Preparing for your trip to Costa Rica
BEFORE YOU LEAVE
Entry and exit from the territory
ESTA visa for stopovers in the USA
AVE visa for stopovers in CANADA
Time difference
Vaccines
• Malaria: No vaccine exists. The country is in Zone 1 according to the WHO. Very low risk. The only area still affected is Moïn, near Limón, which is not frequented by tourists. We have been living here for many years without any treatment. However, ask your doctor for advice, who will inform you and provide you with the necessary recommendations.
• Dengue fever : The existing vaccine is mainly administered to people who have already contracted the disease or to those at risk. The best treatment remains prevention: long sleeves, long trousers and repellents. We recommend buying repellent in Costa Rica, as it is less expensive and more effective. All grocery stores sell it.
• Hepatitis A, almost non-existent.
No matter where you travel, when abroad it is best to be up to date with vaccinations such as diphtheria, tetanus and polio. If you are travelling with a passport from outside the Schengen area, check with the authorities to find out what documents you need to enter Costa Rica.
Banks and bank cards
Banks are located throughout the country, as are ATMs (colones or colones and dollars), except in Tortuguero and Drake. Visa, Mastercard and American Express cards are accepted everywhere.
It is advisable to arrive with a few dollars in 10 or 20 dollar notes so that you are not left without money at the start of your stay.
Traveller’s cheques are accepted at the country’s two main banks: Banco de Costa Rica (BCR) and Banco Nacional, but very rarely elsewhere.
Driving licence
On the road, your driving licence is valid for six months from the date of your arrival in Costa Rica.
No additional formalities are required.
Travel insurance
If you paid for your trip with a Gold Mastercard or Visa Premier card, repatriation insurance is included. Please check with your bank. Otherwise, we recommend that you take out travel insurance with Europ Assistance, Mondial Assistance or Chapka Assurance.
Baggage with stopover
Si votre vol passe par les États-Unis, renseignez-vous auprès de la compagnie pour savoir si vous devez ou non récupérer aux USA vos bagages et les réenregistrer.
Si vos bagages n’arrivent pas sur votre vol, ils seront acheminés le lendemain ou surlendemain.
Nous vous recommandons donc de prévoir un bagage cabine d’environ 50 x 30 x 20 avec le néIf your flight passes through the United States, check with the airline to find out whether or not you need to collect your luggage in the US and re-check it.
If your luggage does not arrive on your flight, it will be delivered the next day or the day after.
We therefore recommend that you bring a piece of cabin luggage measuring approximately 50 x 30 x 20 cm with everything you need for 2-3 days. In this case, you will need to fill out a form at the airport with our contact details so that we can arrange for your luggage to be forwarded to you: Costarica-Découverte: Tel: 2582 1782 – Santa Ana.
Luggage, interior features
• If you go to Pacuare, see the baggage policy..
• If you go to Chirripó, see the baggage policy.
• If you are going to Leona Lodge, prepare a 15 kg bag with a complete change of clothes, a swimsuit, walking shoes and sandals, a beach towel, snacks and your toiletries – the rest of your luggage will remain at the office in Puerto Jimenez and your 15 kg bag will be transported by the Leona team.
Domestic flights
If you have a domestic flight scheduled during your stay, your luggage must not exceed 18 kg per piece in the hold and 4.5 kg in the cabin. However, if you have excess baggage, you will have to pay a surcharge of approximately £4/kg at boarding.
Pulse of the country
Note that Costa Rica lives according to the rhythm of nature and the sun. People get up early, between 5:00 and 6:00 a.m. 7:00 a.m. is considered a lie-in 🙂
Restaurants are generally open from 7:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. Dinner is eaten early, and after 8:30 p.m., it will be difficult to find a restaurant open outside the capital.
Pack your bags…
The essential
Most hotels provide basic towels, shampoo and shower gel.
ELECTRONICS
- North American plug adapter (Darty, Fnac, Expert, etc.)
- Phone charger and phone holder for the car
- No transformer required – However, appliances such as hairdryers and shavers will not work properly without a transformer.
- Binoculars and/or camera
DOCUMENTS
- Original driving licence (no need for an international driving licence)
- Photos of your passports and driving licence to keep on your smartphone.
MISCELLANEOUS
- Plastic bags of various sizes to protect your cameras and keep your wet belongings separate.
- Silica gel, if necessary, to protect your electronic devices from moisture.
- Safety clip for glasses.
- Water bottle.
- Swiss Army knife (in checked luggage).
- Flashlight. Ideally a headlamp.
CLOTHING, SHOES
- 1 fleece or jumper (essential)
- Lightweight long-sleeved shirts in light colours (mosquitoes)
- Cotton T-shirts
- Bermuda shorts and cotton shorts (dries very quickly)
- Lightweight long trousers (avoid jeans, which are too warm)
- Swimsuits and towels or sarongs (ideal as they dry very quickly) – Not all hotels provide beach towels.
- Cap or hat
- Sunglasses
- Flip-flops, sandals
- Waterproof shoes that stay on your feet (rafting, tubing, canyoning, etc.)
- Walking shoes for hiking and trekking or rubber boots, which are easier to clean and dry
- Poncho or raincoat
PHARMACY
- Ibuprofen or paracetamol (avoid aspirin)
- Antiseptic spray or individual sachets
- Gauze, adhesive tape, plasters
- Anti-diarrhoea medication
- High protection sun cream and after-sun lotion
- Safety pins
- Mosquito repellent: see above. All medicines must be carried in the hold.
