edit Costa Rica Travel Guide

• Monteverde National Park- A haven for birdwatchers as it is one of the few places the Quetzal can still be seen, the "cloud forest" also has many hiking trails, excellent wildlife viewing and the best canopy tour in Costa Rica.
• Volcan Arenal- This volcano erupts frequently and there are many hotels which have an excellent view of the spewing hot lava and its amazing refection comming of lago arenal below, just try to plan you schedule so that you get there on a day that is not cloudy which is difficult as it is in the Monteverde cloud forest.
• Canopy Tour-Zip-line from tree to tree in the canopy of a dense rainforest, this is one of the most exhilerating activities in Costa Rica and some of the best companies run out of the Monteverde cloud forest. There are good companies all over but beware there are also cheap knock offs which do no offer the same thrills or sights.
• Tamarindo Crowded yes, but it got that way for a reason, Tamarindo has a great night life as well as many luxory resorts. One of the main attractions of Tamarindo is the surf which does get quite good (albiet infrequently), and the beautiful sunsets which can be viewed from the cresent shaped beach.
• Jaco Costa Rica's version of "surf city," this is a great place to catch some waves, party it up at the discoteca, as well as offering some great dining options.
• Manuel Antonio A great national park with clearly marked trails and a rain forest which comes right up to tropical beaches, be aware this is one of the most popular national parks in Costa Rica and the morning hours usually offer the best wildlife viewing as well as the least crowds

Visa Requirements

Citizens of these countries are allowed to stay for 90 days no Visa required: Argentina, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, France, Germany, Israel, Italy, Japan, the Netherlands, Panama, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Great Britan, and the USA

Citizens of these countries are allower to stay for 30 days no visa: Australia, Iceland, Ireland, Mexico, New Zealand, Russia, South Africa and Venezuela.

All other citizens require a visa.

Customs and Immigration

By plane

Juan Santamaría Airport (SJO) is located close to the cities Alajuela, Heredia and the capital San José.

SJO is currently under reconstruction. The dimly lit but otherwise pleasant airport features the normal assortment of duty-free shops but an inadequate selection of overpriced restaurants (Church's Chicken, Burger King and a fast-food pizza joint). SJO is serviced daily by American Airlines, Continental Airlines, Delta Airlines,Iberia, Thomas Cook, Martinair ,Spirit Airlines, United Airlines, US Airways, Air Canada as well as Taca and Copa Airlines. Connecting the airport with cities such as: Los Angeles, New York, Houston, Dallas, Miami, Philadelphia, Charlotte, Atlanta, Phoenix, Orlando, Chicago, Newark, Toronto, Montreal, Madrid, Frankfurt, Bogota, Caracas, Lima, Guayaquil, Quito, and all Central America. Frontier Airlines is slated to begin non-stop service from Denver on November 30th, 2007 and will fly to SJO 5 days a week.

There is a US $26 exit fee at the Juan Santamaría Airport. This must be paid in cash, or by Visa (in which case it will be processed as a cash advance). The fee can also be paid in advance at some hotels.

Daniel Oduber Quirós International Airport (LIR) is near Liberia in the Guanacaste province. This airport is closest to the Pacific Northwest coast. Liberia receives flights from Delta, American, United, Continental, Air Canada, Sky Service (charter), and First Choice (charter). Connecting the airport with cities like: Atlanta, Los Angeles, Chicago, Miami, Houston, Dallas, Newark, Toronto, Vancouver, Calgary, London, etc.

Sometimes cheaper flights may be founf to LIR over San Jose, and if your trip is based around the beaches this will help you avoid the busy city of San Jose which is about 6 hours away from the beaches of the Pacific Northwest.

By car

(Panamerican Highway) runs through Costa Rica and is the main entry point by car. The border post in the north (to Nicaragua) is called Peñas Blancas and in the south (to Panamá) Paso Canoas. Virtually all travel out of the capital (except to the Caribbean side) will involve travelling this road. There are many speed traps along this major artery, as well as some random police checks for seat belts and, especially near the borders, for valid travel documents. The highway speed is 80km/h, but since the Interamericana (a.k.a. Highway #1) passes through innumerable small towns the speed frequently drops to 50 or even 30 km/h as you suddenly find yourself in a school zone. Most of the highway is not divided. A common indicator that a police checkpoint is ahead is that oncoming cars flick their lights at you. Drivers also appear to flick their lights sometimes when someone has overtaken them. A speeding ticket is approximately 40,000 Colons (US $80), and although the police are generally congenial, foreign drivers are occasionally illegally offered an "on the spot" fine that is half that or less.

