Welcome to Costa Rica

Costa Rica offers visitors splendid scenery, suitable for spending an unforgettable vacation

“The best of Costa Rica is its people,” states a popular slogan, a phrase that is indeed true as visitors discover the warm hospitality of the Ticos, the nickname by which the country’s inhabitants are widely known.

While traveling through the Costa Rican countryside it is always possible to find helpful people ready to offer a friendly gesture, as well as provide the necessary help for orientation or whatever is needed at the moment.

Costa Rica is a peaceful society—the national army was banned by the Constitution over fifty years ago. Its Democratic system provides for presidential elections every four years. Costa Rica has gained international recognition for its educational system assuring a very high literacy rate, an achievement very few countries in Latin America can claim.

Besides its friendly people and democratic system, over 25% of the county land is protected by law under the National Park System. Dozens of national parks and protected areas are scattered around the country, providing proper habitats for the conservation of a wide variety of floral and faunal species.

In terms of infrastructure, Costa Rica offers a very functional highway and secondary road network connecting the entire country. It only takes two and a half hours to travel by land from San José to Limón on the Caribbean coast and no more than ninety minutes to travel from San José to the nearest beach on the Pacific coast. It is easy to travel by land from one coast to the other within hours—visitors can enjoy a leisurely breakfast on the Caribbean and be on the Pacific side in time for dinner.

Traveling around is a relaxing experience if contemplation of nature is the desired activity. Most of the main vacation areas possess an airstrip. In some cases an airport is located in a nearby community and an established ground transportation system is used to provide access.

International lodging corporations serve the city of San José as well as the country’s main recreational areas. A very large and sophisticated leisure infrastructure has developed throughout the entire territory, featuring splendid and very complete golf courses and other recreational sports facilities.

For leisure or business, Costa Rica has a lot to offer. The tourist infrastructure has consistently improved in recent years. The ingredients combine perfectly for Costa Rica to be considered the destination in Central America: beautiful nature, excellent tourist services and very warm people. Come and visit Costa Rica, you won't regret it.

Location:

Costa Rica is located in Central America, only two and a half hours flying time from the city of Miami and five hours from the city of New York. Air lines from the U.S., Europe and other Latin American countries serve Costa Rica's two international airports on daily and weekly basis, assuring a constant flow in and out of visitors. The country offers a good air commuter service, connecting the two major airports with the rest of the country's most attractive destinations.

Banking:
Most banks are open from 9:00 am to 3:00 pm and do not close for lunch and some private banks are open until 6:00 pm.

Business Hours:
Government offices are open from 8:00 am to 4:00 pm. Commercial offices are open from 8:00 am to 6:00 pm. Stores and other businesses from 8:00 am to 6:00 pm.

Churches:
Like all Latin American countries, Costa Rica is predominantly Catholic, but other denominations are found throughout the country.

Climate:
Costa Rica is a tropical country and experiences only two seasons: wet and dry. The dry season is generally between late December and April, and the wet season lasts the rest of the year. The Caribbean coast tends to be wet all the year. Temperatures vary little between seasons; the main influence on temperature is altitude. The coasts are very hot and humid, with the Caribbean averaging 21 degrees Celsius at night and over 30 degrees Celsius during the day; the Pacific is a few degrees warmer still. (A quick short cut to convert Celsius to Fahrenheit. Double the Celsius and add thirty. An example would be 21 C doubled equals 42 plus 30 equals 72 Fahrenheit. You will be within one degree of accuracy.)

Clothing:
Pack light for your travels. The highland areas can be very cold, so pack a sweater if you are going there. For the lowland areas light, loose- fitting shirts and pants are essential. A wide- brimmed hat and sunglasses are recommended for the beach. See our travel tips page at the end of each section, for more information.

Communications:
Direct- dial telephone service, facsimile, telex, radio and cable television are all available. Bilingual operator assistance for international calls is -116, Local information -113, Long distance information-124.

Credit Cards and Travellers Checks:
Most major credit cards are accepted throughout the country, but some smaller businesses will only accept local currency. Travellers checks can be easily cashed but some banks will only accept a certain kind.

Currency Exchange:
The official currency is the Colon and is easier to use than dollars. US dollars are accepted throughout the country. Currency can be exchanged at banks. Most hotels have an exchange counter. You can also exchange money at the International Airport. The currency rate fluctuates without notice.

Customs:
Arrivals are allowed 500 cigarettes plus three litres of wine or spirits duty free.

Departure Tax:
The average rate is US $17 to depart by air. Land and sea exits are not charged.

Electricity:
110-volt AC is found nationwide. A few outlying areas use their own power source so check ahead before travelling.

Entry Requirements:
Citizens from Canada, the U.S. and Panamá can enter with just a tourist card and one other piece of identification, such as a passport, driver’s license or birth certificate. No passport is required. Citizens of all other countries require a valid passport to enter. Visas are needed by certain nationalities so check ahead before travelling.

Government:
Costa Rica is a democratically elected republic. Elections are held every four years.

Hospitals:
Health care in Costa Rica is very good and sanitary standards are high. First class hospitals are found throughout San José and some of the other largely populated areas.

Language:
Spanish is the official language. English is spoken in tourist areas throughout the country.

Literacy Rate:
The current literacy rate is 95% of the total population.

Population:
Costa Rica has a population of 4 million people. Over fifty percent live in the Central Valley, which comprises only 4% of the entire country.

Taxes:
There is a 13% sales tax at hotels, restaurants and most service industries, and an additional 3% tourist tax at hotels.

Telephone:
Direct-dial service is efficient and there are more telephones per capita than in any other Latin American country. Many international long distance services are available. Check with your hotel front desk for more information.

Time Zone:
Costa Rica is the same as U.S. Central Standard Time but does not observe daylight savings time.

Tipping:
A 10% tip in a restaurant is appropriate but most restaurants will add it to your bill so read your bill before paying a tip. Taxi drivers generally do not receive a tip.

Topography:
Panamá borders Costa Rica to the south and Nicaragua to the north. It has both a Caribbean and a Pacific coast. A series of volcanic mountain chains runs from the Nicaraguan border in the northwest to the Panamanian border in the south east, splitting the country in two, In the center of these ranges is a high-altitude plain, with coastal lowlands on either side. Over half the population lives on this plain, which has fertile volcanic soils. The Caribbean coast is 159 miles (255 kilometers) long and Pacific coast is 689 miles (1,103 kilometers) long.

Water:
The water is safe to drink in all areas of the country.



About Costa Rica