Planning a trip to Costa Rica

Special-Interest Vacations

Alternative Educational Travel

Adventures Under the Sun  is a Costa Rican–based outfit specializing in adventure and volunteer-focused teen travel. Its strong suit is organizing custom group itineraries.

Outward Bound Costa Rica  is the local branch of this international adventure-based outdoor-education organization. Courses range from 2 weeks to a full semester, and offerings include surfing, kayaking, tree climbing, and learning Spanish.

Eco Teach works primarily to facilitate educational trips for high school and college student groups. Trips focus on Costa Rican ecology and culture. Costs run around $1,935 to $2,985 per person for 8- to 11-day trips, including lodging, meals, classes, and travel within the country (airfare to Costa Rica extra).

The Institute for Central American Development Studies offers internship and research opportunities in the fields of environment, agriculture, human rights, and women’s studies. An intensive Spanish-language program can be combined with work-study or volunteer opportunities.

The Organization for Tropical Studies represents several Costa Rican and U.S. universities. This organization’s mission is to promote research, education, and the wise use of natural resources in the tropics. Research facilities include the La Selva, Las Cruces, and Palo Verde Biological Stations. The wide variety of programs range from full-semester undergraduate programs to specific graduate courses to tourist programs. (These are generally sponsored/run by established operators such as Costa Rica Expeditions or Elderhostel.) Programs range in duration from 3 to 10 days, and costs vary greatly. Entrance requirements and competition for some of these courses can be demanding.

Sustainable Volunteer Projects

Below are some institutions and organizations that are working on ecology and sustainable development projects in Costa Rica.

APREFLOFAS (Association for the Preservation of the Wild Flora and Fauna) is a pioneering local conservation organization that accepts volunteers and runs environmentally sound educational tours around the country.

Asociación de Voluntarios para el Servicio en las Areas Protegidas organizes volunteers to work in Costa Rican national parks. A 6-day minimum commitment is required, as is an ability to adapt to rustic conditions and remote locations and speak Spanish. Housing is provided at a basic ranger station; a weekly fee covers lodging, logistics, and food.

Sea Turtle Conservancy is a nonprofit organization dedicated to sea-turtle research, protection, and advocacy. Its main operation in Costa Rica is headquartered in Tortuguero, where volunteers can aid in various scientific studies, as well as nightly patrols of the beach during nesting seasons to prevent poaching.

Vida is a local nongovernmental organization working on sustainable development and conservation issues; it can often place volunteers.

WWOOF Costa Rica is a global organization of organic farms that accepts volunteers that can stay and work for 1 week to months at a time.

Medical & Dental Tourism

Costa Rica is an increasingly popular destination for dental and medical tourists. Facilities and care are excellent, and prices are quite low compared to the United States and other private care options in the developed world. Travelers are coming for everything from a simple dental checkup and cleaning to elective cosmetic surgery or a triple heart bypass operation. In virtually every case, visitors can save money on the overall cost of care. In some cases, the savings are quite substantial.

The country’s two top hospitals have modern facilities and equipment, as well as excellent doctor and nursing corps, many of whom speak English. Clínica Bíblica, Avenida 14 between calles Central and 1 (2522-1000), is conveniently close to downtown; the Hospital CIMA (2208-1000) is in Escazú on the Próspero Fernández Highway, which connects San José and the western suburb of Santa Ana. The latter has the most modern facilities in the country. There is also an annex of the Hospital CIMA on the outskirts of Liberia, close to the beaches of Guanacaste.

For other facilities, we highly recommend using Patients Beyond Borders, a resource for medical travel that does deep research on the available facilities and doctors in Costa Rica, and elsewhere.

Getting Married

Getting married in Costa Rica is simple and straightforward. You’ll have to provide some basic information, including a copy of each passport, your dates of birth, your occupations, your current addresses, and the names and addresses of your parents. Two witnesses are required to be present at the ceremony. If the two of you are traveling alone, your hotel or wedding consultant will provide the required witnesses.

Things are slightly more complicated if one or both partners were previously married. In such a case, the previously married partner must provide an official copy of the divorce decree.

Most travelers who get married in Costa Rica do so in a civil ceremony officiated by a local lawyer. After the ceremony, the lawyer records the marriage with Costa Rica’s National Registry, which issues an official marriage certificate. This process generally takes between 4 and 6 weeks. Most lawyers or wedding coordinators then have the document translated and certified by the Costa Rican Foreign Ministry and at the embassy or consulate of your home country before mailing it to you. From here, it’s a matter of bringing this document to your local civil or religious authorities, if necessary.

Because Costa Rica is predominantly Roman Catholic, arranging for a church wedding is usually easy in all but the most isolated and remote locations. To a lesser extent, a variety of denominational Christian churches and priests are often available to perform or host the ceremony. If you’re Jewish, Muslim, Buddhist, or a follower of some other religion, bringing your own officiant is a good idea.

Tip: Officially, the lawyer must read all or parts of the Costa Rican civil code on marriage during your ceremony. This is a rather uninspired and somewhat dated legal code that, at some weddings, can take as much as 20 minutes to slog through. Most lawyers and wedding coordinators are quite flexible and can work with you to design a ceremony and text that fits your needs and desires. Insist on this.

Most of the higher-end and romantic hotels in Costa Rica have ample experience in hosting weddings. Many have an in-house wedding planner. Narrowing the list is tough, but the top choices include Hotel Punta Islita, Villa Caletas, Los Sueños Resort & Marina, Florblanca Resort, and the Four Seasons Resort. If you want a remote yet luxurious rainforest lodge, try La Paloma Lodge, Bosque del Cabo Rainforest Lodge,  or Lapa Ríos.

If you’re looking for service beyond what your hotel can offer, or if you want to do it yourself, check out www.weddings.co.cr, www.costaricaweddingcelebrations.com, or www.tropicaloccasions.com.

Tips for Travelers with Disabilities

Although Costa Rica does have a law mandating Equality of Opportunities for People with Disabilities, and some facilities have been adapted, in general, there are relatively few buildings, bathrooms, public buses, or taxis specifically designed for travelers with disabilities in the country. In San José, sidewalks are particularly crowded and uneven, and they are nonexistent in most of the rest of the country. Few hotels offer wheelchair-accessible accommodations, though this is gradually changing.

Many travel agencies offer customized tours and itineraries for travelers with disabilities. Among them are Eco Adventure International (888/710-9453 in the U.S. and Canada); Flying Wheels Travel (612/381-1622); and Accessible Journeys (800/846-4537 or 610/521-0339).

Tips on Shopping

Costa Rica is not known as a shopping paradise, as most of what you’ll find for sale is pretty run-of-the-mill, mass-produced souvenir fare. So scant are its handicraft offerings that most tourist shops sell Guatemalan clothing, Panamanian appliquéd textiles, Salvadoran painted wood souvenirs, and Nicaraguan rocking chairs. Still, Costa Rica does have a few locally produced arts and handicrafts to look out for, and a couple of towns and villages with well-deserved reputations for their unique works.

Perhaps the most famous of all towns for shopping is Sarchí, a Central Valley town filled with handicraft shops. Sarchí is best known as the citadel of the colorfully painted Costa Rican oxcart, reproductions of which are manufactured in various scaled-down sizes. These make excellent gifts. (Larger oxcarts can be easily disassembled and shipped to your home.) A lot of furniture is also made in Sarchí.

In Guanacaste, the small town of Guaitíl is famous for its pottery. A host of small workshops, studios, and storefronts ring the town’s central park (which is actually a soccer field). Many of the low-fired ceramic wares here carry ancient local indigenous motifs, while others get quirky modern treatments. You can find examples of this low-fired simple ceramic work in many gift shops around the country, and at roadside stands all across Guanacaste.

You might also run across carved masks made by the indigenous Boruca people of southern Costa Rica. The small Boruca villages where these masks are carved are off the beaten path, but you will find them for sale at some of the better gift shops around the country. These wooden masks come in a variety of sizes and styles, both painted and unpainted, and run anywhere from $20 to $200, depending on the quality of workmanship. But don’t be fooled. You’ll see scores of mass-produced wooden masks at souvenir and gift shops around Costa Rica. Many are imported from Mexico, Guatemala, and Indonesia. Real Boruca masks are unique indigenous art works, often signed by their carvers.

