From November 16 through December 2, 2000, I made my first trip to Costa Rica. The trip had two purposes: eco-tour and monger. The information on the monger scene in San Jose, Costa Rica was obtained primarily from Redsnake and this board. The information from these two boards were very helpful in preparing for the monger portion of my trip. I’d like to extend my personal thanks to Bushpilot, MardiGras and others who shared their experience.

I must admit that I wasn’t too sure about posting a trip report. Most of the regular board contributors are big fans of the monger scene in San Jose, CR. I only have Thailand; the Philippines; Singapore; Vancouver, B.C.; Toronto; and a number of USA cities to compare with San Jose, Costa Rica. That being said, I must say that I was totally underwhelm by San Jose, CR as a monger destination. I hope those of you who are monger fans of San Jose, CR won’t flame me to death, but I think it’s important to share negative opinions of any destination so that other hobbyists can make their own informed decision to go or not to go. That being said, here goes . . .

I arrived in San Jose on November 16, 2000, at around 10:30 pm. It appears airport officials have gotten a handle on rogue or pirate taxis who rip-off tourists. The airport recommends that you use "orange" taxis who are given the right to greet arriving passengers. Once you tell them where you’re going (Hotel Presidente in downtown San Jose), they quote you a flat rate of US$10 for the trip. No need to dicker over the fare or exchange currency. I gave the taxi driver a US$2 tip.

My plan was to stay at the Hotel Presidente for one night. Based upon information provided by board contributors, I made reservation and requested the special TSM rate of US$40 per night. Although I’m not a TSM member, I was given the rate without question. Since it was late, I only had time to walk up to the Hotel Del Rey’s Blue Marlin and return back to my hotel with a couple of girls for a quickie. I had to get up early to start my non-monger portion of my trip.

The next morning, I checked out of the hotel and stowed most of my luggage in the hotel’s storage room for safekeeping. Using mostly local bus transportation which was a real adventure for someone like me who only speaks survival Spanish, I began a one week counterclock wise trip around Costa Rica. I traveled to Turrialba, Pureto Limon, San Carlos, Fortuna, Jaco, and Queopos. It was an interesting way to see the countryside and meet the local people. I hiked, rafted, kayaked, and surfed. In places other than Jaco and Queopos, the only accommodations were in 1,000CRC (Costa Rican Colon) a night room which
was nothing more than four thin walls, a bed, and a door that sometimes wouldn’t close. I ate in Sodas (restaurants) which served rice and beans for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. I ate so much of it, I don’t think I’ll ever eat rice and beans again. I guess there’s a reason why Costa Rican cuisine restaurants are not very popular outside of Ticoland.

After one week on the road, I returned back to San Jose and checked back into the Hotel Presidente at the TSM rate. It’s a nice centrally located hotel with a friendly staff, but I wished it had a swimming pool. This is the start of my monger trip.

Using information from the previously mentioned boards, I began to search out the bars, clubs, and massage parlors. Except for a handful of establishments around the Hotel Del Rey, many of the them are spread far and wide throughout the downtown area. Many of these places are located in dissolute barrios that aren’t safe after dark. This can be a problem. If you go there and there’s no action or the selection is poor, you just can’t walk out and go next door to the next establishment. Instead, you have to hail a taxi and hope the next place is better. Taxi fare is cheap (US$1 to 2), but it’s still frustrating. After several nights of striking out, I limited myself to only do the Del Rey, Key Largo, Bikini Club (once was enough), Hotel Park, and Camelot Club route at night.

A knock against San Jose is the safety issue. The area from the Del Rey up Avenida Central to Hotel Park is relatively safe up to around 11:00 pm. After that, the chance of getting mugged goes up considerably. During my last week in San Jose, there was a massive police presence in the downtown area. I have never seen so many cops in such a small area. Two or more cops on foot or bicycle patrol on nearly every block. I don’t know if this is a good statement about the crime and safety problem of San Jose. I know I never felt threaten in Bangkok at any time of the night.

For those of you who speak very little or no Spanish, I personally think you’re going to have a very hard time unless you have a Spanish speaking friend. Outside of the tourist hotels or resort areas, very few Ticos speak English and that goes for the working girls. Except for the Del Rey, Key Largo, and Hotel Park, most establishments are Tico hang-outs where hardly any English is spoken. At these Tico hang-outs, you’ll have to decide for yourself your own comfort level because after awhile, it’ll become apparent to everyone that you’re not a Tico and there’s a good chance that you’ll be the only Gringo there.

The only place that I found in San Jose where the girls are more likely to speak English is the Del Rey. Many of the girls are very good looking, but they’re also the most expensive dates in town. The drinks and food are also more expensive there.

There are no fancy stripclubs or topless go-go clubs like you’ll find in Thailand, the Philippines, Canada, or USA. Many of the monger places are just bars where you hang-out with a drink waiting for a good offer or the right girl to walk in. On many nights, there are plenty of girls, but it can be a long wait for the right girl.

