Costa Rica is overrated
Costa Rica is overrated. A lot of people rave about how great it is. You especially hear a lot of this from older dudes from certain parts of the United States. Supposedly it is cheap, the women are beautiful, blah, blah, blah. I have heard this story time and time again. Especially from people promoting a lifestyle and selling books while they go.
I sell some books here and there too, but more for fun than anything else. I made my living already. I started writing this website because I got tired of repeating my wild sex stories to the guys back home. I tell it like it is. That’s why I wrote about the perils of living in the third world and spelled out the stuff no one tells you about being an expat in Southeast Asia.
People with certain motives will tell you about the low cost of living here or there. Usually it is bullshit. If you are coming from the United States you already have one of the lowest costs of living around. At least for that standard of living. You can get a brand new car in middle America for $25,000. Go ahead and try that in Southeast Asia. How about a new iPhone? They sell them for $2500 in some countries where the average monthly income is $300. Land is cheaper in America than just about any other country in the world too. How about Starbucks? They charge the same price in Chicago as they do in Costa Rica. So forget that.
Sure the dentists and doctors are a lot cheaper in Costa Rica. But there may be a reason for that. Do you think the best minds in medicine would rather work in a country where they get $25 per patient visit or a country where they get $1000? This isn’t rocket surgery guys.
What about other stuff? Well you can find hostels and hotels in San Jose for as little as $30 a night. But guess what? They are cockroach infested dumps. Places with holes in the walls lacking hot water. Is that how you want to live to save a few bucks? I stay in 4 star hotels in Bangkok for $30 – $50 all the time. They don’t have holes in the walls or giant cock roaches hiding under the pillows. And I have never run out of hot water.
Many months ago I asked if Colombia was overrated. In objective scientific faction I proved why it was. But Colombia has a lot of redeeming features, even if it is easy enough to get robbed and killed over there. Costa Rica is a hell of a lot safer. But the question is why would you really want to go there anyway?
I mean really, what is the advantage? It’s hot, humid and sweaty. There aren’t that many hot women in the country. The average chick in Costa Rica is well, average. There are lots of short stubby women with broad shoulders that walk around in men’s clothing with sour faces. If you’re imagining hot sexy Latinas in tight dresses think again. There are lots of dudes in dresses hustling around Gringo Gulch though.
The best looking women you see in the tourist areas are the prostitutes that come over from Colombia to make money. I am absolutely serious about this. It’s just like Panama. When you’re in a Costa Rica casino and you see some bombshell blond with big boobs you can bet 10 to 1 that she is from Colombia. And she wants $100 American for sex, even though the going price where she comes from is closer to $10. When you do meet a Tica there she is either a card dealer at a table with a stone cold demeanor or a weathered old granny cleaning the toilets. It’s a sucker bet.
Costa Rica is close to the western United States. It has a relaxed entry policy for Americans. Anyone from the US can basically fly in and set up shop with ease. In my opinion I think that’s why so many people claim it is a wonderful place. Costa Rica is just alright. It’s nothing special. Where it is cheaper you have to remember that you get what you pay for. The chicks aren’t any hotter than you would find in other parts of the world either. So in my view Costa Rica is definitely overrated for the single male traveler. Just ask Cuba Dave if you don’t believe me.
Thanks for information sir, if you have to choose Between Costa Rica or Panama ,where would you go ?
Costa Rica might be a slightly better place in terms of quality of life. But Panama has hotter chicks. I’m not too hyped on either. Nowadays I might just stay home. I wouldn’t tell anyone else to visit either.
From the little I read and know about the Costa Rica scene, it didn’t seem too enticing. It seems like the scene is revolved around a hotel (and casino?) that allows freelancers to operate. That’s cool, but once you do the deed it doesn’t seem like there’s much else to do around there. Correct me if I’m wrong though. Not worth a plane ticket to me, especially if chicks are asking for a $100 a pop for mechanical performance.
