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General Information for Visitors Cities, Towns and Popular Areas of Costa Rica Hotels and other Accommodations Getting To Costa Rica Tours to Costa Rica Getting Around Costa Rica Places to See and Things to Do Links for Costa Rica		Costa Rica - Order FREE Travel Brochure! General Information on Costa Rica Costa Rica is one of the more beautiful countries of Central America. Although several of it's neighbors tend to almost always be in some kind of crisis, Costa Rica seems to remain an oasis of calm. The country is a perfect place for ecotourism, being one of the best places to experience the tropics. Most of the country is along the coast. This gives visitors a great place for great surfing, or just enjoying the sunny beaches in a climate built for relaxation. Because of the enlightened approach to conservation in Costa Rica, visitors will find it a mecca for watching wildlife. The lush jungles are home to monkeys, sloths, crocodiles, countless lizards, poison-dart frogs and a wonderful assortment of exotic birds, insects and butterflies. Meanwhile, endangered sea turtles nest on both coasts and cloud forests protect elusive birds and jungle cats. However, it is suggested you head into the jungles with an experienced guide and not try it on your own. Click on the links below for additional information. Passport and Visa Information The People of Costa Rica When To Go Religion Health Matters Money Matters Language Electricity Geography Weather Time Zone Weights and Measures Passport and Visa Information Passports are required for most visitors to Costa Rica. In addition, visas are also required. If you do need a visa, it will cost approximately 20.00 from a Costa Rican consulate. All nationalities are required to have an airline ticket to exit Costa Rica or proof of financial resources. Visa Requirements Visa requirements for Costa Rica change rapidly so check with your consulate before leaving. Currently, visitors from the following countries are allowed to stay for 90 days without a visa: Argentina, Brazil, Canada, Israel, Japan, Panama, Paraguay, Uruguay, United States and all European countries except from Albania, Bosnia, Bulgaria, Czech Republics, Iceland, Ireland, Lithuania, Malta, Slovakia and Slovenia. Visitors from these countries are allowed to stay for 30 days without a visa: Australia, Belice, China, Guatemala, Honduras, Iceland, Ireland, Mexico, New Zealand, Russia, Singapore, The Philippines and Venezuela. When To Go Costa generally has a pleasant, though at times sticky, climate all year round. The rainy season is normally from May to November, usually in the afternoons. As it is about the coolest period of the year, and a holiday season, December is the most vibrant and thus crowded time to visit, especially in San José where there are several festivals leading up to New Year. Money Matters The Colón (¢1,00) is the national currency of Costa Rica. As the exchange rate changes almost daily, it is best to check before you go to make sure you have enough money and will not have to request additional funds while you are there. Costa Rica is the most expensive country in Central America and you will find just about every thing costs more than you might expect. Some prices, especially for upper-range accommodations, can be especially high for this area of the world. This never fails to astonish American travelers and those coming from the cheaper neighboring countries. The US dollar has long been the second currency of Costa Rica. However, outside the tourist areas nobody really refers to dollars. The vast majority of Costa Ricans gets paid in colones, and buy and sell in colones, and you would do well to get the hang of the currency soon after you arrive, Most banks impose a service charge for cashing travelers checks. Currency other than US$ can be exchanged only with difficulty. Canadian dollars and British Sterling can be exchanged at Banco Lyon, C. 2, Av. Central. Canadian dollars can also be exchanged at Banex, C. Central, Av. 1. German marks can be exchanged at the Banco Nacional inn San Jose. Banks are generally open Monday to Friday. Some exchange agencies have opened around Central San Jose, but the lines can often be long. Be sure to carry small bills and coins when visiting villages where change may not be readily available for larger denominations, do not try to buy from street vendors with bills 5000 colones or over. Unlimited exchange of colones is permitted.  Never use one of the black marketers that operate openly on Av. Central between calles 2 and 4 and at many other locations. At one time, they were quite trustworthy, but lately the black market has become increasingly infiltrated by con men who will steal your money or give you counterfeit $50 and $100 bills printed in Colombia. Automated Teller Machines (ATM's), can be easily found in most of the more populated areas of Costa Rica. Mayor credit cards are accepted by banks, most shops, and restaurants, but always ask or check for signs of on the windows of doors. Most  international credit cards are accepted throughout the country including American Express, Diners Club, Master Card and Visa. Most restaurants will include a 10% service charge at the bill . Taxi drivers generally do not receive a tip.  If you are satisfied with the service you receive, hotel maids, tour guides and drivers would appreciate a tip. Below are suggested prices for some items. However, this chart is dated and not completely up to date. Item Price litre of petrol ¢0.65 small bottle of beer ¢0.75 souvenir t-shirt ¢8.00 loaf of bread ¢0.50 cold coconut water ¢0.50 litre of bottled water ¢0.75     Average Room Prices Low Mid High Deluxe US$5-15 US$15-40 US$40-70 US$70+ Average Meal Prices Low Mid High   US$3-10 US$10-20 US$20-25 People For the most part, you will find the people of Costa Rica to be very friendly with over 95% being of Spanish descent. Religion 75% Roman Catholic, 14% Protestant

Language
The most widely spoken language in Costa Rica is Spanish (97% of the population); although there are other native languages used mostly within the indigenous reserves. Many businesses, in and around San Jóse, and resorts throughout the country have employees who also speak English.