Except for the Del Rey and the Tico brothel "747", I personally did not find many of the girls in the bars, clubs, and massage parlors to be very attractive. It must be a hit-or-miss thing. I had lots of misses. It has to do with the day of the week. The talent definitely picks up on Friday and Saturday nights. On Sunday, San Jose is basically dead except for the discos. From Monday through Thursday, the action in town can be slow. I took a girl to the Tunnel disco on Tuesday and Wednesday night and there were less than eight people there for BOTH nights.

I found many of the girls who work in the bars, clubs, and massage parlors to be in the 2-5 range excluding the girls at the Del Rey. Many girls were a little too heavy in weight for my preference. Sometimes the girl will have a cute face, but when you get her back in your room and she takes off her clothes, the stretch marks and c-section scars can be a turn off. Once in a while you’ll find a gem as I did at "747", but the hunt and wait can get frustrating.

If you compare mongering to gambling, Bangkok/Pattaya/Phuket would be Las Vegas. San Jose, Costa Rica would be a small river gambling boat on the Mississippi River. There’s no comparison. In Thailand, it’s almost a 24 hour / 7 day party scene with something to keep you occupied during your non-monger time. In San Jose, it can get kind of boring during the daytime. After two days, you’ve seen all the usual tourist sights and there’s really no shopping bargains in town. You can do one-day excursions to see the volcano, whitewater raft, or rainforest, but it’s a four to five hour one-way van ride to get there, quickly do the activity, and then spend another four to five hour ride back.

If you like to sit around a bar, smoke Cuban cigars, shoot the breeze with other Gringos, and gamble, you might enjoy San Jose. Unfortunately, I don’t. No offense to those of you guys who do. I would only recommend going to Costa Rica if you’re going there for business or eco-tour. If you’re going to San Jose to monger, I’d recommend arriving on Thursday and leave on Sunday. Again, KNOW some Spanish.

In conclusion, I don’t regret going to Costa Rica because I did enjoy my first week. On my second week, I perhaps had too high of an expectation about San Jose’s monger scene. It’s probably unfair to compare Thailand to Costa Rica, but I did read somewhere that someone called Costa Rica the "new" Thailand for mongering. I’m now certain that person has never been to Thailand.

I hope I didn’t offend anyone with my negative comments on the monger scene in San Jose. I’m sure some will disagree with my impression, but it’s my impression and I tried to be objective in my assessment of the scene.

Yujin,

Thanks for the report. I'm sorry the mongering scene San Jose didn't meet your expectations but I can't imagine how anyone could be offended by your remarks. I suspect that many first time visitors have similarly disappointing experiences.

San Jose is very different from Thailand. There are plenty of opportunities here, but things are a little more low-key and the sex isn't right in your face here the way it is in Thailand. As I've mentioned in prior posts, it helps a lot to speak a little Spanish and to have some local knowledge or to buddy up with a Tico or another Gringo who knows the scene. That being said, there is no reason you can't enjoy the scene here and have a good experience on your own, even as a first-time visitor.

Reading between the lines a little, I have the impression you were travelling on a budget and looking for experiences the were both good and cheap. (For example, your comments about the Del Ray were favorable, except that it was expensive.)

Sometimes you get what you pay for. I also think the girls are too expensive at the Del Ray, but I know my way around and have plenty of alternatives that aren't readily available to first-time visitors. Unfortunately, most first-time visitors are pretty much limited to the places in Gringo Gulch and it does cost more there, but you also can generally find good-looking women who speak at least a little English and if you are willing to bargain a little, can make a deal at 20,000 or less. On average, I guess I pay 8,000 to 10,000 at places outside Gringo Gulch - sometimes much less, but sometimes more as well. Converting this into dollars, on average I pay $25 to $30. In Gringo Gulch, it will cost you double that amount - $50 to $60. To me, that isn't really a lot of money for a short-time visit when you consider that you don't need to speak Spanish or to have local knowledge.

I have a lot of friends from Florida who visit here regularly. Even though they do know the area, many of them prefer to confine their activities to the Gringo Gulch area, for a couple of reasons. First, they feel safe there. Second, they meet a lot of other Gringos that they enjoy partying and travelling around with. Third, they don't speak Spanish and find it easier to get what they want in Gringo Gulch. Lastly, they know that they won't have any trouble finding an abundant supply of attractive women there, providing they are willing to pay a little more money.

So, what does this mean in terms of a realistic budget for sex if you confine yourself primarily to Gringo Gulch, with an occasional foray to places like 747 or Molino Rojo. Depending on how much sex you want to have and whether you have time to exercise a little patience and do a little bargaining, my recommendation is to budget between $75 to $150 per day. Plenty of guys spend less. Many spend more. Don't come down here with an expectation of finding a smorgasboard of great sex for $10 or $12 dollars. Sure, you can find girls for that price, but on a short trip the search eats up too much time and creates too much frustration. Spend the extra money and don't worry about it.

Maybe I'm reading too much into your comments, Yujin. If so, please don't be offended. I think the advice is still sound, even if it doesn't precisely fit your situation and the reasons for your disappointment.

I love Costa Rica. It's a beautiful, diverse country and the people are great. The sex scene here is very active, but it's different from Thailand. Some people prefer it. I'm one of them.

Thanks again for your report. I'm sorry you were disappointed.