Nightlife

Catering to a mix of tourists, college students, and just generally party-loving Ticos, San José has a host of options to meet the nocturnal needs of visitors and residents alike. You'll find plenty of interesting clubs and bars, a wide range of theaters, and some very lively discos and dance salons.

To find out what's going on in San José while you're in town, pick up a copy of the Tico Times (English) or La Nación (Spanish). The former is a good place to find out where local expatriates are hanging out; the latter's "Viva" and "Tiempo Libre" sections have extensive listings of discos, movie theaters, and live music.

The Performing Arts

Theater is very popular in Costa Rica, and downtown San José is studded with small theaters. However, tastes tend toward the burlesque, and the crowd pleasers are almost always simplistic sexual comedies. The National Theater Company is an exception, tackling works from Lope de Vega to Lorca to Mamet. Similarly, the small independent group Abya Yala also puts on several cutting-edge avant-garde shows each year. Almost all of the theater offerings are in Spanish, although the Little Theater Group is a long-standing amateur group that periodically stages works in English. Check the Tico Times to see if anything is running during your stay.

Costa Rica has a strong modern-dance scene. Both the University of Costa Rica and the National University have modern-dance companies that perform regularly in various venues in San José. In addition to the university-sponsored companies, there's a host of smaller independent companies worth catching.

The National Symphony Orchestra is respectable by regional standards, although its repertoire tends to be rather conservative. Symphony season runs March through November, with concerts roughly every other weekend at the Teatro Nacional, Avenida 2 between calles 3 and 5 (tel. 221-3756; www.teatronacional.go.cr), and the Auditorio Nacional (tel. 256-5876) at the Museo de Los Niños. Tickets cost between $3 and $20 (£1.50-£10) and can be purchased at the box office.

Visiting artists stop in Costa Rica from time to time. Recent concerts have featured pop phenom The Black Eyed Peas, rock star Sting, reggaeton giant Daddy Yankee, and Mexican singing sensation Ricky Martin. Many of these performances take place in San José's two historic theaters, the Teatro Nacional and the Teatro Melico Salazar, Avenida 2 between calles Central and 2 (tel. 221-4952), as well as at the Auditorio Nacional . Really large shows are usually held at soccer stadiums or large, natural amphitheaters.

Costa Rica's cultural panorama changes drastically every November when the country hosts large arts festivals. In odd-numbered years, El Festival Nacional de las Artes reigns supreme, featuring purely local talent. In even-numbered years, the month-long fete is El Festival Internacional de las Artes, with a nightly smorgasbord of dance, theater, music, and monologue from around the world. Most nights of the festival offer between 4 and 10 shows. Many are free, and the most expensive ticket is usually around $5 (£2.50). For exact dates and details, you can contact the Ministry of Youth, Culture, and Sports (tel. 255-3188; www.mcjdcr.go.cr), although you might have trouble getting any information if you don't speak Spanish.

The Club, Music & Dance Scene

You'll find plenty of places to hit the dance floor in San José. Salsa and merengue are the main beats that move people here, and many of the dance clubs, discos, and salons feature live music on the weekends. You'll find a pretty limited selection, though, if you're looking to catch some small-club jazz, rock, or blues.

The daily "Viva" and Friday's "Tiempo Libre" sections of La Nación newspaper have weekly performance schedules. Some dance bands to watch for are Cantoamérica, Kalua, Chocolate, and Los Brillanticos. While Ghandi, Evolución, and Malpaís are popular local rock groups, Marfil is a good cover band, and both Harmony Roads and the Blind Pig Blues Band are outfits that play American-style rock, blues and folk music. If you're looking for jazz, check out Editus, El Sexteto de Jazz Latino, guitarist Federico Miranda or pianist Manuel Obregón. For a taste of something eclectic, look for Santos y Zurdo; Peregrino Gris; or Amarillo, Cyan y Magenta.

A good place to sample a range of San José's nightlife is in El Pueblo, a shopping, dining, and entertainment complex done up like an old Spanish village. It's just across the river to the north of town. The best way to get there is by taxi; all the drivers know El Pueblo well. Within the alleyways that wind through El Pueblo are a dozen or more bars, clubs, and discos -- there's even an indoor soccer playing field. Fiesta Latina (tel. 222-1003), Twister (tel. 222-5746) and Friends (tel. 233-1559) are happening party spots. Across the street, Copacabana (tel. 233-5516) is one of my favorite dance spots. For a mellower option, inside El Pueblo, try Café Art Boruca (tel. 221-3615).

Most of the places charge a nominal cover charge; sometimes it includes a drink or two.

