First of all, what is 'Tico Time'?
Tico Time is an expression that you will hear that refers more to the lifestyle of Costa Rica then any actual time. It’s a reference to being more laid back and not as concerned with a schedule. If that sounds idyllic for a vacation, then Costa Rica is the place for you. But that type of attitude can also be difficult when you’re trying to get to a tour or somewhere else that has a specific start time.
So how does Tico Time affect your transportation?
As I’m sure you know, driving is not an exact science. We try to keep your itinerary fairly accurate, but life sometimes happens. There could be an accident, construction, or too many people pulling over to look at a sloth that may slow your drive. The planets may align and you might sail right through.
This will result in a little bit of change to the timing of your itinerary. We use average times – and when it’s something critical – like getting to the airport on time, we err on the side of extra time. So know that Tico Time is built right into your itinerary.
Let’s talk about the drivers we get to come to transport you. We find and choose the people or companies that know their area well, that are responsible, and that show up on time – barring any of the things we talked about before.
Here’s an example. A couple didn’t want to spend half of their day in the airport, so we arranged transport to San Jose later in the day. However, when they left, there was a huge traffic jam. No one was moving. At this rate, they would be late for their flight. The driver hopped off the road and went a back way. It was a longer drive than originally planned, but they made it to the airport in time for their flight. The quick thinking and knowledge of the area saved them.
We have multiple stories of where the driver came up with a problem, made some decisions, deviated from the itinerary, and were able to take care of our clients and get them what they needed. Need a snack? Need to stop and go to the bathroom? Feeling sick and need to switch seats? Want to stop and see a monkey or sloth?
Please don’t hesitate to tell our drivers. They want you to have an amazing experience just like we do and this is Tico Time being used to your benefit. We love all our drivers!
Does Tico Time affect your activities?
Yes and No, but probably not in the way you are thinking. When people ask us this question – they usually are worried, will my tour start late? Will it make it so I can’t get to my next activity or will miss something?
Remember two things: while they may not be strict to the second on their clock, they will start your tour and instructions shortly after you arrive. The guides are usually chatting with you as you arrive so you don’t always realize they are maybe waiting for someone to show up, and we never hear that a tour didn’t start on time. Stress about timing generally comes before you arrive in Costa Rica. Once you arrive – you’re on tico time too!
As for missing your next activity – remember that we have planned timing and are aware of tico time and never make your itinerary too tight. The beauty of Costa Rica is that we try to plan things so you will be able to enjoy things at your pace. Which brings me to the best advantage of tico time and your activities:
If your itinerary says two hours does that mean you only have two hours? Again, you get to pick the pace and you’re on tico time too! While that might mean your driver is a few minutes late to pick you up, it also means that if you are enjoying the park and want to walk and look at things slower – you can do it! If you want to hurry through and get to something else – you can do that too!
We put average times but, we certainly recognize they are average. If you’re with our guide, they will smoothly make all the arrangements for you to go faster or slower. If you are on your own enjoying a tour and maybe your driver isn’t waiting for you but is coming to pick you up in two hours, just message our team through WhatsApp and they can let the driver know to come sooner or later.
If you’re beat and want to sleep in the next day, let the team know through WhatsApp that you want to sleep in. If you want to take advantage of all the daylight you have, again, let them know that you want an early start. There are some restrictions and if you’re in a group we will need to take the whole group into consideration, but the beauty of our itinerary is that for most of the activities, you can let us know when you’re wanting a change in length.
Our team is your advocate while you are in Costa Rica to make sure that everything goes how you want it, so feel free to let us know! Enjoy and soak up tico time and all the pura vida that Costa Rica has to offer. We want you to love it!
