We get emails all the time about traveling in Costa Rica, so we thought it might be a good ideal to point out some of our top 20 tips about a vacation and/or maybe retiring in Costa Rica.
One thing you must understand is the culture and society; manners and respect play an important role and sometimes a simple misunderstanding can become a big deal.
Costa Ricans by nature do not like auguring and confrontation; so knowing about the basic life, culture, customs, and laws of a country can help you to be prepared and have an enjoyable vacation.
1) Costa Rica legal system is based on Napoleonic law; Guilty until Proven Innocent. If you get into a confrontation, do not tried and bribe the officer. Give respect and unless you are portraying the ugly American, you should not have a problem.
2) The most cost efficient transportation is the community bus, shuttle bus, taxi and then rental car, which is the most expensive. If you do rent a car, the new vehicle laws have changed. Get caught passing on a double yellow line, and expect to pay around a $500 fine.
3) Business hours in Costa Rica are much like that in the United States. Typically they run from 8 or 9 AM to 3 or 5 PM. Many will shut down for lunch 12-2, so do not expect a shop to be open after 12, unless it is in a main tourist town like Jaco or Tamarindo.
4) The healthcare system in Costa Rica is very advanced and rated higher than that of the US. They have an excellent system that offers up-to-date medical care in modern hospitals. Costa Rica 911 emergency system is fairly good in the main cities, but lacks response time in the rural areas.
5) Alcohol Drinking and Prostitution is legal for those over the age of eighteen.
6) When leaving the airport all are required to pay Exit Fees (about $27USD) before you check in your baggage and get your boarding pass, make sure you allow time for this. I have seen an hours wait to pay this.
7) The busiest time in Costa Rica is during what is called the high season (Nov-May) and the lowest is the rainy season, (June-Oct). During the rainy season prices on hotels and airfares usually will be discounted.
9) The water system in Costa Rica is treated and safe to drink, but bottle water is provided everywhere. Do not buy the bottle water in hotels; go to the nearest corner store where it is usually 2/3s cheaper.
10) The electricity in Costa Rica is the same as in the United States (110w). They do not use the grounding prong in some locations, so bring an adapter for this reason.
11) Dress for tropical environmental, and if planning to go into the high mountains, bring along clothing for cooler temperatures. Always bring along something for rain.
12) Laundry mats are not common in Costa Rica. Most people send their laundry out to be washed. Some vacation rentals offer a washer/dryer as an amenity and most hotels do provide a laundry service. However, if you plan on washing those smelling T-shirts in a shower, due to the high humidity, it may take hours, if not days to dry.
13) If you plan on making a lot of calls, international calling is expensive. Your best bet is to bring along a lap top or a Net Book and have MagicJack installed and/or Skype. Skype is Free from Skype to Skype and works well with WiFi, providing you are close to the source.
14) WiFi service at most hotels is free and Internet cafes are just about everywhere. Cost is between 1-$8/hour. So using your computer for emails and calling is easy to do. However, Costa Rica internet service is good, but nowhere to that of the US. After 9am, is about the time when the Internet is used less among the locals. In other words, trying to email or make a phone call at 7am, you may have problems connecting.
15) When available always lock you valuables in the hotel safe and carry ONLY what you will need for cash that day and a color photo copy of your Passport.
16) Do not exchange your money at the airport (it is a rip off and the damn machines are always breaking down it seems), do it at the hotels and/or local bank where the exchange rate is higher, but expect to wait in long lines.
17) Learn a few words in Spanish, like thank you, good day, and pura vida (pure life).
18) Use common sense, do not flash money around, this is an open invitation to get robbed. Costa Rica has crime just like the US so be alert and mindful when traveling around.
19) Be patient, remember you are on Costa Rica time, the rat race of US city life is not practiced in Costa Rica.
20) The best travel advice of all times is just smile
See other Costa Rica related travel tips, Tipping and Gratuites, Common Travel Mistakes, Police and Emergencies Numbers, Traffic Law Problems, Exchanging Money, How Not to Get Robbed, and Just Smile
Something I would add as far as phone use goes, if you want to make local calls or just want something for an emergency situation. Take a phone with you that accepts a SIM card and you can purchase a prepaid SIM card when you arrive to CR. This will allow you to have something on hand and is not very expensive at all. A very smart Tica taught me that little trick and it worked out well when we went over there.
Another tip for Americans travelling to Costa Rica that I always give out is to be very careful around the Expats down there. Many of them are very shifty and well, you don’t who this man was in the U.S.
Good review. The best advise is to smile. I have found that Tico’s are nearly ALL sweet, wonderful people and respond well to kindness and cheer.
I think tipping is something that can be expected. Having worked as a river guide in Costa Rica for 10 years I can tell you that not only tour guides but many city drivers and waitors can benefit greatly from just a little tip. So every little bit can help.