Before leaving your country
Travel safe in Costa Rica
Cultural Awareness
Preparing your trip
Embassies
Fast Facts
Fast Facts
VISAS OVERVIEW
Visa requirements for Costa Rica change rapidly so check with your consulate before leaving. Currently citizens of the USA, Argentina, Brazil, Canada, Israel, Japan, Panama, South Korea, Uruguay, the UK, France and most other western European countries do not need a visa for a 90-day stay. Citizens of Australia, Iceland, Ireland, Mexico, New Zealand, Russia, South Africa, Vatican City and most of Eastern Europe and Latin America can stay 30 days without a visa. If you do need a visa, it will cost approximately 20.00 from a Costa Rican consulate.
If you overstay your visa or entry stamp, you will have to pay around $45 for an exit visa and a nominal fee for each extra month you've stayed. If you need to get an exit visa, a travel agent in San José can usually get one for you for a small fee and save you the hassle of dealing with Immigration. If you want to stay longer than the validity of your entry stamp or visa, the easiest thing to do is cross the border into Panamá or Nicaragua for 72 hours and then re-enter Costa Rica on a new entry stamp or visa. However, be careful. Periodically, the Costa Rican government has cracked down on "perpetual tourists", and if it notice a continued pattern of exits and entries designed simply to support an extended stay, it may deny you re-entry.
WATER
Though the water in San José is generally safe to drink, water quality varies outside the city. Because many travelers have tender digestive tracts, we recommend playing it safe and sticking to bottled drinks as much as possible and avoiding ice.
USEFUL PHONE NUMBERS
For directory assistance, call 113; for international directory assistance, call 124; for the exact time, call 112.
TIPPING
Tipping is not necessary in restaurants, where a 10% service charge is always added to your bill (along with a 13% tax). If service was particularly good, you can leave a little at your own discretion, but it is not mandatory. Porters and bellhops get around 75¢ per bag. You don't need to tip a taxi driver unless the service has been superior, a tip is not usually expected.
TIME
Costa Rica is on central standard time(same as Chicago and St Luis), 6 hours behind Greenwich mean time. Costa Rica does not use daylaight saving time, so the time difference is an additional hour from April through October.
PHONES AND FAXES
Costa Rica has an excellent phone system, with a dial tone similar to that heard in the United States. All phone numbers in Costa Rica have seven digits. For information, dial 113.
A pay phone costs around 20 colones(3¢) per minute. Pay phones will either take a calling card or 5-, 10-, 20-colón coins. Calling cards are becoming more and more prominent and you can purchase them in a host of gift shops and pharmacies. However, there are several competing calling-card companies and certain cards work only with certain phones. Others work with complicated touch-tone dialing sequences. Moreover, pay phones are generally hard to find and frequently unreliable. It is often best to call from your hotel, although you will likely be charged around 100-200 colones per call.
For making international calling-card and collect calls, you can reach an AT&T operator by dialing 0-800-011-4114, MCI by calling 0-800-012-2222, Sprint by dialing 0-800-013-0123, Canada Bell by dialing 0-800-015-1161, British Telecom by dialing 0-800-044-1044, and a Costa Rican International operator by dialing 116(pay phoe may sometimes required a coin deposit).
The Costa Rican telephones system allows direct international dialing, but it's expensive. To get an international line, dial 00 followed by the country code(1 for U.S.) and number.
You can make international phone calls, as well as send faxes from the ICE office, Avenida 2 between Calles 1 and 3, in San José (506/255-0444). The office is open daily from 7:00am to 10:00pm. Faxes cost around 2 dollars per page to the United States.(Many hotels will also offer the same service for a fee). Radiográfica 506/287-0087, at Calle 1 and Avenida5 in San José, also has fax service.
To call Costa Rica from the United States, dial the international access code, 011, followed by the country code 506, then the local number.
WIRING MONEY AND TELEGRAMS
Western Union(800/777-7777 in Costa Rica or 506/283-6336) has numerous offices around San José and several major towns and cities around the country. It offers a secure and rapid, although pricey, money-wire service, as well as telegram service. A 100 dollars wire will cost 15 dollars and a 1000 dollars wire will cost around 50 dollars. Radiográfica 506/287-0087, at Calle 1 and Avenida 5 in San José also has telegram service.
TAXIS
Taxis are commond and inexpensive in San José but harder to find and more expensive in rural areas. In San José, taxis are supposed to charge metered fares. Outside of the city and on longer rides, be sure to agree on a price beforehand.
TAXES
All hotels charge 16.3% tax. Restaurants charge 13% tax and also add on a 10% service charge, for a total of 23% more on your bill. There in an airpot departure tax of 17 dollars.The departure tax is actually a separate little piece of paper that you must fill out(name, passport number, etc) and that has a few official governmental stamps on the back. The tax/piece of paper is turned into immigration after check in, as you enter the gate area. You must pay this tax prior to departure. You can by the stamps at most travel agencies in San José. We no longer recommend purchasing them from the independent agents roaming around passanger drop-off points at the airport. Although it's generally safe, there have been instances where they have sold already-canceled stamps, which were then not accepted inside the airport and the unwitting traveler has had to pay the tax twice.
SAFETY
Though most of Costa Rica is safe, crime has become much more common in recent years. San José is known for its pickpockets, so never carry a wallet in your back pocket. A woman should keep a tight grip on her purse(keep it tucked under your arm). Thieves also target gold chains, cameras and video cameras, prominent jewlery and nice sunglasses. Be sure not to leave valuables in your hotel room. Don't park a car on the street in Costa Rica, especially in San José; there are plenty of public parking lots around the city.
Rental cars generally stick out and they are easily spotted by thieves, who know that such cars are likely full of expensive camera equipment, money and other valuables. Don't ever leave anything of value in a car parked on the street, not ever for a moment.
Public intercity buses are also frequented targets of stealthy thieves. Never check your bags into the hold of a bus if you can avoid it. If this can't be avoided, keep your eye on what leaves the hold. If you put your bags in an overhead rack, be sure you can see the bags at all times, Try not to fall sleep.
REST ROOMS
These are known as sanitarios or baños. They are damas(women) and hombres or caballeros(men). Public rest rooms are hard to come by. You will almost never find a public rest room in a city park or downtown area. There are usually rest rooms at most national park entrances and much less frequently inside the national park(there are usually plenty of trees and bushes). In the towns and cities it gets much trickier. One must count on the generosity of some hotel or restaurant. Same goes for most beaches. However, most restaurants and to a lesser degree hotels, will let you use their facilities, especially if you buy a soft drink or something. Bus and gas stations often have rest rooms, but many of these are pretty grim.
RADIO/TV
There are about 10 local TV channels; cable and satellite TV from the United States are also common. There are scores of radio stations on the AM and FM dials.
POLICE
In most cases dial 911 for the police, and you should be able to get someone who speaks English on the line. Other numbers for the Judicial Police are 506/222-1365 and 506/221-5337. The numbers for the Traffic Police(Policía de Tránsito) are 506/222-9330 and 506/222-9245
NEWS PAPERS AND MAGAZINES
There are six Spanish-language dailies in Costa Rica and one English-language weekly, the Tico Times. In addition, you can get Time, Newsweek and several U.S. newspapers at some hotel gift shops and a few of the bookstores in San José.
Mail to the United States usually takes a little over a week to reach its destination. At press time, it cost 70 colones(23¢) to mail a letter to the United States; 90 colones(30¢) to Europe; 55 colones(18¢) for a postcard.
If you are sending mail to Costa Rica, it generally takes between 10 and 14 days to reach San José, although it takes as much as a month to get to the more remote corners of the country. Plan ahead. Also, note that many hotels and ecolodges have mailing addresses in the United States. Always use these addresses when writing from North America or Europe. Never send cash, checks or valuables trough the Costa Rican mail system.
LIQUOR LAWS
Alcoholic beverages are sold every day of the week throughout the year, with the exception of the 2 days before Easter and the 2 days before and after a presidential election. The legal drinking age is 18, though it's almost never enforced.
LAUNDRY
Laundromats are few and far between in Costa Rica, more common are hotel laundry services, which can sometimes be expensive.
LANGUAGE
Spanish is the official language in Costa Rica. However, in most tourist areas, you'd be surprised by how well Costa Ricans speak English.
INTERNET ACCESS
Staying connected on the road is getting easier. Internet cafes have poped up at most major tourist destination. Many hotels allow guest to send and receive e-mail. It's best to set up a free Webbase mail account with someone like Hotmail, Yahoo, Netscape, etc, before you leave for Costa Rica, since you are most likely to have only Web(and nor POP) access. Rates run between $1 and $4 per hour.
INFORMATION
In the United States or Canada, you can get a basic packet of information on Costa Rica by contacting the Costa Rica Tourist Board(ICT or Instituto Costarricense de Turismo) at 800/343-6332. Much of the same information is available at its website www.tourism-costarica.com.
HOLIDAYS
Because Costa Rica is a Roman Catholic country, most of its holidays are church-related. The biggest are Christmas, New Year's and Eastern, which are celebrated for several days. Keep in mind that Holy Week(Easter Week) is the biggest holyday time in Costa Rica, and many families head for the beach. Also, there is no public transportation on Holy Thursday or Good Friday. Government offices and banks are closed on official holidays, transportation services are reduced and stores and markets may also close.
Oficial Holidays in Costa Rica include:
January 1: New Year's Day
March 19: St Joseph's Day, Thursday and Friday of Holy Week.
April 11: Juan Santamaría's Day
May 1: Labor Day
June 29: Saints Peter and Paul's Day
July 25: Annexation of the province of Guanacaste
August 2: Virgin of Los Angeles's Day
August 15: Mother's Day
September 15: Independence Day
October 12: Discovery of América/ Día de la Raza
December 8: Immaculate Conception of the Virgin Mary
December 24 and 25: Christmas
December 31: New Year's Eve
EMERGENCIES
In case of emergency, dial 911(which should have an English-speaking operator); for an ambulance call 128; to report fire call 118; if 911 doesn't work, you can contact the police at 506/222-1365 or 506/221-5337 and hopefully they can find someone who speaks english.
ELECTRICITY
The standard in Costa Rica is the same as in the United States: 110 volts AC(60 cycles). However, three-pronged outlets can be scare, so it's helpful to bring along an adapter.
DRUG LAW
Drug Laws in Costa Rica are strict, so stay away from marijuana and cocaine. Many prescription drugs are sold over the counter here, but often the names are different from those in the United States and Europe. It's always best to have a prescription from a doctor.
DRIVING RULES
Getting around
By Plane:
Flying is one of the best ways to get around Costa Rica. Because the country is quite small, flights are short and not too expensive.
The domestic airlines of Costa Rica are Sansa(www.flysansa.com), which offers a free shuttle bus from its downtown office to airport, an Travelair(www.travelair-costarica.com).
Sansa operates from San José's Juan Santamaría International Airport, while Travelair operates from Tobías Bolaños Airport in Pava, 4 miles(6.4km) from San José.
By Bus:
This is by far the most economical way to get around Costa Rica. Buses are inexpensive and relatively well maintained, and they go nearly everywhere. There are three types:
Local buses are the cheapest and slowest; they stop frequently and are generally a bit dilapidated.
Express buses run between San José and most beach towns and major cities; they sometimes operate only on weekends and holidays.
Luxury buses and minibuses drive to destinations frequented by foreign travelers.
