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

Preparing your trip

The more information you gather before traveling to a foreign country, the more open you can be to this new encounter and, of course, the better memories you can take home with you. The first thing to consider when the time of your holiday approaches is what to pack and what can be left at home.

Clothing

San José is an informal and casual city; you can wear jeans, and comfortable walking shoes almost everywhere. Formal attire is only used on special occasions, like in business travels, and exclusive dinners or concerts. The highland areas (Monteverde, Savegre Valley) can be cold, and a sweater is recommended. If you are traveling to the Chirripó National Park, you shall take warm clothes, gloves, and scarves, since you will be sleeping 3500 m (1,070.2 ft) above sea level with no heating systems in the shelter. For the lowland areas light, loose-fitting shirts and trousers are essential (the weather is hot, sunny, and in some areas, humid). For beach excursions you will need a "complete" swimsuit. Nude or topless swimming or sun bathing is not common. If you plan to hike in the national parks make sure you bring the appropriate walking shoes. A hat or cap is a must for preventing sunburn.

Don't forget to bring

A small backpack or travel bag for day tours, pocket knife, flashlight or torch, sandals for the beach, a pair of binoculars to observe animals, insect repellent, sunscreen lotion, insect repellent, and rainwear (umbrellas, raincoats, waterproof shoes). We recommend you bring plenty of film, as it can be expensive in Costa Rica. Rolls of film for slides are especially difficult to get hold of. An alarm clock may also come in handy. The electrical current throughout Costa Rica is the same as US-110 volt AC. Outlets are generally 2-pronged. A voltage converter is necessary in order to use 240/250-Volt AC-powered items.

Food & Drinks

Unlike other Latin American countries, Costa Rican food is not spicy or hot. There is a large variety of hot sauces available to add to your meal which allow for individual preferences. The most popular side dish is rice and beans (arroz y frijoles); together with meat, salad and plantains this makes up the full typical meal called "casado". The most traditional alcoholic drink is called "guaro", a clear spirit distilled from sugarcane. The quality of the domestic beers is excellent, as is the coffee liquor -"Café Rica". Fresh juices made of different tropical fruits are also common in Costa Rican tables and, of course, coffee is present everywhere.

Shopping

Costa Rican business hours vary according to the type of business. Government offices, professionals and service-orientated businesses maintain hours from 8:00 to 17:00 hours. Shops are generally open from 10:00 to 19:00 hours. The lunch period is usually 2 hours long. Most banks are open from 9:00 to 15:00 hours and do not close for lunch.