Much of the Costa Rican woodwork for sale is mass-produced. A couple of notable exceptions include the work of Barry Biesanz, whose excellent hardwood creations are sold at better gift shops around the country, and the unique, large-scale sculptures created and sold at the Original Grand Gallery in La Fortuna.

Coffee remains a favorite gift item. It’s a great deal, it’s readily available, and Costa Rican coffee is some of the best in the world. 

A few other items worth keeping an eye out for include reproductions of pre-Columbian gold jewelry and carved-stone figurines. The former are available as either solid gold, silver, or gold-plated. The latter, although interesting, can be extremely heavy.

Across the country you’ll see hammocks for sale, though you may find them crude and unstable. The same vendors usually have single-person hanging chairs, which are strung similarly to the full-size hammocks and are a better bet.

It’s especially hard to capture the subtle shades and colors of the rainforests and cloud forests; many a traveler has gone home thinking that his or her digital camera contained the full beauty of the jungle, only to see dozens of bright green and random blurs when viewing the photos on a larger screen. To avoid this heartache, you might want to pick up a good coffee-table book or at least some postcards of the sights you want to remember.

Contemporary and classic Costa Rican art is another great option, both for discerning collectors and those looking for a unique reminder of their time in the country. San José has the most galleries and shops, but you will find good, well-stocked galleries in some of the more booming tourist destinations, including Liberia, Manuel Antonio, Jacó, and Monteverde.

Finally, one item that you'll see at gift shops around the country is Cuban cigars. Remember that it's illegal since the Trump era to bring them back to the United States.

Calendar of Events

For information on events with no contact number listed, call the Costa Rican Tourism Board (ICT) at tel. 866/COSTA RICA in the U.S. and Canada, or 2223-1733 in Costa Rica, or visit www.visitcostarica.com.

JANUARY

Copa del Café (Coffee Cup), San José. Matches for this international event on the junior tennis tour are held at the Costa Rica Country Club (www.copacafe.cr). First week in January.

Fiestas of Palmares, Palmares. Perhaps the largest and best organized of the traditional fiestas, this includes bullfights, a horseback parade (tope), and many concerts, carnival rides, and food booths. First 2 weeks in January.

Fiestas of Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, Guanacaste. This religious celebration honors the Black Christ of Esquipulas (a famous Guatemalan statue), featuring folk dancing, marimba music, and bullfights. Mid-January.

Fiesta of the Diablitos, Rey Curré village near San Isidro de El General. Boruca Indians wearing wooden devil and bull masks perform dances representative of the Spanish conquest of Central America; there are fireworks displays and an Indian handicrafts market. Late January.

MARCH

Día del Boyero (Oxcart Drivers’ Day), San Antonio de Escazú. Colorfully painted oxcarts parade through this suburb of San José, and local priests bless the oxen. Second Sunday in March.

National Orchid Show, San José. Orchid growers throughout the world gather to show their wares, trade tales and secrets, and admire the hundreds of species on display. Contact the Costa Rican Tourist Board for the current year’s location and dates. Mid-March.

APRIL

Holy Week. Religious processions are held in cities and towns throughout the country. Week before Easter.

Juan Santamaría Day, Alajuela. Costa Rica’s national hero is honored with parades, concerts, and dances. April 11.

MAY

Carrera de San Juan. The country’s biggest marathon runs through the mountains, from the outskirts of Cartago to the outskirts of San José. May 17.

JULY

Fiesta of the Virgin of the Sea, Puntarenas. A regatta of colorfully decorated boats carrying a statue of Puntarenas’ patron saint marks this festival. A similar event is held at Playa de Coco. Saturday closest to July 16.

Annexation of Guanacaste Day, Liberia. Bullfights, folk dancing, horseback parades, rodeos, concerts, and other events celebrate the day when this region became part of Costa Rica. July 25.

AUGUST

Fiesta of the Virgin of Los Angeles, Cartago. This is the pilgrimage day of the patron saint of Costa Rica. Many walk 24km (15 miles) from San José to the basilica in Cartago. August 2.

Día de San Ramón, San Ramón. More than two dozen statues of saints from various towns are brought to San Ramón, where they are paraded through the streets. August 31.

SEPTEMBER

Costa Rica’s Independence Day, celebrated all over the country. One of the most distinctive aspects of this festival is the nighttime marching band parades of children in their school uniforms, playing the national anthem on steel xylophones. September 15.

International Beach Clean-Up Day. Chip in and help clean up the beleaguered shoreline of your favorite beach. Third Saturday in September.

OCTOBER

Fiesta del Maíz, Upala. At this celebration of corn, local beauty queens wear outfits made from corn plants. October 12.

Limón Carnival/Día de la Raza, Limón. A smaller version of Mardi Gras, complete with floats and dancing in the streets, commemorates Columbus’s discovery of Costa Rica. Week of October 12.

NOVEMBER

All Souls’ Day/Día de los Muertos, celebrated countrywide. Although it is not as elaborate or ritualized as in Mexico, most Costa Ricans take some time this day to remember the dead with flowers and trips to cemeteries. November 2.

DECEMBER

Fiesta de los Negritos, Boruca. Boruca Indians celebrate the feast day of their patron saint, the Virgin of the Immaculate Conception, with costumed dances and traditional music. December 8.

Día de la Pólvora, San Antonio de Belén and Jesús María de San Mateo. Fireworks honor Our Lady of the Immaculate Conception. December 8.

Las Posadas. Countrywide, children and carolers go door-to-door seeking lodging in a reenactment of Joseph and Mary’s search for a place to stay. Begins December 15.

El Tope and Carnival, San José. The streets of downtown belong to horses and their riders in a proud recognition of the country’s important agricultural heritage. The next day, those same streets are taken over by carnival floats, marching bands, and street dancers. December 26 and 27.

Festejos Populares, San José. Bullfights and a pretty respectable bunch of carnival rides, games of chance, and fast-food stands are set up at the fairgrounds in Zapote. Last week of December.

Fast Facts

Business Hours — Banks are usually open Monday through Friday from 9am to 4pm, though many have begun to offer extended hours. Post offices are usually open Monday through Friday from 8am to 5:30pm, and Saturday from 7:30am to noon. (In small towns, post offices may close on Sat.) Stores are generally open Monday through Saturday from 9am to 6pm (many close for 1 hr at lunch), but stores in modern malls generally stay open until 8 or 9pm and don’t close for lunch. Most bars are open until 1 or 2am, although some go later.

Drinking Laws — Alcoholic beverages are sold every day of the week throughout the year, although some cantons ban the sale of alcohol in the days before Easter. The legal drinking age is 18, though it’s sporadically enforced. Liquor, beer, and wine are sold in liquor stores called licoreras, and in most supermarkets and convenience stores.

Electricity — The standard in Costa Rica is the same as in the United States and Canada: 110 volts AC (60 cycles). However, three-pronged outlets can be scarce, so it’s helpful to bring along an adapter.

Language — Spanish is the official language of Costa Rica. However, in most tourist areas, you’ll be surprised by how well Costa Ricans speak English. Additionally, English is widely spoken along the Caribbean coast. See chapter 15 for some key Spanish terms and phrases.

Legal Aid — If you need legal help, your best bet is to first contact your local embassy or consulate.

Mail — At press time, it cost C600 to mail a letter to the United States, and C650 to Europe. You can get stamps at post offices and at some gift shops in large hotels. Given the Costa Rican postal service’s track record, I recommend paying an extra C850 to have anything of any value certified. Better yet, use an international courier service or wait until you get home to post it. Contact DHL, on Paseo Colón between calles 30 and 32 (2209-6000); EMS Courier, with desks at most post offices (2223-9766); FedEx is based in Heredia but will arrange pickup anywhere in the metropolitan area (2239-0576); or United Parcel Service, in Pavas (2290-2828).

