What to buy in Costa Rica?

[Keisele]

It seems at every port there is certain items that are a "must buy" while you are there. For example, when you are in the Eastern Caribbean you buy jewelry or rum. What is the best shopping or deals in Costa Rica?

[Sue L]

I think I answered you on the Panama board also, for Costa Rica, coffee and vanilla.

[tarps]

There are beautiful wood products here. Lovely wood bowls, cutting boards, boxes, etc. Weighed down our suitcases with all that we bought, but now that I have then home, I'm glad I bought them.

[georgette923]

MOLA ART

 

 

 

 

 

 

We bought Molas in Costa Rica and in Panama. Also painted feathers.

[Budwheat]

As per the first response - coffee and vanilla! I'm sippin' on a cupful of ground Coast Rican beans right now --YUM!:D

[dzcruisers]

We bought 1820 coffee and vanilla at a local grocery store. Having had an employee from Costa Rica we were familar with this brand. We bought 10 small (250 g) bags and 2 decent size bottles of vanilla for $13. Our friends all wanted more. Wish I had gotten many more bottles as others did. People seemed to appreciate this more than other souvenirs.:)

[SEEUATSEA]

MOLA ART

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We bought Molas in Costa Rica and in Panama. Also painted feathers.

Georgette 293, Thank you for posting those beautiful pictures. We are leaving 4-6 on a Panama Canal Cruise and will also be stopping in Costa Rica. I wonder if you would be kind enough to share where you purchased the Molas and about how expensive are they?

Thanks again,

Mary Anne

[georgette923]

Georgette 293, Thank you for posting those beautiful pictures. We are leaving 4-6 on a Panama Canal Cruise and will also be stopping in Costa Rica. I wonder if you would be kind enough to share where you purchased the Molas and about how expensive are they?

Thanks again,

Mary Anne

 

Hi Mary Anne,

The Molas are all different prices. There are dresses, eye glass cases, purses, coin purses, pictures framed and unframed and the list goes on and on. You can buy them in both ports at the shops. When in port in Costa Rica be sure to price compare at the tables there, it is like a flea market. Some vendors are a little more expensive than the others. The Molas started at $5 and up, depending on what you get. We also liked the hand painted pictures on feathers. Prices for those was much more reasonable in Panama and Costa Rica than in Cozumel. Some of the feathers are as low as $3 in cardboard frames. They make great inexpensive souvenirs and take up no space in your luggage and weigh almost nothing, which is important if you are flying. We have given Molas and feathers to our friends and they enjoyed them since they are unique.

 

I hope I've answered your question. On what ship are you cruising? I'm sure you'll have a great time. We've enjoyed our visits to Panama and Costa Rica and we're looking forward to going there again in the near future.

[SEEUATSEA]

Georgette,

 

Thanks for getting back to me. I am looking forward to finding some Mola Art. We are traveling on the RCI Brilliance of the Seas. I could really use a break for the winter weather. I will share my finds when I return.

 

Thanks again. Have a wonderful cruise.

 

Mary Anne

[georgette923]

Hi Mary Ann,

You're welcome, enjoy your cruise too! Enjoy shopping. I'm sure you will find some Molas. Be sure to check out the feathers too!

[lilrere]

I brought back wooden puzzle boxes! They were a big hit!

Of course coffee!! I got my parents hooked on Costa Rica coffee!

[Sheik]

We bought some delicious coffee (Britt) :)

[georgette923]

We bought some delicious coffee (Britt) :)

 

We order cafe britt on-line. We can enjoy it all the time and having it delivered to our home is great. :D

[mindy41]

We bought 1820 coffee and vanilla at a local grocery store. Having had an employee from Costa Rica we were familar with this brand. We bought 10 small (250 g) bags and 2 decent size bottles of vanilla for $13. Our friends all wanted more. Wish I had gotten many more bottles as others did. People seemed to appreciate this more than other souvenirs.:)

 

 

Sounds like the 1820 coffee is the way to go but what about the vanilla? Are there different brands or does it matter?

Thanks

[sunnyhunny]

We were in Costa Rica last Sunday (just returned from our cruise 2 days ago). We booked a tour through Oscar Brown and ended up having his nephew, Dexter, giving us our tour.

