TRAVEL TIPS FOR COSTA RICA

"GOOD TO KNOW" TIPS FOR TRAVELING TO COSTA RICA

PARADISE TOURS, COSTA RICA

The Best Tours of Costa Rica since 1991

CURRENCY: The COLON is our official currency with the US $ also being widely accepted. Colon means Columbus, Spanish for Christopher Columbus who "discovered" Costa Rica in 1502 on his third and final voyage to the new world.

CASH US$ Dollars are widely accepted .try to bring only bills in decent condition and not excessively torn or heavily marked as some places may not accept them if in bad condition. This is because fake ones are not as durable and deteriorated bills could be suspected as being fake. It's funny because Costa Rica's 2 lower denominations bills, (the C1,000 bills and C2,000) can be in awful condition and that's no problem with them here. The problem with the condition of US$ bills is not as much as it was several years ago when the transport service who transported the deteriorated (but genuine) bills back to US would not accept them. Now they have to be pretty bad to be refused by some fussy or weary merchant here. They do not have to be in mint condition, so don't go out of your way to get new bills.

EXCHANGE RATE: The current "Buy" exchange rate for US dollars as of March 9, 2010 is about C544.oo per US$, (C means Colones).
For a list of all current exchange rates in local CR banks go to the Central Bank's webpage; http://indicadoreseconomicos.bccr.fi.cr/indicadoreseconomicos/Cuadros/frmConsultaTCVentanilla.aspx
The column titled "Compra" is the BUY rate that the bank will buy your dollars for.
I recommend that you do NOT exchange your US$ Dollars for the local currency of "Colones" before arriving in Costa Rica. Cash US$ is widely accepted here and you can easily exchange your dollars here at fair rate in all the hotels. When you exchange your US$ for any foreign currency in the U.S. or in you departure country you receive some 25% less for your US$. This is because any exchange house or bank in the U.S. charges a premium on the cost of keeping a useless foreign currency on hand as a convenience for those who are weary of coming to a foreign country without their local currency.
Currency exchange offices in U.S. airports also offer some 25% less for your dollar than in Costa Rica. Hotels here generally will exchange your US$ to "Colones" but they will usually use a slightly lower exchange rate of about 1% less as a commission for handling the transaction etc. It doesn't mean much unless you are exchanging larger amounts of currency, for which it would be worth the while to go to a bank and wait in line. Debit cards can be used at ATMs and many offer either US$ or local currency and they give a favorable exchange rate so bring you PIN.

CREDIT CARDS: , VISA and MASTER CARD Credit/debit cards are widely accepted in retail establishments, restaurants, hotels and gas stations etc., with VISA being the most widely accepted and AMEX being the least accepted. The Discovery card is generally not accepted in Costa Rica with maybe a few exceptions. Debit cards can be used at ATMs and many offer either US$ or local currency and they give a favorable exchange rate so bring you PIN.

ATMs are also available in major cities with some accepting Visa and others only Master Card and some accept both. Amex is only accepted in a few ATMS. Bring your card's PIN if your planning to use an ATM.
When you use ATMS to get local currency COLONES you will also receive a good exchange rate for your US$ or Euro etc.
Be careful using ATMs as many tricks are used here. Use only ATMs that are in shopping Malls or inside stores of banks where it is difficult to alter them. Before you put your card in always check to see if anything is stuck inside the slot where your card goes in. Thieves sometimes put objects like paper clips inside the slot so yours will get stuck and then when you leave it to report the problem they come and take you card. Also beware of anyone behind you watching you type your PIN number. Problems are actually rare but it's wise anywhere to be to be weary. Do not use ATMs that in dark or lonely places at night.

Traveler's Cheques: Only US$ T/Cs are fairly accepted and only where you are known by the recipient of your TCs, such as a hotel where you are duly registered and identified with your passport. Other than for the security aspect, TCs are the least practical form of payment as they are not generally accepted by strangers. When presenting a T.C. as payment or to cash, you must show your passport and write the passport # on the back of the T.C. They are not usually accepted by restaurants, stores etc. because Columbian counterfeiters make good false T.Cs. and US$ bills, but bills are easier to identify and so T.C s are less accepted.

Payments to Paradise Tours: We ACCEPT all major credit and debit cards on but ONLY ONLINE via PayPal online payment, personal checks in US$ payable against US & Canadian banks accounts, and of course cash US$. Traveler's Cheques in US$ are awkward for us to accept as we need to send them to our US bank account and ask for a lot of personal information to accept them. See our payment page Payment and Policy.

VISA AND PASSPORT REQUIREMENTS: US and Canadian citizens (and many other countries) do not need a visa to enter C.R., but a passport with at least 6 months validity remaining on it is required. For a list of visa requirements by country go to: Visa Requirements by country. Your airline will need to see that your documents are in order before allowing you to check-in. Upon entering C.R. your passport will be stamped with a visitor's permit that's valid for 90 days (some countries' citizens only 30 days). While traveling on day tours in Costa Rica it is recommended that you do not carry your passport around with you, but rather a copy of the passport pages with your photo and the date of entry stamp, that the hotel can copy for you.
Your passport is required at banks when you cash Traveler's Cheques or exchange money, or while driving a rental vehicle.

