Before leaving your country
Travel safe in Costa Rica
Cultural Awareness
Preparing your trip
Embassies
Fast Facts

Cultural Awareness

An open mind and tolerant spirit are the best allies for a successful trip. Holidays involve new encounters, surprises and, more often than not, unexpected situations. Your attitude towards new, unfamiliar experiences plays a key role in the impressions you have in a foreign country.

Follow these few tips to get the most out of your trip to Costa Rica.

• Try to speak at least the basic words in Spanish: local people will appreciate your efforts and it is also a way of showing your interest for the country.
• The road infrastructure (street conditions and road signalization) in Costa Rica is not very developed, so be patient when traveling within the country.
• Costa Rican lifestyle tends to be more laidback than that of European or North American countries. Be patient if things take longer to be done than in your home country.
• To have a closer approach to the country you are visiting, establish contact if possible with the communities near the hotels you are staying at.
• National realities are complex; even if you do not understand certain situations or people’s behaviors, do not judge them based on a first impression.
• Be spontaneous and friendly; people notice it.
• Be positive and especially patient with the unexpected, remember that language and cultural barriers do exist.
• Do not expect things or people to be like they are at home: the magic of traveling relies on discovering the world’s differences.