zsky21 asked 8 years ago
Hello, Do you think it is ok to rent a small economy car while we are in Nosara. I plan to use it only around Nosara. I found some great deals on Travelocity for the rentals. I know its ideal to have a 4wd, but can I get around in a compact? Thank you!
Jenn and Matt Staff answered 8 years ago
Hi zsky21,
The roads in Nosara can vary a lot depending on the time of year and since you are going during the rainy season according to your last post, we’d say that not having a 4×4 is a risk. When we lived in Nosara a couple of years ago, there were times when giant mud puddles basically cut you off from one side of town to the other if you didn’t have a vehicle with high enough clearance. It might be better to arrive in Nosara first, then rent a car if the roads are in good shape.
Also, we would advise against using sites like Travelocity for car rentals in Costa Rica. Costa Rica has a mandatory liability insurance by law and it is not included in the price you are seeing on Travelocity. This can add anywhere from $8-15 per day to the cost of the rental. Economy rental car is the only agency that we know of in Nosara and is the one showing up on Travelocity. It would be better to go through their website to see the real prices. Their website is a little confusing… it makes it seem like you can decline the insurance but if you read the fine print, you will have written letter to prove that you have other insurance that will cover you (unlikely that your current car insurance or credit card would write this) and pay a large deposit ($5,000) if you do decline. As another option, you could check out our discount through Adobe Rent a Car. Unfortunately they don’t have an office in Nosara, but they do at the Airport in Liberia and other locations in Guanacaste. They include the insurance in their price and are a very reputable company. Hope this helps.