Build Your Own Trip to Costa Rica guided by experienced local experts!

Some call it a custom Costa Rica vacation, and others call it a Costa Rica custom trip, but we call it our famous “Build Your Own Trip to Costa Rica!” It’s our most popular option among surfers AND non-surfers who are looking for a unique experience in Costa Rica guided by local experts.  After getting to know you and your unique needs, interests, and budget, we send you handpicked options to choose from (and will provide more if the first round doesn’t meet your standards) to form THE PERFECT TRIP to Costa Rica!  The Build Your Own Trip to Costa Rica option is for you if you want something unique (we are the antithesis of cookie cutter), are tired of too many options, you don’t know where to start, you’re concerned that you don’t know if anything really is where it says it is (this is a legitimate concern), you’re afraid of being misled or pushed into options that aren’t ideal for you, you’re trying to plan your dream trip to Costa Rica, you want to support local people in Costa Rica and participate in sustainable tourism, you can’t find a vacation package that fits your needs, you like to experience a culture when you travel, you want to see and do lots of things but you don’t know the best order, how to get around, where to stay, or what to do when you’re there.  All these and more, are issues solved by creating your dream trip with the guidance of our local experts with nearly 2 decades of experience providing 5 star experiences and custom vacations with our Build Your Own Trip to Costa Rica option!  Read on to learn more!

What is Build Your Own Trip to Costa Rica?

Build Your Own Trip is the option that Costa Rica Surf Trip is famous for!  It combines our local expertise with your deepest vacation desires to create the PERFECT Costa Rica Vacation!

Who should use the Build Your Own Trip to Costa Rica option?

This custom Costa Rica vacation planning option is ideal for you if any of these apply to you:

• You LOVE being part of the trip planning process but need expert local guidance to avoid making a big vacation mistake in a foreign country
• You LOVE our vibe but can’t find a package that fits your EXACT needs
• You want to plan group travel, an event, or retreat in Costa Rica that you need help hosting/organizing
• You don’t have the time or energy to do the LOADS of hours of research and planning to create the perfect trip
• You realize it’s really hard to narrow down the options and you wish you knew a local who knows BEST!
• You know the importance of supporting native people and sustainable practices during your travels
• You want to have the BEST vacation of your entire life!

What do I get when I build my own trip to Costa Rica?

⏰ 30 min – 1 hour video consult

with a local expert to discuss your dreams, ideas, budget & interests.

🤙 WE save YOU hours, days, weeks and even MONTHS

of research, planning, headaches and second-guessing, using our proven curation methods and native knowledge of Costa Rica!

✈️ Your choice of flights

You’re welcome to get them on your own or use our assistance.

⛺️🏠🏨 Your choice of accommodations

from our specially chosen list of excellent available options, curated by our experts specifically to fit your needs, budget, and must-have amenities based on your input during our video call!

🚕🚌🛵🚍 Transport

to and from the airport, to/from accommodations, and to/from all of your epic activities – as always, specified to your budget, needs, and itinerary.

🥾🚣🏽🧘🏻‍♀️🤸‍♀️🏄🏿‍♂️⛵️ ALL of the activities

on your wish list, in the right place and at the right time PLUS appropriately organized for balance throughout your trip, based on our lifetime of vacation planning experience!

🎁 The perfectly packaged vacation

of your dreams, with detailed itinerary and local recommendations, BUILT By YOU and guided by our experts who have your best interests at heart!

Plus! Our Build Your Own Trip to Costa Rica clients get:

🗺️ A personal map
🧳 Packing & Preparation List
☢️ Safety Info

🛎️ AND 24/7 In-country bilingual staff concierge to assist with recommendations, last minute reservations, and any issues that may arise!

What is the process to Build Your Own Trip to Costa Rica?

1. Costa Rica Vacation Planning Call

Use our calendar to choose the day and time that work best for you to start the process with the Build Your Own Trip consult call and make your deposit payment to check out and schedule the initial appointment!  We will email you to find out the video service you prefer.  Calls last 30-60 minutes and are done by video call with a Costa Rica expert from our staff in English or Spanish.

When should I start?

We suggest that you do this AS EARLY AS POSSIBLE!  Many people come to us after wasting their time and spinning their wheels trying to do it on their own.  This not only costs you all of the time you spend, it also can cost you the availability of the best accommodations for your needs, and access to the best prices!

2. Flights to/from Costa Rica

Whether you already have them, want to do them on your own after our trip planning call, or need our help: flights are ALWAYS the first step (unless, of course, you’re already here)!  We have to be certain of the travel dates before the next steps.  We suggest planning call before booking flights; the time of year can greatly affect your experience and pricing – which we can discuss during our call.