Learn Spanish Today!  Isn't it time you learned another language? Spanish is fast becoming one of the most popular language in the world. Countries in Europe, the Caribbean, Central America, South America, North America and Africa have countries where Spanish is the local language. These countries include Spain, Guatemala, Honduras, El Salvador, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, Panama, Cube, the Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico, Venezuela, Columbia, Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia, Paraguay, Chile, Argentina, Uruguay, Equatorial Guinea and Mexico. If you plan to visit any of these countries, why not learn the language. Being able to speak at least some of the language in the country you are visiting will help you have a better time and enjoy your trip more. Click on Learn Spanish Today to see how you can get FREE SPANISH LESSONS!

Electricity
110V, 60 Hz

Weather
Costa Rica is a tropical country and experiences only two seasons: wet and dry. The dry season is generally between late December and April, and the wet season lasts the rest of the year. Temperatures vary little between seasons with the main influence on temperature being altitude. Being tropical, the average temperature around 27º C / 80º F.

Geography
Costa Rica has an area of almost 20,000 square miles. It is bordered to the north by Nicaragua and to the southeast by Panama. It is one of the Central American countries that has both a Caribbean and a Pacific coast. The country is divided by a series of volcanic mountain chains that run from the Nicaraguan border to the Panamanian border. In the center of these ranges is a high-altitude plain, with coastal lowlands on either side. Over half the population lives on the lower plain which has fertile volcanic soils. The Caribbean coast is about 130 miles long and is characterized by mangroves, swamps and sandy beaches. The Pacific coast is much more rugged and rocky, and is over 600 miles in length because of the many rocky peninsulas and gulfs. Costa Rica is divided into seven provinces (States) which are: Alajuela, Cartago, Guanacaste, Heredia, Limón, Puntarenas, & San José (Capital City).

Time Zone
Costa Rica is on a time zone that is GMT / UTC minus 6 hours

Weights Measures System
Costa Rica is on the Metric system.

Getting To Costa Rica
Most visitors to Costa Rica arrive by air. Most international flights arrive at San José's Juan Santamaría International Airport. Visitors may also arrive at the airport in Liberia, 217km (135mi) northwest of San José that has been upgraded and now operates as a second-string international airport. There are good connections to US and Canadian cities and several Latin and South American countries. Numerous tour operators in North America and Europe run tours to Costa Rica, though these tend to be for first-class visitors and are expensive. Many Costa Rican companies run budget tours.

It's possible to travel overland to Costa Rica from the USA, crossing Mexico, Guatemala, Honduras and Nicaragua, but it is a very long drive. The nearest US town is Brownsville, Texas, 4000km (2480mi) away. There are public buses that can be taken. The main border crossing between Costa Rica and Nicaragua is at Peñas Blancas on the western coast. There are three border crossings between Costa Rica and Panama for travelers heading to or arriving from the south: Paso Canoas on the western coast; Sixaola/Guabito on the Caribbean coast; and the little-used Río Sereno near the Parque Nacional Volcán Barú.

Getting Around Costa Rica
Although you can fly from place to place in Costa Rica, the demand for seats is high. There are two domestic airlines and flights should be booked as far in advance as possible.

Public transportation is quite well developed, although transport to towns other than San José is limited. Most multi-destination trips will require backtracking into San José and then catching another bus outward again. The buses are not that comfortable and to the uninitiated and faint-of-heart the system can seem incredibly chaotic. However, the fares are generally cheap. There are three major bus terminals in San José: the Coca-Cola terminal is about a 20-minute walk east from the city centre, down Avenida 1; there's the understated Atlántico Norte terminal; and the Caribe, terminal north of Avenida 13 on Calle Central.

Taxis are considered a viable form of public transportation for long journeys, and can be hired by the day, half-day or hour. Cars and motorcycles can also be rented in San José.

Accommodations

For accommodations in Costa Rica, click on Search by city for hotels and other accommodations in Costa Rica.

