Vacation Guide

Our tips for getting the most out of our Pacifico getaway.

On Site or nearby

Activities

• Golf

• Tennis

• Zoo/Wildlife Park

• Shopping

• Sightseeing

• Restaurants

• Rafting

• Kayaking

• Sailing

• Boating

• Waterskiing

• Parasailing

• Jet Skiing

• Shelling

• Swimming

• Snorkeling/Diving

• Surfing

• Windsurfing

• Biking

• Mountain Biking

• Wildlife Viewing

• Hiking

• Fishing

• Rock Climbing

• Fitness Center/Gym

• Health/Beauty Spa

• Horseback Riding

• Zip line/canopy tours

• Waterfall tours

• Volcano tours

• Nature hikes

• Bird watching

• Scuba tours

• Sail cruises

TRAVEL

Entry/Exit Visas

With a valid passport and round trip or onward ticket, citizens of the United States of America, Canada, Germany, Spain and Italy can travel to Costa Rica for a 90-day stay without a consular visa. To stay legally beyond the period granted, travellers will need to submit an application for an extension to the Office of Temporary Permits in the Costa Rican Department of Immigration.

Normally, tourist visas are not extended except under special circumstances, such as academic, employment, or medical grounds, and extension requests are evaluated on a case-by-case basis. On the way out of Costa Rica, you'll have to pay a $26 exit tax, payable with cash or credit card at the international airport. If you're traveling with an underage child without his/her second parent, you will need extensive paperwork to be allowed out of the country. Don't come without it. Persons who have overstayed previously may be denied entry to Costa Rica.

COSTA RICA WEATHER

The Climate

Located between 8° and 11° north of the equator, Costa Rica enjoys a temperate tropical climate marked by two seasons: the rainy (summer, or verano) and the dry (winter, or invierno) season.

The rainy season generally runs from May until early December with April and November being months of transition. During the rainy season, mornings are usually sunny, with afternoon storms moving in later in the day. There is an average of four or more hours of sun per day during the rainy season. The dry season runs from mid-December through April.

TRAVEL

Language

Costa Rica's official language is Spanish, though a large number of its citizens are at least moderately bilingual. In fact, all Costa Rican public and private schools require a second language and to graduate, all students must pass an English or French exam.

English, due to its status as the international language of tourists, is the most common second language in Costa Rica. In most areas frequented by tourists - hotels, restaurants and national parks - visitors will find signs in English and employees who speak it fluently. In addition, the Caribbean coast considers its local creole, which is very similar to Jamaican English, as one of its unofficial languages.

However, when you stop for a snack at a roadside stand, enjoy a typical meal at a family-run restaurant, or order some beachside ceviche, you may want to give your high school Spanish a test run. You'll find Costa Ricans to be very accommodating and patient with your Spanish, no matter how rudimentary, and you'll have a blast communicating with a combination of dictionary words and lively charades.

Spirituality

Religion

More than 75% of Costa Ricans are practicing Catholics and approximately 14% are evangelical Christians. Other religions include: Jehovah's Witnesses 1.3%, Protestant 0.7%, other 4.8%, and none 3.2%.

COUNTRY

LEGAL SYSTEM

Costa Rica is a civil law country, which means that the organization of the legal system is derived from the French Napoleonic Code as opposed to English common law. Under Napoleonic Law, you are presumed guilty and must prove your innocence, whereas in the U.S., Canada and the United Kingdom, you are presumed innocent and the government must prove you guilty. Our advice: don't do anything illegal and the legal system differences won't matter.

MENSWEAR / LIFESTYLE

Time Zone

Costa Rica does not observe Daylight Saving Time. From March through October, during U.S. Daylight Saving Time, Costa Rica's time zone is equivalent to Mountain Standard Time. November through March, Costa Rica's time zone is equivalent to Central Standard Time.

SAFETY

Safety & Travel Advisory

Currently there are no travel warnings for Costa Rica. It is one of the safest countries in the world to visit. Visit the CIA World Fact Book page for daily updates.