Many Costa Rican roads are in terrible shape, and short distances can take a very long time. Even the only road in and out of popular tourist destinations are riddled with major potholes. To avoid potholes, drivers will often snake through the left and right lanes, usually returning to the right when oncoming traffic approaches. While this may seem erratic to North American drivers, one becomes quickly accustomed to it. Driving at night is highly inadvisable due to the unpredictability of road conditions and lack of safety features such as guard rails on the many hairpin turns in the hills.

Many roads are unpaved, and even the paved roads have lots of unpaved sections and washed out or unfinished bridges. Bridges are often only wide enough for one vehicle; one direction usually has priority. Do not expect to get anywhere quickly, supposed 3 hour journeys can turn into 5 or more hours easily: there are always slow cars/buses/trucks on the road. This causes a lot of crazy driving, which you begin to emulate if you are in-country for more than a day. The government does not seem to be fixing the infrastructure well (or at all!) 50km/hr is good over unpaved roads, you hit a resonance frequency where the damping factor of the suspension matches the undulations of the road and you have a smooth ride.

Navigation can prove challenging. Road signs are relatively few, and those that do exist can be inaccurate. It is recommended that you have a good road map with the small towns listed, since road signs will often only indicate the next town, not the direction of the next major city. Towns generally do not have town-limit signs; you are best to look at the names on the roadside food stores and restaurants to determine the place you are passing.

There are no formal street addresses in Costa Rica, but two informal systems systems exist. The first (often used in tourist information) indicates the road on which the establishment is located (e.g. "6th Avenue") together with the crossroad interval (e.g. "between 21st and 23rd Streets"). In practice, street signs are virtually non-existent, and locals do not even know the name of the street they are on. The second system, which is much more reliable and understood by locals, is known as the "Tico address", usually involving an oriented distance (e.g. "100 meters south, 50 meters east") from a landmark (e.g. "the cathedral").

It is worth noting the particular road naming system in San Jose. Avenues run east-west and streets run north-south. The numbering is less straighforward. Starting at Central Avenue going South are 2nd, 4th, 6th Avenue, etc. while going North are 1st, 3rd, 5th, etc. Streets use even numbers going west, and odd numbers going east. This means that if you are at 7th Avenue and 4th Street, and looking for 6th Avenue and 5th Street, you are on the wrong side of town.

Gas stations are full service and the guys there are very cool about taking dollars or Colón(es). The interesting thing is that Costa Rica is small so you do not burn a lot of gas getting places even though it seems like forever. Costa Rica is also land of the traffic circles so people from Europe should have no problem but North Americans should make sure they know how they work

By bus

There are bus services from the neighboring countries of Panamá, Nicaragua, Honduras, El Salvador and Guatemala. Check out companies such as ticabus and nicabus

There is an extensive network of bus routes within the country with reasonable fares. Departures are very punctual, though routes often take longer than expected. Stop by the Tourist Office downtown (underneath the Gold Museum in the Plaza--ask anyone and they'll be able to help you out) and get a detailed schedule. The bus system is a safe and even fun way to see a lot of the country cheaply and not have to worry about car rentals. It is highly recommended! If using the bus routes within the country, some ability to speak and understand Spanish may be necessary, although most are friendly enough to be able to help you out.

By train

Not available

Economy

Banking

You can find ATMs in most places. They normally dispense US Dollars and Colones.

Currency

The local currency is Colón(es) named after Columbus (Spanish: Colón). The rate of change is about 518 Colones for 1 US Dollar (June 2007). But note that the use of US Dollars is quite common, in fact, in the tourist setting, almost everything is priced in Dollars.

Credit Cards

Visa and MasteCard are both accepted in most major cities and tourist destinations. American Express is accepted but much less frequently than other credit cards. It is a good idea to always carry some cash on you as many smaller stores and restraunts do not accept credit cards.

Tax

Tipping

10% is seen as a fair tip for good serivce and tipping is the norm in this service oriented country.

