Costa Rica Travel Guide

Full Name

Republic of Costa Rica

Former Name

None

Capital City

San Jose

Government Type

democratic republic

Area Size

total: 51,100 sq km

Time Zone

UTC/GMT -6 hours

Climate

In the Central Valley, where the main centres of population are located, the average temperature is 22°C. In the coastal areas, the temperature is much hotter. The rainy season starts in May and finishes in November. The ‘warm’ dry season is December to May, though temperature differences between summer and winter are slight.

Geography

Costa Rica is located on the Central American isthmus, 10° North of the equator and 84° West of the Prime Meridian. It borders both the Caribbean Sea (to the east) and the North Pacific Ocean (to the west), with a total of 1,290 kilometres of coastline (212 km on the Caribbean coast and 1,016 km on the Pacific). Costa Rica also borders Nicaragua to the north (309 km) and Panama to the south-southeast (639 km of border). In total, Costa Rica comprises 51,100 square kilometers plus 589.000 square kilometers of territorial waters.

Languages

Spanish (official), English

Culture

Costa Ricans often refer to themselves as tico (masculine) or tica (feminine). "Tico" comes from the popular local usage of "tico" and "tica" as diminutive suffixes (e.g., "momentico" instead of "momentito"). The tico ideal is that of a very friendly, helpful, laid back, unhurried, educated and environmentally aware people. Visitors from the United States are often referred to as gringos, which is virtually always congenial in nature. The phrase'Pura Vida" (literally "Pure Life") is a ubiquitous motto in Costa Rica. It encapsulates the pervading ideology of living in peace in a calm, unclustered manner, appreciating a life surrounded by nature and family and friends.

History

Costa Rica is a Central American success story: since the late 19th century, only two brief periods of violence have marred its democratic development. Although still a largely agricultural country, it has expanded its economy to include strong technology and tourism sectors. The standard of living is relatively high. Land ownership is widespread.

Travel Information

The national airline is Taca International Airlines (TA). Juan Santamaría (SJO) is 23km northwest of the city. Coaches depart regularly; return pickups stop at various hotels. Buses depart to the city every 15 minutes (journey time – 20 minutes). Some hotels have shuttle services to the airport; these are 24 hours and free of charge. Taxis are also available to the city (journey time - 15 minutes). Departure Tax US$26 (or the equivalent in Costa Rican Colon), payable if staying more than 24 hours. Main ports: Puntarenas and Caldera are the two main ports in the Costa Rican Pacific coast. Puerto Limón receives cruise ships. The Inter-American Highway runs through Costa Rica from La Cruz on the Nicaraguan border through San José to Progreso on the Panamanian border.

Accommodation

There is a good range of reasonably priced hotel accommodation. Most proprietors speak English. San José has many hotels, from the extravagant to the smaller, family-run hotels in the less fashionable districts. There are several good hotels out of town near the airport. Larger hotels have swimming pools and other leisure facilities. The majority have their own restaurants which are generally good and reasonably priced. Hotel tariffs are likely to alter at any time. A 16.39% government tax and tourism tax is added to hotel prices. Outside the capital, accommodation ranges from mountain lodges, luxury resorts to family owned cabins.

Visa Requirements

Visas are required by all nationals of the EU, Australia, Canada and USA except the following: nationals of Austria, Belgium, Canada, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, The Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, UK and USA for stays of up to 90 days;nationals of Australia, Estonia, Ireland and Slovak Republic for stays of up to 30 days. Nationals not referred to above are advised to contact the embassy to check visa requirements. Passport valid for at least six months at date of entry required by all nationals of countries referred to above. Nationals of countries listed above must obtain an exit visa from the Immigration Department in San José at least three weeks before leaving Costa Rica. Those who stay for less than 30 days are exempt if in possession of a disembarkation card.

Getting Around

SANSA operates services between San José and provincial towns and villages. A bus is provided from the airline offices in San José to the airport. A number of smaller airlines also provide internal flights, such as Nature Air. There is a train that goes from San José to Caldera. Traffic drives on the right. The standard of the roads is generally very good. There are 35,583km of all-weather highways including 663km of the Inter-American Highway and highways linking San José with the other principal towns. There are regular and inexpensive bus services to most towns, but buses are often crowded so pre-booking is advisable. Taxis are numerous and inexpensive in San José. The taxis are coloured red (except those serving the Juan Santamaría International Airport, which are orange). Taxis are usually metered. Major car hire companies as well as local firms have offices in San José. San José has privately run bus services, charging fares on a two-zone system.

Health & Safety

There are no vaccination requirements for Costa Rica but typhoid and Hepatitis A immunisation is recommended. There is a small risk of malaria in some areas all year round and advice should be taken on precautions. Water in cities is generally safe but it is advisable to buy bottled water, especially outside the main towns where there is a risk of contamination. Dengue fever is one of a number of diseases carried by insects that also occur in this region, especially during the rainy season; protection against insect bites is the best prevention. Medical services are reliable in cities and the standard of hygiene and treatment is very high. There is no history of terrorism in Costa Rica, however there are incidents of violent crime, occasionally targeting tourists. Belongings should be watched carefully at all times and in all places. Theft of, and from, cars is common. Do not wear jewellery or carry large amounts of cash and avoid street moneychangers.

National Holidays

1 Jan - New Year’s Day. 11 Apr - Juan Santamaría's Day. 6-9 Apr - Easter. 1 May - Labour Day. 25 Jul - Guanacaste Annexation. 2 Aug - Virgin of Los Angeles, Feast of Patroness of Costa Rica*. 15 Aug - Mothers’ Day and Assumption. 15 Sep - Independence Day. 12 Oct - Dia de la Raza (Columbus Day)*. 25 Dec - Christmas Day.

Currency

Costa Rica Colon (CRC)

Electricity

110v AC

Working Hours

Office hours: Mon-Fri 8.00am - 4.00pm.

Emergency Numbers

911