| Costa Rica is a wonderful place to visit
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| | family or to travel alone. Most crime is
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| with your family or even alone.
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| | property theft and pick-pocket oriented
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| Many couples honeymoon in Costa Rica
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| | theft.
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| combining romance, adventure and mystical
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| | Make sure that you leave your Rolex at
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| visits to volcanoes, rainforest's,
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| | home.Do not keep your wallet in your back
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| waterfalls, and secluded beaches. Our
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| | pocket. Keep it in your front pocket.
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| goal here is to provide a condensed guide
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| | Do not place valuables in backpacks
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| that you can print and take with you to
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| | slung over your shoulder.
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| use for reference.Country Information
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| | Many places are perfectly safe to walk
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| Costa Rica is in Central America north
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| | at night. Others are not. Ask a
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| of Panama and south of Nicaragua. The
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| | local.Beaches have rip tides.
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| Pacific ocean borders the country to the
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| | A riptide is narrow. If caught in a
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| west and the Caribbean to the east.The
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| | riptide swim parallel to the shore for a
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| citizens of Costa Rica are affectionately
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| | short distance until you no longer feel
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| called Tico's and Tica's. In all of
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| | it pulling you away from shore. Salt
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| Latin America, the Tico's are most like
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| | water is easy to float in. Don't freak
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| North American's in their thought
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| | out!Sharks are prevalent in certain areas
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| process. There are many cultural
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| | of both the Pacific and Caribbean.
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| differences but tourism and tourists in
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| | Sharks are of concern for fishermen and
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| general are welcomed warmly in this
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| | surfers primarily. If you are not a pro
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| country.Costa Rica has the highest
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| | ask about the area you plan to visit.
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| literacy rate in Latin America. Every
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| | Some of the island's around Costa Rica
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| four years elections are held with 95% of
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| | have huge populations of sharks.Costa
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| the population participating in the
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| | Rica is just north of the Equator. Use
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| voting process. Costa Rica has had no
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| | sunscreen liberally and drink plenty of
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| military forces since 1946. 27% of the
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| | non-alcoholic fluids while in the
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| country's budget is spent on health care.
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| | elements. I know, now I sound like your
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| Although there are demonstrations
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| | mother!Taxi's have meters. Many
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| occasionally civil unrest is not present.
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| | unofficial taxi's ply their services in
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| Costa Rica is considered to be the
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| | the country. Prior to any trip anywhere,
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| "Latin American success story".The
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| | agree on the price before you get in the
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| country has 110 volcanic craters, six
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| | taxi unless they are using the meter.
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| active volcanoes,mountain ranges
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| | Many taxi's do not use their meters.Most
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| throughout the central portion of the
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| | hotels, resorts, and bed and breakfast's
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| country and secluded beaches with rain
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| | provide transportation from the airport
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| forest filled with wildlife butting right
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| | and are valuable resources to identify
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| up to the shoreline.Temperature varies
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| | the fair cost from one place to another
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| with elevation. Humidity is present and
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| | when using taxi services.Beaches
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| noticeable, especially at sea level.
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| | Beaches in Costa Rica are not all the
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| Mosquitoes are obviously part of any rain
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| | same. Some beaches are great for surfing
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| forest but are not as noticeable as most
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| | and poor choices for children. Many
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| parts of Florida, for instance due to the
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| | beaches include amenities close by and
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| natural predators maintaining an
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| | plenty of tanned bodies to admire.
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| ecological balance not found in places
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| | Others offer secluded splendor and less
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| like Florida. (Bring repellent with Deet
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| | amenities. Careful planning is necessary
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| however!)Costa Rica has a wet and dry
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| | to find the right area for a successful
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| season. The wet or "green" season is
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| | vacation here.The beach options are too
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| from May until November each year.
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| | numerous to even mention here. Please
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| During this time rainfall is more
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| | consider looking at our beaches page for
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| prevalent in most regions (Guanacaste
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| | information about some of the best
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| province is the driest area in the
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| | beaches. For surfing we have a surfing
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| country) with sunshine typical in the
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| | page highlighting the best spots to catch
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| morning hours with showers in the
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| | a wave.Volcanoes
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| afternoon and at night. Green season is
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| | Some parts of Costa Rica look more like
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| when hotels offer discounts and crowds
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| | the moon than Central America!Arenal is
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| are minimized. As mentioned earlier, the
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| | an active volcano that offers excellent
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| northwestern portion of Costa Rica is the
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| | potential for all the elements of an
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| best "green" season destination due to
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| | active volcano. The Tabacon hot springs
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| rainfall considerations.General
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| | is a beautiful area offering relaxation,
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| Information
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| | romance, and wonderful atmosphere.