My preferred hotel chain is Marriott. I have stayed Residence Inns, which are prefect for longer stays with all the comforts of home; Spring Hill Suites, which I have found nice for longer stays as the have up to 25% more room than comparably priced rooms; Towne Place Suites, again when I want more room or am on a longer stay; Courtyard by Marriott, which has everything the business traveler needs, as well as families; Courtyard, Fairfield Inn, which I find spacious, comfortable and affordable. Another great idea is to stay at one of the JW Marriott Hotels & Resorts where you can enjoy a new dimension for your vacation or holiday. and Marriott Hotels and Resorts and have found them all to be of consistent quality and service. I have also stayed at some of their Vacation Club properties and have enjoyed each visit. AAA members can get discount rates at Marriott, as can Seniors. Click on Great Getaways for less at Marriott for special officers and great deals at Marriott hotels worldwide!

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i-to-i is one of the world’s fastest growing adventure travel organizations. It is unique as they specialize in TEFL (Teaching English as a Foreign Language) training and volunteer placements overseas. Each year, thousands of i-to-i volunteers are literally building bridges among communities and earning respect from some of the most important care agencies in existence. The examples speak for themselves. When Save the Children approached i-to-i  for assistance with their on-going development programmed for Intibucá, one of the poorest regions in Honduras, they supplied volunteers who are now building homes and teaching English to the indigenous Lenca people. Along with Costa Rica, they also operate in several other countries including: Australia, Bolivia, China, Ecuador, Ghana, Honduras, India, Ireland, Korea, Mongolia, Nepal, South Africa, Sri Lanka, and Thailand. For additional information, visit their website at www.i-to-i.com or send them an E-mail.

 

Book Hostels in Costa Rica Online  You can also find a hostel almost anywhere in the world through Experience Paradise, a partner of Getting Away.

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Cities, Towns and Areas of Costa Rica
Monteverde
Parque Nacional Chirripó
Parque Nacional Santa Rosa
Peninsula de Nicoya
Playa Herradura
San Jose

Monteverde
This small community in northwestern Costa Rica was founded by Quakers in 1951 and is now a popular and interesting destination for both local and international visitors. The small town of Santa Elena is the closest settlement to the Monteverde cloud-forest reserve. The road leading from the town's center to the reserve is clustered with attractions including the butterfly garden, the serpentarium, a cheese factory, a and number of art galleries. Interesting though these attractions are, they are merely the warm-up acts for the main event.

Parque Nacional Chirripó
This mountains, breathtaking national park is named after Cerro Chirripó. At 12533ft, it is Costa Rica's highest peak and one of the country's largest protected areas. The park holds three peaks over 3800m (12467ft) and most of the park lies at more than 2000m (6562ft) above sea level. The park entrance is at San Gerardo de Rivas. A fascinating, easy-to-follow 16km (9.9mi) trail leads all the way to the top through constantly changing scenery, vegetation and wildlife. The highland forests are home to birds such as the flame-throated warbler and buffy tuftedcheek, to name but two. Small brown frogs and lime-colored caterpillars thickly covered with stinging hairs make their way across the trail, and spider monkeys and Baird's tapirs lurk in the thick vegetation (though you aren't likely to see them). Eventually, the trail climbs out of the rainforest and into the bare and windswept páramo. Call in at the Chirripó ranger station in San Gerardo de Rivas to check the availability of beds in the mountain top hostel, if you intend to stay the night. Tel: 200 5348 (info)

Parque Nacional Santa Rosa
Santa Rosa protects the largest remaining stand of tropical dry forest in Central America, along with some of the most important nesting sites of several species of sea turtle. Wildlife is often seen, especially during the dry season when animals congregate around the remaining water holes. This national park is one of the oldest (established 1971) and biggest (38674 hectares/95565 acres) in Costa Rica and has one of the best-developed, though still simple, camping facilities of the nation's parks. Santa Rosa is also famous among Ticos as a symbol of historical pride. Costa Rica has only been invaded by a foreign army three times, and each time the attackers were defeated in Santa Rosa. Wildlife and history aside, a good number of travelers come to Santa Rosa to surf the near -perfect beach break at Playa Naranjo or the equally noted waves of Ollie's Point in the north of the park. Hours: 8:00am-4:00pm. Tel: 666 5051 (info)

Peninsula de Nicoya
This area on the northwestern Pacific coast is difficult to get to because of the lack of paved road. However, it is considered to be well worth the effort because it contains some of the country's best and most remote beaches. There are also some small and rarely visited wildlife reserves and parks. Parque Nacional Marino las Baulas de Guanacaste includes Playa Grande, an important nesting site for the massive baula (leatherback turtle). Playa del Coco is the most accessible beach on the peninsula, in an attractive setting and with a small village, which has some nightlife.

The Nicoya Peninsula, a hook-shaped, beach-fringed and sun-drenched strip of land, features 130km of beautiful coastline bounded by tropical rain forest. Because of the recently constructed Friendship Bridge, and new international airport in Liberia, this region easier to access than it was before.

