Visitor's Guide to Costa RicaHere are some things that we've learned that we thought potential visitors might find useful:
Taxis: Take 'em at night, or if you're going somewhere out of the way, or if you've got a group. They're not too expensive but there are some things you should know. You must negotiate the price BEFORE you get in. The best price will always be on the meter ("la maría"), but in case they refuse to use it (happens at night sometimes and for longer distances), make sure someone here has told you what to expect to pay - this will allow you to negotiate a fare within reason.Buses: For long distance travel these are incredibly cheap ($4-5 within the country, $10 to Nicaragua, $10-20 to Panama). You can get a map which shows the location of the longer distance bus terminals around San José. If you're traveling in the city they're about 25¢ US (although the prices may vary on the SAME route - so check the signs if you're counting pennies). But for local buses, THERE ARE NO MAPS. Hard to believe but true. For traveling toward downtown San José, just about every bus headed in that direction will go there (but never a bad idea to ask!). If you're going away from the center of town best thing to do is get a good city map & read the destination on the front of the bus, then match it to your map, and then ASK the driver if they stop near your destination before you pay. If you're in the downtown San José it can be difficult to determine where the bus will depart from - for this you will have to ask someone.Tourist Buses & Vans: If you're concerned about comfort when you travel longer distances (and you have the funds to pay for it), consider using one of the private bus companies such as Fantasy Bus or Interbus (NOTE: Interbus has a VERY cheap airport service). The advantages: you will be guaranteed a seat (oh, did I mention that this is often NOT true with the public buses?), some companies offer door to door service, & you might even get air-conditioning.Walking: In town distances are not far, but pay attention to where you are, who's around, and what route you're taking. There are some neighborhoods which are rife with street crime (as Kepfram has discussed earlier), and touristas are definitely the targets. Don't walk alone after dark. Wear comfortable shoes as there are some gaping holes in the sidewalk and trash is everywhere. Pay attention cars, motorcycles, & buses - ALWAYS be prepared give them the right of way even if the light/traffic sign is on your side, and even if you're on the sidewalk! (Kepfram was once almost mowed down by a motorcycle when stepping off a bus onto the sidewalk! - luckily I sent him out of the bus first, so I was safe). 
Clothing: If you don't want to stand out, pay attention to what the Tico's wear & try to dress accordingly (look for our upcoming feature "Spot the Tourists!"). Don't wear shorts unless you're at the beach, at the gym, or you're a guy trying to look like a teenager. Food: Food here is incredibly cheap (as long as you're thinking in dollars), and you can get a good local breakfast of gallo pinto (mixed rice & beans often served with eggs or meat) or un plato del dia (usually some kind of meat or fish served with rice, salad, & local veggies with juice and sometimes desert) for lunch for about $2. If you're buying groceries, try to shop for food and one of the many open air markets on Saturday or sometimes Sunday mornings where food is cheap, fresh, and usually local! Oh, and it's okay to drink the water!Money: The simplest way to think about the exchange rate is that ¢1.000 colones ("mil colones"), the smallest bill that's minted, is just about $2 US (the current exchange rate has it at about $2.06, so the difference isn't really meaningful at small amounts). There are currently 2 different forms of ¢5, ¢10, & ¢20 coins, and to make matters worse coins are VERY hard to tell apart, so pay attention. Shopping: There are plenty of tourist trinkets available, but look out for buying items made of hard wood (the guide books say this is leading to deforestation). There is very little in the way of luxury shopping here, and what there is is all imported and more expensive than in the US.Plumbing: Water pressure is very weak here in general, as a result most toilets can't handle paper products of any kind (and sometimes can't even handle everyday "use"). Unless you are specifically told that you can flush the toilet paper, DON'T TRY IT (and even then, it's safer to use the trash can - you don't want to be the person responsible if there is a problem). Laundry: This is they only thing we've found that's actually really expensive here. There are very few self service laundry mats (and those that exist are used mostly by gringos), expect to pay $4-5 per load for a wash & dry (we spend $8-12 every week, therefore to get our laundry done!).Weather: If you're in the central valley, the altitude keeps it an idilic 70-80° during the day & 60-70° at night all year long. The "winter" is the Costa Rican rainy season (April through November), where it often rains in the afternoons, and right now the rains are sometimes torrential. We're not really minding the rain, though.... Once you descend towards the coasts the weather is hot and humid (just like the rest of Central America) pretty much all year, especially in the rainy season. Look out for mosquitos which transmit Malaria and Dengue. Accomodations: Prices range from $5-15 for hostels to upwards of $200 for luxury hotels. We generally pay $20-30 for a shared private room with bathroom. If you need hot water (which actually I don't mind living without if it's over 90° F - Kepfram, however, has another opinion), make sure you not only ask, but that you have someone turn it on for you to prove it's working (and in the case of the "suicide shower" pictured in one of Kepfram's early posts, get them to show you how to work it!). And if you're in San José we have a couch, and our building will rent to short term visitors if there's space.Entertainment: In San José you can see theater (in English or Spanish), dance, opera, live music, and movies (including a very limited number of films from outside the US - also many English and other foreign language movies are subtitled, but some are dubbed, especially those marketed to children, although sometimes there may be 2 versions available). There are also spots for dancing Salsa (some with live bands) and many discos. Except for theaters, events are often smoke filled, even where designated as non-smoking.Attractions: Beaches, Volcanoes, Rivers, Wildlife, etc. Since 1/4 of the country's land is national park, most of the best things to do here involve enjoying the country's natural beauty. This does not necessarily mean "roughing it," but that's available if it's what you're looking for. And if you're looking for luxury, keep in mind that there are many spas and hot springs to enjoy.Airfares: Okay, now that you're dying to come visit, check out this link - it searches all the major discount sites & lets you see which one actually has the lowest rate (the airport code for San José, Costa Rica is "SJO"). Also keep in mind that if the best deal is on a single carrier, it's best to your ticket directly from the airline (that way you'll have some options if you need to change you're itinerary!).
Visitor's Guide to Costa Rica