Not to hijack this post, but I’ll be in BKK for the first time in quite a while. How are things looking now that they’ve opened things up? Any suggestions on a top 5 must-do while I’m down there? Going to be looking at some of your old posts, but it’d be helpful to get some specific places, especially since things change constantly. I believed you mentioned Heaven Above as a good bar, if I remember correctly.
Yeah. I mean there’s not much more to it than that. I’m not a fan of Costa Rica as a destination at all. For the same price I’d rather do the hot Colombian bimbos in Panama City!
Bangkok is still there. Some changes. A little sadder and dingier in my opinion. Lots of rain and flooding lately. Soi Cowboy really sucks now. Patpong is even worse. Nana has the best go go scene. But it pretty much sucks too. Even the BJ bars went downhill. And it’s even harder to pick up regular chicks now! Some massage parlors are still good if you can find a chick who doesn’t have 3 kids and stretchmarks.
Heaven Above is in Pattaya. It moved but the new joint is pretty much the same. It’s one of my favorite go go bars. Windmill is kinda cool too. But also in Pattaya. Erotica might have been the best go go in Bangkok but not since they moved. Sorry bro but I’m not really feeling the city much these days.
Your assessment on the red light district was accurate. All the bars only have a fraction of the girls they used to have. Granted, you’ll likely find at least a few girls you wouldn’t mind banging, but it’s a far cry from pre-2020 days. And the prices don’t appear to have adjusted for supply/demand.
My first run-through was Soi Cowboy. It looked much less lively than before, so I figured I’d get straight to the point and go to the raunchy Crazy House. There was maybe about 10 girls there, and the place was lit fairly well. Last time I was there the music was pumping, the lights were dim, and of course, there were girls all over. One fairly attractive girl made eye contact and came over to sit with me. Asked for the lady drink and we got to some chatting. Was just asking how things have been since they opened up. Got to the topic of price, and she quoted me 3700 baht plus the 700 barfine. It’s basically a dead Sunday night and she gave price that is around double what I paid the last time I was in BKK. I went to Baccara, which moved upstairs because they didn’t have enough customers and girls, and one quoted 3000 plus barfine. That felt like more of a marginal increase, but if I’m paying the higher price, I want better selection, not just to settle for one of the less than 10 girls they have on offer.
Nana does seem to be the best of the three, but they have the same issues with supply of girls.
I think the gogo bars have been slower to react pricing. Maybe 10 years ago you could argue they were underpriced. But now — and you’ve touched on this before with your other post on the gogo bar scene — it does feel like they are overpriced.
I ended up with a freelancer outside of Thermae instead. We agreed on 2K since it was late and past closing, but I ended up giving her 2500 (original asking price) simply because she was so hot and allowed me to dine on the pussy after some initial reluctance. LOL. She reminded me of Olivia Rodrigo.
What makes you say BKK is a little sadder and dingier, by the way? Not saying it’s not the case. I’m sure the lockdowns and other restrictions took its toll on the city, but I’m curious to hear your take on it.
Yea man it’s just a shadow of its former self. Not just the go go bar areas either. Though as you say they’re asking more for less. But generally just seems everything is more run down. Airport has a weird vibe. Taxis ruder. More flooded streets and garbage than I saw before. Even seems like the food got worse. You didn’t see anything like that?
It’s hard for me to put an accurate pulse on it because I only spent two nights there and didn’t move around much. I don’t doubt it though. I didn’t observe any flooding, but the rainy, overcast weather didn’t help the vibe, for sure. And if the food has gotten worse, that seems to be a widespread trend. At least in the US, restaurants are cutting back or substituting ingredients, possibly due to global supply chain issues and rising costs. Not to mention the shortage of quality labor here.
Glad they scrapped the Thailand Pass nonsense, so hopefully things rebound soon.
Yes there’s a general decline all around the world in fact. It’s palpable! I don’t know if it’s reversible. I would guess it is. But hey, the dark ages lasted 500 years.