Newspapers & Magazines — Costa Rica has a half-dozen or so Spanish-language dailies, and you can get Time magazine and several U.S. newspapers at some hotel gift shops and a few of the bookstores in San José. If you read Spanish, La Nación is the paper you’ll want. Its “Viva” and “Tiempo Libre” sections list what’s going on in the world of music, theater, dance, and more.

Packing — Be sure to pack the essentials: sunscreen, insect repellent, camera, swimsuit, a wide-brimmed hat, all prescription medications, and so forth. You’ll want good hiking shoes and/or beach footwear, depending upon your itinerary. It’s also a good idea to bring a waterproof headlamp or flashlight and refillable water bottle. Lightweight, long-sleeved shirts and long pants are good protection from both the sun and insects. Surfers use “rash guards,” quick-drying Lycra or polyester shirts, which provide great protection from the sun while swimming.

If you’re just heading to Guanacaste between December and March, you won’t need anything for the rain. Otherwise, bring an umbrella and rain gear. Most high-end hotels provide umbrellas. If you plan to do any wildlife-viewing, bringing your own binoculars is a good idea, as is a field guide.

Smoking — Though many Costa Ricans smoke, smoking is prohibited in all public spaces, including restaurants, bars, offices, and such outdoor areas as public parks and bus stops.

Time — Costa Rica is on Central Standard Time (same as Chicago and St. Louis), 6 hours behind Greenwich Mean Time. Costa Rica does not use daylight-saving time, so the time difference is an additional hour from early March through early November.

Toilets — To find a bathroom, ask for the “baño” or the “servicio.” They are marked damas (women) and hombres or caballeros (men). Public restrooms are hard to come by. You will almost never find a public restroom in a city park or downtown area. Public restrooms are usually at most national park entrances, and much less frequently inside the national park. In towns and cities, it gets much trickier, and sometimes you have to count on a hotel or restaurant. The same goes for most beaches. Bus and gas stations often have restrooms, but many of these are pretty grim. In some restrooms around the country, especially more remote and natural areas, it’s common practice not to flush any foreign matter, aside from your business, down the toilet. This includes toilet paper, sanitary napkins, cigarette butts, and so forth. You will usually find a little sign advising you of this practice in the restroom.

Water — Although the water in San José is generally safe to drink, water quality varies outside the city. Because many travelers have tender digestive tracts, you might want to play it safe: Stick to bottled drinks and avoid ice.

Tips for Gay and Lesbian Travelers

Tips for Student Travelers

Although you won’t find any discounts at the national parks, most museums and other attractions around Costa Rica do offer discounts for students. It can’t hurt to ask.

Tips for Women Travelers

For lack of better phrasing, Costa Rica is a typically “macho” Latin American nation. Single women can expect catcalls, hisses, whistles, and honking horns, especially in San José. In most cases, while annoying, this is harmless and intended by Tico men as a compliment. Nonetheless, women should be careful walking alone at night throughout the country.

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. Sansa and Nature Air are the country’s domestic airlines. In the high season (late Nov to late Apr), be sure to book reservations well in advance. Both companies have online booking systems (see websites, below).

Sansa (877/767-2672 in the U.S. and Canada, or 2290-4100 in Costa Rica) operates from a private terminal at San José’s Juan Santamaría International Airport.

Nature Air (800/235-9272 in the U.S. and Canada, or 2299-6000 in Costa Rica) operates from the main terminal at San José’s Juan Santamaría International Airport (), as well as the smaller Pavas International Airport. However, after a deadly crash in late 2017, the airline has had issues insuring its planes and, at press time, its operations had been grounded. Check Nature Air’s website on the current situation.

By Car

Renting a car is perhaps the best way to see Costa Rica on your own terms, so long as you’re prepared for narrow roads riddled with potholes, one-lane bridges, muddy backroads, and sometimes frustrating behavior by other drivers. Be advised that driving in the Central Valley urban area can be a white-knuckle experience, with baffling street layouts, lanes that end without warning, two-way streets that become one-way, harrowing roundabouts, and lots of tight squeezes between cars jostling for position. But once you get out of the big city, you’ll find that driving is much easier.

Be forewarned, however: Although rental cars no longer bear special license plates, they are still readily identifiable to thieves and are frequently targeted. (Nothing is ever safe in a car in Costa Rica, although parking in guarded lots helps.) Transit Police also sometimes target tourists; never pay money directly to an officer who stops you for any traffic violation.

Before driving off with a rental car, be sure that you inspect the exterior and point out to the rental company representative every scratch, dent, tear, or any other damage. It’s a common practice with many Costa Rican car-rental companies to claim that you owe payment for minor dings and dents that the company finds when you return the car. Also, if you get into an accident, be sure that the rental company doesn’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 tourists rent cars here every year, and the large majority of them encounter no problems. Just keep your wits about you and guard against car break-ins. Also, keep in mind that four-wheel-drive vehicles are particularly useful in the rainy season (May to mid-Nov) and for navigating the bumpy, poorly paved roads year-round.

Among the major international agencies operating in Costa Rica are Alamo, Avis, Budget, Hertz, National, Payless, and Thrifty. For a complete list of car-rental agencies and their contact information, see the “Getting Around” sections of major tourist destinations in this book.

Gasoline (Petrol) — Gasoline is sold as “regular” and “super.” Both are unleaded; super is higher octane. Diesel is available at almost every gas station as well. Most rental cars run on super, but always ask your rental agent what type of gas your car takes. When going off to remote places, try to leave with a full tank of gas, because gas stations can be hard to find. If you need to gas up in a small town, you can sometimes get gasoline from enterprising families who sell it by the liter from their houses.

Road Conditions — The awful road conditions throughout Costa Rica are legendary. The hot sun and hard rain take a hard toll on the condition of the roads. Even paved roads are often badly potholed, so stay alert. Conditions get especially tricky during the rainy season, when heavy rains and runoff can quickly destroy a stretch of pavement.

Note: Estimated driving times are listed throughout this book, but bear in mind that it might take longer than estimated to reach your destination during the rainy season, if roads have deteriorated or are being repaired, or when there is a sudden surge of traffic, which seems to happen often.

Route numbers are somewhat sporadically and arbitrarily used. You’ll also find frequent signs listing the number of kilometers to various towns or cities, but turnoffs are not always marked. The Waze app is incredibly useful for finding your way around, provided you have a data plan on your phone that you can use outside your home country.

Most car rental agencies offer the opportunity to rent out GPS units along with your car rental. Rates run between $8 and $15 per day. If you have your own GPS unit, several maps of Costa Rica are available. Although you still can’t simply enter a street address, most commercial GPS maps of Costa Rica feature hundreds of prominent points of interest (POI), and you should be able to plug in a POI close to your destination.

Renter’s Insurance — Third Party Waiver, or Supplemental Liability Insurance (SLI) is mandatory in Costa Rica, regardless of your home policy or credit card coverage.

Important note: Even if you hold your own car-insurance policy at home or use a credit card that provides coverage, this coverage doesn’t always extend abroad. Be sure to find out whether you’ll be covered in Costa Rica, whether your policy extends to all persons who will be driving the rental car, how much liability is covered in case an outside party is injured in an accident, and whether the type of vehicle you are renting is included under your contract.

Driving Rules — To drive in Costa Rica, you must carry a valid driver’s license from your home country, and you must have your passport. Seat belts are required for the driver and front-seat passengers. Motorcyclists must wear helmets. Police sometimes turn on their emergency lights for no apparent reason, so if there’s a police car behind you with its lights on, that doesn’t necessarily mean you’re being pulled over. Speed enforcement is lax, but sometimes police pull over every vehicle on a highway to check their papers. If you do get a speeding ticket, it can be charged to your credit card up to a year later if you leave the country without paying it.

Note: To reduce congestion and fuel consumption, a rotating ban on traffic takes place in the central core of San José Monday through Friday from 6am to 7pm. The ban affects cars with licenses ending in the digits 1 or 2 on Monday; 3 or 4 on Tuesday; 5 or 6 on Wednesday; 7 or 8 on Thursday; and 9 or 0 on Friday. If you are caught driving a car with the banned license plate during these hours on a specified day, you will be ticketed.