 

Dexter took us to a local grocery store. He recommended 1820 coffee (what the locals drink). When we asked about vanilla, he didn't know (said he doesn't bake...haha). So he asked a woman in the store who was walking by (someone he knew). There were only two kinds available and she immediately pointed out "Vainol" (yellow label, bottle shaped like a bell...http://www.grupoancla.com/laboratorio.php). Haven't tried it yet, but we bought three bottles!

[mindy41]

Thanks Sunnyhunny - we don't have a tour booked in Costa Rica - is there a grocery store within walking distance from the pier? What is a good price for the coffee and vanilla?

[sunnyhunny]

The grocery store we went to was 15 blocks or so from the pier. I wouldn't walk there...not exactly the best area. There is shopping at the pier though. We didn't have much shopping time there, but I did notice coffee and vanilla was for sale there. Dexter said for coffee and vanilla the grocery store is best and for t-shirts and other souvenirs shopping at the pier is best.

 

Price: I'm not sure of the exact breakdown. We got 5-1 lb (approx) bags of coffee, 1-2 lb bag of coffee, 3 bottles of vanilla, and a bottle of hot sauce for $23 US.

[mindy41]

Sunnyhunny - Thanks for the info. Are there cabs at the pier that we can get to take us to a grocery store? Did you pay in US dollars or local currency? Do you get local currency back if you pay with US dollars?

Thanks

Lorinda

[DEP274]

Did Anyone See Any Mola Art At The Pier

[sunnyhunny]

Cabs at Pier: Yes, there are cabs at the pier. If all you want to do is go to the grocery store, I'm not sure that it would be worth paying for a cab though.

 

US Currency: Everything at the grocery store is in Costa Rican money (colones). The cashier converted it to US dollars and had no problem accepting our US dollars, but we received colones in exchange, which was less than a dollar. Now we have some Costa Rican coins for souvenirs. :)

 

Mola Art: Unfortunately, we did not have much time shopping at the pier, so I don't know if they had any there.

[mindy41]

Are there grocery stores a safe distance walk from the pier?

Thanks

Lorinda

[ChattTenn]

Are there grocery stores a safe distance walk from the pier?

Thanks

Lorinda

 

Hello,

 

We walked to the grocery store in town both times we were in Puerto Limon. Go out the tourist building, across the street, up hill 2 blocks, turn left and another block it is on the right (you can ask people at the tourist information they will tell you the store name). This store got all kinds of coffee (fresher too), souvenir stuff, vanila cheaper than the vendor at pier. Nobody bothered us on our walk to the store, Puerto Limon town is rather poor so the view might not be too great but you are OK if you want to venture out.

 

Costa Rica coffee is very good and will make a great souvenir.

[LLD]

Is there anything else near the pier that may be of interest to see? Have not booked any tours yet and I am hesitant to venture out! Not interested in going to the rainforest either. If I can buy some coffee, walk a bit around the pier I am content but if there is any place fairly safe to see near the pier I would be interested in hearing more. Thanks for any info! :)

[TCF]

At about this time last year we were in Limon on the Coral.

My wife spent the morning zip-lining and I went on canal tour.

After lunch on the ship we walked up across the pier, (it is across the tarmac where the turcks with containers line up to load and unload), to the very back against the pier security fence.

We found a large local market of stalls all neatly arranged in rows with just tons of local artisan handcrafts, textiles, woodwork, weaving, coffee beans, vanilla,and yes, Mola! (For whatever reason, the ship's crew did not tell the passengers on our ship that this area was even there....and frankly it was the best part of the Limon stop!!!)

My wife found the stall with the premium grade of Costa Rican coffee beans at $5.00US a pound!!! I soon found out what Juan Valdez's donkey felt like on the walk back to the ship....thank goodness it was down hill!!! There is a building at the back that has some excursion company boths, a clothing store and 'chips and pop' stand....and....IT IS AIR CONDITIONED!!!! But...if you walk through the doors on the far side of this building you are outside the pier security fencing...not real bad...but not real good either! If you are going to leave the pier security zone in Limon it is wise to use an excursion, not do it on your own!

We had a great time.

[LLD]

Thanks a million! I loved your Juan Valdez statement! That was funny! That is pretty much how I feel on any trip especially when I am buying lots of goodies! I will definitely have to buy some authentic Costa Rican coffee! I leave for the cruise Saturday--so glad to see your reply-thanks again! :)