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Although only accounting for some 51,100 square km., the small territory
of Coats Rica is justifiably famous and internationally-known for its
great diversity and concentration of natural resources, as well as the
proverbial cordiality of its inhabitants, that distinguishes it as an
especially attractive destination for foreign tourists who, not by chance,
now exceed more than a million visitors per year.
CAPITAL
San José
OFFICIAL MONEY
Colón
LOCAL TIME
(+6 GMT) during the entire year
COUNTRY TELEPHONE CODE
+506 Costa Rica
CLIMATE OF COSTA RICA
One can say that in Costa Rica there are only two marked seasons: the
wet one that extends from May to November, and the dry one that begins
in December and ends in April. The average temperature in the Central
Valley is 72° F (22° C), while on the coasts it fluctuates between
70° y 90° (21° y 31° C)
LANGUAGE
Spanish
HOURS OF BUSINESS
In general business starts at 9:00 a. m. and ends at 6:00 p. m., though
commercial malls and centers are open from 10:00 a. m. to 9:00 p.m.
Most State banks open at 9:00 a. m. and close at 5:00 p. m., while private
ones work from 9 to 7 p. m. Office hours are generally from 8 a .m.
till 4 p.m.
PRECAUTIONS
San José is a safe city but as in all large cities one should
take basic precautions with such items as bags, handbags, cameras and
jewelry.
One should be especially careful in bus stations, and also on the bus
itself where crowds may provoke pushing that would facilitate the snatching
of personal items. If one travels in a hired vehicle it is recommended
that you park in parking area with an attendant. At night, it is best
to avoid walking in parks and peripheral zones of the city without prior
knowledge of such places.
PERMITS AND DOCUMENTATION
Regulations on visas and tourist permit
No visa needed for stay of up to 90 days
Nationals of the following countries are allowed to enter without consular
visas for up to 90 days owing to international agreements, conventions
and exchange notes:
Argentina, Austria, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, Denmark, Finland, France
(*), Germany, Greece, Holland (*), Hungary, Israel, Italy, Japan, Liechtenstein,
Luxemberg, Norway, Panamá, Paraguay, Poland, Portugal, Puerto
Rico (**), Rumania, South Korea, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Trinidad
& Tobago, U. K., Uruguay, USA.
(*) Its dependencies receive similar consideration
(**) England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland
No visa needed for stay of 30 days
Nationals of the following countries are allowed to enter without consular
visas for up to 30 days owing to international agreements, conventions
and exchange notes:
Antigua & Barbuda, Australia, Bahamas, Bahrain, Barbados, Belize,
Bolivia, Bulgaria, Chile, Colombia, Czech Republic, Dominica, El Salvador,
Estonia, Grenada, Guatemala, Guyana, Honduras, Iceland, Jamaica, Kenya,
Kuwait, Mexico, New Zealand, Oman, Philippines, Principality of Monaco,
Qatar, Republic of China (Taiwan), Republic of Ireland, Russia, Saint
Kitts & Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent & the Grenadines,
San Marino, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, Slovakia, South Africa, Surinam,
Turkey, United Arab Emirates, the Vatican, Venezuela.
Foreigners who are not residents of the countries listed above and
who wish to enter Costa Rica must come prepared with an appropriate
visa in their passport or travel document, validly emitted and current.
Visas should be requested through the Costa Rican consulate or embassy
in their country of residence.
MONEY EXCHANGE
The exchange rate for 1 dollar USA is 370 colons, approximately, and
the exchange rate for 1 Euro is roughly 365 colons.
It is preferable to exchange foreign money in banks and not in money
exchanges. There are few of the latter in the city and they also charge
quite high commissions or their rate is worse than that of the banks.
Banks generally open continuously from 9:00 - 5:00 p. m. Some public
and private banks have a special service time running from 3:00- 7:00
p. m.
ELECTRICITY / INTERNET / TELEVISION
The voltage in Costa Rica is mainly 110V and 220V is used only for machines
and other items that require it.
It is recommended that you bring with you adaptors (converters) for
articles that require other voltage, though they can be purchased locally
in hardware stores.
Costa Rica uses the NTSC television system.
There is only one provider of Internet service in Costa Rica, the RACSA
Company (www.racsa.co.cr). To gain access to servers overseas it is
necessary to have an account with this company. However, in most hotels
one can access external servers via a modem phone hook-up, when one
knows the correct method of connecting to the external server. This
service is charged as an international phone call (per minute)
VACCINATION
No vaccinations are necessary
TIPS
For all food and drink services (restaurants, bars, etc.) the10% service
charge is included, but one can properly offer an additional tip based
on the satisfactory service provided.
THINGS TO SEE
Places of interest. San José offers varied day and nocturnal
activities. Some of its places of interest include: the National Theater,
National Museum, the Plaza de La Cultura, the Central Boulevard, the
Gold Museum, the Museum of the Child, the Jade Museum, the Museum of
Costa Rican Art, the La Sabana Metropolitan, the Campus of the University
of Costa Rica and numerous galleries, theaters, cafés, restaurants
and night clubs for all tastes and budgets.
Zones and tourist routes. The strategic location of San José
allows one to get to the green and mountainous countryside outside the
city in a very short time, as well as to the diverse tourist attractions
such as National Parks, volcanoes, rivers, villages and historic centers
in the capital and neighboring provinces of Alajuela, Cartago and Heredia.
Moreover, from the center of the city it's a mere 2 hours to either
the Pacific or Caribbean coasts.
CURIOSITIES
Gastronomy. One cannot speak of a dish specially typical of the
country but "comida criolla", provides a mixture of Spanish,
indigenous and African influences that combines the best of each.
One traditional dish that is unusual and served at breakfast is the
"Gallo Pinto", made of rice, beans, and various spices, accompanied
by fried or scrambled eggs, ham or sausages, and sometimes fried banana.
For lunch or dinner, a common dish is known as "Casado", traditionally
made of rice, beans, a salad, some spicy flavoring, some meat such as
chicken, steak, or fish, together with fried bananas, all on the same
plate. The dish will vary with the restaurant and/or the region.
Aunque cuenta con tan sólo 51,100 kilómetros cuadrados,
el pequeño territorio de Costa Rica es famoso y reconocido internacionalmente
por su gran diversidad y concentración de recursos naturales,
así como por la proverbial cordialidad de sus habitantes, que
lo distinguen como un destino de especial atractivo para los turistas
extranjeros que, no por casualidad, ya sobrepasan con creces un millón
de visitantes anuales.
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