Country Guide – Costa Rica

Capital: San Jose

Language: Spanish official, English

Voltage: is the same as in the U.S with 110V, 60Hz current and the same style wall outlets.

HISTORY

Although explored by the Spanish early in the 16th century, initial attempts at colonizing Costa Rica proved unsuccessful due to a combination of factors, including: disease from mosquito-infested swamps, brutal heat, resistance by natives, and pirate raids. It was not until 1563 that a permanent settlement of Cartago was established in the cooler, fertile central highlands. The area remained a colony for some two and a half centuries.

In 1821, Costa Rica became one of several Central American provinces that jointly declared their independence from Spain. Two years later it joined the United Provinces of Central America, but this federation disintegrated in 1838, at which time Costa Rica proclaimed its sovereignty and independence.

Since the late 19th century, only two brief periods of violence have marred the country’s democratic development. Although it still maintains a large agricultural sector, Costa Rica has expanded its economy to include strong technology and tourism industries. The standard of living is relatively high. Land ownership is widespread. Costa Rica Today With an approximately of 5 million inhabitants and a territory of 51.100 Kilometers, Costa Rica is located in Central America, strategically located like an union between North America and South America. It has two important facing ports the Pacific Ocean and to the Atlantic Ocean, they have 6 hours of distance among them. It has a constitutional regime made up of three powers: Legislative, Executive and Judicial.

Due to their enormous wealth of flora and fauna and to the environmental conscience of the population, 25% of the national territory has been declared like protected areas. Costa Ricans know in the world as ‘Ticos’, are entirely know mainly for the respect to the family union, for continuing using old customs and for making friends all over the country. Tico is a colloquial term for a native of Costa Rica. A plural form is Ticos.

There are two explanations for the use of this word. One of the, is because Tico is used as a diminutive suffix instead of using it. The second explanation of the word tico is for making little the word ‘Hermanitico’ which means a friendly and a respect word for calling each other. The Costa Ricans are very proud of their history; they continue reviving old customs, like cooking on firewood stove, drinking coffee all afternoons and going to church on Sundays and many more. The personal appearance of every person is always clean and always good looking.

GETTING TO COSTA RICA

International flights arrive at Aeropuerto Internacional Juan Santamaría, 17km northwest of San José, in the town of Alajuela. In recent years Daniel Oduber airport inLiberia has started receiving international flights from the USA. Although there is a lot of talk about airport expansion, at the time of research only American Airlines, Continental and Delta fly into Liberia.

It is expected that many international airlines will start to offer flights in and out of this airport, including some flights direct from Europe(eliminating the layover in Miami or Dallas). Daniel Oduber airport is convenient for travelers visiting the Península de Nicoya.Costa Rica is well connected by air to other Central and Latin American countries, as well as the USA. The national airline, Lacsa (part of the Central American Airline consortium Grupo TACA), flies to numerous points in the USA and Latin America, including Cuba. The Federal Aviation Administration in the USA has assessed Costa Rica’s aviation authorities to be in compliance with international safety standards.

VISAS

Citizens from Canada and United States need valid passports and they could stay for up to 90 days. Adults and children need separate individual passports. Europeans require valid passports and only western Europeans need visas. Irish, Australians and New Zealanders have an initial permit to remain up to 30 days in the country. In Central America, only Nicaraguans require a visa to enter Costa Rica, due to the high immigration of Nicaraguans.You can get to Costa Rica by air, land and sea.

MONEY

Costa Rica’s currency, the colon (colons plural) currently exchanges at around ¢520 per US dollar. US Dollars are widely accepted throughout Costa Rica. Try to bring only bills in decent condition, not excessively torn or heavily marked as some places may not accept them if in bad condition.

Currency exchange Do not exchange your US$ for Costa Rican currency in the U.S. before leaving. The US dollar (cash) can easily be exchanged here at a fair rate. When you exchange your US$ for any foreign currency in the U.S. you receive approximately 30% less for your dollars. Airport currency exchange offices in the U.S. offer about 25% less. Hotels here generally will exchange your US$ to ‘Colons’ but they will usually use a slightly lower exchange rate of about 1% less as a commission for handling the transaction.

CREDIT CARDS

AMEX, VISA and Master Card credit/debit cards are widely accepted in retail establishments, restaurants, hotels, gas stations, etc. VISA is currently the most widely accepted. ATMs are also available in major cities accepting Visa, and others accepting only Master Card. Some accept both.Amex is also fairly well accepted, but not as much as Visa & MC. Traveler’s checks: Only US dollar Traveller’s Checks are easily accepted, but only when you are the original owner and cashing them at your hotel or the bank along with your passport. Other than for the security aspect, TCs are the least practical form of payment from a standpoint of being accepted by strangers. They are not usually accepted by restaurants, stores, etc.