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| Entry requirements for visitors differ
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| | Poas volcano is close to San Jose in the
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| depending on your country of origin. US
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| | Central Valley and provides eerie views
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| citizens, Canadians, and United Kingdom
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| | of one of the world's largest volcanic
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| tourists need a valid passport but do not
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| | lakes in its crater. Poas is easy to
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| require a visa. The maximum stay under
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| | hike compared to other places and has no
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| these conditions is 90 days but can be
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| | facility for food and drinks in the park
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| extended an additional 90 days through a
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| | area.Rincon de la Vieja is in
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| travel agent or within the country
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| | northwestern Costa Rica (Guanacaste
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| through immigration.Vaccinations are not
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| | province) and is actually a compound
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| required for malaria and other diseases
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| | volcano meaning that there are more than
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| to visit Costa Rica.The water in most
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| | one composite volcanoes aligned on a
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| areas is safe to drink. Some coastal
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| | ridge. Rincon has 9 eruptive craters,
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| areas are exceptions however. Bottled
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| | includes bubbling mud pits, and volcanic
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| water is recommended simply due to taste
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| | geysers. Hikes to the summit are
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| considerations. If you are at the
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| | controlled by park rangers to keep people
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| Multiplaza mall in Escazu for instance
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| | from getting lost. Obviously this is
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| the water is perfectly fine to drink.
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| | more challenging hiking compared to
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| Smaller communities on the coast can be
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| | Poas!Rain Forests
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| problematic however.Costa Rica has the
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| | Rain forests and animals of the rain
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| best fruit in the world in my opinion.
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| | forest are one of the big attractions of
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| Eat anything and everything in
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| | Costa Rica. Birdwatching, flora and
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| sight!Driving in Costa Rica is an
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| | fauna, monkey's, sloths, and many other
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| adventure! A stop sign in Costa Rica is
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| | creatures abound in the rain forests of
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| treated like a yield sign in North
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| | Costa Rica. Each region has slightly
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| America. Potholes in certain areas are
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| | different plant life and animals
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| HUGE. If renting a car consider the
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| | populating the forests. The lodge and
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| following:Do not leave valuables in the
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| | hotel accommodations range from primitive
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| car.
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| | to exotic. Take your time and choose an
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| Rental agencies look for any trace of
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| | area that combines activities that you
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| dents and dings
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| | and your family have interests in.Manuel
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| Roads are narrow and guard rails are
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| | Antonio is one of the most popular parks
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| usually not present
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| | in Costa Rica. The park is located in
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| Did I mention POTHOLESElectricity is
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| | the Central Pacific area and provides
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| standard 110v like in the USA but
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| | great accommodations, rain forest,
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| generally not grounded. This means that
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| | waterfalls, and beach
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| any device requiring a three prong plug
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| | vacations.Monteverde Cloud Forest is a
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| will not work without an adapter to two
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| | wonderland of nature. Located near the
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| prongs. So, bring an adapter for
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| | Arenal volcano about 3 1/2 hours from San
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| anything requiring three prongs.English
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| | Jose this misty forest is a great place
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| is widely spoken in tourist areas and
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| | to see birds, monkey's and other wildlife
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| major metropolitan areas. Driving a
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| | in a well tended easily hiked
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| rental car all over the country with no
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| | park.Corcovado National Park is lowland
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| knowledge of Spanish might be
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| | rain forest and is home to a large
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| problematic. It is generally easy to
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| | population of scarlet macaws. The park
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| find someone to help you in English in
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| | features well designed trails, camping,
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| tourist areas and big cities
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| | and plenty of ranger stations. The
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| however.Medical facilities are available
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| | hiking is strenuous, pack your own food
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| throughout the country. Remote areas,
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| | and get back to nature in the southern
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| however, only have clinics for minor
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| | Pacific portion of Costa Rica.Cahuita
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| issues and often have few English
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| | National Park provides flat easily hiked
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| speaking staff members. San Jose has
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| | trails, and plenty of wildlife in thick
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| excellent medical facilities and English
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| | lowland forest. White face and howler
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| speaking doctors are quite common. Ask
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| | monkey's are your companions here.
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| the proprietor of the hotel you chose
| |
| | Generally rustic accommodations and less
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| about medical facilities in the area if
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| | amenities are characteristic on the
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| you have health concerns.Emergency
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| | Caribbean coastal areas.Final Thoughts
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| service in Costa Rica is available by
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| | Fun Costa Rica Vacations hopes this
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| dialing 911.Holidays are taken seriously
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| | visitors guide has been helpful to you.
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| in this country. Visit around Easter or
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| | Our goal is to provide useful information
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| Christmas and it will seem that the
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| | to travelers and specifically first time
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| entire country is shut down. The Easter
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| | visitors to Costa Rica.Copyright @ 2005
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| and Christmas holiday's are celebrated
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| | fun-costa-rica-vacations.comRoger,Publish
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| for more than a week!Traveler Safety
| |
| | er of a destination guide with ideas for
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| Violent crime exists in every society.
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| | fun Costa Rica vacations.
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| Costa Rica is a safe place to bring your
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| |
|