- If you are undergoing medical treatment, you may carry your medication in your hand luggage with the corresponding prescription.
UPON YOUR ARRIVAL
A Costa Rica Découverte driver will be waiting for you at the airport exit with a sign bearing your name. They will drive you to your hotel and give you your travel journal. Upon arrival, a member of COSTA RICA DECOUVERTE will give you a personalised welcome, allowing you to review your itinerary and get all the practical advice you need to make the most of your stay.
ON SITE
Sécurité
As everywhere, the basic rules apply here:
- Do not leave your belongings in the car.
- Keep your passports and bank cards with you during your stops and leave them at the hotel afterwards.
- CARRY COPIES OF YOUR LICENCE AND PASSPORTS WITH YOU; IT IS LEGAL.
- If you have a phone and/or GPS, keep them with you.
- Remember to check that the boot and all doors are locked.
- Do not leave anything in your vehicle.
- Park in a secure car park.
Water
- The water is drinkable everywhere, however, to avoid any inconvenience, we recommend bottled or filtered water.
- You can brush your teeth, eat raw vegetables or fruit washed with tap water.
Health
- In the event of injury, disinfect the wound and monitor its progress. If abnormal redness occurs, go to the chemist’s.
- If you need to see a doctor, go to a chemist’s where a doctor will see you for a consultation.
- Hotel or tour staff will be able to provide you with information on the nearest doctor or chemist’s.
Phone and Internet
- Remember to have your mobile phone unlocked by your operator before you leave. We will give you a SIM card on arrival that will allow you to make calls throughout the country and access data for the Internet.
- Most hotels offer Internet service, as well as Wi-Fi in most cases.
Tips
They are at your discretion.
If you are satisfied with a service, here are some reasonable and customary guidelines:
- At a restaurant: 10% of the bill
- The petrol station attendant who pumps your tyres and washes your windows: 500/1,000 colones
- To a car park attendant: 1,000 colones
- To a half-day guide: 5,000 to 10,000 colones depending on the length of service
- To a full-day guide: 5,000 to 10,000 colones/day depending on quality.
Laundry
Hotels often offer a laundry service, which can be a bit expensive, ranging from £15 to £35 depending on the amount of laundry. In towns and cities, you will find laundromats where someone will often take care of your laundry and return it to you 3-4 hours later, washed and folded. This costs between £3 and £10. Ask for a lavanderia or laundry.
Excursions
- For all your excursions in the forest or to the top of a volcano, bring a water bottle. Dehydration happens very quickly here, even in rainy weather.
- Always bring a small rucksack with the essentials: a hat, jumper, rain jacket, sun cream, mosquito repellent and closed-toe shoes.
On the road, by car, GPS
- To get around without any problems, we recommend Waze. Other apps are often not up to date for Costa Rica. Mapy, TomTom and even Google Maps can mislead you.
- If you don’t know where you are, look for the village telephone box. The name is written above the receiver.
- Often, the sign of a restaurant or small supermarket will indicate the name of the village. Directions are not always clearly marked, which is why we provide you with a SIM card to download your itineraries.
- In Costa Rica, the roads are always a surprise! You may drive for several kilometres on a freshly paved section and then continue on a track full of potholes. This is why a 4×4 is essential and caution is required. Please note that the speed limit is around 80 km/h on most roads, 40 km/h in towns and 25 km/h near schools.
- Check out our blog about GPS and Waze.
In case of accident
DO NOT MOVE THE VEHICLE OR VEHICLES
- Try to find out exactly where you are.
- Call emergency services if necessary (injuries) – 911.
- Call TRANSITO (traffic police) – 911.
- Call Costa Rica Discovery at 8302-1629.
- Call the insurance company whose number is in your travel booklet.
- If you find your vehicle damaged, call Costa Rica Discovery and the insurance company.
- There is no accident report form in Costa Rica. TRANSITO and insurance agents will come to the scene to assess the accident. They will give you the REPORTE (file) number required for your comprehensive insurance to be valid. You will submit this report to the rental company upon your return.
- Costa Rica Découverte only offers comprehensive insurance rentals (unless otherwise requested). This insurance covers all damage to the vehicle, third parties and persons, and the excess buyback ($0).
- Some agencies claim that comprehensive insurance is unnecessary in order to lower costs. Here are the costs you may incur: £400/£600 for an electric wing mirror, £600 to replace a wing on a Vitara-type vehicle, around £800 for a windscreen, etc.
The following cases are excluded:
- Loss of keys, tools, radio faceplate if removable.
- Accidents due to negligent driving or violation of traffic regulations.
- Driving under the influence of alcohol, drugs or narcotics.
- Driving through rivers, beaches, swamps or similar areas.
- Flat tyres and tyre blowouts (assistance and repair at your expense).
- Assistance costs for flat batteries
- If you are issued with a ticket: UNDER NO CIRCUMSTANCES SHOULD YOU PAY THE FINE TO THE POLICE OFFICER ON THE ROAD.
- You will have to pay the fine to the car hire company on your return.
OUR COMMITMENTS
Thank you for your trust. To reassure you and confirm that you have made the right choice, please read through this page.