There are also some small and rarely visited wildlife reserves and parks. Parque Nacional Marino las Baulas de Guanacaste, just north of Tamarindo, includes Playa Grande, an important nesting site for the baula (leatherback turtle) - the world's largest turtle, which can weigh over 300kg (675lb). Playa del Coco is the most accessible beach on the peninsula, in an attractive setting and with a small village, which has some nightlife. Good surfing and windsurfing can be found at Playa Tamarindo. Caving fans head for Parque Nacional Barra Honda, northeast of Nicoya, which protects some of Costa Rica's most interesting caves. Wildlife teems in the coastal Refugio Nacional de Vida Silvestre Ostional, midway between Sámara and Paraíso. The main attraction is the annual nesting of the olive ridley sea turtle, but you'll also find iguanas, howler monkeys, coatimundis and flocks of numerous birds. One of the safest and prettiest beaches in the country is Playa Sámara, and Montezuma, near the tip of the peninsula, is a laid-back party paradise for tired, young gringos.

Playa Herradura

My preferred hotel chain is Marriott. I have stayed Residence Inns, which are prefect for longer stays with all the comforts of home; Spring Hill Suites, which I have found nice for longer stays as the have up to 25% more room than comparably priced rooms; Towne Place Suites, again when I want more room or am on a longer stay; Courtyard by Marriott, which has everything the business traveler needs, as well as families; Courtyard, Fairfield Inn, which I find spacious, comfortable and affordable. Another great idea is to stay at one of the JW Marriott Hotels & Resorts where you can enjoy a new dimension for your vacation or holiday. and Marriott Hotels and Resorts and have found them all to be of consistent quality and service. I have also stayed at some of their Vacation Club properties and have enjoyed each visit. AAA members can get discount rates at Marriott, as can Seniors. Click on Great Getaways for less at Marriott for special officers and great deals at Marriott hotels worldwide!

San Jose
Downtown San José is fairly small making it a nice place to simply walk to it's many sights. Especially pretty are the city's few surviving cafetalero (coffee baron) mansions on the Barrio Amón, many of which have been restored to former glories and used as hotels and restaurants. You will find the city center area filled with office towers, shopping malls and fast-food restaurants. San José is more cosmopolitan than other Central American capital, being the hub of Costa Rica as well as a place of beauty.

World class restaurants offer gourmet delicacies alongside typical eateries serving traditional Tico treats. Museums, theatres and cinemas dot the cityscape and the nightlife is vibrant, with packed bars, live music and nightclubs pumping every day of the week.

My preferred hotel chain is Marriott. I have stayed Residence Inns, which are prefect for longer stays with all the comforts of home; Spring Hill Suites, which I have found nice for longer stays as the have up to 25% more room than comparably priced rooms; Towne Place Suites, again when I want more room or am on a longer stay; Courtyard by Marriott, which has everything the business traveler needs, as well as families; Courtyard, Fairfield Inn, which I find spacious, comfortable and affordable. Another great idea is to stay at one of the JW Marriott Hotels & Resorts where you can enjoy a new dimension for your vacation or holiday. and Marriott Hotels and Resorts and have found them all to be of consistent quality and service. I have also stayed at some of their Vacation Club properties and have enjoyed each visit. AAA members can get discount rates at Marriott, as can Seniors. Click on Great Getaways for less at Marriott for special officers and great deals at Marriott hotels worldwide!

Places to See and Things to Do
Butterfly Farm
Parque Nacional Chirripó
Parque Nacional Santa Rosa
Wilson Botanical Garden
Zoológico Nacional Simón Bolívar

Butterfly Farm
Opened in 1983, this was the first commercial butterfly farm in Latin America. Informative guided tours will take you through tropical gardens filled with hundreds of butterflies. Learn about the complex butterfly life cycle and discover the importance of butterflies in nature. Hours: 8:30am-5:00pm. Tel: 438 0400 (info). Web: http://www.butterflyfarm.co.cr. Email: info@butterflyfarm.co.cr

Parque Nacional Chirripó
This breathtaking national park holds three peaks over 3800m (12467ft) and most of the park lies at more than 2000m (6562ft) above sea level. The park entrance is at San Gerardo de Rivas, which lies 1350m (4429ft) above sea level; from here the summit is 2.5km (1.5mi) straight up! A fascinating, easy-to-follow 16km (9.9mi) trail leads all the way to the top through constantly changing scenery, vegetation and wildlife. The highland forests are home to birds such as the flame-throated warbler and buffy tuftedcheek, to name but two. Small brown frogs and lime-colored caterpillars thickly covered with stinging hairs make their way across the trail, and spider monkeys and Baird's tapirs lurk in the thick vegetation (though you aren't likely to see them). Eventually, the trail climbs out of the rainforest and into the bare and windswept páramo. Call in at the Chirripó ranger station in San Gerardo de Rivas to check the availability of beds in the mountain top hostel, if you intend to stay the night.