Practical Information
Airports
The main airport is the Juan Santamaria International Airport, located in Alajuela. This airport is only twenty minutes away from San José.
Facilities at the airport include a money exchange, restaurants, duty-free shopping and a tourist help desk.
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Juan Santamaria International Airport
Tel: +506 2437 2400 Fax: +506 2437 2424
Domestic Airlines:
Sansa Regional
Tel: +506 2290 4100 Toll free from the US: +1 877 767 2672
Nature Air
Tel: (506) 2299-6000 Toll free from the US and Canada: +1 888 280 9734
Transportation
It's easy to get around Costa Rica, and if you stick with public transportation, traveling within the country can be quite inexpensive. There are bus services to just about every town and city, and high-quality buses serving the main tourist destinations. Taxis are also plentiful and inexpensive, and in San Jose they are required to operate with meters for most trips.
The standard charge for a taxi ride between the international airport and downtown San Jose is $15 USD. The quickest way to get around is to fly and several domestic airlines offer daily flights to most of the popular tourist destinations. There are also plenty of car rental agencies, most of which rent four-wheel-drive vehicles.
Car Rental Directory: http://www.visitcostarica.com/ict/paginas/buscador/FCRBuscaProdDeta.asp?idProd=2
Airport TaxisWeb page: http://www.taxiaeropuerto.com Reservation Office, San José: Tel: +(506) 2222-6865 / 2221-6865 Administrative Office, Alajuela: Telephones: +(506) 2441-1319 / 2443-7544 Fax: +(506) 2441-1356 (Open Mon-Fri 07:30 - 17:00) |
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Other Official Taxis
Taxis Alfaro +506 2221 8466
Taxi San Jorge +506 2221 3434
La Guaria +506 2227 9300
Coopetico +506 2224 7979
Coopetaxi +506 2235 9966
Train
There is a train tour that goes from San Jose to Caldera. For information and reservations please call (506)2233-3300 or (506)2221-0777.
Climate
In general, the climate in Costa Rica is very pleasant not only during the dry season, which extends from December to April but also during the rainy season, which runs from May to November. During the rainy season rain can be expected in the afternoons, on the other hand the mornings are usually sunny.
Costa Rica has a tropical climate with an average temperature of 22 degrees C (72 degrees F) that increases considerably on the coastal areas. The changes in temperature are considerable and due to the short distances in this relatively small country, they can all be experienced in just one day.
Due to factors such as the geographical location, the weather conditions, the formation of mountain chains, mountains, and valleys, this country experiences different microclimates that give a home to different types of vegetation.
The following climates in the country can be categorized in the following regions:
The high and cold region: With an elevation of 3,000 to 3,100 meters in altitude with temperatures of 0 degrees C.
The hot region: The elevation is above 1,500 meters in altitude, with temperatures between 14 degrees C and 18 degrees C
The humid tropical region: The elevation is up to 1,100 meters in altitude with temperatures between 25 and 26 degrees C.
The tropical region: Pertaining to the dry season, with temperatures between 26 and 27 degrees C.
The inter-mountainous valley region with an elevation between 1,000 and 1,100 meters in altitude which is a characteristic of the central valley, with temperatures that range from 14 to 18 degrees C.
Due to the weather characteristics and the topography of the country, different types of forests can be appreciated: the cloud forest, the rain forest, the dry forest, and the transition forest.
Communications
The international dialing code for Costa Rica is 506+
Local Hour: UTC/GMT -6 hora
Mobile phone operators provide GSM, 3G cell phone coverage.
Currency
The Costa Rican currency is called Colon. US dollars and major credit cards are widely accepted.
Credit cards: All major credit cards are widely accepted. You will find ATM machined distributed throughout the country.
Departure Tax
Departure tax is US$28.00, can be paid in US Dollars, Colones or with credit cards.
Electricity
Outlets are 110 V, with standard US two prong plugs.
Language
The official language is Spanish. The second language for a large portion of the population is English.
Safety and Security
Dial 911 for immediate assistance.
Hotel Security
Hotels for delegates have been carefully selected. However, delegates are advised:
- Never give out your room number or invite strangers to your room.
- Never leave valuable property unattended in hotel rooms, meeting rooms, restaurants, swimming pool area, etc.
- Always use safety lock on the door, even during the daytime.
- Always use room safe for valuables, or use lockable storage for valuables at the front desk, but make sure they issue a receipt for your items.
General Security Advice
San José is a lively city and josefinos, as the residents are known, are friendly and helpful to visitors. Crime is low by regional standards, but petty crime, particularly mugging, is not uncommon. Most streets are generally safe during the day but delegates should stick to well-lit streets at night and travel in groups if possible.
- Use only accredited taxi services with radio communication.
- Take precautions if walking after dark from the venue to nearby hotels or shopping centers.
- Be aware of the city’s geography and avoid high-crime areas and the red light district.
Tipping
All hotels and restaurants include a service charge of 10%, but you are free to give an extra tip.
Sales tax is 13%.
Tourism
TOUR OPERADOR ICANN 43
Expediciones Tropicales
Tel +506 2257 4171
Fax +506 2233 5284
CÁMARA NACIONAL DE TURISMO
