Get to know the typical dishes of Costa Rica

It’s important to know what to see in Costa Rica. A tourist who takes advantage of their stay in this country has to be well-informed. That’s why it’s important to bring information from home, to know the places you want to visit, the type of tourism which attracts each traveller on each trip the most, what new experiences are sought, etc. Before worrying about what to see in Guanacaste, what to see in Tamarindo or whether to visit Liberia, be sure to read up on the country you visit.

Also, once there, try to keep up to date with the news that the natives read. This is a good way to appreciate the true value of the country. Travelling is not just visiting en masse the places that all tourists go to. It’s also getting into the culture, appreciating each surprising or interesting custom, discovering the history of places,tasting the typical cuisine, and so on. Therefore, it’s essential that you know about traditional dishes of the area.

Do you want to know what to see in Guanacaste and what to eat in Liberia?

Guanacaste is a province of Costa Rica. Within this province, one of the most important cities is Liberia. This city is known for being an important centre of trade, freight and tourist transport, etc. In general, it’s an economic centre of the province, where the Daniel Oduber International Airport is also located. It has a very good temperature throughout the year and here you can enjoy dishes typical of Costa Rican cuisine:

– Casado: it may be the most famous dish in Costa Rica, consisting of kidney beans, white rice, red peppers, onion, fried plantain, coleslaw, tomato, carrot, meat (chicken, pork or veal), fish…

– Ceviche: typical starter of the area, made with raw fish seasoned with citrus fruits and coriander, garlic, onion and celery.

– Gallo pinto: rice and beans mixed with eggs (fried or scrambled), minced meat, fried plantain and corn tortillas to start the day well, since it is the typical breakfast.

– Olla de carne: meat stew with potato, carrot, chayote, banana, cassava, sweet potatoes and other vegetables.

– Tamales: this dish is made with banana leaves, which are filled with cornflour, saffron rice, pork, kidney beans and can also be filled with any type of vegetable.

– Carnitas: this is the dish most similar to a roast or steak, since they are pieces of meat that are grilled to be put later in the typical corn tortillas.

– Pejibaye: although it is prepared boiled and accompanied by other vegetables, meat and savoury dressings, this is a peach fruit typical of Ramos, which gives a very unusual flavor to the stews that are made with it.

What to snack on between meals while discovering what to see in Tamarindo?

Of course, a tourist can’t spend their whole holiday going from restaurant to restaurant. While it’s true that nowadays you can find catering places with international food anywhere in Costa Rica, the truth is that it’s better to take advantage of your stay to snack on typical food from the area. Therefore, we are going to introduce you to some snacks that you’d surely love to try while queuing to enter a museum or another place visited by tourists:

– Plantains: this kind of banana is used ripe or green, crisps are made and eaten as if they were potato crisps.

– Fried cassava: like banana, cassava is also used as crisps, comfortable to carry in a bag and ideal to eat between meals throughout the day.

– Ranchera sauce: this typical sauce is usually served with rice or gallo pinto, but taking a bottle with you can turn a snack into something a little more Costa Rican.

But not everything is eating! You can also enjoy typical soft drinks, original drinks from the area, such as chan or fresh water with hot milk and, of course, Costa Rican coffee, which is appreciated worldwide. Soft drinks are usually made from natural juices. Tropical fruits are squeezed and mixed with water, milk or sweet vegetable drinks. Sugar or sweetener is added and thus a healthy and natural soft drink is made based on local fruits, such as cas, which is only native to Costa Rica. Other fruits that are sold internationally are also used, such as carambola, soursop, mango, passion fruit, blackberry and papaya.

To know what to see in Costa Rica, it’s a good idea to rely on a travel agency  which has a lot of experience in trips to Central America. In this way, you can relax on your trip in order to fully enjoy the experience and make the most of every day you are on holiday there. You’re bound to fall in love with America and want to return on your next holiday to discover more surprising places in its land and waters!