San José
The official language is Spanish, however English is widely spoken.
GMT – 6
The flag of Costa Rica is composed of five horizontal stripes with blue at the top and bottom edges, white stripes to follow, and a red stripe across the middle. On the left side of the red stripe is the national coat of arms.
When you travel to Costa Rica, your passport should be valid for at least one month upon arrival in Costa Rica. However, we advise you that your passport is valid for at least six months after departure from Costa Rica.
Please note that passport requirements can change in a short notice. Therefore we advise you to check the passport requirements with the embassy or consulate of your country.
A visa is not required if your stay is shorter than 90 days in Costa Rica.
Please note that visa requirements can change in a short notice. Therefore we advise you to check the visa requirements with the embassy or consulate of your country.
Upon departure from Costa Rica you are required to pay a departure tax of around 20 dollars per person. The amount is subject to local changes.
Costa Rica Colon (CRC)
Bank cards are accepted at ATMs with a Cirrus- or Maestrologo. Usually if you use your bankcard, it is less expensive than using your credit-card at an ATM. Credit-cards are accepted in the larger hotels and restaurants. American dollars are widely accepted.
In addition to the wide variety of tropical fruits, vegetables and fresh seafood, Costa Rica has a rich variety of rice and bean dishes. Casado is a dish which you can order almost everywhere in Costa Rica. This is a nutritious dish with rice, beans, meat or fish and a salad of carrots and cabbage with fried banana. Other typical dishes are beef stew, chicken with rice, fried shrimp, tortillas and soup.
There are no vaccinations required to enter Costa Rica. However, you are advised to take precautions against Hepatitis A, Typhus, Diphtheria, Tetanus and Polio. Malaria occurs in some parts of the country, therefore precautions against malaria are also advised. Furthermore, you are advised to discuss your travel plans with a health- care provider to determine which vaccinations you might need.
The water from tap in the area of San José is of good quality. The water from tap at the coastal areas are of lesser quality and you are advised to only drink bottled or boiled water there. While traveling in Costa Rica, you are advised to avoid tap water, fountain drinks and ice cubes. Also try to avoid street-food and always wash your hands before eating.
The electricity current is 120 volts, 60Hz. Costa Rica generally accepts the following plugs:
Costa Rica has a typical tropical climate which means that the seasons
are not distinct and there is not much of a difference in temperature throughout the. This makes Costa Rica a year-round holiday destination.