The Bar Scene

There seems to be something for every taste here. Lounge lizards will be happy in most hotel bars in the downtown area, while students and the young at heart will have no problem mixing in at the livelier spots around town. Sports fans can find plenty of places to catch the most important games of the day, and there are even a couple of brewpubs that are drastically improving the quality and selection of the local suds.

The best part of the varied bar scene in San José is something called a boca, the equivalent of a tapa in Spain: a little dish of snacks that arrives at your table when you order a drink. Although this is a somewhat dying tradition, especially in the younger, hipper bars, you will still find bocas alive and well in the older, more traditional Costa Rican drinking establishments. In most, the bocas are free, but in some, where the dishes are more sophisticated, you'll have to pay for the treats. You'll find drinks reasonably priced, with beer costing around $2 (£1) a bottle, and mixed drinks costing $2 to $4 (£1-£2).

Hanging out in San Pedro

The funky 2-block stretch of San Pedro just south of the University of Costa Rica has been dubbed La Calle de Amargura, or the "Street of Bitterness," and it's the heart and soul of this eastern suburb and college town. Bars and cafes are mixed in with bookstores and copy shops. After dark the streets are packed with teens, punks, students, and professors barhopping and just hanging around. You can walk the strip until someplace strikes your fancy -- you don't need a travel guide to find La Villa (tel. 281-1571), Omar Khayyam (tel. 253-8455), Marrakech Pool & Pizza (tel. 253-2049), Tavarua Surf & Skate Bar (tel. 225-7249), or Caccio's (tel. 224-3261), which lie at the heart of this district -- or you can try one of the places listed below. Note: La Calle de Amargura attracts a certain unsavory element. Use caution here. Try to visit with a group, and try not to carry large amounts of cash or wear flashy jewelry.

Hard rockers, metal freaks, ravers, and rowdy young crowds tend to congregate at the Sand Bar (tel. 225-9229), in the Centro Comercial Cocorí, and El Yos (tel. 283-0095), located 75m (3/4 block) west of the Automercado in Los Yoses. The latter club often has live music or DJs.

You can get here by heading out (east) on Avenida 2, and following the flow of traffic. You will first pass through the neighborhood of Los Yoses before you reach a large traffic circle with a big fountain in the center (La Fuente de la Hispanidad). The Mall San Pedro is located on this traffic circle. Heading straight through the circle (well, going around it and continuing on what would have been a straight path), you'll come to the Church of San Pedro, about 4 blocks east of the circle. The church is the major landmark in San Pedro. You can also take a bus here from downtown.

The Gay & Lesbian Scene

Because Costa Rica is such a conservative Catholic country, the gay and lesbian communities here are rather discreet. Homosexuality is not generally under attack, but many gay and lesbian organizations guard their privacy, and the club scene is changeable and not well publicized. For a general overview of the current situation, news of any special events or meetings, and up-to-date information, gay and lesbian travelers should check in at Uno@Diez, on Calle 3 and Avenida 7 (tel. 258-4561; www.1en10.com), a downtown coffeehouse, gallery, and Internet cafe.

The most established and happening gay and lesbian bar and dance club in San José is La Avispa, Calle 1 between avs. 8 and 10 (tel. 223-5343; www.laavispa.co.cr). It is popular with both men and women, although it sometimes sets aside certain nights of the week or month for specific persuasions. There's also Buenas Vibraciones (tel. 223-4573), out on Paseo de los Estudiantes; Club Oh (tel. 248-1500), on Calle 2 between avs. 14 and 16; Pucho's Bar (tel. 256-1147), on Calle 11 and Avenida 8; El Bochinche (tel. 221-0500), on Calle 11 between avs. 10 and 12; and Punto G (tel. 280-3726) in San Pedro, half a block southwest of the Higuerón.

Casinos

Gambling is legal in Costa Rica, with casinos at virtually every major hotel. However, as with Tico bullfighting, there are some idiosyncrasies involved in gambling a la Tica.

If blackjack is your game, you'll want to play "rummy." The rules are almost identical, except that the house doesn't pay 1 1/2 times on blackjack -- instead, it pays double on any three of a kind or three-card straight flush.

If you're looking for roulette, what you'll find here is a bingolike spinning cage of numbered balls. The betting is the same, but some of the glamour is lost.

You'll also find a version of five-card-draw poker, but the rule differences are so complex that I advise you to sit down and watch for a while and then ask questions before joining in. That's about all you'll find. There are no craps tables or baccarat.

There's some controversy over slot machines -- one-armed bandits are currently outlawed -- but you will be able to play electronic slots and poker games. Most casinos here are casual and small by international standards. You may have to dress up slightly at some of the fancier hotels, but most are accustomed to tropical vacation attire.