Currency
Costa Rican Colon (c) = 100 centimos. Notes are in denominations
of c10,000, c5000, c2000, 1000, 500, 100 and 50. Coins are
in denominations of c20, 10, and 5, and 50, 25, 20, 10, 5,
2 and 1 centimos.
Currency exchange
Visitors should consult their banks for the current rate of
exchange (there is no direct local quotation for sterling;
the cross rate with the US$ is used). Casas de Cambio give
better rates of exchange than banks.
Credit cards
MasterCard, American Express, Visa and Diners Club are all
accepted, but check with your credit card company for details
of merchant acceptability and other services which may be
available.
Travelers cheques:
To avoid additional exchange rate charges, travelers are advised
to take travelers cheques in US Dollars.
Health care
Health insurance is recommended. Reliable medical services
are available in Costa Rica. Standards of health and hygiene
are among the best in Latin America.
Getting There
By Air:
The Costa Rican national airline is Lineas Aιras Costarricenses
LACSA (LR). LACSA flies direct to and from Costa Rica.
By Sea:,br> Lauro Lines run regular services to Puerto
Limon from the Mediterranean (Genoa, Barcelona). Costa Lines
run cruises which call at Puntarenas.
By Road:
The Inter-American Highway runs through Costa Rica from La
Cruz on the Nicaraguan border through San Josι to Progreso
on the Panamanian border.
Getting Around
By Air:
SANSA, a national airline, operates services between San Jose
and provincial towns and villages. A number of smaller airlines
also provide internal flights.
By Road:
Traffic drives on the right.
a)Bus:
Regular services to most towns, but buses are often crowded
so pre-booking is advisable. Costa Rica offers a wide variety
of sightseeing tours.
b)Taxi:
The taxis are coloured red (except those serving the Juan
Santamarνa International Airport which are orange). Fares
should be negotiated before starting the journey.
c) Car hire:
Major car hire companies as well as local firms have offices
in San Jose. A speed limit of 88kph (55mph) is enforced on
most highways. Drivers must have a national licence or International
Driving Permit.
d)Urban:
San Jose has privately run's a bus services, charging fares
on a 2-zone system.
Duty Free
The following goods may be imported into Costa Rica without
incurring customs duty:
a)500 cigarettes.
b)3 liters of alcoholic beverages.
c)A reasonable quantity of perfume for personal use.
Social Conventions
Handshaking is common and forms of address are important.
Christian names are preceded by Don for a man and Doρa for
a woman. Normal courtesies should be observed when visiting
someone's home and gifts are appreciated as a token of thanks,
especially if invited for a meal.
Tipping
It is not necessary to tip taxi drivers. All hotels add 10%
service tax plus 3% tourist tax to the bill by law. Restaurants
add a 10% service charge. Tipping is expected by hotel staff,
porters and waiters.
|
