Is Flying Volaris to Costa Rica Worth It? A Budget Airline, Bumpy Road, and Coatis Experience

Mar 6

9 min read

Flying Volaris from LAX to Costa Rica:

A Budget Adventure with a Side of Chaos

Ah, the thrill of budget travel—where every penny counts, and your seat doesn’t recline. Welcome to our Volaris Airlines adventure from Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) to Juan Santamaría International Airport (SJO) in Costa Rica! (And just to be clear, we’re talking about Costa Rica, not San José Mineta International Airport (SJC) in California—because, yes, that’s a thing. Double-check your airport codes, folks.)

Flying Volaris: A Budget Experience Like No Other

If you’re unfamiliar with ultra-low-cost carriers (ULCCs) like Volaris and Frontier, just imagine an airline where they’ll charge you for breathing if they could. But hey, the ticket price was right, so we came prepared. Snacks? Packed. Neck pillows? Secured. Dreams of a first-class experience? Left at home.

The aircraft itself was shockingly clean and new, giving us hope that we might not be sitting on a relic from the 90s. The seats didn’t recline, which was mildly tragic, but the legroom was decent, and the flight attendants were surprisingly delightful (probably because they didn’t have to deal with passengers asking for free things).

We had a layover in Guatemala, where we thought we’d get to do a little airport exploration—maybe grab an overpriced coffee or snap a photo. Nope. We were held hostage on the plane for an hour. No stretching, no fresh air, just us, our dreams, and the inescapable scent of someone’s tuna sandwich.

Would I fly Volaris again you might ask?

Absolutely—because my wallet said so.

Sure, the seats didn’t recline, and I spent an hour in Guatemala contemplating my life choices while inhaling the mysterious aroma of an aging tuna sandwich. But for the price? I’d endure it all over again. Volaris may not offer luxury, but they do offer an unbeatable deal—just remember to pack your patience, snacks, and a sense of humor.

Costa Rica Car Rentals: Where the Real Adventure Begins

To fully embrace the pura vida lifestyle, we decided to rent a car. Sounds simple, right? WRONG. Renting a car in Costa Rica is like playing “Choose Your Own Financial Disaster.”

Mandatory Insurance: No Escape

Costa Rica requires you to purchase Seguro Obligatorio de Automóviles (SOA)—a fancy way of saying, “We’ll cover medical expenses, but if you wreck the car, you’re on your own.” This non-negotiable charge runs $10–$25 per day, so just accept your fate.

Collision Damage Waiver (CDW): A Tricky Upsell

Car rental companies will try their absolute best to get you to buy their CDW insurance, which can cost $10–$30 per day. However, some credit cards (like American Express) cover this, meaning you can decline it—but check your policy first! (Seriously, do it. Some credit cards exclude Costa Rica, and you don’t want to find out the hard way.)

Money-Saving Car Rental Hacks

Verify your credit card’s CDW coverage before traveling (because rental companies love playing the “You Must Buy This” game).
Book directly with a reputable company (we went with Enterprise/National Car Rental—more on that drama later).
Check the rental agreement to avoid getting suckered into surprise fees.
Take detailed photos of the car before leaving the lot, because “mystery dents” tend to appear magically when you return it.

Even with Enterprise, we encountered a rental agent with an advanced degree in scamming. He claimed their credit card machine was “broken” and suggested we withdraw cash from an ATM. Nice try, buddy. If you pay in cash, your CDW insurance from American Express is VOID. So, we stood our ground like warriors of financial justice until their machine miraculously worked again.

The Ultimate Car Rental Pro Tip: Get a Jeep, Not a Clown Car

If you think you can conquer Costa Rica’s roads in a sedan, I hope you enjoy bumping along at 5 mph and questioning all your life choices. Get an SUV or a truck, unless you plan to never leave the city. Trust me—you’ll thank me when you see the potholes that could swallow a small family.

Toll Roads: Cash or Colones?

Costa Rica has toll roads, and while they accept U.S. dollars, we recommend grabbing Costa Rican Colones from an ATM at the airport or the currency exchange booth. At the time of our trip, the exchange rate was 500–550 colones per 1 USD, which felt like Monopoly money but was crucial for avoiding awkward toll booth interactions.

