism