Travel Guide
Fast Facts, Holidays Getting Around
Lay of the Land Money
Climate and Best Time to Go Food, Clothing and Modes of Dress
Passport and Visa Packing Tips and Keeping in Touch
Health and Safety Helpful Websites
Fast Facts 
Capital City: San José
Population: 4,195,914
Language: Spanish
Religion: Roman Catholic 76.3%, Evangelical 13.7%, Jehovah's Witnesses 1.3%, other Protestant 0.7%, other 4.8%, none 3.2%
Currency: Costa Rican colon, CRC
Dialing code: +506
Electricity: 120V 60Hz
Airport Codes: Liberia (LIR), San Joes (SJO)
Holidays
New Year’s Day (January 1)
Dia de San José, St. Joseph’s Day (March 19)
Good Friday and Easter (March or April)
Juan Santamaria Day (April 11)
Labor Day (May 1)
Corpus Christi (May 26)
St. Peter and St. Paul Day (June 29)
Dia de Guanacaste (July 25)
Virgin de los Angeles (August 2)
Mother’s Day and Assumption Day (August 15)
Independence Day (September 15)
Dia de los Muertos, All Soul’s Day (November 2)
Immaculate Conception of the Virgin Mary (December 8)
Christmas (December 25)
 Lay of the Land
Costa Rica, meaning “Rich Coast” in English, is exactly what its name implies: a country rich with biodiversity, beauty, welcoming residents and unmatched outdoor adventures.
The central valley is by far the most densely populated region of the country. Surrounded by inactive volcanoes on all sides now covered with lush cloud and rain forests, it is home to the capital city of San Jose. A diverse crowd shares the streets during the day, including food vendors, businessmen, street performers and even diplomats. You may even be lucky enough to catch a glimpse of President Oscar Arias outside the Casa Presidencial! Don’t let the crowded city fool you, as life here is based on the “mañana culture.”
Best Time to Go and Climate
A tropical country, Costa Rica has a wet and dry season. The rainy season lasts from May to November, while the dry season generally runs from late December to April. During the rainy seasons rivers often overflow and make the dirt roads muddy, making travel in remote areas a challenge. Always ask about road conditions before heading out on your own.
The highlands of San Jose and the Central Valley are much cooler than the rest of the country, with average lows of 60°F and highs of 79°F. There is little change in temperature between the seasons, and the coasts are hot and humid most of the year.
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Passport and Visa 
All U.S. citizens must present a valid passport that will not expire within thirty days after arrival in Costa Rica. For entrance into the country, tourists must also present a roundtrip or outbound airline ticket. U.S. citizens are allowed to stay in Costa Rica for up to ninety days. To stay longer, visitors must apply for an extension with the Office of Temporary Permits in the Costa Rican Department of Immigration. Tourist visas are generally not extended.
Health
Suitable medical care is available in San José, but is generally quite limited elsewhere in Costa Rica. Most visitors go to private hospitals, such as Hospital Clinica Biblica, San José, or Hospital Cima San José. Although small, both include 24-hour emergency rooms, intensive care units, and offer surgical, maternity and a variety of essential services. Doctors and hospitals often expect payment in cash, regardless of your health insurance status. Major medical problems require air evacuation to a country with more advanced medical facilities.
It is usually quite easy to access general medications at pharmacies throughout San José. Most are well-stocked and operate with reliable standards. If you need a 24-hour pharmacy, visit one of the private hospitals above.
You should see a health care professional at least 4-6 weeks before your departure date to allow vaccines or other medications to take effect. Even if you have less than 4 weeks left  before you depart, it’s still a very good idea to see a provider before you leave. Be sure that your routine vaccinations are current.
Specific vaccines for travelers going to Costa Rica are:
Hepatitis A
Hepatitis B
Typhoid
Rabies
Antimalarial medication may be recommended before your trip if you are traveling to a malaria risk area. We highly recommend that you visit the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) website for updated information about health precautions, travel notices and vaccinations. http://wwwn.cdc.gov/travel/destinationCostaRica.aspx
Safety
Travel in Costa Rica is generally quite safe, although tourists are always potential victims of theft. Tourists should exercise caution and keep important documents such as passports and tickets in a safe place. Beach goers should be advised of the swift currents on the Caribbean and Pacific coasts. Beaches are often ill-equipped with lifeguards and unsafe areas are poorly marked. All swimmers, no matter what their skill level, should use extreme caution. About eight to twelve American citizens drown in Costa Rica every year, due primarily to sudden drop-offs and riptides in shallow water.
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Getting Around 
Public transportation to major cities such as San José is well-developed and generally quite affordable.
Bus
Buses are the easiest way to get around Costa Rica. Although they are slow moving, they take travelers to just about any destination of interest, and they depart often and for a low price. There is no central bus terminal in San Jose, but rather several large bus companies scattered throughout the city. On any bus trip, keep all your important belongings with you—storing baggage in overhead compartments may invite easy theft. As an alternative to standard city buses, shuttle bus service can be booked through Grayling’s Fantasy Bus (www.graylinecostarica.com) or Interbus (www.interbusonline.com).
Boat
Ferries and water taxis travel frequently around Costa Rica’s perimeters. There is a bus-and-boat service on the Carribbean coast that makes a trip several times a day from Cariari to Tortuguero. Aside from inner-country travel, there are a few water transportation options that connect nearby countries. A water taxi travels from Puerto Viejo de Sarapiqui to Trinidad, Nicaragua on the Río San Juan daily. It’s a cheaper and more eco-friendly alternative to air travel.
 Taxi
There are taxi services in both urban and rural areas in Costa Rica, and they can be especially helpful to gain access to remote areas where buses generally do not travel. Taxis can be rented by the day, half-day or hour and run on marias (meters) just like taxis in the US. If you are going a long distance or if the taxi does not have a meter, be sure to set the price ahead of time. You may want to ask a local what the general cost would be before agreeing to a price. If you are only going a short distance, always make sure that it is re-set when you start. Pay only what the maria reads plus about 10% tip if you feel inclined. Licensed taxis are red and marked with triangle-shaped medallions. Airport taxis are generally orange, and you will usually need to purchase a ticket at the ticket booth if you take one from the airport.
Car
Road conditions in Costa Rica vary widely. Landslides, flooding and fog can often appear with very little warning, making travel difficult and dangerous. Always ask about road conditions before setting out on a long drive. Costa Rica has one of the highest vehicle accident and fatality rates in the world. Traffic laws and speed limits are often poorly enforced, and when combined with meager road conditions and limited visibility, visitors are advised to consider other means of transportation, especially at night. Driving on winding, narrow roads, especially in the mountains, can be incredibly dangerous.
There are car-rental agencies in San José and other Pacific Coast tourist spots. Renters must be at least 21 years old, hold a valid driver’s license (a foreign license can be used for up to 90 days), a passport and major credit card. It is often easy for thieves to spot rental cars and target tourists. If driving from North America, bring your insurance and ownership papers. Costa Rican insurance must be purchased at the border along with payment of a  road tax.
Parking in guarded lots is safer than parking on unwatched streets, but not much. On most streets there are watchiman, men that supposedly guard your car from theft, and drivers pay them about 100-500 colones to watch their car when they leave. However, it doesn’t guarantee that your car will be safe.
There are also bans on driving in San Jose during heavy traffic hours (7-8:30 a.m. and 4-5:30 p.m., Monday Through Friday) for certain plate numbers. The plate numbers rotate like this: Mondays plates ending in 1 or 2, Tuesdays plates ending in 3 or 4, Wednesdays is 5 or 6, Thursdays is 7 or 8 and Fridays is 9 or 0. If you're caught driving in San Jose when you shouldn't be, you'll be ticketed. Police especially target tourists for any traffic violations
Air
Costa Rica is home to two domestic airlines – Sansa (www.flysansa.com) and NatureAir (www.natureair.com). Schedules change frequently and weather-related delays are quite common. Avoid traveling domestically by air during rainy weather or high winds —small planes and storms aren’t good combinations. Sansa operates from the Juan Santamaría airport and NatureAir flies from Tobías Bolaños in suburban Pavas, about five miles west of San José. Space is often tight during the high season, so book ahead.
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Money
The basic unit of currency in Costa Rica is the Costa Rican Colon. The average rate of exchange is approximately 1 US dollar to 526 colones. (For current exchange rates, visit http://finance.yahoo.com/currency). The colon comes in bills of 1,000, 2,000, 5,000 and  10,000 and gold hued coins come in 5, 10, 25, 50, 100 and 500 colones. You may see the older nickel-alloy coins that come in denominations of 10, 25, and 50, but it is rare. The slang term for 100 colones is teja, and the slang term for 1,000 colones is rojo.
ATM machines sometimes lose connection throughout the day at random, so plan ahead when you know you’ll need cash. Banks that are members of the Global ATM alliance don’t charge fees to withdraw money. Bank of America and Scotiabank are a few that belong to the alliance, and Scotia has branches in Costa Rica. So, if you bank with Bank of America you can withdraw money at Scotia in Costa Rica and no fee will be charged. Scotiabank is often the most reliable, although it is usually only found in large cities. Prices in Costa Rica are much higher than in other Central American countries, but still cheaper than the United States and Europe.