Breakdowns — Be warned that emergency services, both vehicular and medical, are extremely limited outside San José, and their availability is directly related to the remoteness of your location at the time of breakdown. You’ll find service stations spread over the entire length of the Inter-American Highway, and most of these have tow trucks and mechanics. The major towns of Puntarenas, Liberia, Quepos, San Isidro, Palmar, and Golfito all have hospitals, and most moderately sized cities and tourist destinations have some sort of clinic or healthcare provider.

If you’re involved in an accident, contact the National Insurance Institute (INS) at 800/800-8000, and the Transit Police (2222-9330). You can also call 911, where operators should be able to redirect your call to the appropriate agency.

Note that if you’re involved in a collision, drivers are not supposed to move their vehicles, even if they’re drivable and blocking the road, until Transit Police arrive to examine the scene. This rule was recently changed to make an exception for minor fender-benders where the two drivers agree to a resolution.

If you don’t speak Spanish, expect added difficulty in any emergency or stressful situation. Don’t expect that police officers, hospital personnel, service station personnel, or mechanics will speak English.

If your car breaks down and you’re unable to get well off the road, check your trunk for reflecting triangles. If you find some, place them as a warning for approaching traffic, arranged in a wedge that starts at the shoulder about 30m (98 ft.) back and nudges gradually toward your car.

People have been robbed by seemingly friendly Ticos who stop to give assistance, and there are reports of organized gangs who puncture tires of rental cars at rest stops or busy intersections, only to follow them, offer assistance, and make off with valuables. If you find yourself with a flat tire, try to ride it to a safe place. If that's not possible, try to pull over into a well-lit public spot. Keep the doors of the car locked and an eye on your belongings while changing the tire.

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. Local buses, the cheapest and slowest, stop frequently and are generally a bit dilapidated. Express buses run between San José and most beach towns and major cities; these tend to be newer units and more comfortable, although very few are so new or modern as to have restroom facilities, and they sometimes operate only on weekends and holidays.

Two companies run regular, fixed-schedule departures in passenger vans and small buses to most of the major tourist destinations in the country. Gray Line (800/719-3105 in the U.S. and Canada, or 2220-2126 in Costa Rica) has about 10 departures leaving San José each morning and heading or connecting to Jacó, Manuel Antonio, Liberia, Playa Hermosa, La Fortuna, Tamarindo, and playas Conchal and Flamingo. Return trips to San José are daily from these destinations and a variety of interconnecting routes. Interbus  (4100-0888) has a similar route map and connections. Fares run between $44 and $84, depending on the destination.

Beware: Both of these companies offer pickup and drop-off at a long list of hotels. This means that if you are the first picked up or last dropped off, you might have to sit through a long period of subsequent stops before finally hitting the road or reaching your destination. For details on how to get to various destinations from San José, see the “Getting There” sections in the preceding chapters.

By Taxi

Taxis are readily available in San José and most popular destinations. In San José, your best bet is usually to hail one in the street. However, during rush hour and rainstorms, and in more remote destinations, it is probably best to call a cab. Throughout this book, numbers for local taxi companies are listed in the "Getting Around" sections. If no number is listed, ask at your hotel, or, if you're out and about, at the nearest restaurant or shop.

All city taxis, and even some rural cabs, have meters (marías), although drivers sometimes refuse to use them, particularly with foreigners. If this is the case, be sure to negotiate the price up front. Always try to get drivers to use the meter first (say, “Ponga la maría, por favor”). The official rate at this writing is C660 per kilometer ([bf]1/2 mile). If you have a rough idea of how far it is to your destination, you can estimate how much it should cost from these figures, or you can ask at your hotel how much your ride should cost. After 10pm, taxis are legally allowed to add a 20% surcharge. Some of the meters are programmed to include the extra charge, but be careful: Some drivers will use the evening setting during the daytime or (at night) to charge an extra 20% on top of the higher meter setting. The Uber smartphone app, while still in a legal gray area, tends to be significantly cheaper.

By Thumb

Although buses serve most towns in Costa Rica, service can be infrequent in the remote regions, so local people often hitchhike to get to their destinations sooner. If you’re driving a car, people will frequently ask you for a ride. Hitchhiking is not recommended on major roadways or in urban areas. In rural areas, it’s usually pretty safe. (However, women should be extremely cautious about hitchhiking anywhere in Costa Rica.) If you choose to thumb it, keep in mind that if a bus doesn’t go to your destination, there probably aren’t too many cars going there, either. Good luck.

Health & Safety

Staying healthy on a trip to Costa Rica is predominantly a matter of being a little cautious about what you eat and drink, and using common sense. Know your physical limits and don’t overexert yourself in the ocean, on hikes, or during athletic activities. Many beaches have dangerous riptides, and drownings do occur from time to time. As you climb above 3,000m (10,000 ft.), you may feel the effects of altitude sickness. Be sure to drink plenty of water and not overexert yourself. Limit your exposure to the sun, especially during the first few days of your trip and, thereafter, from 11am to 2pm. Use sunscreen with a high protection factor, and apply it liberally. Remember that children need more protection than adults. The water in San José and most of the country’s heavily visited spots is generally safe to drink, but if you want to take no chances, stick to bottled water.

General Availability of Healthcare

In general, Costa Rica has a high level of medical care and services for a developing nation. The better private hospitals and doctors in San José are very good. In fact, given the relatively low-cost nature of care and treatment, a sizable number of foreigners come to Costa Rica each year for elective surgery and other care.

Pharmacies are widely available, and generally well stocked. In most cases, you will not need a doctor’s script to fill or refill a prescription.

If You Get Sick

Your hotel front desk should be your best source of information and assistance if you get sick while in Costa Rica. In addition, your local consulate in Costa Rica can provide a list of area doctors who speak English. We list the best hospitals in San José in “Fast Facts: San José,"; these have the most modern facilities in the country. Most state-run hospitals and walk-in clinics around the country have emergency rooms that can treat most conditions, although you’re better off going to a private hospital in San José if that’s an option.

Red Tides

Also known as harmful algal blooms (HAB), red tides are a phenomenon occurring in oceans worldwide. Red tides can arise from natural or man-made causes. Some are seasonal, while others may be provoked by pollution or chemical waste. Some are toxic and others are benign. Harmful algal blooms are often accompanied by dead fish and sea life. Rising sea temperatures have been cited as one cause of an increase in HAB occurrences, although they have been recorded in frigid arctic waters. Some can turn ocean waters a deep red, while color changes from deep green to murky brown have also been documented. Some, in fact, do not affect the water color at all. Tidal changes have no causal link to red tides, so the name is a bit of a misnomer.

All red tides are characterized by rapid and massive reproduction of algae or phytoplankton. Pacific-coast beaches have been hardest hit, especially those along the Nicoya Peninsula. Still, red tides have been recorded all along both of the country's coastlines. In Costa Rica, red tides tend to be more common near the start of the rainy season. Most only last a day or so, although some have lasted as long as a couple of weeks. It's extremely hard to tell for certain if a red tide is a dangerous algal bloom or not. If you notice a deep red or unnatural brown tint to the water, it is best to refrain from swimming. Due to dark sands and benign river runoff, many of Costa Rica's beaches often appear to have brownish water that is perfectly safe for swimming. Ask around locally to find out the current water conditions.

Regional Health Concerns

Tropical Illnesses — Your chance of contracting any serious tropical disease in Costa Rica is slim, especially if you stick to the beaches or traditional spots for visitors. However, malaria, dengue fever, leptospirosis, and Zika all exist in Costa Rica, so it’s a good idea to know what they are.

Malaria is found in the lowlands on both coasts and in the Northern Zone. Although it’s rarely found in urban areas, it’s still a problem in remote wooded regions and along the Caribbean coast. Malaria prophylaxes are available, but several have side effects, and others are of questionable effectiveness. Consult your doctor regarding what is currently considered the best preventive treatment for malaria. Be sure to ask whether a recommended drug will cause you to be hypersensitive to the sun; it would be a shame to come down here for the beaches and then have to hide under an umbrella the whole time. Because malaria-carrying mosquitoes usually come out at night, you should do as much as possible to avoid being bitten after dark. If you are in a malaria-prone area, wear long pants and long sleeves, use insect repellent, and either sleep under a mosquito net or burn mosquito coils.

