Bartering in Costa Rica
Introduction
People tend to not haggle in Costa Rica. Prices are as stated. When it comes to vagabonding in this country this is a slight obstacle.
Bartering in Costa Rica
I was told that bartering is not part of the cultural construction of Costa Ricans when I first arrived, but I did not believe it until I began getting stray looks for trying to get hotel rooms cheaper than the stated price.
“Well, maybe, but I will have to ask the owner,” the hotel managers would say. It seemed as if nobody ever offered a lower price for a room before. I soon began to realize that people in Costa Rica really do not barter.
It is true, to suggest a lower price for an object is an odd thing to do here. I have not experienced this before in Latin America, as I have usually- with a little crafty talk- been able to get everything from hotel rooms to meals for less than the stated price. This is the habit that I have gotten into while traveling, as I know that cheap can always be cheaper. In Costa Rica I have been rattled a little.
Costa Ricans do not Barter
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About the Author: Wade Shepard
Wade Shepard is an Ethnographic Journalist who has been traveling the world documenting his experiences and observations since 1999. He is the founder and editor of VagabondJourney.com and Vagabond Explorer Magazine. Read more about Wade on his about page, or connect with him on Twitter, Facebook, and Google+.
Wade Shepard is the author of 2508 articles on Vagabond Journey.