TAXES

Travelers must be at the airport two hours before departure. There is a departure tax of US$26.00. There is a 13% sales tax at hotels, restaurants and most service industries, and an additional 3% tourist tax at hotels.

HEALTH & VACCINATIONS

Costa Rica has one of the highest levels of social care in the world. Its doctors are known worldwide as some of the best. Many people from U.S, Canada and Europe go there to be treated, not only because the quality of the service but for the cost. First class Hospitals can be found in the capital. There is a public/private hospital system.

There is excellent care in each. The public system has much longer waits, while the private system has shorter waits. If you are unfortunate enough to have a very sick child requiring hospitalization, the child will be transferred to the only children’s hospital in CR, located in the capital. This children’s hospital is public. Protection against mosquito bites is very important, wearing lightweight long pants, long sleeved shirts and using insect repellents with high concentrations of DEET is recommended by the CDC.

Vaccine recommendations Since long ago, diseases such as malaria, paludismo, and yellow fever were eradicated in Costa Rica. There are no plagues like in other countries and no special vaccine recommendations for travelers more than the influenza and the tetanus vaccines.

TRANSPORT

Public transportation is quite good and you can get buses to almost any part of the country. Remote or small towns may be served by only one bus a day, but you can get there. Keep in mind that even though these buses may seem to run on a relaxed schedule they do leave on time to the minute and they will leave you behind even if you bought a ticket in advance.

Car rental is popular because a car can get you places you can’t get to by public transportation. It also gives you the freedom to travel when you want and to stop wherever you like. Because buses to remote areas are not very frequent, you can cover more ground in a shorter time with a car. However driving at night especially on mountain roads is quite hazardous, due to large trucks on small roads with a lot of blind corners, and I do not suggest doing this unless absolutely necessary.

Taxis: Another easy way to get around Costa Rica is to use the services of mini-vans. Rates are reasonable; the drivers know the roads well; the vans are clean and comfortable; and they take you from door to door.

Taxis are available in most large cities. They are usually inexpensive, charging only a few dollars to get most anywhere within the city. The meter is called ‘la maria’; ask the driver to turn it on immediately upon getting in the car, or he may leave it off and make up his own, more expensive, price when you get to your destination. Official taxis are red with a yellow triangle on the side.

CLOTHES YOU SHOULD BRING

Swimming Suite, Light Summer Closing. Most of Costa Rica’s territory is hot and humid, except in the mountain area. You will need to have light and comfortable clothes. If you are planning to hike in the jungle long sleeved bright colored shirt and pants are recommended, this will protect you from the bugs and mosquitoes. For the beach we recommend on swimming suit or short pants.

SAFETY

Costa Rica is generally considered to be a very safe country and Costa Ricans on the whole are honest and friendly people. Any crime that does exist tends to be opportunistic, rather than involving out-and-out assault. The main things travelers have to worry about in the city are street mugging and pickpocketing.Do not carry large wads of bills and do not show all your bills when paying for what you buy. Other good advise includes: Do not get drunk in public so as not to invite mugging, do not argue with inebriated persons, do not walk around in secluded areas or in the city during the night.

WEATHER

The climate is idyllic. In the lowlands – which are dry in the Pacific northwest and humid elsewhere – daytime temperatures range in the eighties to nineties F° (high twenties to mid-twenties C°) at middle elevations. The mercury can fall as low as the forties and fifties F° (five to mid teens C°) at the top of the mountains.

Night time frost is an uncommon occurrence on the highest peaks. Within each elevational range, temperatures remain relatively constant year-round.Rainfall, on the other hand, is subject to annual and regional patterns. The northwest has a fairly well-defined dry season (‘verano’ or summer) from November to April.

The dry season is a month or two shorter along the southern Pacific coast. July also tends to be a dry month on the Pacific slope. Welcome rains during the balance of the year bring about a general greening and refreshing of the countryside. Rains usually come in afternoon cloudbursts, leaving the mornings sunny and the nights sky filled with stars. This period is called ‘invierno’ (winter or rainy season) or ‘temporada verde’ (green season). Rainfall on the Caribbean slope is more evenly distributed throughout the year, with marked dry periods in May-June and again in September-October.