Of greater concern is dengue fever, which has had periodic outbreaks in Latin America since the mid-1990s. Dengue fever is similar to malaria and is spread by an aggressive daytime mosquito. This mosquito seems to be most common in lowland urban areas, and Puntarenas, Liberia, and Limón have been the worst-hit cities in Costa Rica. Dengue is also known as “bone-break fever” because it is usually accompanied by severe body aches. The first infection with dengue fever will make you very sick but should cause no serious damage. However, a second infection with a different strain of the dengue virus can lead to internal hemorrhaging and could be life-threatening.

One tropical fever you should know about is leptospirosis. There are more than 200 strains of leptospires, animal-borne bacteria transmitted to humans via contact with drinking, swimming, or bathing water. This bacterial infection is easily treated with antibiotics; however, it can quickly cause very high fever and chills, and should be treated promptly.

If you develop a high fever accompanied by severe body aches, nausea, diarrhea, or vomiting during or shortly after a visit to Costa Rica, consult a physician as soon as possible.

Costa Rica has historically had very few outbreaks of cholera. This is largely due to an extensive public-awareness campaign that has promoted good hygiene and increased sanitation. Your chances of contracting cholera while you’re here are very slight.

The Zika virus became a major concern throughout tropical areas of Latin America in 2016. The tropical mosquito-borne virus is spread by day flying mosquitoes (including Ae. aegypti and Ae. albopictus) and is generally so mild that 80% of people who contract it never know they have it. Symptoms are similar to dengue fever, normally lasting for 2 days to 6 days, however, Zika is particularly dangerous for women who are pregnant or planning to become pregnant as the virus poses a serious health problem for fetuses, especially in the first trimester. Before traveling to affected areas, it is best to consult your family’s physician and other doctors if you are pregnant or planning to become pregnant.

Dietary Red Flags — Even though the water in San José and most popular destinations in Costa Rica is generally safe, and even if you’re careful to buy bottled water, order frescos en leche (fruit shakes made with milk rather than water), and drink your soft drink without ice cubes, you still might encounter some intestinal difficulties. Most of this is just due to tender stomachs coming into contact with slightly more aggressive Latin American intestinal flora. In extreme cases of diarrhea or intestinal discomfort, it’s worth taking a stool sample to a lab for analysis. The results will usually pinpoint the amoebic or parasitic culprit, which can then be readily treated with available over-the-counter medicines.

Except in the most established and hygienic of restaurants, it’s also advisable to avoid ceviche, a raw seafood salad, especially if it has any shellfish in it. It could be home to any number of bacterial critters.

Bugs, Bites & Other Wildlife Concerns — Although Costa Rica has Africanized bees (the notorious “killer bees” of fact and fable) and several species of venomous snakes, your chances of being bitten are minimal, especially if you refrain from sticking your hands into hives or under rocks in the forest. If you know that you’re allergic to bee stings, consult your doctor before traveling.

At the beaches, you’ll probably be bitten by purrujas (sand fleas), especially on the lower part of your legs. These nearly invisible insects leave an itchy welt. Try not to scratch because this can lead to open sores and infections. Purrujas are most active at sunrise and sunset, so you might want to cover up or avoid the beaches at these times.

Snakebites are rare, and the majority of snakes in Costa Rica are nonvenomous. If you do encounter a snake, keep your distance. Avoid sticking your hands under rocks, branches, and fallen trees, and avoid brushing up against vegetation.

Scorpions, black widow spiders, tarantulas, bullet ants, and biting insects of many types can all be found in Costa Rica. In general, they are not nearly the danger or nuisance most visitors fear. Watch where you stick your hands; in addition, you might want to shake out your clothes and shoes before putting them on to avoid any painful surprises.

Riptides — Many of Costa Rica’s beaches have riptides: strong currents that can drag swimmers out to sea. A riptide occurs when water that has been dumped on the shore by strong waves forms a channel back out to open water. If you get caught in a riptide, you can’t escape the current by swimming toward shore; it’s like trying to swim upstream in a river. To break free of the current, swim parallel to shore and use the energy of the waves to help you get back to the beach.

Doctors — Your hotel front desk will be your best source of info on what to do if you get sick and where to go for treatment. Most have the number of a trusted doctor on hand. Your local consulate in Costa Rica can also provide a list of area doctors who speak English.

Emergencies — For any emergency, dial 📞 911 (which should have an English-speaking operator); for an ambulance, call 1028; and to report a fire, call 1118. If 911 doesn’t work, contact the police at 2222-1365 or 2221-5337, and hopefully they can find someone who speaks English.

Medical Requirements — No shots or inoculations are required to enter Costa Rica. The exception to this is for those who have recently been traveling in a country or region known to have yellow fever. In this case, proof of a yellow fever vaccination is required.

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 📞 2222-1365 and 2221-5337. The numbers for the Traffic Police (Policía de Tránsito) are 📞 800/8726-7486 toll-free nationwide, or 2222-9245.

Safety — Although most of Costa Rica is safe, petty crime and robberies committed against tourists are endemic. San José, in particular, is known for its pickpockets. 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 jewelry, and nice sunglasses. Be sure not to leave valuables unsecured in your hotel room, or unattended—even for a moment—on the beach. Given the high rate of stolen passports in Costa Rica, mostly as collateral damage in a typical pickpocketing or room robbery, it is recommended that, whenever possible, you leave your passport in a hotel safe, and travel with a photocopy of the pertinent pages. Avoid parking a car on the street in Costa Rica, especially in San José; plenty of public parking lots are around the city.

Rental cars generally stand out and are easily spotted by thieves. Don’t leave anything of value in a car parked on the street, not even for a moment. Be wary of solicitous strangers who stop to help you change a tire or take you to a service station. Although most are truly good Samaritans, there are bandits who prey on roadside breakdowns. See “Getting Around: By Car” for more info.

Inter-city buses are also frequent targets of stealthy thieves. Try not to check your bags into the hold of a bus if they will fit in the rack above your seat. If it can’t be avoided, keep your eye on what leaves the hold. If you put your bags in an overhead rack, keep an eye on them.

Single women should use common sense and take precaution, especially after dark. Men and women should avoid walking alone at night, especially on deserted beaches or dark streets.

Tips on Accommodations

When the Costa Rican tourist boom began in the late 1980s, hotels popped up like mushrooms in a crowded cow pasture. By the 1990s, the country’s first true megaresorts opened, and then more followed, and now still more are under construction or in the planning phase. Except during the few busiest weeks of the year, there’s a relative glut of rooms in Costa Rica. That said, most hotels are small to midsize, and the best ones fill up fast throughout much of the year. You’ll generally have to reserve well in advance if you want to land a room at any of the more popular or highly rated hotels. Still, in broader terms, the glut of rooms is good news for travelers and bargain hunters. Less popular hotels that want to survive are being forced to reduce their rates and provide better service.

Be aware that almost all hotel prices in Costa Rica—and the rest of the world, for that matter—are not truly fixed. Rates go up and down by season and by the volume of bookings. That’s why you will often see one rate on a hotel’s website, another rate on a discounter site (such as Agoda.com) and still another rate on another booking site (perhaps Expedia.com). We’ve tried to present realistic rate ranges for all the hotels listed. We’ve done so by searching online travel agencies like booking.com and hotel search sites like hotelscombined.com, to find prices for a room for two, taxes included, on both February 15 (high season) and October 15 (low season). In most cases, we used the range of prices obtained in this manner, though in the few cases with complicating factors, we used the hotels’ stated prices, either from their websites or from interviews with their management.

Hotel listings in this book are separated into three categories: expensive, $200 and up; moderate, $100 to $200; and inexpensive, under $100 for a room for two people. Though we’ve tried to specify if rates include the 13% tax imposed on all hotels, be sure to confirm this when booking. This tax is often not included in listed rates on hotel websites.

