Q- Are visa and passport requirements to travel to Costa Rica?
A-. Citizens of all the countries require a valid passport to enter to Costa Rica; and visas are needed by certain nationalities so check ahead before traveling at Costa Rican Consulates. No visa is necessary for travelers from the U.S., Canada and Western Europe.
When traveling with a passport, citizens of the U.S., Canada and most Latin American and European countries may stay in Costa Rica for 90 days.
Q- Can I drink the water?
A- Yes, you can drink the water! The public water system provides pure, suitable and good quality water to 98 percent of the country. Water supplies are filtered and chlorinated, and the quality is controlled by the State. Many people prefer bottled water which you can find in every hotel or restaurant. |
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Q. Are inmunizations required?
A- Costa Rica is one of the safest destinations in the developing world, from a general health point of view. This is largely due to high health standards in our country.
There are no required inmunizations for entering Costa Rica. However, it is always wise to keep up your basic shots such as tetanus and diphtheria. Risk of contracting malaria is minimal, but for itineraries that include the Caribbean lowlands, travelers might wish to take the extra precaution of a prophylactic medicine such as chloroquine. Decisions about immunizations and anti-malarial medications should be made on a personal basis after consultation with your personal physician.
Q- What taxes would I have to pay?
A- For the included features of your itinerary taxes have already been charged. For meals on your own the bill will come with a 13% sales tax and a 10% service tax. (Extra tipping is at your discretion.) There is a US$26 tax upon departure that must be paid at the airport.
Tips are not included in tours or transfers, and the amount depends on the service that you received. Tipping is expected.
Q- Is Costa Rica safe?
A.. San Jos~{(&~} has increased its population very fast in the past years. Therefore you shall want to take the safety precautions you would in any populous place. Avoid tempting friends of theft. Here are a few tips for avoiding petty theft:
1. Make a photocopy of your passport and leave the original, your airline ticket and the bulk of your money in your hotel safe.
2. Change money in your hotel and ask for part of it in small bills.
3. Carry backpacks on your front.
4. Never change money in the street or flash big wads of bills.
5. Don't wear anything other than costume jewelry. Men, get a cheap watch for the trip.
6. If you are going out at night, take a taxi.
7. Don't leave money or valuables lying around your hotel room. Use the safe or check them in at the reception desk.
Recommended Travel Gear
To help make your vacation as convenient and pleasant as possible, we will be sending you a list of suggested travel gear for each of the trips you book with us. Review the list and pack accordingly. Here, we suggest certain very useful tips:
-- Three of the most important things to bring to Paradise are a pair of good binoculars, sunscreen and insect repellent.
-- An ample supply of your favorite toiletries and health remedies are recommended for your personal comfort. Once on the road, you don't want to waste any of your valuable vacation time shopping for such items should you require them.
-- Casual clothing: shirts (cotton or light synthetic, long- and short-sleeved), trousers (cotton or light synthetic pants) Jeans are not recommended (too slow to dry). Hiking shorts. Footwear should be waterproof (light weight hiking boots, river sandals), tennis shoes or running shoes. If you do not bring hiking boots we recommend you bring TWO pairs of tennis shoes. Specially in the rainy season. As soon as one pair gets wet, use that pair any time to you likely to get your feet wet. Go to any length to keep the other pair dry! Socks~{!*~}bring extra pairs in case feet get wet
-- Important things to bring:
Rain gear~{!*~}poncho, raincoat and umbrella
Hat(s)~{!*~}with visor for rain and sun protection
Plastic water bottle~{!*~}especially for hikes
Flashlight with spare batteries and bulb
Camera with spare batteries and plenty of film
Ziplock plastic bags for spillable toiletries
Extra prescription glasses and medication (if applicable)
Small day pack or fanny pack for hikes
Sweater or Jacket (a must for highland explorations)
Underwear
Plastic garbage bags for wet items
Swimwear
Bandannas
Collapsible luggage to store extra items in San Jos~{(&~}
-- Travel Light: A good rule of thumb is to gather together everything you want to bring; then bring half of that. Eliminate all but the essentials and start packing a few days before you leave. That way, you'll have time to think and not worry about what you might be forgetting. Remember, too, you will probably be buying gifts and souvenirs; leave ample room for them in your luggage.
--Packing Tip: To lighten your luggage, choose a color scheme and pack a small selection of clothes from which you can mix and match to create a varied wardrobe.
--Air Travel Packing Tip
We advise you not to pack aerosol cans; they tend to leak during air travel. Also avoid packing glass bottles; use plastic containers instead. Leave at home checkbooks and any credit cards not essential for your trip, valuable jewelry, and, in general, anything that you would hate to lose.
In spite of the heightened restrictions at all airports, visit www.tsa.dot.gov for the Transportation Security Administration's (TSA) recommendations on what to pack, and make the start of your trip as trouble-free as possible.
Important tips
- Dont by Colones in the airport the $ rate is not fair.
- Most vendors accept U.S. currency.
- The current exchange rate is about 563 colones to $1 U.S.
- High mountain altitudes are cool at night.
- 911 is the number dialed for emergencies.
- Official language is Spanish.
- Green season is May-November. Expect rain most afternoons.
- Dry season is December-April.
- U.S., Canadian & most western European citizens do not require a visa for entry to C.R. However a current passport is required.
- Tips & taxes are usually found in your restaurant bill totalling to 23%
- Costa Rica runs on the same electrical current as the U.S., European appliances need adaptors.
- Water is safe to drink in most places (ask first)
- Internet is easily accessible in most areas.
- Health care system rivals that of most 1st world countries.
Exit tax
There is a US$ 26 departure tax for all passengers on all international flights exiting the country. This can be paid rigth at the airport or in some local banks, must show your passport.
Costa Rica VISA information and entry requirements
(90 days without a visa)
Citizens holding valid passports from the following countries are permitted to stay in Costa Rica for 90 days without a visa:
Argentina, Austria, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, Denmark, Finland, France and dependencies Germany, Greece, Holland and dependencies, Hungary, Israel, Italy, Japan, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Norway, Panama, Paraguay, Poland, Portugal, Puerto Rico, Romania, South Korea, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Trinidad & Tobago, United Kingdom, United States of America, and Uruguay. Visa Extensions are possible from the Immigration office (Migraci~{(.~}n).
(30 days without a visa)
Citizens holding valid passports from the following countries are allowed to stay in Costa Rica for 30 days without a visa, though once in the country, they can apply for an extension (Pr~{(.~}rroga de Turismo) from the Immigration office (Migraci~{(.~}n), which allows them to stay a total of 90 days:
Antigua & Barbuda, Australia, Bahamas, Bahrain, Barbados, Belize, Bolivia, Bulgaria, Chile, Colombia, Czech Republic, Dominica, El Salvador, Grenada , Guatemala, Guyana, Honduras, Iceland, Ireland, Jamaica, Kenya, Kuwait, Mexico, New Zealand, Oman, Philippines, Qatar, Russia, San Cristobal/Nevis, San Marino, St. Lucia, St. Vincent, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, Slovakia, South Africa, Suriname, Taiwan, Turkey, United Arab Emirates, The Vatican, and Venezuela.
Citizens of all countries not listed above must obtain a visa from a Costa Rican embassy or consulate before arrival.
Custom regulations
No customs duties are charged on personal luggage, which includes an array of items for personal and professional use, as long as they do not appear in quantities that suggest commercial intent. Costa Rican law requires that baggage be examined and that travelers submit customs declarations listing all articles acquired abroad, including fruit, vegetables, meat or meat products, biological products such as vaccinations, serums, etc. Families traveling together need to fill out only one declaration for all family members.
