Information about Costa Rica
COSTA RICA Useful Information
Time in Costa Rica: Costa Rica Standard Time is 6 hours behind Greenwich Mean Time (GMT-6).
Electricity in Costa Rica: The power supply of Costa Rica is: 120 volts AC 60 Hz
Money Costa Rica: Costa Rica’s currency is the colon, named for Cristóbal Colón (Christopher Columbus). The notes come in denominations of 500, 1000, 5000 and 10,000, while coins come in denominations of 5, 10, 20, 25, 50 and 100. Note that the older coins are larger and are silver, while the newer ones are smaller and gold. This is often a source of confusion for air travelers newcomer.
Most banks are open Monday through Friday from 9 am to 3:30 pm, although some now offer extended hours.
Credit cards are widely accepted in places with high influx of tourists, but can not be used in some of the more rural areas. Hotels and restaurants in Costa Rica usually accept credit cards and dollars, but once that is out of San José, small businesses, restaurants and hotels require cash payment in colones, the local currency. Do not worry, ATMs are scattered throughout the country, and generally offer good exchange rates.
Tipping in Costa Rica:
It is customary to tip the bellman / porter (1 to $ 3 per service) and the housekeeper (1 – $ 2 a day) in high-end hotels. On guided tours, guide gratuity is $ 10 per person per day. It is advisable to pay the driver about half of what is paid to the guide. Naturally, the council will depend on the quality of service. A taxi driver usually do not give a tip, unless you are offered a special service. The best high-end restaurants can add 10% service
Weather of Costa Rica:
Located between 8 ° and 11 ° north of Ecuador, Costa Rica enjoys a mild tropical climate characterized by two seasons: the rainy season (summer) and dry season (winter).
The rainy season usually runs from May until early December to April and November as the transition function. During the rainy season, mornings are sunny, with afternoon thunderstorms. There is an average of four or more hours of sunshine per day during the rainy season. The dry season runs from mid December until April.
Health in Costa Rica:
Any foreigner who is temporarily in the country is entitled to medical care in hospitals and clinics in case of an emergency, sudden illness or a chronic illness. Costa Rica has a modern medical system, under the administration of the Social Security Fund (CCSS). At this time, Costa Rica does not require visitors to have any vaccinations, although you must make sure your doctor just in case.
Water in Costa Rica: Unless you are specifically labeled as “non potable”, you can drink the water in Costa Rica. This means you do not have to worry about fruit or vegetable salads, fruit drinks, or any other food made with water that has been boiled.
Safety and Security in Costa Rica:
There are currently no travel warnings for Costa Rica. It is one of the safest countries in the world to visit.
What to pack for travel to Costa Rica:
A good pair of waterproof hiking shoes.
A pair of multi-sport light are ideal for varied terrain.
Whether you’re practicing rafting or rappelling waterfall, you will love having a great pair of convertible pants, quick drying.
Fast drying shirt is a great choice for packing light and kept clean.
A couple of quick-drying socks will serve you well in the jungle when making expeditions, water tours, and any other adventure in Costa Rica.
A pilot of rain keeps you warm and dry during a shower in the jungle.
Rain jacket or wind proof.
Sandals high resistance reefs are an excellent choice for adventure activities of water or a light walk.
A sun hat, sunglasses and products skin care with sunscreen to protect against UV radiation.
Food and drinks in Costa Rica:
To generalize a meal of Costa Rica, we have to talk about the black beans and rice (gallo pinto). This dish is simple, standard, often referred to as traditional food, is the backbone of Costa Rican cuisine. While many of the dishes are still prepared with oils high in saturated fats, foods of Costa Rica are generally very healthy when combined with an active lifestyle. Cheese and other dairy products are rarely used. Often served with a good serving of fruit or vegetables, or both, the meals are very tasty and generally rich in fiber.
The pot is a delicious beef stew made with beef, potatoes, carrots, chayote (nopal), banana and cassava. Black soup is a simple soup made with black beans. The rich tripe soup made with vegetables and corns.
Corn stew is also a dish of Costa Rica.
Drinks in Costa Rica:
Soft drinks, fruit mixed with ice are very popular in Costa Rica.
A sweet and spicy drink, horchata rice is toasted and ground cinnamon.
Beer is also a common drink among the Ticos. Two local breweries are Bavaria and Imperial. These beers are crisp lager style, ideal thirst quencher tropical climate. The wine is not very popular and is usually imported and expensive.
Discover the bio-diversity that Costa Rica has to offer for you.
Public Holidays in Costa Rica:
* January 1 – New Year.
* 02 April – Easter
* April 10 – Juan Santamaría Day. A national holiday in honor of a young fighter who defended his country at the Battle of Rivas in 1856.
* May 1 – Labor Day.
* July 25 – Guanacaste Day celebrates the annexation of Guanacaste to Nicaragua in 1824.
* August 2 – Virgin of Los Angeles. A national holiday celebrating the patron santo of Costa Rica, La Negrita.
* August 15 – Mother’s Day and the Assumption.
* 15 September – Independence Day. A nationwide celebration of independence from Spain in 182.1
* Oct. 11 – Columbus Day. Columbus Day celebrates Columbus discovering the Americas.
* December 25 – Christmas Day.