Money

The unit of currency in Costa Rica is the colón. In this book, prices are listed in the currency you are most likely to see quoted. Hence, nearly all hotel prices and most tour and transportation prices are listed in dollars, since the hotels, airlines, tour agencies, and transport companies quote their prices in dollars. Many restaurants do, as well. Still, a good many restaurants, as well as taxis and other local goods and services, are advertised and quoted in colones. In those cases, prices listed are in colones (C).

The colón is divided into 100 céntimos. The smallest coins are white 5- and 10-colón coins, followed by gold-hued 25-, 50-, 100-, and 500-colón coins.

Paper notes come in denominations of 1,000, 2,000, 5,000, 10,000 and 20,000 colones. You might hear people refer to a "rojo" or "tucán," which are slang terms for the red 1,000- and yellow 5,000-colón bills, respectively. One-hundred-colón denominations are called "tejas," so "cinco tejas" is 500 colones.

Forged bills are not entirely uncommon. When receiving change in colones, it’s a good idea to check the larger bills, which should have protective bands or hidden images that appear when held up to the light.

You can change money at all banks in Costa Rica, though you must produce your passport to do so. Because banks handle money exchanges, Costa Rica has very few exchange houses. One major exception to this is the Global Exchange (2431-0686) offices at the international airports. Be forewarned that they change money at more than 10% below the official exchange rate. Airport taxis accept U.S. dollars, so there isn’t necessarily any great need to exchange money the moment you arrive.

Hotels will often exchange money as well, but they might shave a few colones off the exchange rate.

If you plan on carrying around dollars to pay for goods and services, be aware that most Costa Rican businesses, be they restaurants, convenience stores, or gas stations, will give a very unfavorable exchange rate.

Your best bet for getting colones is usually by direct withdrawal from your home account via a bank card or debit card, although check in advance if you will be assessed any fees or charges by your home bank. In general, ATMs in Costa Rica still don’t add on service fees. Paying with a credit card will also get you the going bank exchange rate. But again, try to get a credit card with no foreign transaction fees.

It’s extremely risky to exchange money on the streets. In addition to forged bills and short counts, street money-changers often work in teams that can leave you holding neither colones nor dollars. Also be very careful when leaving a bank. Criminals are often looking for foreigners who have just withdrawn or exchanged cash.

The currency conversions provided in the "Value of the Colón vs. Other Popular Currencies" box were correct at press time. However, rates fluctuate, so before departing, consult a currency exchange website such as www.xe.com to check up-to-the-minute rates.

MasterCard and Visa are the most widely accepted credit cards in Costa Rica, followed by American Express. Most hotels and restaurants accept them, especially in touristy areas. Discover and Diners Club are far less widely accepted.

Beware of hidden credit card fees while traveling. Check with your credit or debit card issuer to see what fees, if any, will be charged for overseas transactions. Fees for credit and debit cards while out of the country—even if those charges were made in U.S. dollars—can amount to 3% or more of the purchase price. Check with your bank before departing to avoid any surprise charges on your statement.

Costa Rica has a modern and widespread network of ATMs. You should find ATMs in all but the most remote tourist destinations and isolated nature lodges. In response to several “express kidnappings” in San José, in which people were taken at gunpoint to an ATM to clean out their bank accounts, some banks shut down ATM service between 10pm and 5am. Others dispense money 24 hours a day.

It’s probably a good idea to change your PIN to a four-digit PIN. While many ATMs in Costa Rica will accept five- and six-digit PINs, some will only accept four-digit PINs.

Taxes – The national 13% value added tax (often written IVA in Costa Rica) is added to all goods and services. This includes hotel and restaurant bills. Restaurants also add a 10% service charge, for a total of 23% more on your bill. Some hotels add a 10% “resort fee.”

The airport departure tax is $29. This is almost always incorporated into most airline ticket prices at time of purchase. If not, you will be able to pay it at check-in.

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’s not mandatory. Porters and bellhops get around C500 to C1,000 per bag. You don’t need to tip a taxi driver unless the service has been superior; a tip is not usually expected.

Tips for Families

Hotels in Costa Rica often give discounts for children, and allow children to stay for free in a parent’s room. Still, these discounts and the cutoff ages vary according to the hotel; in general, don’t assume that your kids can stay in your room for free.

Some hotels, villas, and cabinas come equipped with kitchenettes or full kitchen facilities. These can be a real money-saver for those traveling with children.

Hotels offering regular, dependable babysitting service are few and far between. If you will need babysitting, make sure that your hotel offers it, and be sure to ask if the sitters are bilingual. In many cases, they are not. This is usually not a problem with infants and toddlers, but it can be for older children.

Regions in Brief

Costa Rica is named after one coast but of course has two, the Pacific and the Caribbean. These two coasts are as different from each other as are the East and West coasts of North America.

Costa Rica’s Pacific coast is the most extensive, and is characterized by a rugged though mostly accessible coastline where forested mountains often meet the sea. It can be divided into four regions: Guanacaste, the Nicoya Peninsula, the Central Coast, and the Southern Coast. There are some spectacular stretches of coastline, and most of the country’s top beaches are here, as well as some of the best national parks. This coast varies from the dry, sunny climate of the northwest to the hot, humid rainforests of the south.

The Caribbean coast can be divided into two roughly equal stretches. The remote northeast coastline is a vast flat plain laced with rivers and covered with rainforest; it is accessible only by boat or small plane. Farther south, along the stretch of coast accessible by car, are uncrowded beaches and coral reefs.

Bordered by Nicaragua in the north and Panama in the southeast, Costa Rica is only slightly larger than Vermont and New Hampshire combined. Much of the country is mountainous, with three major ranges running northwest to southeast. Among these mountains are several volcanic peaks, some of which are still active. Between the mountain ranges are fertile valleys, the largest and most populated of which is the Central Valley. With the exception of the dry Guanacaste region, much of Costa Rica’s coastal area is hot and humid and covered with dense rainforests.

San José — San José is Costa Rica’s capital and its primary business, cultural, and social center—and it sits close to the country’s geographical center, in the heart of the Central Valley (see below). It’s a sprawling urban area, with a metropolitan population of around two million. Its streets are narrow, in poor repair, poorly marked, and often chock-full of speeding, honking traffic. However, a few notable parks, like the Parque La Sabana and Parque del Este, serve to lessen the urban blight. San José is home to the country’s greatest collection of museums, fine restaurants and stores, galleries, and shopping centers.

The Central Valley — The Central Valley is surrounded by rolling green hills and mountains that rise to heights between 900 and 1,200m (2,952–3,936 ft.) above sea level. The climate here is mild and springlike year-round. The rich volcanic soil of this region makes it Costa Rica’s primary agricultural region, with coffee farms making up the majority of landholdings. The country’s earliest settlements were in this area, and today the Central Valley (which includes San José) is densely populated, crisscrossed by decent roads, and dotted with small towns. Surrounding the Central Valley are high mountains, among which are four volcanic peaks. Three of these, Poás, Irazú, and Turrialba, are still active and have caused extensive damage during cycles of activity in the past 2 centuries. Many of the mountainous regions to the north and to the south of the capital of San José have been declared national parks (Tapantí, Juan Castro Blanco, and Braulio Carrillo) to protect their virgin rainforests against logging.

Guanacaste — The northwestern corner of the country near the Nicaraguan border is the site of many of Costa Rica’s sunniest and most popular beaches, including Playa del Coco, Playa Hermosa, Playa Flamingo, Playa Conchal, Tamarindo, and the Papagayo Peninsula. Scores of beach destinations, towns, and resorts are along this long string of coastline. Because many foreigners have chosen to build beach houses and retirement homes here, Guanacaste has experienced considerable development over the years. You won’t find a glut of Cancún-style high-rise hotels, but condos, luxury resorts, and golf courses have sprung up along the coastline here. But you can still find long stretches of deserted sands. However, more and more travelers are using Liberia as their gateway to Costa Rica, bypassing San José and the central and southern parts of the country entirely.

