Costa Rica is a wonderful place to visit with your family or even alone.
Many honeymoon couples in Costa Rica combine romance, adventure, and mystical visits to volcanoes, rainforests, waterfalls, and secluded beaches. Our goal here is to provide a short guide that you can print out and take with you for reference.

country information

Costa Rica is in Central America north of Panama and south of Nicaragua. The Pacific Ocean borders the country to the west and the Caribbean to the east.

Citizens of Costa Rica are affectionately called Ticos and Ticas. Throughout Latin America, Ticos are more like North Americans in their thought process. There are many cultural differences, but tourism and tourists in general are well received in this country.

Costa Rica has the highest literacy rate in Latin America. Every four years elections are held with 95% of the population participating in the voting process. Costa Rica has not had a military since 1946. 27% of the country’s budget is spent on health. Although there are demonstrations from time to time, social unrest does not appear. Costa Rica is considered as the “Latin American success story”.

The country has 110 volcanic craters, six active volcanoes, mountain ranges throughout the central part of the country, and secluded beaches with tropical forests teeming with wildlife reaching all the way to the coast.

The temperature varies with elevation. Humidity is present and noticeable, especially at sea level. Mosquitoes are obviously a part of any rainforest, but they’re not as noticeable as they are in most of Florida, for example, because natural predators maintain an ecological balance not found in places like Florida. (Bring repellant with Deet though!)

Costa Rica has a dry season and a wet season. The wet or “green” season is from May to November each year. During this time, the rains are more frequent in most regions (Guanacaste province is the southern part of the country) with typical sunshine in the morning hours with showers in the afternoon and evening. Green season is when hotels offer discounts and crowds are minimized. As mentioned above, the northwestern part of Costa Rica is the best “green” season destination due to the rains.

General information

entry requirements for visitors differ depending on their country of origin. US citizens, Canadians and UK tourists need a valid passport but do not require a visa. The maximum stay under these conditions is 90 days but it can be extended an additional 90 days through a travel agent or within the country through immigration.

vaccines are not required for malaria and other diseases to visit Costa Rica.

Tea Water in most areas it is safe to drink. However, some coastal areas are exceptions. Bottled water is recommended simply for taste considerations. If you are in the Multiplaza shopping center in Escazú, for example, the water is perfectly fine to drink. However, smaller communities on the coast can be problematic.

Costa Rica has the best fruit in the world in my opinion. Eat anything and everything in sight!

driving in Costa Rica is an adventure! A stop sign in Costa Rica is treated like a yield sign in North America. The potholes in certain areas are HUGE. If you rent a car consider the following:

Do not leave valuables in the car.

Rental agencies look for any traces of teeth and dents

The roads are narrow and there are usually no guardrails.

Did I mention potholes?

Electricity it’s standard 110v like in the US, but it’s usually not grounded. This means that any device that requires a three-prong plug will not work without a two-prong adapter. So, bring an adapter for anything that requires three prongs.

English it is widely spoken in tourist areas and major metropolitan areas. Driving a rental car across the country without knowing Spanish can be problematic. However, it is usually easy to find someone to help you in English in tourist areas and in big cities.

medical facilities are available throughout the country. However, remote areas only have clinics for minor problems and often have few English-speaking staff members. San José has excellent medical facilities and English-speaking doctors are quite common. Ask the hotel owner what you think about medical facilities in the area if you have health problems.

Emergency service in Costa Rica it is available by dialing 911.

Holidays They are taken seriously in this country. Visit around Easter or Christmas and it will seem like the whole country is closed. The Easter and Christmas holidays are celebrated for more than a week!

traveler security

Violent crime exists in all societies. Costa Rica is a safe place to bring your family or to travel alone. Most crimes are property theft and pickpocket-oriented theft.
Be sure to leave your Rolex at home.

Don’t keep your wallet in your back pocket. Keep it in your front pocket.

Do not place valuables in backpacks slung over the shoulder.

Many places are perfectly safe to walk at night. Others are not. Ask a local.

The beaches have rip tides.
A rip current is narrow. If you get caught in a current, swim parallel to the shore for a short distance until you no longer feel it pulling you away from the shore. Salt water is easy to float. Do not panic!

Sharks are prevalent in certain areas of both the Pacific and Caribbean.
Sharks are primarily of concern to fishermen and surfers. If you’re not a professional, ask about the area you plan to visit. Some of the islands around Costa Rica have large populations of sharks.

Costa Rica is just north of the equator. Spent sunscreen liberally and drink plenty of non-alcoholic fluids while in the elements. I know, now I sound like your mother!

Taxis have meters. Many unofficial taxis provide their services in the country. Before any trip anywhere, agree on the price before getting in the taxi unless they are using the meter. Many taxis do not use their meters.

Most hotels, resorts and bed and breakfasts provide transportation from the airport and are valuable resources in identifying the fair cost from one place to another when using taxi services.

Beaches

The beaches of Costa Rica are not all the same. Some beaches are great for surfing and poor for kids. Many beaches include nearby amenities and plenty of tanned bodies to admire. Others offer secluded splendor and fewer amenities. Careful planning is necessary to find the right area for a successful vacation here.

Beach options are too numerous to even mention here. Consider checking out our beaches page for information on some of the best beaches. For surfing, we have a surf page that highlights the best places to catch a wave.

volcanoes

Some parts of Costa Rica are more like the moon than Central America!

sandbank it is an active volcano that offers excellent potential for all the elements of an active volcano. The Tabacón hot springs are a beautiful area that offers relaxation, romance and a wonderful atmosphere.
poas volcano is near San José in the Central Valley and offers eerie views of one of the largest volcanic lakes in the world in its crater. Poás is easy to walk compared to other places and has no food and beverage facilities in the park area.

Rincon de La Vieja it is in northwestern Costa Rica (Guanacaste province) and is actually a composite volcano, meaning that there are more than one composite volcano aligned on a ridge. Rincón has 9 eruptive craters, including bubbling mud pits and volcanic geysers. The walks to the summit are controlled by park rangers to prevent people from getting lost. Obviously this is a more challenging hike compared to Poas!

tropical forests

The rainforests and rainforest animals are one of the great attractions of Costa Rica. Bird watching, flora and fauna, monkeys, sloths and many other creatures abound in the tropical jungles of Costa Rica. Each region has slightly different plant life and animals that populate the forests. Accommodations in hostels and hotels range from primitive to exotic. Take your time and choose an area that combines activities that interest you and your family.

Manuel Antonio It is one of the most popular parks in Costa Rica. The park is located in the Central Pacific area and offers excellent accommodations, rainforest, waterfalls, and beach vacations.

Monteverde Cloud Forest It is a wonderland of nature. Located near the Arenal Volcano, about 3 1/2 hours from San José, this misty forest is a great place to see birds, monkeys, and other wildlife in a well-kept, easy-to-walk park.

Corcovado National Park it is lowland rainforest and is home to a large population of scarlet macaws. The park has well-designed trails, campgrounds, and many ranger stations. The hike is strenuous, pack your own food and get back to nature in the southern Pacific part of Costa Rica.

Cahuita National Park offers flat easy walking trails and lots of wildlife in thick lowland forest. White-faced and howler monkeys are your companions here. Generally rustic accommodations and fewer amenities are characteristic of Caribbean coastal areas.

final thoughts

Fun Costa Rica Vacations hopes you have found this visitor guide helpful. Our goal is to provide useful information to travelers and specifically to those who visit Costa Rica for the first time.

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