DRIVER'S LICENSE: Your valid U.S or Canadian driver's license is good or 90 days and you must carry your passport (or a copy certified by a Costa Rican lawyer) to show a traffic officer the date that you entered Costa Rica.

TAXIS: Red is the official color for regular taxis around the country. Official Red Taxis have a yellow triangle with their registration tag number on the door and a photo ID of the driver inside the cab, usually on the sun visor. IF you have a rare compliant about the taxi try to remember his tag/license # for the report. Fares depend on whether the drivers uses his meter called a "Maria" which is calibrated to the official tariffs for trips under 5 km. and results in a very economical fare. Over that distance you should ask for a quote before starting your trip. I always say to the driver "Use the Maria (meter) and I'll give you a tip" ("Usa la Maria y te doy una propina").
Pirate Taxis are widely available and are also red in color and are usually cheaper but without the yellow triangles with the registration tag number on the door and a photo ID of the driver inside the cab that identifies the official taxis.
Official Airport Taxis are the color orange and cost about $18 for the 12 mile trip to San Jose in a 4 door sedan. 9 to12 passenger taxi vans are available for groups or large amounts of luggage and cost some $25 for the same trip to San José. Fares are paid at the airport taxi stand where you get your ticket to board your taxi. US Dollars are widely accepted by taxis and always accepted by Airport Taxis.

WATER QUALITY: Unlike most Latin American countries Costa Rica has a fairly safe water supply with only some isolated areas being occasionally a problem. Salads are generally safe to eat because they usually use good water to irrigate crops and wash the vegetables. Testament to C.R.'s good water is the fact that C.R. is the only place in Latin America where Heineken allows it's beer to be brewed, as good water is essential for good beer. C.R.'s beers are internationally recognized as being excellent lagers. Bottled spring or filtered water is readily available almost everywhere in different sizes at reasonable prices.

Vaccinations: Not needed unless your traveling deep into humid regions (Southern Caribbean coastal areas) where typically Indian reservations are. In 25 years in Costa Rica I've never had a malaria or dengue vaccination and have had no problems traveling throughout C.R.

HOURS OF DAYLIGHT and HOUR of TIME: C.R. has first light at 5:10 a.m. followed by sunrise at 5:30 a.m. Sunset is around 5:45 p.m. and it gets dark at about 6:00 p.m. C.R. does not change it's clocks when the U.S. and Canada change in the spring to "Daylight Savings Time". We are on the same time year round in C.R., but the time difference to the U.S. does change when the U.S. changes their clocks. We are on the same time as Central Standard time when the U.S. is on Standard time and we are on the same hour as Rocky Mountain Daylight Savings Time when the U.S. is on Daylight Savings Time. In other words were 1 hour behind (earlier than) the U.S. East Coast when the U.S. is on Standard time and 2 hours behind (earlier than) the U.S. East Coast when the U.S. is on Daylight Savings Time.

Weather Patterns: The Mountain range that runs down the middle of C.R allows the 2 different oceans on opposite sides of the country to control the 2 distinct weather patterns on each geographical side of the country.
The Pacific side of the country has distinct dry and wet seasons, with the dry season being longer (6 months, Dec. - May) on the Northern Pacific region with 'Dry Tropical Forests' are predominate and the dry season being shorter (3 months, Jan.- March) on the Southern Pacific with 'Humid Tropical Forests' are predominate. The Central or mid- Pacific region where San Jose is (albeit well inland and up at 3,500 ft above sea level) has the about 5 months of dry season from late December to early May. The wet or rainy season on the Pacific does not mean rain all day long but rather mid-afternoon rain showers like clock work almost every day from early May to late November much like the summer weather in the south of the U.S., with a short 2-3 week relative "Indian Summer" dry spell called "El Veranillo" ("Little Summer") occurring from around late June into early July, which even then can have a little occasional rain shower. September to mid-November is the wettest time of the year on the Pacific side of the country, with October the traditionally wettest month and when we can sometimes be affected by the heavy rains of a hurricane in the Caribbean.
The Caribbean or Atlantic side of the country has no real prolonged dry season with only mid May and the months of August - October being a little less rain than normal. "Normal" in the Caribbean is afternoon rain year round much like the summer weather in the south of the U.S. with the occasional Caribbean storm and fronts bringing several days of continuous light rain and overcast days, which can also often happen in October on the Pacific side. December is considered to be a wet month in the Caribbean, when the Pacific is starting to progressively enter the dry season,
Temperatures in the Central Valley at 3,500 ft above sea level are mild with lows in the 60s F° (18 C°) and highs in the 80s F° (27° C). Low coastal areas are hot in the day with highs in the 90s F° (32°C) and lows in the 70s (22° C). High mountain temps are quite cool at night and pleasantly moderate in day.

ElectricAL power here is the same as in the U.S with 120V, 60Hz current and the same wall outlets. Sometimes outlets only have 2 slots w/o the 3rd 'ground' receptacle, so an adapter can be handy.

All information included in this document is not meant or implied to be a guarantee of what you may actually encounter or experience but rather it is intended to be a guide as an un-biased opinion based on 29 years of life and working experience in Costa Rica by it's author who accepts no responsibility for any inaccuracies contained within.

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