All banks will exchange foreign currency for colones, but US dollars are the most readily accepted currency. Banks can sometimes have lines stretching out the door, so expect a wait. Banks will charge the lowest exchange fees and give the best exchange rates. Dollar bills should be in good condition or they may be refused. Hotels and other places of business that offer to exchange dollars will often have worse exchange rates and charge higher fees.
As always, carrying lare amounts of cash is not a good idea. If you go to a crowded market, you may want to put your cash in one place and credit or debit card in another. Just in case you get pick-pocketed you will still have some money to get home. Credit or debit cards are accepted almost everywhere in Costa Rica except smaller shops or flea markets. Make sure to let your credit card company know that you'll be in a foreign country, as some may put a temporary stop on your card if they see charges from odd places. Traveler's checks are not recommended. It is difficult to find a place that will accept them, as Costa Ricans have never really used checks as a form of payment. If your signature is not exactly the same as it appears on your passport the check is immediately rejected, which makes it invalid for future use.
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Food
Food in Costa Rica is often simple, cooked in oil and spiced liberally. Home-style cooking that relies heavily on rice and beans is common. The national dish is gallo pinto, which consists of fried rice and black beans, often served for breakfast. Staple foods include beef, chicken and fish. Although Costa Rica rests on endless miles of coastline, shrimp, lobster and other seafood delicacies are expensive since most is exported to other countries.
Restaurants in Costa Rica often serve diverse food including Chinese, French and Italian cuisines. Local Costa Rican food is generally served at small restaurants called sodas, the equivalent to a diner in the U.S. National Costa Rican specialties include Casados, meaning married, consisting of cabbage and tomato salad, plantains, white rice, black beans and meat (chicken, fish or beef). Tortas are either meat patties with vegetables or can be similar to flat omelets with vegetables. Pejibaye is a type of palm fruit about the size of a golf ball. It is orange with a pit in the middle and is boiled, cut in half and served with a bit of mayonnaise. A fruit often found in smaller towns and markets is the marañon, a sweet, yellow-skinned fruit from the cashew tree.
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Clothing and Modes of Dress
Costa Rican clothing is quite common to the style of dress in other Central and South American countries. Most Costa Ricans wear modern clothing, although some groups, such as male field workers, still wear traditionally styled clothing. Contemporary clothing in Costa Rica is similar to European or surfer styles of dress. When traveling through the country, dressing in layers can be a lifesaver since temperature and weather patterns vary depending on altitude levels. Avoid wearing shorts in large cities, as they’ll cause you to stand out as a tourist. Besides, pants can be helpful in blocking pesky mosquitoes and avoiding sun burn.
Packing Tips
-camera plus extra batteries and memory cards
-sunglasses
-sunscreen
-insect repellant
-durable hiking boots or sandals if you plan to enjoy any rugged terrain
-towel for beach goers
-money belt
-ATM card
-Any prescription medications you might need
-Extra pair of glasses/contacts, if you wear them
-copy of your passport (to leave at your place of residency)
-alarm clock
-over the shoulder sturdy purse (for women)
-a few little trinkets if you stay with a host family that represent your culture or where you come from
-pictures of your family and friends
-comfortable shoes for walking
-a nice outfit or two for nights out
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 Keeping in touch
Telephone booths and Internet café’s are common in Costa Rica across the country, but especially in frequently-traveled destinations. Internet access is generally affordable in San José, but as you move further from the city, the connection becomes slower and prices grow larger. Pre-paid international calling cards are your best bet when using phone booths. Dueto connection fees, fewer, longer calls can be more economical than brief calls made frequently. Prepaid sim cards are not available for cell phones in Costa Rica, and those using their cell phones abroad should make sure that they have tri-band capabilities.
Helpful websites
Health information/updates: http://wwwn.cdc.gov/travel/default.aspx
Visa and Passport: http://travel.state.gov/travel/cis_pa_tw/cis/cis_1093.html
Travel Information/Warnings: http://travel.state.gov
General Info and sightseeing: http://www.costarica.net/
History and Country Info: http://wwwn.cdc.gov/travel/default.aspx.
Quick Facts: https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/
Resources
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Costa_Rica
http://www.tourism-costarica.com
http://www.iexplore.com/dmap/Costa+Rica/Overview
http://www.lonelyplanet.com/worldguide/costa-rica/
http://wwwn.cdc.gov/travel/destinationCostaRica.aspx
http://www.mdtravelhealth.com/destinations/mamerica_carib/costa_rica.php
http://www.vacationcity.com/costa-rica/culture/clothing/
Need more help in planning your trip?
Call our toll free Travel Abroad line and speak with one of our knowledgeable representatives today! 1-888-ABROAD-1 (1-888-227-6231)
You can also send a message to info@cci-exchange.com.
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