| When traveling it is essential to plan | | | | season). The dry season is from December |
| ahead, so when you arrive at your | | | | to March. The dry season is the busiest |
| destination, you lessen the chances of | | | | time in Costa Rica. Prices are much |
| being at a loss of what to do. Knowledge | | | | higher and it is harder to find a place |
| gained from others travel can be | | | | to stay. Now in the green season you |
| invaluable, especially when planning to | | | | will find much cheaper prices. The green |
| travel to somewhere you have never been | | | | season is from April to November. During |
| before. The advice on this page is | | | | the rainy season it generally rains for |
| helpful to everyone planning a trip to | | | | a few hours and then clears up. |
| Costa Rica. | | | | Traveling within Costa Rica |
| Money | | | | Bus - You can catch one to most parts of |
| The money used in Costa Rica is called | | | | the country. There are a few places |
| colons. You can change dollars into | | | | where the bus comes only once a day |
| colons at the airports in San Jose and | | | | though… |
| local banks. The exchange rates can be | | | | Cab - There are red cabs throughout the |
| from the low 200s to 400s colons for | | | | country. If the cab driver tells you the |
| each US dollar. (Now everywhere in Costa | | | | meter is broker, just get out. First it |
| Rica you can buy or pay in US dollars, | | | | is illegal for a cab driver to drive |
| but I think things are cheaper if you | | | | with a broken meter in Costa Rica; |
| pay in colons.) Other ways you might get | | | | secondly he might just be trying to rip |
| colons is if you pay for something in US | | | | you off. |
| dollars, you will receive change in | | | | Renting a Car - You can rent a car, but |
| colons. During my stay at Costa Rica, I | | | | to me personally I would find driving in |
| once paid a cab driver in US money, and | | | | Costa Rica difficult, since I'm not from |
| I received change in the local currency. | | | | the country and it seems there are a |
| You should also make sure your dollars | | | | lack of street signs. Also the prices |
| are not torn. Local banks and businesses | | | | for a car rental can be pretty |
| do not accept torn US dollars. I tried | | | | expensive. |
| to exchange a torn $50 bill, and the | | | | Local airlines - You can catch local |
| bank would not accept it! | | | | flights to places throughout Costa Rica. |
| -Bringing Money | | | | They are regularly scheduled and |
| On my trip I brought my money half in | | | | reasonably inexpensive. |
| dollars and the other half in American | | | | Cities and Towns |
| Express cheques. When a traveler cheque | | | | Cities in Costa Rica are San jose (The |
| is used there will be a commission fee. | | | | Capital) Alajuela, Cartago, Heredia, |
| When to visit/weather | | | | Jaco, Liberia, Manuel Antonio, park, |
| Costa Rica has two seasons - the dry | | | | Pochote, Puerto Limon, Puntarenas, |
| season and the green season (or rainy | | | | Parismina, and Tamarindo. |