Costa Rica Travel Guide

Costa Rica weather is tropical due to our proximity to the equator. The country is unique for having over a dozen micro-climates, all of which feature different characteristics. The degree of humidity or dryness varies depending on what part of the country you’re in and the month you’re traveling.

Traditionally our Pacific regions enjoy the least amount of rainfall between December and April, the Northern Pacific generally receives almost no rainfall during these months and the Central and Southern Pacific areas very little rainfall. We call these months our “Dry Season” or “Summer”.

Starting in May we’ll begin to get afternoon rain showers and once we get to September we are seeing afternoon rains almost every day. On the Pacific, the further North you go, the less frequent the rainfall, the further South you go, the more frequent the rainfall. This period between May and November we call our “Green Season” or “Winter”. Costa Rica’s Caribbean regions (like the Arenal Volcano region) receive about the same amount of rainfall month to month year round. This is a humid lush part of the country and an afternoon rain shower is common regardless of the month of the year you visit.

If you are visiting a mountain area like Cerro de la Muerte or Monteverde, you’ll be at elevations between 6000 and 11,000 feet so evenings and early mornings will be quite cool and a jacket is recommended.

 

The best time to visit Costa Rica is a hard question to answer because every month of the year has certain advantages. If you want to lounge on a Pacific beach and have a guarantee of nothing but the sunshine every day, it’s best to visit between December and April. If you want good weather but love to see all the trees and flowers in full bloom, exploding with color it’s best to visit between April and July. If you are a wildlife lover and you want to see Sea Turtles emerge from the Atlantic to lay their eggs and then jump over to the Pacific to go whale watching, it’s best to travel between July and November.

Costa Rica has two main and distinct climate zones; The Pacific and The Caribbean. The Continental Divide separates these two areas giving us a lot of variety in weather patterns on the Pacific coast. Our Caribbean side, though, remains pretty much the same all year round. Some of the main areas to visit in the Caribbean are Arenal, Tortuguero, Puerto Viejo, Turrialba, and the Orosi Valley. These areas receive almost the same amount of rainfall year round, with the months of August, September, and October being the months with slightly less rainfall. Generally, these areas have sunny humid mornings and late afternoon showers. The advantage to visiting the Caribbean is that it is always green, lush, and vibrant.

The Pacific side of the country includes popular areas like The Osa Peninsula, Dominical, Manuel Antonio, Jaco, The Nicoya Peninsula, Nosara, Tamarindo, Flamingo, Conchal, Playa Coco, and Papagayo. In general, the entire Pacific Coast is completely dry from the end of December through early April. We start to see our first showers in April and every month going forward, we receive a little more rain than the month before. The interesting thing about the Pacific Coast, though, is that the further South you travel (Osa) the more rain you receive and the further North you travel (Papagayo) the less rain you receive. The months of December – March tend to be very dry and breezy in Guanacaste (Northern Pacific). In May when the rains begin, everything comes to life, flowers bloom, trees are full of color; it’s a beautiful time to visit Costa Rica.

If you ask your travel consultant, “When is the best time to travel?” They will probably recommend what we call our transition months; May, June, July, August. This is when the Pacific Coast transitions from “The Dry Season” to “The Green Season”. This time of year is characterized by warm sunny mornings and afternoons, followed by late afternoon showers. Most showers only last 1-2 hours and then the skies clear up again. This “Green Season” is also a great time to visit as you’ll find the most favorable prices at hotels. Green Season specials are very popular and significant savings can be found by avoiding the peak season travel months of December, January, February and March.

Costa Rica’s official currency is the Colón, however, U.S. dollars are still widely accepted throughout the country. Money can be exchanged in banks but the process is not easy. You’ll usually have to wait in long lines and most tellers speak little English. Your passport is required to exchange money at all banks.

ATMs are the easiest way to get local currency. At most ATMs, you will have the choice of asking for colons or dollars. Keep in mind most banks charge a transaction fee between $2.00 – $7.00 dollars.

There are currency exchange booths in the San Jose Airport, but exchange rates are generally not favorable and fees are generally applied.

We recommend bringing U.S. Dollars in denominations from $1 – $20. (avoid 50’s and 100’s). Use these bills for your local purchases and you’ll receive your change in colons. You’ll then have some local currency to spend.

Can I use my credit cards?

Credit cards are widely accepted in Costa Rica, but there are some exceptions. If you plan on using your credit card frequently it is very important that prior to leaving on your trip you tell your bank that you will be in Costa Rica. For your protection most banks automatically block transactions in foreign countries, so be sure that you advise your bank that you will be making charges while in Costa Rica.

Mastercard and Visa are the most widely accepted. American Express is accepted at most hotels and some restaurants but not by local or small vendors. Discover Card is not accepted in Costa Rica 

Mosquitoes are common year-round, however, rare in some areas due to low overnight temperatures (Monteverde or San José). Mosquitoes are most common at dusk and dawn; especially in rain forest or rural areas. It’s a good idea to wear long-sleeved shirts and long pants if you are going to be hiking or walking in the forest during these times. A good insect repellent sprayed onto your clothing or skin will be effective to keep mosquitoes from bothering you (if you use both sunscreen and insect repellent, apply the sunscreen first and then the repellent). A DEET based product is not necessary but is generally the strongest option you can buy.

