Meeting single women in Costa Rica can be a challenge if you don’t know where to look. With so many different places to try it is easy to waste a lot of time in the wrong places.
Here we’ve compiled a list of some of the best ways to meet the incredible women of Costa Rica.
Where to Meet Women to Date in Costa Rica
It’s important to understand that our list is aligned with the intention of helping you find Costa Rican women who would potentially be interested in actually dating you.
This point must be emphasized, since it’s not illegal or uncommon for women to receive payment for “dates” in Costa Rica. There are plenty of blogs out there that will tell you which websites, apps, clubs, and casinos to defer to if that’s what you’re after, but if you’d like to meet Costa Rican women for actual dating, read on.
Make friends
Word of mouth is an excellent way to become acquainted with women in Costa Rica. If you meet women through friends or acquaintances, they’re more likely to feel comfortable. Also, the people who introduce you will probably have a grasp on what your interests and intentions are and who may be compatible with them.
So, make friends. Don’t limit your conversations in bars and coffee shops to single women. Couples and men will have single female friends, and sometimes they will be with them at that very moment.
Making new friends is valuable on its own, but the added bonus is the possibility of being introduced to the women they know. Mingle with people at community events, church if that’s your thing, outdoorsy outings, sports activities … you never know who might connect you to a great date.
Online
Online dating took awhile to catch on in Costa Rica, but it’s starting to gain momentum.
Many of the popular dating sites these days have an international reach, as do the sites with particular niches. If you’re searching for an exciting older woman in Costa Rica you should first check out this comprehensive list of cougar dating sites, with the best reviews!
The next best thing to a friend-of-a-friend connection is a Facebook-friend-of-a-Facebook-friend connection. As of June 30, 2016, Costa Rica had an estimated 2.9 million Facebook users, which means there’s ample opportunity to connect with women through the site. Sure, it’s not the same level of familiarity as in-person connections, but it makes you a little less of a stranger to prospective dates, and every little bit helps.
So the people you meet at the bars and coffee shops (including the people that work there)—add them to your social media accounts. And then add their friends.
Events
A fantastic way to immerse in the crowds of beautiful women in Costa Rica is to attend some of the many huge events that occur here throughout the year. There are many, including New Year’s Day, Mardi Gras, Holy Week, and too many more to mention, but we’ll highlight some of the biggies here.
First off, the big events held during Christmas and New Year’s Day provide great opportunities to meet women. Thousands of people come together for Las Fiestas de Zapote, the biggest bull riding event of the year. The live music, dancing, rides, and games draw lots of women to the small town of Zapote, just north of San Jose. Or join the huge crowd of people walking 15 miles from San Jose to the basilica in Cartago for The Fiesta of the Virgin of Los Angeles in August. You should be able to make at least a few female friends in 15 miles.
In September, make sure to show up for one of the Independence Day celebrations held nationwide. With all of the festivals, parades, lantern processions, and parties to choose from, you will find plenty of opportunities to mingle. This is a great time to join the excitement rippling throughout the country and to celebrate with the female population.
Another huge party to not miss is the Limon Carnival, which erupts on the Caribbean coast in October. Much like its Brazilian counterpart, the festival boasts a colorful parade, great food, and lively music. This week-long party and celebration of Caribbean culture draws masses of partygoers, many of them female.
Beaches
As Costa Rica is filled with bountiful nature, being outdoors is a great way to meet gorgeous women.
One such spot which attracts a bevy of beauties is Tamarindo Beach in Guanacaste. Surfers, sunbathers, and nature enthusiasts come in droves to the beach and the nearby national parks and mountains. If you don’t surf, hike, or enjoy the outdoors, the women who do are a good motivation to start.
Jaco Beach in the province of Puntarenas is also a great place for active singles to come together, as it has become a popular surf spot surrounded by mountains and wildlife, as well as a nightlife destination. Also, many of the beachy casual bars there offer ladies’ nights, and those can be good places to meet both locals and tourists.
Opportunities for interaction abound at Playa Hermosa in Guanacaste, where swimming, scuba diving, snorkeling, kayaking and windsurfing are only some of the offerings. Horseback riding is available nearby, as are excursions to a mangrove swamp and/or hot springs that are not too far away. Whatever your pleasure, you’re sure to find plenty of female companions to enjoy it with in this beautiful area.
Shopping
If you’re a typical guy who hates shopping, you might want to reconsider. Costa Rican clothing stores, shoe stores and souvenir shops are often staffed by women, providing you with a great opportunity to strike up a conversation. Obviously, 
selling you something and/or providing friendly customer service is part of their job, so don’t make assumptions, but don’t rule out the dating potential either. You would not be the first man to go into a store in search of pair of shoes and leave with the phone number of a future girlfriend.
Supermarkets are also not bad places to meet beautiful women who can help you find what you’re looking for, so to speak. It’s not abnormal for foreigners to be confused by signs written in Spanish and stores being organized differently from what they’re used to. It’s up to you not to be shy about asking the right questions.
Dance clubs
Nothing livens the spirit and gets the blood flowing like dancing, especially in Costa Rica. There is no shortage of gorgeous women flocking to dance clubs throughout the country, and dancing has a getting-to-know-you language all its own.
Some of the best known dance clubs, including Club Vertigo and Castro’s Discotheque, can be found here.
Club Vertigo hosts renowned DJs from around the world. The venue boasts multiple dance floors, giving you the chance to cover a lot of ground—and meet a lot of women.
Castro’s has a little something for everyone, from salsa to trance to reggaeton. Not only does this offer a nice variety of music, but a range of personalities as well.
Other popular dance venues throughout the country include Aqua Discotheque in Tamarindo, Club Rouge in San Rafael, and Miraflores Disco Club in Heredia.
At all of these clubs, you’re sure to cross paths (or dance steps) with many Costa Rican beauties. It’s up to you to find the ones who match your rhythm.
Live entertainment venues
Live entertainment venues offer a more relaxed atmosphere for those who are not into the dance club scene, and are just as popular among the ladies. You can find a little bit of everything in Costa Rica, when it comes to both entertainment and women.
For a sophisticated artsy experience, consider heading over the Teatro Nacional de Costa Rica in San Jose. You can find theatre, opera, a symphony orchestra, and many cultured ladies there.
If you’re more into the karaoke scene (and singing women), Costa Rica has plenty of that too. There’s Sharky’s in Tamarindo, Karaoke 88 in San Pedro, and the aforementioned Castro’s, to name a few.
Perhaps you’re most comfortable taking in live music at a lounge or bar. There are plenty of women in Costa Rica who feel that way, too. Some popular spots include the Jazz Café Club and Mundoloco El Chante, both in San Pedro, and El Cuartel in San Jose.
Ocean preservation projects
Ocean preservation projects held in Costa Rica offer opportunities to help protect the environment and also to meet caring, eco-conscious women.
A shared concern for the ecosystem is a great common bond to start off a friendship or more. These events can give you a chance to get to know environmentally-friendly women while taking part in a meaningful movement.
In September, Costa Rica takes part in the International Coastal Cleanup, and in December, Operation Rich Coast hosts the National Beach Clean Up Day. Both projects encourage residents and business professionals to come together to pick up trash at beaches throughout the country. This provides a great environment for service, community and mingling with the opposite sex.
With its vibrant activity and natural splendor, Costa Rica is sure to introduce you to an incredible vacation experience, and with these tips, some amazing ladies as well.
By Bart Logan
Sara Donald 