Costa Rican Manners
Costa Ricans are also very polite people, and knowing a few of the customs will definitely be handy during your stay in Costa Rica.

1. If you enter someone’s home, please keep your shoes on, otherwise they will feel uneasy about you being in their home.
2. Just like anywhere, saying please and thank you are always appreciated.
3. Don’t tell people what to do, ask them if it is possible to do something. For example, if you want them to put the meter on in the taxi, don’t tell them to put it on, ask them if they have a meter, and they will put it on for you.
4. If someone asks you to stay for a Zarpe (one last drink), it is expected that you stay for a Zarpe.

Costa Rican Communication
Costa Ricans are as a whole quiet and respectful people. They make an effort not to take too much space, and ensure they never speak loudly, as that is often perceived as being rude and self centered. North Americans, more so that Europeans, seem to speak a few notches louder than the rest, especially in buses and restaurants, so keep your tone in mind when you speak.

Costa Rican Humor
Also, Costa Rican tend to make fun of themselves to get a laugh rather than ridicule others. I still remember the sound of crickets after one of my many jokes that would have been a hit in Canada. Eventually I got, and making fun of others here, although all in good fun, was a no go zone.

Most people come to Costa Rica for two to four weeks to either learn, or master this romantic language. Often mixed in with the classes (which usually last between three to four hours a day), are local cooking classes and dance lessons. The most common dances here are the well known Meringue and Salsa dances, as well as the lesser known dance called Cumbia where dancers bounce up and down following the beat of the song. Cumbia originated in Columbia and has infiltrated Costa Rica.

Many of the language institutes in Costa Rica also have more than one location. This is due to people wanting to study near the beach (Pacific Ocean usually beats out the Atlantic Ocean), but also wanting to learn about the culture and integrate within a community, which is not possible at the beach. This is why you will also see a location within the Central Valley. Some of the activities that students enjoy most involve intercambios, where they get paired up with Costa Ricans who are learning English. This is one of the reasons why many of the language institutes also offer English classes at night for Costa Ricans.

These types of specialized themed trips to Costa Rica seem to be getting increasingly popular. I`ve heard about many kinds of these trips for large and small groups including executive retreats, team building trips, spring break trips and Costa Rica is very popular for things like sportsfishing trips, along with learning how to surf while in Costa Rica. However, this is the first I have seen or read about a group actually travelling to Costa Rica to do Yoga right in the rainforest! Actually arranging to do Yoga on one`s trip to Costa Rica is quite popular already and any reputable and competent Costa Rican travel service provider or agency (link to homepage) can plan these trips out for you. But whether your trip is primarily to do Yoga (in the rainforest or maybe on the beach) or you want a Yoga specific trip like the group noted in the article above, your best bet is obviously a local travel agency in Costa Rica. The best part about working with a local agency is that they know Costa Rica, have experience planning these types of trips to Costa Rica and possibly most important are ready and willing to work directly with the activity providers and hotel management to get you the possible experience on your vacation to Costa Rica.

Happy Traveling!

1. Try to avoid walking late at night. Take a taxi; it’s very cheap and safe.
2. Don’t wear expensive jewelry visibly or carry large amounts of cash.
3. Do not get too intoxicated or use drugs.
4. Stay away from dangerous areas such as poor neighborhoods and areas catering to adult entertainment.

General Travel Tips in Costa Rica
- It is best to carry a photocopy of your Passport, as opposed to your actual Passport, when going on tours or walking around leisurely. MAKE SURE YOU COPY THE STAMP AS WELL!
- Most restaurants include a 10% service tax to your bill, which means that tipping in these cases would not be necessary.
- If you are to travel in a taxi in Costa Rica, please ensure they are legitimate and not pirate taxis and that they have a Maria (a counter).
- Protect cameras, batteries and other electronic devices in plastic bags.
- Leave a copy of your itinerary, a photo copy of airline tickets, passport identification page, driver’s license, credit cards, traveler’s cheques, prescriptions medical history, and important business documents with a family member and /or friend in case of emergency.
- Don’t put all of your money in one place to protect yourself in the case of a theft or loss.
- Make sure your health insurance covers medical emergencies away from home. If not, look into purchasing travel insurance.
- Always pay attention crossing the street, as Costa Ricans don’t always pay attention to you when driving.
- If you’re ever in a traffic accident in Costa Rica, no matter how minor the fender bender, you must not move your vehicle, no matter how much traffic there is and wait for the police to arrive. Otherwise your insurance will not cover the accident, no matter who is at fault.

Well worry no more friends, as there is plenty to do when the sun decides to take a little break on your vacation!

