by Colin Brownlee, proprietor of Banana Azul, our next-door-neighbor
First of all, I do not profess to be an expert on Costa Rica. I have traveled Costa Rica for 4 years and lived here in Puerto Viejo for over 2 years.
Many guests looking to stay at our hotel or beach house look for basic advice so, I thought I would post this page. I have left the comments feature open at the bottom of this post, so if you feel like I should have some more information or want to ask a question, please feel free to post a comment below.
Much of the Information below, came from ARCR's star moderator Tico Grande and his site The Real Costa Rica.
1. The water here IS safe to drink! This is not Mexico. Exceptions may be in VERY remote or rural areas, but unless you are way out in the boonies, you're OK.
2. You do NOT need typhoid, Malaria or any other shots when you visit Costa Rica. That is just silly, but I constantly meet of folks who get a bunch of inoculations before visiting. They were told to do this by their travel agents. A tetanus shot or booster is of course always a good idea. See your doctor. (And, read below about dengue fever!)
3. The sun here is NASTY. We are only ten degrees North of the Equator, so bring sunscreen and use it. You can burn to a crisp in 30 minutes if you run around unprotected. The UV factor here is at least double that of Florida or Arizona. A wonderful vacation can be made not so wonderful if you are in pain with bad sunburn or sun stroke.
4. If you rent a car here, remember there are FEW or NO street signs here. There are also no street addresses. The BIG highways are marked, but as soon as you leave them, you're on your own.
Costa Ricans are... ummm. creative drivers and often pay little or no attention to traffic laws. Be very careful.
If you have an accident here, you MUST remain at the site without moving the vehicles until BOTH the police AND the insurance agent show up. If you don't, you're guilty and you may have no insurance.
Many traffic laws are different here, like handling traffic circles (rotundas). Lanes often end without notice. Many bridges are narrow and one way (alternating). The potholes here are DEEP and DANGEROUS. Manhole covers are optional (not really, but it may take months to get a new cover). Occasionally, trees grow in the streets. Good idea! Do NOT drive at night until you thoroughly know what you are doing.
Driving here requires patience and a good deal of playing defense and being alert. I tell passengers as well, yell if you see something, as half the time your looking at something else or the great vistas and sites. Also, allow 40 KM a hour, as there is always something to delay you, and follow the speed limit, as they have speed traps with radar on all major routes. Cops will almost always pick the tourist speeding over a local. They can have lunch in a better restaurant.
When you rent a vehicle in Costa Rica, be sure to check the tires, windshield wipers, if your not happy with the condition, ask for a new vehicle. If you have to replace the wipers, save the receipts, hopefully they will deduct off your final bill. Also, if you return the vehicle outside of the Airport, you save close to 20% in taxes...Have it picked up at hotel or drop at another locale. Oneway rentals are common as well, for a fee. Get all fees and charges in writting on contracts. I also like to ask for a 2 hour extension, as I am always late either getting lost or stuck in traffic.
5. In general, don't shop at stores or restaurants that either A. have no prices marked AND/OR B. the prices are in dollars. In both cases, you are just asking to get taken.
6. Credit Cards. Try not to use them as many small businesses pay huge merchant fees (up to 8%) and one way or another, you will pay those fees. I have found that many places will quote you a price and you can ask what the "cash price" is. Try and always pay with things via colones. That way you are always clear what things cost and are not worrying about exchange rates.
Use your ATM card if you need cash funds in colones. Don't do a cash advance thing on your credit card unless you wanna pay silly interest rates. Now saying that... I have traveled extensively and I believe Costa Rica is about the ONLY country that does not extort money when you exchange foreign currencies. There are exceptions, but in general, you will be treated fairly.
Finally, and VERY important, TELL YOUR BANK you are going to CR. Tell your credit card companies too. Many will block your credit cards, especially for cash withdrawals. Also, set a daily withdrawal limit that fits your needs. See #15 below. Also check out what your "international ATM withdrawal fees" are. Those are the fees buried in the fine print that the banks count on you not reading.
7. Be very careful of petty theft like pickpockets, grab and run... etc. You are very unlikely to be the subject of a violent crime, but you are always at risk for the small stuff. Don't carry your passport. Have a copy made of your front page and the entry stamp. The police here are cordial to tourists and unless you act like a jerk, all will accept that as valid ID. Please note though... banks require a orginal copy of your passport for transactions involving a teller.
8. You can eat the food here. It is quite good and some of the best spots are the little roadside restaurants and 'sodas'. There is often some little old abuelita (grandmother) working in the kitchen and she likely makes a truly excellent meal. My WORST Tico meals are at the the big roadside restaurants that cater to tourist and advertise genuine Costa Rican cooking.
9. You can legally drink and drive in Costa Rica. Now... go back re-read #4 above and give this some thought.
10 While you do not need to worry about malaria or typhoid, you DO need to worry about Dengue Fever. This is especially true if you visit the tropical areas, rainforests or beaches. However, it also affects the Central Valley.
Dengue comes in two varieties. The first causes flu-like symptoms and though you are uncomfortable, you are not dead. The second is NASTY and extremely painful and makes you wish you WERE dead... which you can be without treatment.
The good news is that this is easily avoidable. Bring bug repellent or buy some here. Use it especially during the daytime hours (dengue is spread by a mosquito that ONLY bites in the daytime!)
11. You DO need a passport to enter Costa Rica. It also must not expire in less than 30 days. You cannot enter with a driver's license or a birth certificate.
12. Distances here are weird. Folks (read men) always look at a map and say things like, "We can drive that in an hour, honey!". No you can't. There are mountains, traffic, bad roads... you name it. The general rule I use is that you will average 25-30 MPH. So if you see a place that is 100KM away (about 66 miles), plan on two hours PLUS to get there. (The public buses will usually get you there faster as they drive like demons)
13. "Oh, they accept dollars everywhere in Costa Rica".
No, they do NOT. Hotels and big restaurants take credit cards, and many will accept dollars, but there are MANY places especially outside the Central Valley where nothing is accepted except the colone. This includes some fine restaurants. .And here is a hint... some of the best stuff you can buy at great prices are in the more remote areas... and they will happily accept colones, but will not take credit cards or dollars. The good news is that CR is full of ATM's where you can use your bank card to get some colones at the proper exchange rate.
14. When you leave Costa Rica, you will need an exit visa... about $26.00 per person as I write this. You get them inside the airports or at the immigration buildings at the frontiers (if you are driving or taking a bus). Many foreigners complain about this tax. The tax is what finances the airport as most Costa Ricans will never be able to afford to use it.
15. When renting a car here, HUGE Deposits get pre authorized on your credit card. This freezes funds. If you do not have a large credit limit, you can find yourself unable to use your credit card. I see it every month! Organize your credit and cash needs before you come. Read #6 above.
Please feel free to post your own experience or ask questions. I will do my best to answer.