By Car:
Renting a car in Costa Rica is no idle proposition. The roads are riddled with potholes, most rural intersections are unmarked and for some reason, sitting behind the wheel of a car seems to turn paceful Ticos into homicidal maniacs. But unless you want to see the country from the window of a bus or pay exorbitant amounts for private transfers(expensive), renting a car is still your best option for independent exploring. Four-wheel-drives are particularly useful in the rainy season(May to November) and for navigating the bumpy, poorly paved roads year-round.
Be forewarned, however: Although rental cars no longer bear special license plates, they are still readily identifiable to thieves and frequiently targeted. Transit police also seem to target tourist. Never pay money directly to a police officer who stops you for any traffic violation.
Before driving off whith a rental car, be sure that you inspect the exterior and point out to the rental-company representative avery tiny scratch, dent, tear or any other damage. It is a common practice with many Costa Rican car-rental companies to claim that you owe payment for minor dings and dents the company finds when you return the car. Also, inf you get into an accident, be sure that the rental company doest't try to bill you for a higher amount than the deductible on your rental contract.
These caveats aren't meant to scare you off from driving in Costa Rica. Thousands of tourist rent cars here every year and the large majority of them ecounter no problems. Just keep your wits about you.
DOCUMENTS REQUIRED
Citizens of United States, Canada, Great Britain and most European nations my visit Costa Rica for a maximum of 90 days. No visa is necessary, but you must have a valid passport(U.S citizens can enter with just a valid photo ID and copy of their birth certificate, but we still recommend bringing a passport). Citizens of Australia and New Zeland can enter the contry without a visa and stay for 30 days. Citizens of Republic of Ireland need a visa, a valid passport and a round-trip ticket in order to enter.
If you overstay your visa or entry stamp, you will have to pay around $45 for an exit visa and a nominal fee for each extra month you've stayed. If you need to get an exit visa, a travel agent in San José can usually get one for you for a small fee and save you the hassle of dealing with Immigration. If you want to stay longer than the validity of your entry stamp or visa, the easiest thing to do is cross the border into Panamá or Nicaragua for 72 hours and then re-enter Costa Rica on a new entry stamp or visa. However, be careful. Periodically, the Costa Rican gouvernment has cracked down on "perpetual tourists", and if it notice a continued pattern of exits and entries designed simply to support an extended stay, it may deny you re-entry.
CLIMATE
Costa Rica is a tropical country and has distinct wet and dry seasons. However, some regions are rainy all year and others are very dry and sunny for most of the year. Temperatures vary primarily with elevation, not with season: On coasts it is hot all year, while up in the mountain it can be cool at night any time of year. At the highest elevations(10 000-12 000ft), frost is common.
Generally speaking, the rainy season(or "green season") is from May to mid-November. Costa Ricans call this wet time of year their winter. The dry season, considered summer by Costa Ricans, is from mid-November through April. In Guanacaste, the dry northwestern province, the dry season lasts several weeks longer than in other places. Even in the rainy seasos, days often start sunny, with rain falling in the afternoon and evening.
On the Caribbean coast, especially south of Limón, you can count on rain yearround, although this area gets less rainin September and October tha the rest of the country.
In general, the best time of the year to vist weatherwise is December and January, when everything is still green from rains, but the sky es clear.
CAMERAS/FILMS
Most types of film are available, as are developing services. However, prices are higher than in United States, so bring plenty of film with you and wait until you get home for processing.
BUSINESS HOURS
Banks are usually open Monday to Friday from 9:00am to 3:00pm, though many have begun to offer extended hours.
Offices are open Monday to Friday from 8:00am to 5:00pm(many close for an hour at lunch).
Stores are generally open Monday to Saturday from 9:00am to 6:00pm(many close for an hour at lunch).
Stores in modern malls generally stay open until 8:00am to 9:00pm and don't close for lunch, Most bars are open until 1:00 or 2:00am.
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