When I first arrived to Costa Rica and people said, “Would you like to go to the mall?” I found what I was thinking is completely different than what they were thinking. I was thinking of a two or three story building with tons of stores and a movie theater. What they were thinking of was three mom and pop stores right next to each other in an outside plaza. So when someone told me about Escazu Multi Plaza Mall I thought it was just going to be another compilation of mom and pop shops. I was so pleasantly surprised when I arrived.

In the Multi Plaza you can find a wide variety of shops. On the top floor you can find a small pet shop that sells a variety of dogs from German Shepards, to Golden Retrievers and even French Poodles. They even had some very cute Hedge Hogs for sale. There is a variety of electronic stores but I find the prices are a lot higher than you can find in other countries. One example of this I found a camera that was selling for around five hundred dollars here in Costa Rica I found the same camera selling for around two hundred and fifty dollars in the United States.

One nice thing is that there is also a grocery store and pharmacy in the mall, so it can be a one stop shopping experience. There is also a movie theater located in the top floor of the mall. Though sometimes it can be hard deciding on a movie because many of the movies are dubbed, you will also notice that the movies that are not dubbed in Spanish have Spanish subtitles. Another hard part of choosing a movie with a family is that the Costa Rican rating system is different from that in the United States. A rated “R” movie in the United States may be rated for 12 and over in Costa Rica. So be careful when choosing your flick.

Restaurants in the mall are somewhat disappointing if you are looking for a variety since most of the restaurants are typical Costa Rican food. You can always eat at the food court but your choices will be severally limited to fast food. On the lower floor you can find one of the best Bakery’s in the area called “Te Con Te”. If you get a chance try out the Devil’s Chocolate Cake. It has a delightful whipped frosting and the cake itself is very moist. Also on the lower level you will find a gun shop where you can purchase a pistol, rifle or even a semi-automatic rifle. 

Malls are something that you may not realize that we take for granted till you get to Costa Rica and though it may not feel the same as the malls back home you will find they still have plenty to offer. Though some things you will find cost more than in the States, you will also be able to find great deals. A ticket to the movies, for example, costs just under $4, so if you are in the area and looking for a place to do some shopping why not stop at the Multi Plaza Escazu.