With about 165cm (65 in.) of rain a year, this region is by far the driest in the country and has been likened to west Texas. Guanacaste province is named after the shady trees that still shelter the herds of cattle roaming the dusty savanna here. In addition to cattle ranches, Guanacaste has semi-active volcanoes, several lakes, and one of the last remnants of tropical dry forest left in Central America. (Dry forest once stretched all the way from Costa Rica up to the Mexican state of Chiapas.)

Puntarenas & the Nicoya Peninsula — Just south of Guanacaste lies the Nicoya Peninsula. Similar to Guanacaste in many ways, the Nicoya Peninsula is somewhat more inaccessible, and less developed and crowded. However, this is changing. The beaches of Santa Teresa and Malpaís are perhaps the fastest-growing hot spots anywhere along the Costa Rican coast, while Nosara is being hailed as the next Tulum.

As you head south from Guanacaste, the region is similar in terms of geography, climate, and ecosystems, but begins to get more humid and moist, with taller and lusher forests. The Nicoya Peninsula itself juts out to form the Golfo de Nicoya (Nicoya Gulf), a large, protected body of water. Puntarenas, a small fishing city, is the main port found inside this gulf, and one of the main commercial ports in all of Costa Rica. Puntarenas is also the departure point for the regular car ferries that connect the Nicoya Peninsula to mainland Costa Rica.

The Northern Zone — This inland region lies to the north of San José and includes rainforests, cloud forests, hot springs, the famous Arenal Volcano, the vast Braulio Carrillo National Park, and numerous remote lodges. Because this is one of the few regions of Costa Rica without any beaches, it primarily attracts people interested in nature and active sports. Lake Arenal has some of the best windsurfing and kitesurfing in the world, as well as several good mountain-biking trails along its shores. The Monteverde Cloud Forest, perhaps Costa Rica’s most internationally recognized attraction, is another top draw in this region.

The Central Pacific Coast — Because it’s the most easily accessible coastline in Costa Rica, the central Pacific coast has a vast variety of beach resorts and hotels. Jacó, a bustling beach town a little over an hour from San José, attracts sunbirds, charter groups, and a mad rush of Costa Rican tourists every weekend. It is also very popular with young surfers, and has a distinct party vibe. Manuel Antonio, one of the most emblematic destinations in Costa Rica, is built up around a popular coastal national park, and caters to people looking to blend beach time and fabulous panoramic views with some wildlife viewing and active adventures. South of Manuel Antonio, you’ll encounter a wild coastal region where thick rainforests coat steep hillsides that lead down to the undeveloped beaches of Dominical, Matapalo, Uvita, and beyond. This region is also home to the highest peak in Costa Rica—Mount Chirripó—a beautiful summit, where frost is common.

The Southern Zone — This hot, humid region is one of Costa Rica’s most remote and undeveloped. It is characterized by dense rainforests, large national parks and protected areas, and rugged coastlines. Much of the area is uninhabited and protected in Corcovado, Piedras Blancas, and La Amistad national parks. A number of wonderful nature lodges are spread around the shores of the Golfo Dulce and along the Osa Peninsula. There’s a lot of solitude to be found here, due in no small part to the fact that it’s hard to get here and hard to get around. But if you like your ecotourism authentic and challenging, you’ll find the Southern Zone to your liking.

The Caribbean Coast — Most of the Caribbean coast is a wide, steamy lowland laced with rivers and blanketed with rainforests and banana plantations. The culture here is predominantly Afro-Caribbean, with many residents speaking an English or Caribbean patois. The northern section of this coast is accessible only by boat or small plane and is the site of Tortuguero National Park, which is known for its nesting sea turtles and riverboat trips. The towns of Cahuita, Puerto Viejo, and Manzanillo, on the southern half of the Caribbean coast, are increasingly popular destinations. The beautiful beaches and coastline here, as yet, have few large hotels. This area can be rainy, especially between December and April.

Staying Connected

Area Codes — Costa Rica doesn’t have area codes. All phone numbers are eight-digits numbers.

Internet & Wi-Fi — Internet cafes were once ubiquitous but are increasingly rare, as most hotels and restaurants offer high-speed Wi-Fi access, usually for free.

Mobile Phones — Costa Rica uses GSM (Global System for Mobile Communications) networks. If your cellphone is on a GSM system, and you have a world-capable multiband phone, you should be able to make and receive calls in Costa Rica. Just call your wireless provider and ask for “international roaming” to be activated on your account. Per-minute charges can be high, though—up to $5 in Costa Rica, depending upon your plan.

Costa Rica has three main cellphone companies and a couple of smaller outfits. The main providers are the government-run ICE/Kolbi and the international giants Claro and Movistar. All offer a range of prepaid and traditional plans.

You can purchase a prepaid SIM card for an unlocked GSM phone at the airport and at shops all around the country. A prepaid SIM card costs around $2 to $5. Cards usually come loaded with some minutes, and you can buy additional minutes separately either online or at cellphone stores and ICE offices around the country.

If you don’t have your own unlocked GSM phone, you might consider buying one here. Shops around the country offer basic, functional phones with a local line, beginning at around $35.

Telephones — Costa Rica has an excellent and widespread phone system. A phone call within the country costs around C15 per minute. Pay phones are relatively scarce. If you do find one, it might take a calling card or coins. Calling cards are much more practical. You can purchase calling cards in a host of gift shops and pharmacies. However, there are several competing calling-card companies, and certain cards work only with certain phones. CHIP calling cards work with a computer chip and just slide into specific phones, although these phones aren’t widely available. Better bets are the 197 and 199 calling cards, which are sold in varying denominations. These have a scratch-off PIN and can be used from any phone in the country. Generally, the 197 cards are sold in smaller denominations and are used for local calling, while the 199 cards are deemed international and are easier to find in larger denominations. Either card can be used to make any call, provided the card can cover the cost. Another perk of the 199 cards is the fact that you can get the instructions in English. For local calls, it is often easiest to call from your hotel, although you may be charged around C150 to C300 per call.

You might also see about getting yourself a local mobile phone; for information on this, see “Mobile Phones”.

To call Costa Rica from abroad:

1.Dial the international access code: 011 from the U.S. and Canada; 00 from the UK, Ireland, or New Zealand; or 0011 from Australia.

2.Dial the country code 506.

3.Dial the eight-digit number.

To make international calls from Costa Rica: First dial 00 and then the country code (U.S. or Canada 1, UK 44, Ireland 353, Australia 61, New Zealand 64). Next dial the area code and number. For example, if you want to call the British Embassy in Washington, D.C., you would dial 00-1-202-588-7800.

For directory assistance: Dial 1113 if you’re looking for a number inside Costa Rica; dial 1024 for numbers to all other countries.

For operator assistance: If you need operator assistance in making a call, dial 1116 if you’re trying to make an international call, and 0 if you want to call a number in Costa Rica.

Toll-free numbers: Numbers beginning with 0800 or 800 within Costa Rica are toll-free, but calling a 1-800 number in the States from Costa Rica is not toll-free. In fact, it costs the same as an overseas call.

When to Go

Costa Rica’s high season for tourism runs from late November to late April, which coincides almost perfectly with the chill of winter in the United States, Canada, and Europe. The high season is also the dry season. If you want some unadulterated time on a tropical beach and a little less rain during your rainforest experience, this is the time to come. During this period (especially during the Christmas holiday and Holy Week before Easter), the tourism industry operates at full tilt—prices are higher, attractions are more crowded, and reservations need to be made in advance.

Local tourism operators often call the tropical rainy season (May through mid-November) the “green season,” an apt euphemism. At this time of year, even brown and barren Guanacaste province becomes lush and verdant. Many locals will tell you the rainy season is their favorite time of year. It’s easy to find or at least negotiate reduced rates, there are far fewer tourists, and the rain is often limited to a few hours each afternoon (although you can occasionally get socked in for a week at a time). One drawback: Some of the country’s rugged roads become impassable without four-wheel-drive during the rainy season.