Shopping

Costs

Holidays and Celebrations

• New Years AKA Ano Nuevo January 1st
• Semana Santa This is a holy week that varies in dates from March to April; things to know is that buses do not run on the Thursday or Friday before Easter and that bars are closed and the selling of alcohol is not allowed
• Dia de la Raza a large and very exciting festival that takes place on the Carribean Coast in Puerto Limon
• Navidad Know to us English speakers as Christmas, dont expect many places to be open or the buses to be running as usual on this national holliday
  

Language

Spanish is the main language in Costa Rica. All major newspapers and official business are conducted in Spanish. English is used widely in areas populated by international tourists, and information for tourists is often bilingual or exclusively in English. A number of businesses operated by European proprietors can accommodate guests in Spanish, English and their native languages.

Some Costa Rican expressions:

• Ma'e, used akin to the English word "dude", although literally meaning something more like "idiot". Generally spoken among friends. It's pronounced 'my'.

• Pura vida, literally translated as "pure life," is an expression endemic to Costa Rica. It can be used in several contexts, as an expression of enthusiasm, agreement, or salutation. It's pronounced 'poora veeda'.

• Pulpería, a general store.

• Tuanis, means "OK". Taken from English phrase "too nice".

A prevalent version of slang in Costa Rica, and other regions of Latin America, is called "pachuco" or "pachuquismo," and is used by across social classes and understood as a "friendly" way of speaking.

The "tu" form is not commonly used in Costa Rica (or in Central America generally). Some people use the alternate informal "vos" but others consider it impolite and simply always use the "usted" form even with close friends. "Vosotros" is practically nonexistent.

In general Costa Rican food is bland you can expect black beans and white rice with just about every meal, however it should be noted that the Carribean Coast has much more flavorful food with Carribean Island style food.

Types of Restaurants

• Sodas Are cheap yet often delicious cafe's that often serve big meals at very good prices
• Restraunts especially in tourists areas will often charge you up to 23% tax,much of this tax can be avoided by going to a smaller take out restraunt or Soda

Types of Food

• Casados literally meaning married this is is the typical lunch (and often for dinner) of Costa Ricans consists of white rice, black beans, and your choice of meat with fried plantains on the side...most Sodas serve casados and they are typically very filling and inexpensive ($2-5 USD)
• Gallo Pinto The typical breakfast of Costa Rica, and this actually contains a bit more flavor than most Costa Rican dishes, it consists of spiced (not spicy) black beans, white rice and eggs. This meal is cheap and filling.
• Trits An ice-cream sandwhich made by Dos Pinos company, Trits are hands down the tastiest ice cream sandwhich on earth and cost about $1.00 USD...Trits are also one of the most popular surfer snacks in the country and it has been rumored that John Griffin (Pro-Surfer) once ate 5 Trits in a single day.

Etiquette

Drinks

On the non alcoholic side make sure you try liquados or batidos which are fruit shakes and just plain delicious.

On the alcoholic side Costa Rica has several good beers including: Plisner, Bavaria, and of course Imperial which is more synonomysis with Costa Rica than their flag.

You can stay anywhere from no frills shared bathroom dorms for less than $5.00 USD a day all the way up to hundreds if it is at one of themany all inclusive luxory resorts.

Phones

Public phones are accessed with calling cards (tarjetas telefonicas) which can be purchased at most shops, even in outlying areas.

There are three different types of pay-phones:

• Coin phones. Note that these only accept the older silver-colored coins.

• Chip phones. These phones allow you to insert a chip-type calling card into them and make your calls.

• Colibri phones. These phones have a small swipe bar for a scratch off type calling card referred to as a Colibri calling card which are available from 500 colones and up. Note that I've never encountered a swipe that actually works--you always have to enter the calling card access code on the keypad. Despite this, the Colibri calling card is the recommended one to buy as you can use it any of the types of phones whereas with a chip card you must search for a chip phone.

Both types of calling cards are typically available in pharmacies and other locations where you see the sticker on the door.

Domestic calls are quite cheap but vary with distance. Calls to cellular phones are charged significantly more though.

International calls are fairly expensive. The cheapest way to make them is over the internet using a service such as Skype at an Internet café. But making short calls using the domestic calling cards (you can make international calls using these but the denominations of the calling cards are quite small so your call with be short!) or the international calling cards available within Costa Rica (all from the government phone monopoly ICE) is the next best deal. Certainly better than credit card calls or using a US calling card generally.

