Deep’s Fabulous Adventures in Costa Rica

 

 

THINGS TO KNOW IN ADVANCE

 

 

VISA + PASSPORT

 

US citizens don’t require a visa for a visit shorter than 90 days.  The law requires that you carry your passport at all times.   Keep copies of your passport and entry stamp separate.  

 

HOLIDAYS

 

There are no significant national holidays that occur during your visit. 

 

SHOTS

 

Reference:  http://www.lonelyplanet.com/health/predeparture.htm#ins.

 

From this, and the book, it doesn’t seem that you should worry about shots.  Costa Rica does not require an international vaccine card to enter the country.  

 

Hepatitis A – incidence is low – most people don’t bother with shots.  Cholera/Maleria – Maleria occurs but not in areas you are visiting.   Cholera isn’t a problem at this time.  Yellow Fever, no worries.  Rabies is a problem if you are out in the countryside, but not likely for you.  Your tetanus shots from 1996 are still good.   

 

FLIGHT RESTRICTIONS + TIMES

 

You should check to see what sort of weight limits might exist on planes into and out of Costa Rica.   The airlines are cracking down on weight limits and charging for overweight bags much more than before.  You might want to bring extra bag if you plan to buy lots of extra stuff.  

 

Flight times to Miami (MIA) are approximately 8 hours with a stopover and 5 hours non-stop. 

 

Flight times from Miami to San Jose (SJO) (Juan Santamaria International Airport) are about 3 hours non-stop and 5 hours with layover.  You should check your tickets to see if you have layovers and potential weather, other airport issues.  (i.e., stopovers in Denver, El Salvador). 

 

MONEY

 

Costa Rica currency is the colon (plural colones), named after Christopher Columbus.  Colones are normally written as c (with a slash through it).   Exchange rate as of 1/1/2004 is $1 to 418 colones.   The book says you can use dollars for most things, and only need colones for tips, buses, buying snacks.  

 

 

 

 

 

THINGS TO PACK

 

GEAR

Binoculars for bird watching

Rain gear – poncho, pants, & shoes that can get wet and muddy + are good for hiking, something to cover backpack if necessary.  This is mentioned over and over again for trips to rain forests.

Small backpack for day trips

Water bottle

Tevas – wet shoes for beach

Wet bag (if you have one)

Swim suit

Pocket flashlight

 

TRAVEL NECESSITIES

 

Phone card

Passport

Travelers checks

Money belt

Copies of your passport + travelers checks to be kept separate of your passport. 

Ear plugs + face mask (for noisy streets + sunlight)

Map of San Jose

Travel insurance (check out STA Travel – recommended by Lonely Planet, $43 for 8 days, go to http://www.statravel.com/Statravel/travelinsurance/ti_InternationalInsurance.aspx?MenuID=5001)  You can purchase it online.  

Spanish phrasebook.

 

 

OTHER

Tissue packets (toilet paper and numerous other uses)

GORP or power bars, something for when restaurants aren’t open and it’s dinner time for your stomach + for hiking.

Spare glasses or eyeglass prescription

Sunglasses + spare set

Sunscreen

Insect repellant

Calamine lotion

Lip Balm

First Aid kit

 

Any medications that you need. 

 

 

THINGS THAT HELP EXPLAIN A LOT FOR WHEN YOU ARE THERE

 

TAXIS + SAFETY

 

Travelers should be careful to use licensed taxis, which are red and have medallions painted on the side. Licensed taxis at the airport are painted orange, rather than red. All taxis should have working door handles, locks, and meters (called "marias"), and passengers should not ride in the front seat with the driver. If the taxi meter is not working, a price should be agreed upon before the trip begins.

 

SMALL STUFF

 

Bathrooms – baño or servicios sanitarios or servicios.  Men’s – hombres, caballeros, or varones.  Also can be indicated with abbreviation – SS.HH.   

 

DEPARTURE TAX

 

There is a departure tax when you leave of US$17 or more (as of 2001).  

 

WHAT TO DO WHEN YOU ARE THERE

 

Getting around

 

BUSES

 

I would go with the tourist buses instead of the local buses because you don’t have time to waste getting on the wrong bus and money isn’t so much of an issue.   Either that, or you could get travel included in package from tour operator.   Two tour bus companies are Greyline and Interbus.  

