Turn Right at the Big Mango Tree

Finding your way in Costa Rica

One of the first things you learn after moving to Costa Rica is that an address is not always an address.

Back home, we’re used to something like: 123 Main Street, Apartment 4B. It’simple, efficient, and a GPS can find it. But here?

“Go 300 meters north of the school, turn right at the big mango tree, cross the little bridge, and when you see the blue house, you’re almost there.”

Easy, right? Well, maybe.

The problem is: Which school? Which mango tree? And is the blue house still blue? Did the bridge survive the last rainy season? Is the cow still standing in the same place?

In Costa Rica, directions are less about coordinates and more about storytelling. Landmarks become part of the map. A giant tree, a soda, a church, that boulder with petroglyphs, a neighbor everyone knows — these are the signposts of daily life.

Distances are flexible too. “It’s just 10 minutes from here” could mean 10 minutes in a car, 10 minutes on foot, or 10 minutes if the road is dry and you don’t get distracted by a toucan, a beautiful view, or someone stopping to chat.

And yet, somehow it works. Because behind every unusual set of directions is a little piece of Costa Rican culture: a community where people know each other, where places have stories, and where getting a little lost can become the best part of the journey.

After all, in Costa Rica, the destination is important…but the adventure getting there is the real pura vida. ❤️

---

Gracias, amigas y amigos!