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Samantha Travel  can meet all your needs whilst you are here in beautiful Costa Rica. To help you get the most of your stay, we have put together some background information to help.

Click on any of the following links, or simply scroll down the page.

Geography
Climate/Seasons
Driving
Health
Electricity
Currency/credit cards
Ecotourism
Birds
Mammals
Crime and safety
 

 Come and visit us in person at our office in down town San Jose. Find us on the corner of 7th Avenue, calle 5 ... Just behind the Holiday Inn

Geography

Costa Rica is in Central America, bordered on the North by Nicaragua and on the South by Panama. The west coast is lapped by the Pacific Ocean and the east coast by the Caribbean. Within its borders it has several mountain chains and a large central valley which most of the population call home.

It is a comparatively small country at just under 51,000 square KM's

There are numerous mountain chains, generally running N.W to S.E the most important are the Central, Talamanca, Tilaran and the Guanacaste. It is this sharp contrast between mountain and beach that gives Costa Rica its many and varied micro-climates.

Climate/ Seasons.

Most of Costa Rice has two distinct seasons; the dry season and the wet season.

Dry Season is typically from December through to April, and the rainy season from May to November

The wet season is also referred to as the green season (which sounds a bit better) and the dry season is also called summer, which, as Costa Rica is North of the Equator is simply incorrect!

The dry season is exactly what it says it is, but the rainy season need not deter visitors too much. Rains can be very heavy, but they are normally only of short duration, and they typically arrive at the same time every day. In San Jose for example, the mornings are typically very beautiful, with cloud arriving in the early afternoon. An hour or so of heavy rain, usually accompanied by thunderstorms, is followed by a brightening skies and dry evenings.

Driving in Costa Rica

Driving in Costa Rica is not for the feint of heart. It has one of the highest accident rates in the world, and watching the traffic whiz around San Jose for a few minutes will show you why.

Most drivers pay little or no attention to the rules of the road, and many appear to have adopted their own regulations.

Traffic lights hang over the centre of the road, but many drivers appear to believer that these are simply left over Christmas decorations, and they rarely apply to buses, taxis and motorcycles. Drivers will change lane without warning and usually without any signalling.

Uniquely in the world, it is quite common to join a roundabout in the left lane to turn right, particularly if the left lane has a shorter queue, and of course the opposite also applies.

There are many One way streets in the capital, and whilst those in the centre of San Jose are usually respected, those only a few blocks away are subject to local interpretation. Indeed there are roads where the majority of traffic is actually going the wrong way.

The only way to survive this is to drive defensively. If you leave a gap of more than a few inches between you and the car in front, someone will fill it, but it is safer to put up with this than to get frustrated, as the driver in front may do any one of several different things, Stop, park, turn, or slow down to answer his cell phone, and this will almost certainly be without any use of signals.

And one final word of caution, traffic information signs and route signs are few and far between. And where the do exist they are normally right at the junction (rather than give you any warning) so that traffic will veer off left or right at the last moment.

Potholes are common, and some are really impressive. Drivers swerving to miss the worst of them, just adds to the unpredictability of the driver in front

Outside San Jose, the driving is a bit more civilized, but the quality of the roads can vary.  Always allow plenty of time for any journey, as routes that appear very short on the map can take a long time, particularly if you are stuck behind a long line of very slow moving trucks.  Overtaking opportunities are few and far between, but please don’t be tempted to follow the example of local drivers and overtake on blind bends

 Warnings over…. driving in Costa Rica can be fun, and there are many car rental companies. Do try and get a good road map, (difficult) and ask about your planned route. As mentioned above, distances of a few inches on the map can take anywhere between a few minutes to a few hours.

Having a hire car will let you set your own pace, give you access to many places that are off the beaten track, and let you enjoy some of the most beautiful views anywhere in the world. One final word of caution; use a reputable car rental company to book your car. If in any doubt, please consult us.

Health.

There are no vaccinations (shots) required by visitors from N America or Europe, but it is always better to be current with your vaccinations before travelling to any foreign country.

Tap water is safe in all areas, but if you have a delicate constitution, you may want to stick to bottled water when you are out of the major town areas.

Health services in Costa Rica are generally of a very high standard, and there are many private hospitals in the Central Valley that offer world class services.

 Indeed Costa Rica is rapidly gaining a reputation as a destination for dental and cosmetic surgery, as the costs are significantly cheaper than elsewhere.

Most of these services are of excellent quality and value, but it always pays to be careful in your selection.

We have excellent contacts in the dental field, and are happy to research any cosmetic surgeon you are considering.

 If you are heading into jungle areas especially on the Caribbean side, it is a sensible precaution to take an effective insect repellent. Mosquito bites are uncomfortable, and there are very rare cases of Malaria and Dengue fever.

Electricity

The electrical system in use in Costa Rica is 110 V, and uses 2 prong plugs. Generally the electrical supplies are good, but there are areas (Quepos Manuel Antonio in particular) where demand far exceeds supply, leading to frequent power cuts.

Currency / credit cards

The local currency is the Colon, though you will usually only hear the plural; Colones. As at April 2008 the rate of exchange is around 500 colones to the US Dollar.

The notes come in 1.000, 5,000 and 10.000 denominations. Dollars are widely accepted, but not universally so, and are best in smaller denominations. Many places will refuse $50 and $100 bills. It is easy to exchange some for the local currency at any bank branch, and the exchange rates used are generally very competitive. Avoid changing at the airport in San Jose where rates are not so good.