 

Greyline Bus schedule

http://www.fantasy.co.cr/fantasy_bus.html#more

 

 

Interbus

http://www.interbusonline.com/

 

 

Proposed Itinerary

 

 

Sunday, January 11, 2003

 

Depart MIA for SJO at _____, arrive in SJO at ____. 

 

Stay at hotel downtown – I like Diana’s Inn, because it’s downtown, close to the Market where you can get cheap food and there is a disco + cybercafe in the area.  Also, as you are likely to travel a lot from San Jose to other areas, you can leave stuff there (i.e., beach stuff when in forest and vice versa.)   It’s #19 on map 3 of San Jose.  

 

DIANA'S INN

Friendly and personal service with a touch of "at home" comfort. It was originally built in 1927 and recently remodeled into a small eight room inn. There are plenty of well sun-lit rooms in this centrally located lodging, across the street from the historic Morazán Park. It is also within walking distance to historic National Theater, the museums, restaurants, and nightlife spots. Best deal for these rates. Continental breakfast is included with room rates. Tel: (506) 223-6542 Fax: (506) 233-0945, see p. 119 in book for email.   It can be noisy there.  

 

Also, another place that sounds good is

 

Pension De La Cuesta (nice hot pink building) see website at http://www.suntoursandfun.com/lacuesta/.   They can also arrange tours, but I would avoid the one day tours and go to Monteverde/Fontana to see Arenal Volcano.   #35 at Map 3.   here is a tour of the place with photos http://www.ticoguidetravel.com/gallery/SanJose/LaCuesta/index.html

 

Monday, Jan 12, 2003

 

Depart for Tamarindo (beach).  Leave at 7:00 a.m. on Grey Line ($25) or 7:30/2:00 p.m. on Interbus ($25), 6 hour trip.   Arrive 1:30 or 7:45 p.m.  

 

Stay:  Hotel Mamiri seems good.  http://www.hotelmamiri.com/  $30 a night.  Cheapest place in Lonely Planet guide with hot showers.  Hotel Mono Loco seems pretty good too.  http://www.govisitcostarica.com/listings/listingDetails.asp?coid=719

 

Do:  Turtle Viewing in the Parque Nacional Marino Las Baulas de Guanacaste (often referred to just as Guancaste).   Baula is word for leatherback turtle.

 

Take a turtle tour (leatherbacks nest from December to May).   Here is a good link to info on tour and you can make a reservation although it’s not clear who you are making the reservation with.  Still good info.  http://www.1costaricalink.com/eng/tours/tours/ftempt-turtle.htm   $50

 

Horse tour of Guancaste. 

http://www.1costaricalink.com/eng/tours/tours/ftempt-horse.htm

 

Tuesday, Jan 13, 2003

Beach at Tamarindo – surfing, snorkeling, etc., although water is not supposed to be that great visibility-wise, esp. this time of year.

 

Wednesday, Jan 14, 2003

Take bus from Tamarindo to Monteverde.  Greyline departs at 2:00, gets in at 8:00 p.m. $38 or you can take Interbus, departs at 7:30, gets in at 12:30, but it says a “minimum of 2 passengers.”  I don’t know if this means you need to book as two people or they need at least 2 people to make it worth the trip.    You could call or ask.

 

Stay at:  If you are in the mood to splurge on one place, you can stay at the Monteverde Lodge and Gardens, which gets energy from solar power and arranges lots of responsible tours of the area as well.   $98 per person.   http://www.monteverdelodge.com/

 

Pension Colibri 

Here is recommendation from backpacker - ® Pension Colibri (6455682), a small path on the left / Tiny rooms w. bunk bed $5 p.p., w. shower $10 p.p., bigger 15(1) or 20(2), great room number 10 $20 (1 or 2) or 30(3) / Go there for the charming wooden house, well decorated, the superb & huge rooms (especially Nb 10), suitable for a small family and correctly priced, the location in a quiet street, the  view from some room or terrace and the cleanliness. / What you may not like : the cheapest are really too small ! / Horse for rent at $7 per hour.   

Lonely planet also gives fairly good rating.   This place is in town.

