Costa Rica

Costa Rica in Spanish means “rich coast”, as one can expect to find this place a tropical paradise, with bewildering diverse landscapes, flora and fauna. Costa Rica has rainforests, dry tropical, temperate forests, and volcanoes on minutes away. Caribbean and pacific beaches are only a few hours’ drive apart, with high mountainous and marshy lowlands between.

Faces Facts

Climate: In the Central Valley, where the main centers of population are located, the average temperature is 22°C (72°F). In the coastal areas, the temperature is much hotter and humid, while the Pacific Northwest can be extremely hot and dry. The rainy season starts in May and finishes in November. The ‘warm' dry season is December to May, though temperature differences between summer and winter are hardly noticeable.

Best time to dive: If heading to Ocotal for whales, sharks and rays it is best between May and December. Whereas the famous Cocos Island is dive able year round.

What you can see: Cocos is well known for seeing Scallopped Hammerheads and white tip reef sharks. Large schools of jacks and snapper swim around in abundance, and for the macro lover there are Harlequin shrimp, nudibranchs and much more.

Visibility: 10-30m++ (32-98ft.)

Water Temperature: 21°C -30°C (69°F-86°C). Water temperatures can be reduced drastically due to thermoclines and have been known to reach a chilly 15°C (59°F)

Languages Spoken: Spanish, English, German and some French

Currency: Costa Rican Colon (CRC)

ATM’s and Banks: You can find ATM’s in most places. They normally dispense USD or colones. It is recommended to use state banks when changing money as they have lower rates. AMEX, VISA and MC are accepted in some places but expect to pay a service charge to use your card.

Time Zone: UTC-6

Voltage: 110V/60HZ

Health Regulations: Please consult your doctor or nearest health authorities for up-to-date medical travel information well before departure.

Visa Requirements: Those who stay less than 30 days are exempt, if in possession of a disembarkation card. Stays over 30 days you must get an exit visa from the immigration department in San Jose, at least three weeks before leaving Costa Rica.

Top Tip

Costa Rica is one of the world’s most popular destinations for eco-tourism because of its biodiversity. Costa Rica contains as much as 6% of the world’s plants and animal species in a country that is only as large as the state of West Virginia in the U.S.A. Go bird watching, rafting, surfing but most of all enjoy the national parks.