1. You can drink the tap water
Whenever I'm in a country that I'm not familiar with I'm always cautious about the water, as I should be. I've made the mistake a time or two by using the tap water for brushing my teeth or a quick mouth rinse in the shower and have felt the wrath of the non drinkable water. Oh boy have I been sick! Now whenever I'm traveling, I'm always very diligent to brush my teeth and rise my toothbrush with bottled water or keep my mouth sealed shut in the shower. I followed the same precautions the first couple of days while I was there and then my wonderful tour guide let me know that the water is drinkable! He did warn me that it's very very chlorinated so it's not the greatest tasting but I definitely won't get sick from drinking it. I did drink the water and used it for brushing my teeth and all was well. Thanks Shirani for the useful tip!
2. USD and Colones are pretty much interchangeable all over Costa Rica.
I brought US dollars with me for my spending money however I noticed that most of the people in my travel tour group had Costa Rican Colones. It was the day before leaving on the tour and I was thinking that it would probably be a good idea to get some Colones since I didn't want to end up in a situation where they wouldn't take my US dollars. Well sure enough, I made it to the bank too late (it was closed) and I was stuck with my USD.
I had absolutely no problems using my USD. In some cases where I had both USD and Colones, I was able to pay for things using both currencies and they had no problem with that. Just keep in mind...for every 1 Colone it's 2 USD. So if something cost 5 Colones it would cost $10USD.
3. Bring clothing that you can layer
Costa Rica has various climates depending on where you are. It can be very warm and humid in some areas (like in Manuel Antonio) or it can be cooler in others (like in Monteverde because of the altitude). You can even feel as though you've gone though all of the seasons of the year in one day! I don't think I brought enough long sleeved shirts. I wasn't expecting it to be very cold but the nights can get chilly in some areas and if you are doing some of the early morning hikes, you'll definitely need a warm sweatshirt or coat. Best thing to do is to pack items that you can layer and peel off as the day gets warmer and then put back on as the night gets cooler. In some areas you don't have to worry too much about this as it's always humid and hot like in Manuel Antonio. If you are looking to do some traveling around the country while you are there, it's best to be prepared for all weather and pack a variety of clothing not just your shorts and b-suite.
4. Bring a camera that has a good zoom or a telephoto lens
Costa Rica is all about wildlife watching! Unfortunately the wildlife isn't always right in front of your nose. It's a good idea to bring a camera with a good zoom or a telephoto lens so you don't miss out on a photo of that Toucan or Howler Monkey that is far up into the canopy.
Extra tip: If you don't have a crazy zoom make sure to take a hike/walk with a guide and bring your regular point and shoot camera. The guides usually bring a telescope to get a closer view of the wildlife and you can actually take a photo of their view through the telescope with your point and shoot camera! If you focus your shot properly, you'll get an up close and personal photo without having to pay the money for one of those fancy cameras or lenses! You cannot do this neat little trick with your SLR cameras though.
5. For those who get motion/car sick...bring gravol
Not all of the roads are nicely paved and smooth in Costa Rica. Many of them are probably some of the bumpiest roads I have ever been on...especially in and around Arenal and Monteverde. I never feel sick when on bumpy roads but these ones definitely put me through the test. You could be driving on these roads for hours on end so make sure to have a good motion sickness remedy close at hand.
6. The airport is a pain in the arse and I would do everything you can to make your life easier when you are there
Everyone must pay a departure tax of $26 USD. There is a lineup when you get there to pay and get your document saying that you have paid the tax. You cannot even line up to check in to your airline until you pay this tax. What you can do is pay this tax prior to getting to the airport at some hotels and banks, usually for slightly more money. I definitely recommend doing this just to save you some time at the airport. I think I paid $30 USD at the Doubletree Hilton and not having to worry about that at the airport was definitely worth the extra $4.
I would also recommend doing the online check in for your flight and printing off your boarding pass. Most hotels have a business centre or will allow you to use their printer to print off your boarding pass. I did this and I got to bypass the full line of people and when the next check-in desk was free they took me over the next people in the long snaking line. I felt like I was VIP...it was great.
All in all...I saved so much time just doing these two little things prior to coming to the airport. It probably took me a whole of 15 mins to get through everything. It was perfect!
I hope these little tips help!
Here are a couple of my favourite pictures from my trip
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| Red Eyed Tree Frog in Arenal |
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| Bean in Manuel Antonio National Park |
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| Baby Humming Bird in the Monteverde Cloud Forrest |
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| View from the Sunset on the Arenal Volcano Lava Flow Walk |
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| Arenal Volcano from the Observation Deck |
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| View of the Sunset from Manuel Antonio black sand beach |
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| White Faced Monkey in Manuel Antonio National Park |
Stay tuned for my nexts posts...I'm heading to Disney World, Universal Studios and Seaworld on May 3rd and then going on Royal Caribbeans Allure fo the Seas on May 8th. I can't wait and I'll definitely be blogging about the whole experience!
Karen
If My Passport Could Talk...
"M.I.C.K.E.Y....M.O.U.S.E! Going to be feeling like a kid again in Disney soon!"
No problem! I'm glad that they were helpful.
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