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Costa Rica seems to be bursting onto the international beach-resort
scene. The Pacific Northwest coast offers miles of white beaches,
resorts, hotels, and rustic lodges basking in the constant sun and
winterless climate. The country is a top choice for "green" travel,
with 12 distinct ecological zones that are home to an astonishing
array of flora and fauna, such as the coatimundi, jaguars, sea turtles,
poison-arrow frogs, and quetzals.
Passport/Visa Requirements
Australian and New Zealand citizens: A valid passport, good
for at least six months from the date of entry, is required for
stays of up to 30 days.
Canadian citizens: Canadians traveling with a valid passport
will receive a free visa at the border for visits of up to 90 days.
Without a valid passport, Canadian travelers need proof of identity,
along with a photograph; entry with these documents requires the
purchase of a tourist card. Tourist cards are available from any
Costa Rican embassy or consulate or from your airline on the day
of departure.
EU citizens: A valid passport is required for stays of up
to 90 days, except for nationals of France, who may stay for only
30 days. Nationals of Greece and Ireland may also stay for only
30 days, and they are required to have a tourist visa.
Japanese citizens: A valid passport, good for at least six
months from the date of entry, is required for stays of up to 90
days
U.S. citizens: Citizens of the U.S. traveling with a valid
passport will receive a free visa for visits of up to 90 days. Without
a valid passport, U.S. citizens need proof of identity (such as
an original birth certificate) along with a photograph for visits
of up to 90 days; entry with these documents requires the purchase
of a tourist card. Tourist cards are available from any Costa Rican
embassy or consulate or from your airline on the day of departure.
Others: The requirements for nationals not listed in the
categories above vary. At minimum, you will need a valid passport
good for at least six months from the anticipated date of entry.
Check with the nearest Costa Rican embassy or consulate for further
details.
Phone Code
The international telephone access code is 506. City and area codes
do not exist. To place a direct-dialed international call from Costa
Rica, dial 001 followed by the relevant country code and number;
to reach an international operator, dial 116. To reach local information,
dial 113.
Time Zone
Costa Rican time is 6 hours earlier than Greenwich mean time (GMT)
or 6 hours earlier than London, 14 hours earlier than Tokyo, and
1 hour earlier than New York. Costa Rica has no daylight saving
time.
Business Hours
Banks are open on weekdays 9 AM–3 PM. Shops are open from 8
or 9 AM to 5 or 6 PM (closed for a lunch break), Monday–Saturday.
Holidays
Business holidays include New Year's Day (1 January), Saint Joseph's
Day (19 March), Holy Thursday (late March or early April; date varies),
Good Friday (late March or early April; date varies), Juan Santamaria
(11 April), Labor Day (1 May), Corpus Christi (early June, variable
date), Annexation of Guanacaste (25 July), Our Lady of Los Angeles
(2 August), Mother's Day (15 August), Independence Day (15 September),
Columbus Day (12 October), Immaculate Conception (8 December), and
Christmas Day (25 December).
Note: Most businesses close for Holy Week—from Wednesday noon
through Easter Sunday.
Weather
Although Costa Rica lies wholly within the tropics, it possesses
at least a dozen climatic zones. In general, the coastal regions
are hotter than the central valley (for instance, in San José),
where temperatures average 19° C (66° F) in January and
21° C (69° F) in July. The rainy season stretches from May
to November, while the dry season runs from December to April.
Money
The Costa Rican Colón (C) is divided into 100 centimos.
There are coins in denominations of 1, 2, 5, 10, 25, and 50 colones
and notes of 20, 50, 100, 500, 1,000, and 5,000 colones.
Money can be changed only at banks and hotel cash desks or at the
airport upon arrival. Banks will usually cash traveler's checks,
though they may accept only certain brands. Some small towns may
not even have banks, so visitors are advised to change money before
traveling to these areas and to carry small bills. Visitors from
countries outside the United States may want to consider buying
U.S. dollars before arriving, as those are the easiest form of foreign
currency to change in Costa Rica. Changing money on the street is
common but illegal.
Major credit cards are accepted by most larger hotels, car rental
companies, and stores. Some of these establishments also accept
U.S. dollars as payment.
Tipping
It's not customary to tip in restaurants (a service charge is included
in the bill), nor is it customary to tip taxi drivers. Porters in
nicer hotels usually expect about C100 per bag, and tour guides
normally receive a tip of C300–400 per person per day.
Measurements
Although the metric system is established in most of the country,
some of the old Spanish measurements still survive in vernacular
usage. Street directions, for example, are often given as 100 varas
(the Spanish "yard," equivalent to 83 centimeters/33 inches).
Electricity
Electrical current in Costa Rica is 110/220 volts AC, 60 Hz. Plugs
with two flat, parallel pins are standard, though you may also see
three rectangular pins. Visitors from abroad who wish to operate
personal small electronic items should bring a plug adapter and
a transformer.
Driving
Drivers should be prepared for a variety of road conditions. Generally,
roads are good (there are two-lane freeways between major towns
in the Meseta Central), but those in rural areas can be impassable
during the wet season. Residents and bus drivers are usually good
sources of information about road conditions.
You must be 21 years of age to drive in Costa Rica. A driver's license
from your home country is valid for three months. Traffic proceeds
on the right-hand side of the road. Speed traps are common on the
Pan-American highway, and speed limits are enforced rigorously in
many areas of the country. Still, many Costa Rican drivers are aggressive
and even reckless, and speeding is commonplace.
Emergencies
Throughout the country, dial 911 to contact police, reach the Red
Cross, and report medical emergencies, fires, or traffic accidents.
What to Take
Pack light. A good guideline is to lay out everything you wish
to take, then reduce it by half. Remember, you'll need some spare
room too for souvenirs, and space on local buses and planes is limited.
One of the best investments you can make is a good duffel bag that
doubles as a backpack. Take a small day-pack that will allow you
to pack everything you'll need for a one- or two-day journey.
Limit the number of changes of clothing you bring. Note that dark
clothes tend to be hotter than khaki or light clothing. However,
bright clothing tends to scare off wildlife; pack khakis and subdued
greens for nature viewing. Pack plenty of socks, which get wet quickly
and frequently in Costa Rica.
Remember, Costa Rica can be both hot and cold. If you plan to visit
a volcano or cloud forest, pack a warm sweater and/or a warm windproof
jacket; you'll want one for San José and the highlands at
night, anyway. In the mountains, cold winds are common, and it gets
very chilly and wet when the clouds set in. The lowlands are humid
and warm to hot.
Most travelers will not need dressy clothes. However, Costa Rican
men love to dress in jacket and tie for dinner or the theater as
well as for business functions, where hip designer suits and shoes
are displayed by wealthier Ticos. Otherwise, Costa Ricans dress
informally but always very neatly. Shorts for men are gradually
becoming acceptable wear in San José. Save shorter "runner's
shorts" for the beach. Leave jewelry at home; it invites theft.
Decide how much film you think you'll need to bring, then double
it. One roll per day is a minimum, and film is very expensive in
Costa Rica. If you buy film in San José, check the expiration
date; the film may be outdated. Bring extra batteries for light
meters and flashes. Protect your lenses with a UV or skylight filter,
and consider buying "warming," neutral-density, and/or polarizing
filters, which can dramatically improve results.
Lay back and relax in Costa Rica!
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