Activities & Sports
Costa Rica is an ecotourism heaven, making it one of the best places to experience the tropics with minimal impact. It's also mostly coastline, which means great surfing, beaches galore and a climate build for laziness. Enjoy watersports, hiking, golfing, horseback riding, river rafting, bird watching, canopy tours and sport fishing. Trek through the rainforest, try zip-line rides, or visit natural hot springs.
Dining & Nightlife
Costa Rica isn't known for its cuisine but as it is a major producer and exporter of beef, San José has plenty of steakhouses. For cheap eats you can try small restaurants known as
sodas, which are the equivalent of diners. In the resort areas there aren't too many options outside of hotel restaurants. In San José a wide range of bars and discos can be found in the area referred to as Gringo Gulch. A few blocks uphill from the Gulch lies the charming Barrio Amon area. This neighborhood is home to several restaurants and drinking spots such as Cafe Mundo, where you can to have a drink and relax in the shade of towering trees that make you feel as if you are far from the city.
Shopping
Costa Rica features a wide range of stores offering merchandise made locally or imported from other Latin American countries. Most prices are fixed, and bargaining is recommended only with street vendors or in market places. Some of the best buys are coffee, handcrafted items made of wood or leather. Replicas of oxcarts, the national symbol of Costa Rica, are popular souvenirs - hand painted and in a variety of sizes and colors - as are replicas of Pre-Colombian gold artifacts.
Flying time from:
Toronto: Approximately 4 hours 30 minutes.
Montreal: Approximately 5 hours 30 minutes.
Calgary: Approximately 8 hours.
Vancouver: Approximately 7 hours.
Language: Spanish with some English spoken in tourist areas.
Currency: The Colon. US dollars are widely accepted. ATM's are not easy to find and the Cirrus system is not compatible everywhere.
Climate: The country's climate varies depending upon elevation, location, and season with a little change in temperature from month to month. While the coastal plains are tropical, the mountain regions tend to be cool, and the Central Plateau has a spring-like climate year round An average rainfall of nine days per month from May to November.
Electricity: 110 Volt.
Documents: Canadian citizens require a passport that is valid until 30 days after their scheduled return. For all other nationalities, consult your consulate or Costa Rican Tourist Board for details
Note: Each travelling passenger is responsible to pay a local departure tax in US dollars. This fee is payable in cash at the airport in destination prior to boarding your flight. The departure tax is $27.40 US per person (subject to change). Note only US Cash or equivalent Costa Rican Colon are accepted.