 

 

Thursday, Jan 15, 2003

 

Monteverde Canopy Tours

http://www.canopytour.com/index.html

 

Monteverde Biological Reserve Tour

http://www.1costaricalink.com/eng/tours/tours/extrop-monte1.htm

 

Friday, Jan 16, 2003

 

Take Combo horse, jeep, ferry to Fortuna – where you can see Volcano Arenal.   See note in Lonely Planet book about all day horse treks being hard on horses.  

 

Stay: 

 

From Lonely Planet bulletin board, Thorn Tree:

 

“We want to be able to view the volcano's fireworks (hopefully) from our hotel at night. Where would you recommend staying (we will spend up to $100)?"

http://www.montanadefuego.com/

This place offers as good a "directo" view as you are likely to get from a hotel.

Are the Tabacon Hot Springs overrated or worth a visit?

I think they are overrated. There is a much cheaper version (owned by the same soak merchants, however) across the road and down a short path just past the bus stop on the opposite side of the road. I don't believe there is a sign for this place (it used to be a family-owned competitor to Tabacón until the big guys bought 'em out). Just walk down the path until you see the gate and entry booth. Quite nice, much less crowded and waaaaay less pretentious.

Now, given all this, I would NOT stay at Montaña del Fuego or any of the other expensive places along the road between Fortuna and Tabacon - all with the great views. You can get the same views from the hot springs - spend the late afternoon and early part of the evening there and soak up the views and the hot running river at the same time! Or take one of the tours into the park, which is really the best way to get to the place where you can see the flaming boulders best.

Then head back to Fortuna (for the infintesimal nightlife available) and stay at Hotel Don Bosco or some such place in town - cheaper, nice enough, and the Don Bosco has a great rooftop viewing platform with a directo view of the volcano, which though quite impressive (complete with smoke coming out of the top and the occasional rumble), not in the "life of fire" for watching the red boulders rolling down the side.

(Most of the folks who complain about not seeing the volcano because of the cloud cover are folks who arrived too late in the day or didn't take the tours into the park. Or else they slept in and missed it. Get up early in order to get the clearest view of the volcano and then head to the park - on the WEST side of the volcano at NIGHT to see the flames.)”

 

I think he means the Hotel San Bosco, not Don Bosco.   Hotel San Bosco (27 rooms, tel. 479-9050, fax 479-9178, fortuna@racsa.co.cr), two blocks off the main street, is the most substantial lodging place right in town. The newer section has large rooms with accoutrements such as shower doors, which raise the price, if not the comfort, to $50 single/$60 double; while the older part is good enough, with little extras like headboards on the beds, at $16 single/$28 double. And there is a third-floor observation platform for viewing Arenal's fireworks on clear nights.

 

http://www.bootsnall.com/hostels/ca/cr/lafor/2030.shtml

 

or La Catarata Ecotourist Lodge, tel. and fax 479-9522, a sort of summer camp for grown-ups, is two kilometers out of Fortuna, with six rooms with private bath sleeping up to three each. Rates are $22 single/$32 double/$47 triple, less for students and groups. Meals are $3 for breakfast, $7 for lunch or dinner. Excursions emphasize organic farming, horseback riding, and medicinal plants, as well as the volcano. To reserve, call 283-8975, fax 283-9116 in San José, wwfcii@sol.racsa.co.cr.   Money from the lodge goes to support the World Wildlife Fund. 

 

Saturday, Jan 17, 2003

 

Spend the morning taking a tour of Arenal, or going to hotsprings.  Greyline bus leaves at 2:00 p.m., gets in at 8:00 p.m. into San Jose.   Doesn’t seem to be an Interbus connection from Fortuna.  

 

Sunday, Jan 18th, 2003

 

Hit the market and cruise around a bit.  Get to the airport.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

USEFUL WEBSITE INFORMATION

 

State Department Brief on Costa Rica – interesting items – crime, beaches and adventure travel alerts.

http://travel.state.gov/costa_rica.html

 

Costa Rica Travel Website – pretty lame actually in terms of info.  However, you can find links to websites for various tour operators here fairly easily.

http://www.visitcostarica.com/ict/paginas/home.asp?ididioma=2

 

For tips and warnings from fellow travelers about how to avoid theft, etc.  – Lonely Planet “postcards” section.

http://www.lonelyplanet.com/letters/cam/cos_pc.htm

 

I liked this site, I found it doing this search.   www.virtualtourist.com

 

Hotel reservations website

http://www.accommodations.co.cr/