Surviving the Journey to La Fortuna:

A Comedy of Errors and a Toyota Mini SUV

Ah, Costa Rica. Land of lush rainforests, stunning volcanoes, and, apparently, a complete and utter lack of Diet Mountain Dew. Our adventure began the moment we picked up our Toyota Mini SUV—a vehicle that, as we’d soon learn, had the horsepower of an overworked hamster on a treadmill.

With hunger gnawing at us, we kept spotting signs for McDonald's and KFC, but—plot twist!—there were no actual standalone stores. Were they figments of our desperate, food-deprived imaginations? Secret underground fast-food lairs? Who knows? Eventually, we gave up and made a pit stop at a gas station, where we begrudgingly settled for soft drinks and chips. And if your significant other happens to be a Diet Mountain Dew addict, brace yourself for a crisis. Costa Rica does not, I repeat, DOES NOT, have Mountain Dew. If you can picture being hangry, caffeine-deprived, and nowhere near a Dew lifeline, then you can feel my pain.

The drive from San José to La Fortuna takes roughly two and a half hours. That’s two and a half hours of winding roads, hairpin turns, and nerve-wracking moments where you realize there are no guardrails—just deep ditches, perfectly placed to swallow an unsuspecting rental car whole. And let’s talk about the roadside scenery: for the first hour outside of San José, we kept passing repair yards filled with battered and bruised vehicles. A reassuring sight, right? Nothing says “Welcome to Costa Rica” quite like a graveyard of wrecked cars.

As our Toyota Mini wheezed its way up each hill, we couldn’t help but chant, “I think I can, I think I can,” like the Little Engine That Could. At one point, I was genuinely concerned we’d have to get out and push. But somehow, through sheer determination (and a lot of nervous laughter), we made it to La Fortuna.

Our first stop? Arenal Springs Resort & Spa—or so we thought. We pulled up to the guardhouse, already feeling the exhaustion of our flight and white-knuckle drive. As we rolled down the window, we marveled at the elegance of the resort. Private bungalows, volcano views, natural hot springs—this was the high life! Until the charming attendant checked our names and, with a polite but slightly amused smile, informed us that we were at the wrong resort. Instant panic set in.

“Are you sure this is the right location?” she asked. A fair question, considering we were NOT on the guest list. A frantic scramble for our itinerary revealed the truth—we were actually booked at The Springs Resort & Spa, located a mere 10 kilometers up the road. A quick turnaround and we were off again, hoping our actual hotel would be just as nice.

Then we saw the sign for The Spring Resort and Spa, oh and the dirt road to get there.

As we bumped along, passing cows, horses, and a one-lane bridge that looked like it had seen better days, I could feel the laser-like glares of my family burning into the back of my head. But just as I was contemplating my life choices, we arrived.

And let me tell you, The Springs Resort & Spa was worth every pothole, every stomach-turning curve, and every passive-aggressive sigh from my travel companions. A luxury oasis nestled in the jungle, it boasted stunning views of Arenal Volcano, multiple hot spring pools, a full-service spa, and adventure activities like river tubing and wildlife tours. It was even more breathtaking than the previous resort.

I had gone from the frying pan straight into the lap of luxury.

So, moral of the story? Always double-check your hotel name, brace yourself for the quirks of Costa Rican roadways, and if you’re a Diet Mountain Dew lover… bring your own stash. Trust me, future-you will thank you.

The Springs Resort & Spa: Luxury, Lushness, and a Little Bit of Laughter in La Fortuna

If heaven had a vacation destination, I’m pretty sure it would look a lot like The Springs Resort & Spa in La Fortuna, Costa Rica. Nestled in the lush jungle with stunning views of Arenal Volcano, this place isn’t just a resort—it’s an experience. The kind of experience where you float down a river on an inner tube, take in the tropical beauty, and—if you're me—promptly find yourself flipped upside down in the water.