Mobile phone service in Costa Rica is provided by Grupo I.C.E. using GSM technology at 1800 MHz. Roaming is possilbe with a GSM handset but can be expensive. Note that the GSM phone systems in the United States and Canada use different frequencies and that travelers from there will need a "world" handset. You should check with your provider beforehand. Prepaid Sim cards are not available in Costa Rica.

All reports indicate that most of the country lacks GSM coverage (including most of the capital), and that TDMA coverage is much better. Non-residents may rent cell phone service, and of course anyone an buy a cell phone, but you must be a documented resident of the country to own your own cell phone number, and even then you will only get one if there are numbers available. There usually are not. Grupo ICE is a government-sanctioned monopoly, and they prefer not to overextend their resources.

Internet

Internet is wideley available in most tourist towns and other large cities. Expect to pay between $1.00 and $3.00 USD per hour.

Crime

Violent crime is uncommon, however precautions should be taken in large cities late at night. Much more frequent is theivery which seems to occur all over Costa Rica, you are advised to keep a close eye on your belongings especially when using public transportation or staying in hostels.

Emergency

Police

Often sighted pulling over tourists driving rental cars and allowing them to pay their fines immediatley (AKA bribes), the police are generally kind and non-aggressive but do often give fake traffic violations in expectation of a bribe, some have found negotiating works well.

Fire Department

Hospitals

In general the hospitals in Costa Rica are state of the art and their doctors are very well educated.

Gays and lesbians

Costa Rica is widely known as the most tolerant of Latin American countries for Gay and Lesbian travelers but caution should still be exercised. There is a thriving gay scene in San Jose with many gay and lesbian options for nightlife (La Avispa, Club Oh!, bochinche among others). The Manuel Antonio and Quepos area is also a favorite spot with several gay hotels, a gay bar and a nude mostly gay beach, Playita.

Illicit drugs and prostitution

Smoking

Keep in mind the pet peeve most tourists have with tico kindness: often times when a tico has no idea where a certain destination you may have had in mind is, he or she will simply direct you to a random location. Often simply incomprehensible, these directions are a reflection on the cultural approach to kindness many Costa Ricans adopt. Ask for directions from several different people if you aren't convinced by the first answer you get.

By plane

By train

By car

For 350-700 USD a week you can rent a econocar/mid size 4WD. Insurance is the majority of this cost and it is not optional. 4 wheel drive is good for extensive traveling outside the Central Valley, especially in the wet season. In the dry season going from La Fortuna to Monteverde via a direct route was over a boulder strewn 15-30 MPH road. 4WD was also useful on the Nicoya coast.(above based on 2001 roads)

Due to the condition of most roads outside San Jose, car insurance, even with a zero-deductible option, generally does not cover tires and rims. Car rental companies requires a guaranty deposit from 750 USD during the rental period and a credit card is necessary for this process. Using an insurance program provided by some types of gold or platinum credit cards is a good advantage since these credit cards would cover small scratches, small dents as well as the entire rented vehicle in case of collision or theft.

By Taxi

Another easy way to get around Costa Rica is to use the services of mini-vans. At most of the hotels, the receptionist is able to assist travelers who want to travel across the country by arranging for the services of a driver. Rates are reasonable (US$29 per person, for example, to get from San Jose to Tamarindo in April 2007) The drivers know the roads well; the vans are clean and comfortable; and they take you from door to door.

Taxis are available in most large cities. They are usually inexpensive, charging only a few dollars to get most anywhere within the city. The meter is called "la maria"; ask the driver to turn it on immediately upon getting in the car, or he may leave it off and make up his own, more expensive, price when you get to your destination. Official taxis are red with a yellow triangle on the side. If you are alone, especially if you are female, ride in the back seat as riding in the front with the driver can be seen as suggestive.

By bus

Most major tourist destinations in Costa Rica are serviced by at least two daily buses from and to San Jose. The advantages of public transportation in Costa Rica are that tickets are cheap (rarely more than $7 US per person) and they cover most towns around the country.

By thumb

If you choose to hitchhike, Costa Ricans are generally very friendly and helpful, particularly in more rural areas where traffic on the dirt roads can be light. As always, be gracious and offer a bit of money, which will probably be declined.