Weather

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 elevations, not with seasons. On the coasts, it’s hot all year; in the mountains, it can be cool at night any time of year. Frost is common at the highest elevations (3,000–3,600m/9,840–11,808 ft.).

Generally, the rainy season lasts from May to mid-November in most of the country, with notable exceptions on the Caribbean coast. Costa Ricans call this wet time of year their winter. The dry season, considered summer by Costa Ricans, is from mid-November to April. In Guanacaste, the arid northwestern province, the dry season lasts several weeks longer than in other places. Even in the rainy season, 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 year-round, although this area gets far less rain in September and October than the rest of the country, making this a great time to visit.

The most popular time of year to visit Costa Rica is December and January, when everything is still green from the rains but the sky is clear.

Holidays

Because Costa Rica is a predominantly Roman Catholic country, many of the holidays are church-related. The big ones are Christmas, New Year’s, and Easter, which are all celebrated for several days. Holy Week (the week preceding Easter) is a huge holiday in Costa Rica, and many families head for the beach. Also, public transportation is limited on Holy Thursday and Good Friday. Government offices and banks are closed on official holidays, transportation services are reduced, and stores and markets might also close.

Official 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 Day

• May 1, Labor Day

• June 29, St. Peter and St. Paul Day

• July 25, Guanacaste Day, celebrating the annexation of that province in 1824

• August 2, Virgin of Los Angeles Day

• August 15, Mother’s Day

• September 15, Independence Day

• October 12, Día de la Raza

• December 8, Feast of the Immaculate Conception

• December 24 and 25, Christmas Eve and Christmas

• December 31, New Year’s Eve

Entry Requirements & Customs

Customs — Visitors to Costa Rica are permitted to bring in all manner of items for personal use, including cameras, video cameras, tape recorders, personal computers, and music players. Customs officials in Costa Rica seldom check tourists’ luggage.

Embassies & Consulates — The following are located in San José: United States Embassy, Calle 98 Vía 104, Pavas (2519-2000; Canadian Embassy, Oficentro Ejecutivo La Sabana, Edificio 5 (2242-4400); and British Embassy, Edificio Colón, 11th Floor, Paseo Colón between calles 38 and 40 (2258-2025). San José does not have an Australian, Irish, or New Zealand embassy.

Passports — Citizens of the United States, Canada, Great Britain, and most European nations may visit Costa Rica for a maximum of 90 days. No visa is necessary, but you must have a valid passport. Citizens of Australia, Ireland, and New Zealand can enter the country without a visa and stay for 30 days, although once in the country, visitors can apply for an extension.

It is advised to always have at least one or two consecutive blank pages in your passport to allow space for visas and stamps that need to appear together. It is also important to note when your passport expires. Many countries require your passport to have at least 6 months left before its expiration in order to allow you in.

Getting There

Tips for Senior Travelers

Be sure to mention that you’re a senior when you make your travel reservations. Although it’s not common policy in Costa Rica to offer senior discounts, don’t be shy about asking for one anyway. You never know. Always carry some kind of identification, such as a driver’s license, that shows your date of birth, especially if you’ve kept your youthful glow.

Many reliable agencies and organizations serve the 50-plus market. Road Scholar, formerly known as Elderhostel (800/454-5768 in the U.S. and Canada), arranges Costa Rica study programs for those ages 55 and older, as well as intergenerational trips good for families. ElderTreks (800/741-7956 in the U.S. and Canada; 0808-234-1714 in the UK) offers small-group tours to Costa Rica for travelers 50 and older.

Sustainable Travel & Ecotourism

Costa Rica is one of the planet’s prime ecotourism destinations. Many of the hotels, isolated nature lodges, and tour operators around the country are pioneers and dedicated professionals in the sustainable tourism field. Many other hotels, lodges, and tour operators are earnestly jumping on the bandwagon and improving their practices, while still others are simply “green-washing,” using the terms “eco,” “green,” and “sustainable” in their promo materials, but doing little real good in their daily operations.

In 2018, Costa Rica was ranked 30th globally in the Environmental Performance Index. This is not a particularly impressive feat given the country’s image and marketing strategy. Despite its reputation, the substantial amount of good work being done, and ongoing advances being made in the field, Costa Rica is by no means an ecological paradise free from environmental and social threats. Untreated sewage is dumped into rivers, bays, oceans, and watersheds at an alarming rate. Pineapple and palm oil plantations have destroyed vast tracts of native forests. Child labor and sexual exploitation are common, and certain sectors of the tourism trade only make these matters worse.

But in recent decades, Costa Rica has taken great strides toward protecting its rich biodiversity. Thirty years ago, it was difficult to find a protected area anywhere, but now more than 13% of the country is protected within the national park system. Another 15 to 20% of the land enjoys moderately effective preservation as part of private and public reserves, Indian reserves, and wildlife refuges and corridors. Still, Costa Rica’s precious tropical hardwoods continue to be harvested at an alarming rate, often illegally, while other primary forests are clear-cut for short-term agricultural gain.

While you can find hotels and tour operators using sustainable practices all across Costa Rica—even in the San José metropolitan area—a few prime destinations are particular hot spots for sustainable tourism practices. Of note are the remote and wild Osa Peninsula and Golfo Dulce area of southern Costa Rica, the rural Northern Zone that includes both Monteverde and the Arenal Volcano and Lake Arenal attractions, and the underdeveloped Caribbean coast, with the rainforest canals of Tortuguero, Cahuita National Park, and the Gandoca-Manzanillo Wildlife Refuge.

In addition to focusing on wildlife viewing and adventure activities in the wild, ecolodges in these areas tend to be smaller, often lacking televisions, air-conditioning, and other typical luxury amenities. The more remote lodges usually depend on small solar and hydro plants for their power. That said, some of these hotels and lodges provide levels of comfort and service that are quite luxurious.

In Costa Rica, the government-run tourism institute (ICT) provides a sustainability rating of a host of hotels and tour agencies under its Certification for Sustainable Tourism (CST) program. You can look up the ratings at the website www.turismo-sostenible.co.cr.

Bear in mind that this program is relatively new and the list is far from comprehensive. Many hotels and tour operators in the country haven’t completed the extensive review and rating process. Moreover, die-hard ecologists find some of these listings and the criteria used suspect. Still, this list and rating system is a good start, and is improving and evolving constantly.

A parallel program, “The Blue Flag,” is used to rate specific beaches and communities in terms of their environmental condition and practices. The Blue Flags are reviewed and handed out annually. Current listings of Blue Flag–approved beaches and communities can be found at www.visitcostarica.com.

While sustainable tourism options are widespread in Costa Rica, organic and sustainably grown fruits and vegetables (as well as coffee) are just beginning to become available. Very few restaurants feature organic produce, although that is starting to change. Cayuga Collection works with the U.S.-based program Dock to Dish to ensure that all of their seafood comes from sustainable sources, and uses only hormone-free poultry and grass-fed beef in their restaurants.

If you’re not booking your hotel, tours, and transportation by yourself, you might want to consider using a tour agency that has earned high marks in this area. In Costa Rica, Horizontes (888/786-8748 in the U.S. and Canada, or 2222-2022 in Costa Rica) has garnered particularly high marks from several rating agencies and organizations. Other exemplary operators include Costa Rica Expeditions, (2257-0766) and Costa Rica Sun Tours (tel. 866/271-6263 in the U.S. and Canada, or 2296-7757 in Costa Rica).

Spanish-Language Programs

Visitor Information

In the United States or Canada, you can get basic info on Costa Rica through the Costa Rican Tourism Board (866/267-8274 in the U.S. and Canada, or 2299-5827 in Costa Rica). Travelers from the United Kingdom, Australia, and New Zealand will have to rely primarily on this website, or call direct to Costa Rica, because the ICT does not have toll-free access in these countries.

You can pick up a map at the ICT’s information desk at the airport when you arrive, or at its downtown San José offices (although the destination maps that come with this book are sufficient for most purposes). Perhaps the best map to have is the waterproof country map of Costa Rica put out by Toucan Maps, which can be ordered directly from its website or any major online bookseller, like Amazon.com.