The River Tubing Adventure (or: How I Became a Local Attraction)

One of the must-do activities here is riding the river on an inner tube. It’s peaceful, it’s beautiful, and—let me warn you now—it’s very likely you’ll fall in. I did. Spectacularly. One moment, I was gracefully floating, taking in the scenery. The next, I was upside down, gasping, flailing, and (probably) startling every fish in the vicinity. But, in a true display of Costa Rican hospitality, the staff took notice. From that moment on, I was assigned my own personal inner tube guide, ensuring that I stayed inside the tube for the remainder of the ride. A VIP experience, if you ask me!

Service Beyond Expectations

Speaking of the staff—wow. Exceptional is an understatement. Not only did they shuttle our luggage with care, but they also acted as on-demand chauffeurs with golf carts, rescuing us from unexpected downpours. (This is Costa Rica—rain can arrive uninvited but always leaves the jungle looking even more magical.)

One of the most impressive moments? They noticed our tire was a little low and didn’t just inform us—they retrieved an air compressor, checked the PSI, and inflated them to perfection. Now that’s service! They also doubled as wildlife spotters, pausing to point out sloths and toucans as they shuttled us around the property. It was like having a personal safari guide with a driver’s license.

A Surprise Visitor (or: Why You Should Lock Your Balcony Doors!)

Before we even had a chance to get too comfortable, we were given a very specific warning: Lock your balcony doors when you leave. Not because of thieves (at least, not the human kind), but because Costa Rica has its own version of raccoons—the mischievous White-Nosed Coati. Apparently, these little bandits have mastered the art of break-ins, using vines and nearby trees to scurry up balconies in search of food… or whatever else they can get their paws on.

I laughed at the warning—until early one morning, I was woken up by the squawking of every rainforest bird in a five-mile radius. As I sat on the patio, sipping my coffee and admiring the jungle, here comes a Coati casually wandering around below, sniffing the air, clearly looking for his next opportunity. He was adorable, but I had a feeling he was also a tiny criminal mastermind. I made sure our doors were locked tight after that.

A Place You Won’t Want to Leave

From the natural hot springs to the breathtaking views, The Springs Resort & Spa is pure magic. Whether you’re seeking relaxation or adventure (or both), this place delivers. Just remember—if you decide to float down the river, embrace the inevitable inner tube flip. And if you’re staying the night, take my advice: lock your balcony doors… unless you want a Coati as a roommate.

Arenal Hanging Bridges Park: Beauty, Monkeys, and Squeals of Terror

Just a 30-minute drive from The Springs Resort & Spa, the Arenal Hanging Bridges Park is where adventure meets jaw-dropping beauty—and, if you’re anything like me, mild panic attacks on swaying bridges.

A Walk Through the Jungle (With a Few Unexpected Guests)

The park is nothing short of breathtaking, filled with lush rainforest, stunning floral encounters, and an impressive soundtrack of howler monkeys reminding you whose jungle this really is. As we made our way through the trails, we were surrounded by vibrant greenery, colorful birds, and, of course, the occasional Coati takeover—particularly near the dumpsters, where they were plotting their next snack heist.

The Star of the Show: The Hanging Bridges

But let’s be real—the highlight of this place is the legendary hanging bridges. These long, metal walkways stretch high above the forest floor, giving you a front-row seat to the jungle canopy. They also wiggle and sway like a toddler on a sugar high. Every step felt like a mini trust exercise with Mother Nature, and let me tell you, I failed miserably.

If you really want to test your relationship, casually start bouncing as you cross and see if your significant other screams as much as I did. Spoiler alert: Mine did. It was glorious. Nothing bonds a couple quite like clutching the railings for dear life while 150 feet in the air.

Worth Every Wobbly Step

Despite the heart-pounding moments, Arenal Hanging Bridges Park is an absolute must-do. The views are unreal, the wildlife is everywhere, and the bridges? Well, let’s just say you’ll never forget them—especially if your partner is still side-eyeing you for jumping on them mid-walk.

Thank you for joining us on the first part of our three-part adventure in Costa Rica! The team at Black and White Travel Chronicles wishes you happy and safe travels. Enjoy these additional photos from our journey!