3. Accommodations in Costa Rica

People often overlook how important it is to have local insight regarding the place where they will be staying in a foreign country!  Based on all of your input regarding:

• vibe
• amenities
• number of travelers (and rooming requirements / sleeping arrangements)
• budget, and
• locations where you will be visiting in Costa Rica,

We curate a list of 2-5 available properties that best match your needs (for each location, even when there are multiple).

Why is this important?

We always have personal knowledge and experience with the recommended properties, and they have excellent client reviews.  We also can assure you that a location is safe, and give you correct distances to points of interest.  Each option comes with photos, pros/cons, input about what makes the property unique, and the total price.  You can make an informed decision about how you spend your hard-earned money, every step of the way!

Legal note:

We do not provide the name or links for these as we have an agreement with most providers not to do so until reservation is confirmed. We will answer any questions we are allowed to as long as it does not break our agreements with our partners.

Our promise:

We often see false advertising such as photos of major attractions on websites for hotels and AirBnBs in Costa Rica which are hours from the accommodations being advertised.  We believe this is misleading to you, as a guest, and we will never mislead you about what you will get from the options that we provide to you!  This includes never telling you a place is “5 minutes walk to the beach” when we know it’s more like 25!

If none of the options meet your wishes, you are welcome to adjust the parameters of our search to receive new options.  Once you have the perfect choice, payment is submitted to lock in the accommodations for you and we move to the final step:

4. Transport & Activities in Costa Rica!

Costa Rica Transport

There are multiple modes of transportation available in Costa Rica and this is something that allows us to help plan trips for a wide range of budgets.  You can get more details about different Costa Rica Transportation options on our blog, if you want to do some extra reading, but we will discuss this on our call to make sure we get the appropriate option or combination of options for your specific trip!

Costa Rica Activities

There is SO much to do and see in Costa Rica for everyone on your list of travel buddies which is why it’s a great idea to Build Your Own Trip when our Costa Rica Vacation Packages don’t quite fit your needs!  You can get some ideas by checking out some of our a la carte Costa Rica activities, or get inspired by our Costa Rica Surf Trip Instagram and the Costa Rica Surf Trip YouTube Channel!  We’ll also talk about your ideas and more options during your initial planning call because there is no way we could possibly include all of the millions of available options that will ignite your soul!

Common worries:

We are experts at planning trips equal parts relaxation and adventure, based on your desires, so you don’t have to worry about if you’ll have time or how to organize everything!  We’ll let you know if decisions have to be made between activities, but we will always try to fit everything in a way that makes sense and doesn’t overwhelm you!  Nothing is ever finalized without your confirmation, consent, and payment!

5. Kick Back & Relax, we’ll take it from here!

Once you’ve made decisions and payments for each step, the rest is up to us!  We will make all of the reservations for you and provide you with your detailed itinerary.  It will include everything you need to know: what to bring/wear for each part of your trip, when it starts, how long it lasts, and what’s included!  We’ll also let you know the name of the staff,  company, or accommodations so you know you are always in the right hands.

Build Your Own Trip to Costa Rica deposits => credits for your trip!

​When you make your first payment within 90 days after your initial deposit, we give you a $100 credit toward your trip!

Otherwise, you’re welcome to decide that our conversation gave you all of the info you need to plan on your own without further assistance, while ensuring that we get paid for our years of experience and hours of planning time that have gone into your trip and all of the expert knowledge we’ve given you about the best of Costa Rica!

Please note:

Build Your Own Trip bookings are non-refundable.  $100 trip credit is provided only when the next payment is received within 90 days of your initial Build Your Own Trip deposit.

What makes our Build Your Own Trip to Costa Rica option different?

Unlike most other travel agencies, we are owned by a Costa Rican, staffed by Costa Ricans and do our best to promote native people and native-owned businesses, so you know that you’re getting the truest experience of PURA VIDA when you book with us!  We also dedicate ourselves to sustainable practices and pay living wages to everyone we work with.  In addition to this, we save people days, weeks, and even months of researching (and still not knowing if they are making the right decisions) for their trips!

Our lifetime of experience in our own country allows us to share all of the BEST there is to know, see, and do – and we do all of the coordination FOR you!  We match each piece of your trip perfectly with your interests, needs, and budget to give you the vacation of your dreams – and our 5 Star Rating on every platform proves it!

Whatever your custom vacation needs, Costa Rica Surf Trip’s Build Your Own Trip to Costa Rica is THE answer!

It’s time to BUILD YOUR OWN TRIP to Costa Rica!  Make your deposit and pick your date/time to schedule your video consult and get this vacation started!