You will need your original passport to complete the transaction

Many banks are now advertising exchange rates for Euro’s, but may have little experience with them. Other currencies will be difficult to change and may require a visit to the principal bank branch.

MasterCard and Visa are widely accepted, but please note that banks in Costa Rica charge high processing fees. Many hotels’ (and some restaurants) will charge an additional fee of between 3 and 7% to use a credit card, so it is usually worth a visit to the local ATM machine prior to checking out of your hotel. Alternatively, book through Samantha Tours where there is no credit card fee charged.

In smaller shops it is often easy to negotiate a discount for cash payments. This is not a “black economy” issue, just high bank charges.

Ecotourism

With 25% of the country protected as National Park land, combined with its multitude of different micro-climates, Costa Rica has an incredible variety of mammals, birds, insects and plant life to offer to its visitors.

The term Ecotourism is one that is easily used, but very difficult to define. In its most general sense it is used to describe tourism that brings visitors to an area, to enjoy the natural beauty of the area, whilst having little or no impact on the surroundings. Easier said than done!  Traditionally most hotels in Costa Rica are fairly small with 10 to 30 rooms. For these destinations it is relatively straightforward to maintain a low impact on the environment, whilst providing guests with all the amenities they expect in a modern hotel.

In recent years there has been rapid growth in the tourism sector, and at peak times there is close to 100% occupancy. This has been addressed by building many large hotel complexes centred on the Northern Guanacaste beaches. These are self contained complexes, mostly fully inclusive, so the benefit to the local communities is minimal.

There are also growing concerns on the impact these hotels have on local water resources, and the waste disposal from these hotels may be less than perfect.

The local health boards have been active recently, taking action against the hotels that flaunt waste disposal regulations, and indeed they have taken the unprecedented step of closing down a major hotel until it completed the necessary improvements.

 For the more ecotourism minded, we at Samantha Tours offer a range of vacations packages that are community based, These are organised by small groups of locals (often womens groups) to give visitors a vacation where they will learn about the community, as well as giving something to that community. We have recently launched tour packages where guests can stay with local indigenous families in the Talamanca Indian reserve.

We at Samantha Tours try to promote hotels that respect the environment 

Birds

Costa Rica is home to some 850 species of birds, a higher number than the whole of North America. You will probably see a number of different species during your stay without making any serious effort, but for those interested in learning more, there are several tours available with experienced guides who will help you see many more birds than you would see alone. It would be impossible to list all the types of birds you might see, but to whet your appetite this is a selection of the more common or more important species.

Near the water you will find a selection of frigates, pelicans, cormorants, anhingas herons, egrets, spoonbills, ibis, storks, sandpipers jacanas, and a variety ducks and gulls,. There are also 6 varieties of kingfishers and several motmots a close relative.

Parrots, macaws, parakeets and toucans can all be found

Birds of prey are represented by owls, osprey, kites, hawks, caracaras, falcons, eagles.

There are many types of vultures often seen by the roadside.

And finally the Resplendent Quetzal which although elusive, can be found at higher elevations in the Talamanca mountain range, as well as Monteverde, and  the Braulio Carrillo National Park

Mammals

Costa Rica occupies part of the narrow stretch of land between North and South America, and is fortunate to have a fantastic variety of mammals including,

Opossums, Anteaters, sloths, Armadillos, four species of monkeys, racoons, coati’s, kinkajous peccaries (known as javelinas in the USA),deer, Tapirs, agouti’s and paca’s.

Rarely seen by visitor’s (or locals for that matter) are a number of big cats including jaguars, ocelots, oncillas, pumas, margays, and jaguarundis

There are over 100 species of Bats in Costa Rica. They can be seen and heard all over the country from deserted islands to gardens in the city centre.

Crime and safety

Costa Rica is one of the safest counties in central and South America, but the crime rate is distressingly high and growing every year. Most of these are crimes of opportunity or pick pocketing, and violent crime remains in the minority.

As a visitor, you will stand out from the local population, and are therefore a target. There is a common belief that all tourists must be rich

Here are a few safety recommendations.

• Leave your passport and other valuables in the hotel safe. Many hotels will photocopy your passport for you, and you should carry the photograph page, and the page containing your entry stamp with you at all times. The only time you are likely to need your full passport is when changing currency at a bank, or hiring a car.

• If you do hire a car, always leave it locked, never leave valuables in the car (or if you absolutely must, leave them out of sight)

• Always park in a car park, or in an area with a “watchiman” These watchimen will look after your car for a couple of hundred colones per hour.

• Avoid wearing expensive jewellery when walking around San Jose.

• In San Jose in particular, there are some areas where you should not wander around at night. Use a taxi, they are plentiful and cheap. Please note that the licensed taxi’s all have yellow triangle and should have a working meter (maria in Spanish) If in any doubt ask the driver to “ponga la maria por favour” If he claims it is not working get a quote before you start your journey,

• Carry only as much cash as your expect to use, and distribute it in different pockets.

• Try to stay aware of your surroundings.

If you follow basic precautions (just as you would in any big city) you should have no problems, but if you do run into difficulty the emergency number for the police is 911.

Please contact us at


Phones: (506) 2233-2681
Fax:        (506) 2233-2523
E-mail: info@samanthatours.com
Website: www.samanthatours.com