South & Central America
Highlights - Essential Info - Itineraries - History - Hotels
Visa Requirements - Holders of UK passports do not require a visa for entry into Costa Rica, but the authorities sometimes check to ensure that you have a valid onward/return ticket and sufficient funds for your visit and you should have a full passport with a minimum of six months validity from the date of your return to the UK. Please also be aware that you need to have at least two blank pages in your passport.
Health Requirements - There are no mandatory vaccinations required for entry into Costa Rica although Tetanus, Typhoid, Polio, Hepatitis A are generally recommended. Malaria exists in some parts of Costa Rica, especially in the low-lying areas and it is therefore essential that you seek medical advice with regard to its treatment.
We strongly recommend that you contact your doctor or the MASTA (Medical Advisory Service for Travellers Abroad) Travellers Health Line on 0870 60 62782 or their website at www.masta.org for all professional medical advice.
Time - GMT -6 hours
Money - The currency of Costa Rica is the Colon.
Travellers’ cheques and foreign currency can be freely exchanged at most commercial banks and foreign exchange bureaus in most major towns and cities. Some hotels in major towns and cities will also change foreign currency, usually US Dollars. Travellers’ cheques are not always accepted outside of the main cities and will often incur a high fixed commission charge.
Credit cards such as Visa and Master Card are accepted in most hotels and restaurants US$ Dollars is the preferred hard currency and you should carry some small denomination bills as change for larger bills is not always forthcoming. The use and acceptance of credit cards such as Visa and MasterCard is growing, but an alternative payment source such as cash is sensible, especially in remote areas.
Flights
|
Airline |
Route |
Frequency |
Via |
|
Iberia |
Heathrow/San Jose |
Daily |
Madrid |
|
American Airlines |
Heathrow/ San Jose |
Daily |
Miami or Dallas |
|
Continental Airlines |
Heathrow/ San Jose |
Daily |
Newark |
|
KLM / MartinAir |
Heathrow/ San Jose |
Daily |
Amsterdam/Orlando |
Climate - a rough guide
For such a small country, Costa Rica does have a wide variety of distinct topographical and geographical features resulting in a wide variety of climatic conditions ranging from the chilly highlands and misty cloud forests to the tropical Caribbean beaches. However the principal dry season (Summer) is from November to April with the main rains falling between May and October (Winter).
San Jose & the Central Valley: The Central Valley in which San Jose is located, is an area of volcanoes, rivers and rolling hills as well as rich, fertile land that has been cultivated for millennia and is home to the country’s coffee plantations. This slightly higher region is blessed with a temperate climate throughout the year (often boasting an ‘eternal spring’) and enjoys a dry summer from November to April with the bulk of the rain falling between May and October.
Monteverde Highlands: The famed Cloud Forests of Monteverde and Santa Elena very much live up to their name with misty, humid weather and rainfall during the year. Daytime temperatures tend to hover around 60F whilst the nights can see temperatures become a lot cooler.
Osa Peninsula & the Southern Pacific: This is a region encompassing a wide variety of geographical features ranging from sandy beaches to mangroves and rivers to rainforests. The coastline tends to be hot and humid with lovely daytime temperatures although these drop off as you get into the higher areas. It can rain throughout the year, although the principal rains appear from mid April to December.
Caribbean & Pacific Coasts: The lowlands of the Caribbean coast, known for their banana & palm plantations, tend to enjoy a tropical climate with high rainfall and plenty of sunshine with high air temperatures and warm waters. It can be humid as well although along the coast the onshore breezes tend to reduce the humidity. The Central Pacific coastline tends to have a temperate climate with plenty of warm sunshine, whilst the Northern Pacific beaches tend to have less rainfall and can be very dry through the summer months with daytime temperatures reaching around 85F.
Please note also that in recent years the traditional seasons in Costa Rica, as elsewhere in the world, have become less predictable than in previous years due to global climatic changes.
When to go
With its mild, temperate climate Costa Rica is a country that can be visited throughout the year, but arguably the best time to visit is either between November and April, when it tends to be drier, although July & August are good months for turtle watching.
|
San Jose |
||||||||||||
|
|
Jan |
Feb |
Mar |
Apr |
May |
Jun |
Jul |
Aug |
Sep |
Oct |
Nov |
Dec |
|
Temp (F) |
74/ |
76/ |
79/ |
78/ |
80/ |
78/ |
76/ |
77/ |
78/ |
76/ |
76/ |
74/ |
|
Rain (in) |
0.5 |
0.2 |
0.7 |
2.0 |
9.2 |
10.2 |
8.3 |
10.3 |
12.1 |
12.0 |
5.9 |
1.8 |
Temp (Fahrenheit) = Average Maximum Temperatures (day/night)
Rain (inches) = Average Monthly Rainfall
