Costa Rica, as the name implies, is rich in everything at once: two oceans – the Pacific and the Atlantic, exotic black sand beaches, nature reserves, volcanoes and mountains. The colonial capital of San Jose and the picturesque province – all about Costa Rica: holidays, tours, maps and prices.
If in the Old World from time immemorial all roads lead to Rome, then in Costa Rica all highways, trails and primers deliver directly to the kingdom of wildlife, relict forests, thundering waterfalls, foggy lakes that lurk at the bottom of extinct volcano craters, or at least, immediately into the impenetrable jungle. This destination is the “number one” in Central America for ecotourism and adventure tours. You get here stunned from a long flight and the mischievous life of Russian megacities, you leave here with tears in your eyes, scratches on pumped up calves and such a charge of energy and strength that you can’t believe it yourself.
According to fashionissupreme, the capital is San Jose.
How to get to Costa Rica
There is no direct flight from Russia and CIS countries to Costa Rica. A flight with a connection in Europe, the USA or Cuba is possible. The most convenient options are offered by Iberia via Madrid, Lufthansa together with Condor via Frankfurt and Cubana via Havana. An airport tax is charged upon departure.
Find cheap flights to Costa Rica
Visa to Costa Rica
If the purpose of the trip is tourism, and the period of stay in Costa Rica does not exceed 30 days, Russian citizens will not need a visa. They won’t ask for medical insurance when crossing the border either, but you shouldn’t fly to Central America without it.
Customs
There are no restrictions on the import and export of foreign and national currencies, while the declaration is required. Duty-free import of 400 cigarettes or 50 cigars, or up to 500 g of tobacco, 3 liters of spirits, perfumes, clothes and shoes is allowed – within the limits of personal needs.
The import of fruits, vegetables, plants, cuttings and seeds, vegetable products, meat products, psychotropic and narcotic substances, weapons and ammunition, as well as pornographic publications is prohibited. To import medicines, you will need a doctor’s appointment or a tourist’s medical card. The export of archaeological valuables, antiques, rare animals and birds, their skins and stuffed animals is prohibited.
Costa Rica phone numbers
Embassy of Costa Rica in Moscow: Rublevskoe shosse, 26, bldg. 1, apt. 23; tel.: +7 (495) 415-40-42, 415-40-14; fax: 415-40-42; Web site
Embassy of Russia in San Jose: Apartado postal 634-01-000, San Jose, Costa Rica; tel.: 225-691-81, 891-590-83; Web site
Fire: 118, Police: 117, Rural Police: 127, Rescue: 911 (San Jose only) or 122, Traffic Police: 222-93-30 or 222-92-45.
Transport in Costa Rica
You can move around the country by plane or bus, there is practically no rail connection between cities. True, there is a tourist train from San José to Caldera (the entire journey is about 90 km).
Public transport in cities – buses and minibuses. Taxis are available in all major cities and are “caught” right on the street. The fare is low, almost all cars are equipped with meters.
Rent a Car
Renting a car is easy: you just need to be over 21 years old, have an international driver’s license, more than two years of driving experience and a credit card. Insurance is mandatory. See thedressexplorer for Costa Rica rental car tour with children.
The main roads between the cities are of good quality, but the markings are almost everywhere absent. All signs are in Spanish.
Tourist safety
The criminal situation in the country is calm, it is only recommended to follow standard precautions so as not to become victims of scammers or pickpockets.
Costa Rica has a law that requires everyone to carry identification documents. Therefore, tourists should always carry their passport (or a copy of its photo and visa pages) with them.
No special vaccinations are required before visiting the country, malaria prevention is recommended. Tap water is relatively safe, but it’s still not worth the risk – it’s better to use bottled water.
Climate of Costa Rica
The climate in the country is subequatorial. Two seasons can be distinguished: dry – from December to April and rainy – from May to November. On the plateau, the average temperature throughout the year is about +20… +22 °C, and in mountainous areas it can be up to +10 °C (with possible frosts in winter). On the coast of the Caribbean Sea and in the south of the Pacific coast, the temperature fluctuates between +27… +33 ° C, there is practically no difference between day and night temperatures. The best time to visit the country is the dry season, from December to April.
Actual information: weather forecast for the main resorts of Costa Rica for the coming days.
Mountain landscapes and relict plants in Costa Rica have remained almost the same as they were a million years ago. It is no coincidence that Steven Spielberg filmed the famous “Jurassic Park” here.
Costa Rica beaches
The beaches on the shores of Costa Rica are sandy, and the sand on them comes in a variety of shades – from white and gold to silver and even black. Almost everyone has their own peculiarity and “specialization”. Guanacaste beaches: Playa del Coco is great for scuba diving, Playa Flamingo is great for sport fishing, Tamarindo is great for surfing, Playa Conchal has amazing white sand, and Playa Grande is where sea turtles lay their eggs. Other popular beaches in Guanacaste are Playa Nosara, Playa Carillo and Playa Hermosa.
In the south of the Pacific coast, two resort areas stand out – Jaco and Punta Leona. Jaco’s beaches are famous for their nightlife and are suitable for surfing. On the Atlantic Ocean, not far from Puerto Limon, the beaches of Portete and Bonita are popular.
Costa Rica Hotels
The hotel base in the country is very diverse – there are 4-5 star hotels that meet all international standards, and small hotels or bungalows. Mains voltage 110-120 V, 60 Hz. Sockets are mostly of the American type, but sometimes you can also find “European standard”.
Banks and exchange offices
The monetary unit of the country is the Costa Rican colón (CRC), in 1 colón there are 100 centimes. Current exchange rate: 10 CRC = 0.84 RUB (1 USD = 686.91 CRC, 1 EUR = 722.63 CRC).
Banks are open from 8:30-9:00 to 15:00-17:00 on weekdays and from 9:00 to 14:00 on Saturdays, Sunday is a day off. Currency can be exchanged at the airport, bank, exchange office or hotel, but banks offer the best rate. Preference is given to US dollars, other currencies are more difficult to exchange. In general, the American currency has quite free circulation in Costa Rica, it is accepted everywhere. True, change is most often given in local currency.
Credit cards of major payment systems and traveler’s checks are accepted in major hotels and shops. ATMs are usually located in bank branches or in supermarkets in large cities. It is more profitable to take travel checks to the country in US dollars.
Active holidays in Costa Rica
Costa Rica has a huge number of opportunities for active pastime. For example, surfing is popular on the Pacific coast in the areas of Mal Pais, Santa Teresita, Playa Grande, Playa Jaco, Playa Carillo, Playa Hermosa, Playa Dominical and Playa Pabones, as well as in calmer waters in the Playa area. – Tambor, Playa Naranjo, Playa Herradura and Playa Manzanillo. There is something for surfers to do on the Atlantic coast: suitable places can be found in the areas of Puerto Viejo (Salsa Brava and Cocles beaches) and Limon (Playa Bonita). The best time for the “big wave” is from July to August.
Windsurfers should head to Lake Arenal, which is considered one of the best places on the planet to practice this sport. The most favorable time is from April to December. Scuba divers can splash their fins on Caco Island and Isla Coca, the Pacific coast, as well as in Baia Draka (Ballen Marine National Park) and Cahuita (Cahuita National Park).
Enthusiastic anglers will find the Pacific coast from Papagayo Bay to Golfito. And among thrill-seekers, rafting in inflatable boats along the rapids of the country’s mountain rivers is popular.
