Current Tempurature In San Jose 20 °C and Fog 
LOCATION - Costa Rica is situated in Central America. Nicaragua is to the North, Panama to the south, and on the east side, the Caribbean. To the west is the Pacific Ocean in all it's splendor. Of the countries in Central America, Costa Rica is one of the smallest. POPULATIONOver 4 million people inhabit Costa Rica. Large numbers of the population is made up of immigrants with the majority being Colombian's, Nicaraguans, and North Americans. LANGUAGESpanish is the official language of the Ticos. Wide number also speak English as well. In communities popular with Gringos (or other foreigners) it is usually possible to located someone that speaks almost any of the world's most popular languages. GOVERNMENT AND DEMOCRACYBeing a republic does not necessarily guarantee democracy. In Costa Rica's case it does however. Recent elections (held every four years) have demonstrated this with Costa Rica's first female president - Dona Laura Chinchilla. Her policies on immigration are favored by the majority of citizens, residents, and visitors alike. The first world countries are looking forward to her time in office. Approximately 50 years ago the army was abolished through constitutional amendment. The results are that Costa Rica developed into the most stable democracy in Central America. There are three branches of Government - The Legislative, Judicial and Executive respectively. The elected president runs the country with the co-operation of the other elected representatives that form the central government. CURRENCYThe colon is the official currency of Costa Rica and although the US Dollar is popular, the colon is more widely accepted. generally speaking most businesses ENTRY REQUIREMENTSTo enter Costa Rica you will need a valid passport. Check to see if your country can enter visa free or you may be in for a surprise when you arrive at the port of entry. THE TIME ZONECosta Rica operates at -6 hours from Meridian time or Greenwich Mean Time. From what I recall they do not follow Daylight Savings Time. THE CLIMATETwo main seasons are prevalent in Costa Rica. The dry or summer season and the rainy (wet) or winter season. Summer runs from December through April and Winter from May through November. Temperature can vary widely between the mountain areas and the lowlands. Temperatures generally range between 60F and 79F in the Central Valley while along the coastal regions (the tropics) temperatures tend to be considerably higher and fall between 70F and 90F. Coastal areas on the Caribbean side are quite humid while areas in Guanacaste are quite arid. BANKINGMost banks in the 'Rich Coast' (Costa Rica) are open from 9am until 3pm. A lot are also open on Saturdays as well. Opening an account is limited to residents are foreigners living in Costa Rica. You need to provide a utility bill or rental contract with your name on it as well as your passport to open an account. MUSEUMS, ATTRACTIONS AND SHOPPINGGovernment run attractions and Public museums are closed on Mondays. Large stores are usually open from 10 am until 7 pm in the evening. The small local or 'Tico' stores usually close about 4:30pm or 5:00pm. A few os the larger locations available - Multiplaza,, Plaza del Sol, Multiplaza East, Price Smart, Office Depot, Plaza Real Cariari, Mall San Pedro, and Mall International. Remember if you are on foot darkness comes early in Costa Rica (around 5pm). If you want an adventure that you have difficulty forgetting then consider making Costa Rica your next stop. It's an incredible ride! TRANSPORTATION - In Costa Rica, the most common form of transportation is via bus. It is relatively reliable and quite inexpensive. Taxis are also very popular although due to recent increases in the price of fuel, are no longer a really economical means of transportation. COMMUNICATIONSTelephone service is of decent quality and available throughout Costa Rica. The public (pay) phone system is crummy but functions. 911 service works much the same as in North America. Information service, collect calls, person to person calls and other special services are all available but the method for connecting to them differs greatly from services in the US and Canada. Please read your local phone information, consult a directory or simply ask someone familiar with the local systems. Telephone cards are available just about anywhere are are easy to use. THE HEALTH CARE SYSTEMCosta Rica has an efficient and well development medical support system in place. It is the most efficient system in Central America. |
will accept either currency and currency can be exchanged at banks and hotels throughout the country. Watch the exchange rate carefully when exchanging at hotels or businesses as they may not always pay a fair exchange rate. Credit cards are accepted as well be cash tends to be the preferred method of doing business here due to the high fees charged by the banks for credit card transactions.
North Americans can enter visa free. Nicaraguan's need a visa unless they are resident in the US and Canada. If they have been nationalized in the US or Canada they are treated like a North American though. The same tends to apply to many residents of the major countries.
Some banks have more restrictions for account opening and you should check to see what the specific banks requirements are. Tourists are not allowed accounts unless they can show they are intending to live in Costa Rica. The larger banks are more heavily regulated by the Costa Rican government and are the best bet for new accounts. The banks are Banco Nacional and Banco de Costa Rica. Prepare to speak Spanish when opening an account as most branches do not have English speakers on staff.
Small tour buses are another option for the person who want to pay a little more for a more comfortable ride with that safe structured feeling that comes with it. Car rentals of all types are available throughout the country with prices on par with the US in most cases. A variety of vehicles are available from small (an economical) Dihatsu's to full sized Diesel Land Cruiser SUV's. Try and go for a diesel if you do decide to move up to the SUV sized vehicle as diesel fuel tends to be less expensive to operate and purchase in Costa Rica.
For local calls (within Costa Rica) they are cheap to use. Recent improvements in the system have been developing as 'ICE' (the local government phone company) has been forced open it's doors to new North American competition. This has been long overdue and should alleviate issues caused by ICE's monopoly. For long distance it is a better deal to seek out one of the many internet cafe's and use a local voip system. Voip calls usually run about ten cents USD per minute to call most major countries. A few cafe's will let you plug in your own voip system which of course allows you to call out for free (depending on your system). Post office are in just about every community and the postal service is reliable if a bit slow.
It is a socialized system that has been in place for about 50 years. Both public and private clinics can be found throughout the country and at many English speaking personnel can be found. Life expectancy for both men and women is about 76 years. Infant mortality rates are the lowest of the Latin American countries. Diseases are not prolific in Costa Rica and as a result vaccination is not necessary. A good choice for lower prices and decent care is Clinica Biblica in the San Jose area. For those who want the best of care and are willing to pay the exorbitant American prices there is a large hospital on the highway leading to Escazu from San Jose (CIMA I think it is called). Ask any taxi driver to take you to either and they will know where instantly.