Costa Rica: what you need to know for your trip

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Today we are going to review the requirements, documents, visa, useful data and everything you need to know if you plan a trip to Costa Rica.

If you came to this page and you think to find the great travel guide for the great little country of Costa Rica, let me tell you that you won't find it, but if I offer you useful information from the point of view of a tourist who could be 4 days in this beautiful country.

Thanks to the invitation of Avianca and from the Costa Rican Institute of Tourism, I arrived in San José to visit a few of the many natural attractions that this country has.. Without a doubt, it took a long time to learn more., but it was enough time to be able to provide you with timely information for your next trip.

What you should know about Costa Rica for your trip

First of all you should know that Costa Rica is a country of almost 5 million inhabitants and even before the pandemic it was visited by more than 3 million tourists, so here we start the recommendations for your next visit to a country that is worth visiting at least once in your life.

Pluricultural

with so many tourists, You must understand that cultures from all over the world come together in a single space, which enriches the experience, but there could be cultural clashes, for example in the use of a mask or other customs, so we must be tolerant, as always in life, ¿no?

Entry requirements

Since we are talking about the mask and the pandemic, We must understand that its use is not mandatory and also all the health requirements for the Covid-19 have been lifted since the 31 march 2022, so tourists are welcome without any limitation. I leave these recommendations:

• Always travel with international health insurance (you never know what can happen on any trip).
• Yellow fever vaccine may be required, so it does not hurt to wear or carry the certificate in your hand.

Passport and visa

• The passport must have a minimum validity of 6 months upon arrival at the immigration control point.
• Some countries require a visa to enter Costa Rica, which must be processed directly in the country of origin.
• Travelers will need to show round-trip airfare to enter.

Credit cards and currency

The local currency is Colones, but debit or credit cards are accepted without problem. You can even pay directly in dollars, but the change will be given to you in Colones.

Today 1 dollar equals 655 colones.

trip cost

This is a great concern of all given the rumors that it is an expensive country. Okay, The answer is yes, Costa Rica is a more expensive country than many others in our region, even they are compared with Chile in terms of prices, but it all depends what you compare. Here are some examples for your reference.:

• personal water bottle: $1.40.
• Coke staff: $1.50.
• Combo en McDonalds: $7.
• Meal for two in an average restaurant: $60 on average
• Fresh cheese: $5.60.
• 1 kilogram of rice: $1.30.
• 1 kilo of bread: $1.51.

Another good reference for prices are the hotels that have high occupancy all year round., so a hotel 3 stars has an average value of $70 the night per person or room.

Transport

In San José the public transport system works very well, but it is recommended to use a transfer or bus service that takes you around the city or even to the different tourist attractions that you want to know.. In this way they will even gain a guide and a friend who will provide them with very good data and information..

• For this case I recommend the service of Edgar Cuadra:
  • whatsapp cell phone: +506 8361 7582

Security

Usually, It is a very safe country for tourists., even the environment feels friendly for sightseeing without major worries. Even if it is so, It never hurts to be careful with these recommendations:

• Avoid crowds.
• Avoid walking alone at night.
• Do not take out cameras or cell phones in crowded areas.
• Do not leave tourist areas towards unknown neighborhoods.
• Hire tour or transport services in official centers or those recommended by your hotel.

types of tourism

For me, Costa Rica is an adventure and physically demanding destination. Of course, everyone plans what they want to see and do, but what i lived, it is not necessarily a relaxing destination. Beach and sun, adventure, ecotourism and even medical tourism are the top in this country.

What did I visit during the trip?

for this point, I have prepared an extensive video for you to better understand what I did during my visit to Costa Rica:

Among the visited was the Irazú Volcano (one of the 120 and more volcanoes of Costa Rica), Hacienda Orosi hot springs, rafting with the Aguas Bravas company on the Sarapiquí River, tour with Ants Town, delicious food at the Palmitour restaurant and more.

Climate

Now that we talk about what I did on my trip, we can talk about the weather, which is very special. With some 50 microclimates ranging from cold, tempered, even tropical heat we can say that you have to be prepared for everything.

There are two general seasons: the dry season from December to May and the rainy season from July to November..

When to plan a trip to Costa Rica?

From what I saw and asked, the whole year is good, since the weather does not change much from season to season and rain can occur even in the dry season or even depends a lot on which area you visit.

what to wear?

In Costa Rica you can spend one day on a volcano with 5 degree temperature, then rafting totally wet and the next day on the beach, so they must pack everything:

• Shoes that can get wet
• Sports or walking shoes and dirty
• Comfortable and light clothing (always carry a change of clothes in a backpack)
• windbreaker
• Sunscreen
• Mosquito repellent (important)

Otherwise, I leave you this list so you don't miss anything for your trip:

Checklist so you don't forget anything before the trip

Do you need to know any other information about Costa Rica? Leave it in the comments to help you 🙂

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