Travel Tips for Costa Rica & Quepos

INTERNATIONAL AIR TRAVEL TO COSTA RICA All international air traffic to Costa Rica arrives at the capitol city San Jose. As of this date, direct non-stop flights from the U.S. are available from Houston (Continental, Northwest), New Orleans (American), Atlanta (Delta American), and Miami (Delta, American, Lacsa, Iberia). There is also a 3-stop flight from New Orleans aboard the Costa Rican airline Lacsa. To obtain the lowest cost, check with your travel agent/advisor since air fare rates to Costa Rica vary widely.	COSTA RICA CURRENCY The Official currency is the colon with official exchange rates changing from day to day. We highly recommend that you exchange your currency at a local bank to prevent the possibility of receiving counterfeit currency. Travelers checks and Credit Cards are honored at the banks and at the larger restaurants and hotels. However, the smaller merchants deal only with cash. Although there is much fluctuation in the value of the colon, the price for items in U.S. dollars has remained relatively stable over recent years .
CAR RENTAL If you are going to rent a car, we recommend that you make your rental reservations in advance. Double check that you are given the total rental charges per day including the cost of the insurance you will be required to purchase. If you plan to visit some of the more remote locations in Costa Rica, make sure you rent a 4-wheel drive vehicle.	MANUEL ANTONIO PARK ADMISSION There is no charge for use of the beach located immediately before the Park entrance However, if you wish to visit the beaches inside the Park or enter the wildlife portion of the park, there is a $15.00 U.S. admission charge for tourists. Informative bilingual guided tours through this area are available for a small additional charge
COSTA RICA: THE COUNTRY This is democratic country that we all can all be proud of. They abolished their Army in 1948 allowing them to provide free education and health care for its citizens. Importantly, they have chosen to spend over 20% of the national budget on education, resulting in a literacy rate of over 90% which is among the highest in the entire Western hemisphere. The country is also probably one of the most ecologically conscious nations anywhere boasting 20 National Parks, 10 National Wildlife Refuges, over 20 Forest and Biological reserves, 26 protected areas, and 20 plus Indian reservations. Quite a feat considering that Costa Rica is slightly smaller than West Virginia and slightly larger than Denmark.	COSTA RICA: THE PEOPLE = THE "TICOS" If you are a happy and friendly tourist you will find that the vast majority of the "Ticos" express a spontaneous hospitality to visitors as well as to each other. They take immense pride in Costa Rica's accomplishments and place great reliance on family values. Their respect for human rights and dignity is reflected in their abolishment of slavery in 1823, elimination of capitol punishment in 1883, and women winning the right to vote in 1949. Costa Rica's admirable racial tolerance comes in part from the heterogeneous nature of its population, a mix of southern European, Asian, African, and indigenous Indian ancestry. "Pura Vida" is the most popular greeting meaning "Pure Life". Costa Rica is "Pura Vida".