Last updated on June 23rd, 2021 at 07:47 pm EST
You can rely on us
From our experience both as corporate contributors to the Costa Rican tourism industry as well as tour, transportation service, and hotel consumers as travelers, we have learned a lot about travel in Costa Rica. Unfortunately, as we continue to research tourism companies and the industry overall, we routinely find that many third-party companies are not being completely honest with tourists. While most companies don’t lie overtly, some have websites that omit important information, and others use slimy (albeit legal) techniques to grab extra money however they can. Since we work to support travelers, we’re focused on what’s best for you. In doing so, we vow to be 100% honest.
There are a number of ways we provide 100% honesty assurance. Please take a moment to become familiar with the methods outlined below. You should be able to trust any company you choose to work with, and we hope our honesty assurance will build your confidence in us.
We do not overexaggerate who we are or what we do
And, we’re proud to say that we’re nearly the only online third-party company to do so. Most third-party websites list the tours they sell but fail to acknowledge the name of the actual tour operator. Instead, the third-party companies advertise tours and services as if they’re their own, discussing the details of the tour without any mention of the actual provider, which is awfully misleading.
In contrast, we recognize the importance of full disclosure. When you come across a Costa Rica day tour listed in our online Discount Database, you’ll always find the name of the tour operator on the page. In fact, we provide the information as clearly as we can by included it with the title of the tour (the text that follows “Operated by” is the name of the tour operator). This way, not only will you know in advance that we don’t run the tour directly, but you’ll have the name of the company that does, so you’re free to research their operation and reputation. We will never hide this important information from you, and quite frankly, we don’t understand why other companies do.
We are upfront about our business model and company operations
We have acknowledged our position within the Costa Rican tourism industry as a third-party company to tour operators (though we argue that our operation is very different; please see the How We’re Different page for details). Also, our website clearly outlines how we operate (see the How Pura Vida! eh? Works page for a step-by-step breakdown of our operation), and we offer several resources to further support you, including a thorough Frequently Asked Questions page, a Tour Pricing and Tax Information Page, and a Questions and Answers Forum. In short, we are a no-secrets, no-surprises kind of company!
We have set realistic, and thus obtainable, goals
Have you ever come across a company that promises you this, that, and the moon? Beware of deals and specials that seem too good to be true because they usually are. At the same time, though, don’t be afraid of our discounts. We’ve spent years working with some of the best tour operators in Costa Rica, negotiating low prices for their day tours and developing a formula that allows us to regularly help travelers like you save money. And, that’s it! No funny business or scams, just dedicated business without an insane amount of greed. To learn more about how our discounts are actually our own profits that we’ve opted to give to you, see our How We’re Different page.
We don’t offer vacation packages
While not all vacation packages are bad news, fixed packages can lead to overspending. You may end up paying more for a group of trip items that, individually, can be obtained for less. Think about it, when you pay a lump sum for your trip, how will you know if a company has charged an extra $20.00, $50.00, $100.00, or $250.00 on top of the actual cost of the package? You won’t know, which is why we recommend that you build your own trip to Costa Rica piece by piece (i.e., price by price). This is why we stick to offering discounts for individually-priced day tours, which are accessed by Costa Rica-bound travelers who aren’t afraid to take vacation planning into their own hands, keeping much of their money in their own pockets during the process.
We let travelers’ reviews and testimonials speak for themselves
Want a second opinion? Good for you for asking (it’s important!). For confirmations of our trustworthiness and years of great service, please browse our Reviews page.