Malaria does exist in Costa Rica (as in every other country in Central America), although it is very rare and any outbreak makes the news. It’s up to you whether you want to bring malaria medication, but be aware that plenty of locals and expats get by without it, and thousands of tourists visit each year without using this medication. More common mosquito-derived ailments are Dengue fever and the Chikungunya and Zika virus, which are easily combatted by taking the precautions mentioned above as protection against mosquito-borne diseases. If you develop one or more of the following symptoms seek medical evaluation for treatment: fever, rash, joint and/or muscle pain, severe eye pain (behind eyes), mild bleeding (nose or gum bleed or easy bruising).

Costa Rica is well known for its’ abundance of wildlife and a relative ease to get up close to birds, mammals, and reptiles. It’s important to remember that these are all wild animals. Our slogan is “Observation without Disruption” When you encounter wildlife, remember we are in their habitat. Sit or stand quietly and enjoy the wonder and brilliance of seeing animals in the wild. Please NEVER try to touch any wild animals and do not feed them. Human food causes serious health problems, especially for Monkeys. Every year park rangers find many animals killed by the consumption of human food. Animals can be a danger to you as well. Although they look cute and cuddly, most rainforest animals have sharp teeth and claws and they will not take kindly to being disturbed. Bring your binoculars and your cameras and enjoy the incredible variety of wildlife throughout the country, but please help us to protect this, our most valuable natural resource, by respecting each and every animal and bird you encounter.

The roads in Costa Rica vary significantly depending on the route that you are traveling. Roads between most destinations are two-lane, paved roads that wind up and around the mountainous terrain throughout the country. If you find yourself driving in the country, it is best to be very alert and drive defensively. Try to avoid driving at night as most roads are not lit and do not have reflective lines. Weather conditions can change quickly and nighttime driving can be dangerous. Some areas and some hotels do not have paved entrances, so chances are at some point you will find yourself along a dirt road during your trip to Costa Rica. Many bridges narrow to a single lane and drivers must be ready to yield and give right of way to the oncoming traffic.

For your first visit to Costa Rica, we generally recommend taking private transports to get a feel for the driving conditions. This way, the next time that you visit you will already understand the driving conditions and can decide whether or not to rent a car. The system of roads in Costa Rica continues to improve each year but signage is limited and sometimes inaccurate. Vehicles equipped with GPS devices have significantly improved visitors’ ability to tour the country at their own pace. Should you decide to drive, we strongly suggest equipping the vehicle with a GPS unit. For experienced travelers, with a lot of patience; driving on your own can be a fun experience. In general, though, we prefer our guests to enjoy our private transfers.

      Official Papers

• Valid passport + copy of the photo page
• Airline tickets
• Drivers license + copy
• Insurance card and contact information
• Money belt and passport pendant for important documents
• CRV “Airport meeting instructions”

Luggage

• Day pack or fanny pack
• Soft sided luggage to avoid going over domestic flight weight limits
• Waterproof bag for wet/dirty clothing
• Zip lock baggies to keep cameras and iPods dry in your back pack

Health

• Eye drops
• Insect repellent
• Waterproof sunscreen
• Contact lenses and cleaning solution
• Personal medicine prescriptions in the original prescription bottles
• Any over the counter medicines that you prefer. Most U.S. brands are not available in Costa Rica.
• Your personal toiletries

Clothing

• Hiking or walking shoes
• Beach sandals or flip-flops (dressy sandals optional)
• Water shoes for certain activities
• T-shirts
• Long sleeved T-shirts (recommended for sunburn protection, hiking and fishing)
• Swimsuits and a casual beach cover-up (for ladies)
• Hiking shorts (quick dry) and cotton shorts
• Lightweight pants and shorts
• Sleepwear
• Socks
• Underwear
• Sun hats or baseball caps

City Clothing

• Although Costa Rica is very casual, we recommend that if you are going to spend time in San José, that you bring along a pair of longer pants, good walking shoes, and a bit more formal clothing than you would wear in the laid back beach towns. This helps you to stand out less as a tourist.

Outwear

• Light weight jacket or raincoat (poncho style); something warmer for higher elevations or on the open ocean.
• Umbrella
• Sunglasses
• Camera (batteries and charger)

Other items

• Swiss army knife
• Key chain flashlight
• Water bottle
• Wet wipes/antibacterial hand gel
• Kleenex
• Pens
• Lighter/matches
• Cork screw

Important Tips

• Leave photocopies of your passport, drivers’ license, credit cards, airline tickets and any reservation that you have prepaid with your home emergency contact person
• If you are visiting from US or Canada, there is no need to bring electric converters as they are the same in Costa Rica
• There is no point in carrying all of your keys
• Leave expensive and irreplaceable jewelry at home
• If you plan on using your credit card frequently, it is very important that prior leaving your trip, to inform your bank that you will be in Costa Rica.