Go for a walk in the Rain Forest
Costa Rica’s most treasured asset is its nature. And the rainy season means you’ll get to see the Rain Forest at its lushest. Just make sure you pack a pair of rain boots and rain coat and you will have everything you need to enjoy yourself in the forest. I strongly suggest doing with a guide, and during the day of course, as the forest is dangerous at night.

Check out the Hot Springs
Volcanic Hot Springs are one of the most popular tourist destinations in Costa Rica. Rain or shine, you will enjoy yourself at the Hot Springs. As a matter of fact, I personally enjoy going to the Hot Springs when it is raining, as it allows me to stay in them as long as I wish. When it’s hot outside, swimming in hot water is not always very enjoyable.

Check out a Museum or Coffee Tour
Don’t book these in advance. Keep both of these activities in your back pocket while you are in the Central Valley. This way, when you get up in the morning and see the rain, you will have something to fall back on that will keep you dry. Both the Doka Coffee Tour and Cafe Britt Coffee tour are great choices.

Do a water activity
Being wet is not fun, unless you are suppose to be wet anyways. For this reason we suggest doing a water activity like rafting of kayaking when it starts to rain. You will be uncomfortable the first few minutes you step out, but it will pass and you will very quickly forget that it is even raining.

Central Valley

When discussing the most dangerous places in the country you definitely have to begin with San Jose. This is the place where it is most important that you are careful. Downtown San Jose is fine during the day, but pick pockets are pretty common, so try to walk with your band in front of you and not on your back. The worst neiborhoods in San Jose are Leon XIII, which is known as the crack capital of Costa Rica, Los Hatillos, which is a poor neighborhood that has not received much help from the government, as well as the Del Ray area. Del Rey is where most of the legal prostitution takes place.

Jaco

Known as the party beach of Costa Rica, this is where many young travelers come to party with their friends. This is the only beach in Costa Rica where prostitution has a significant presence. The streets are fine during the day, but at night are not suitable for children.

Tamarindo

Although Tamarindo is nowhere as bad as Jaco, prostitution and drugs still can be felt by this beach community. Tamarindo and Jaco are the only beaches in Costa Rica that you will see any sketchiness. If you go out late partying, just be safe and make sure to always be walking with some friends to ensure no problems arise.

Limon

Limon is not a tourist destination in Costa Rica. It is however, the poorest community and because of that, one of Costa Rica’s most criminal cities. Cocaine traffickers often use Limon as a place of export, and is often the cause of many murders in the area. Costa Rica often seems to have a don’t ask don’t tell policy, but if something is not done soon, these types of problems will begin to expand and affect other tourist destinations.

The park boasts two very different beaches, one on each side of the point. The most interesting part of these beaches is that you are surrounded by rain forest that pretty much grows right to the high tide line. You will literally be surrounded by nature.

The most popular beach Playa Manuel Antonio, is located of the south side of the point. Here you will find a half mile white sand beach in the form of a crescent. On one side are rain forests alive with the sounds of white faced monkeys, three toes sloths, and many other tropical species of birds and reptiles. The other side is a quiet, tranquil, and secluded cove.

While here be sure to pack a lunch and bring plenty of water as there are no amenities located within the park itself. Also do not forget to take the short hike up to Cathedral Point, where you will get a breath taking view of the entire National Park, surrounding Rain Forest and Pacific Ocean,

Espadilla Sur is located on the Northern side of Manuel Antonio National Park. The first difference that you will note between this beach and Manuel Antonio is that Espadilla Sur has much darker sand and the water tends to be rougher. Here you also lose a sense of being surrounded by nature. This beach is backed by the rainforest; however it looks over the southern part of Quepos and the parking lot for the National Park. You will also notice less wildlife on this beach as well, due to the fact that it is not as deep into the rainforest.

One important thing to note is that because this is a National Park, there is an entrance fee as well as hours of operation. The Manuel Antonio National Park entrance fee is US$10 per person. Children under 12 are free. Hours: 7am. To 4pm, and is closed on Mondays.

La Fortuna is also a tourist town, so don’t expect to see much culture, unless you drive outside of the city limits. The park in front of the Church is where you will find souvenir shops, restaurants and travel agencies. Most hotels are located away from the city center in order to offer better views of the main attraction. If you want to have a drink in a spectacular bar, we suggest the Lava Lounge at Royal Corin.

The most over-hyped hotel in the area is in our opinion Tabacon. Tabacon was the first major hotel in the area, and is most likely the famous famous one because of this fact. However, their rooms have NO views of the Arenal Volcano, and their hot springs are grossly overpriced and luke warm at best. You would be much better off to check out the new hot springs at the Springs Resort and Spa or even Baldi Hot Springs for a more affordable option.

If you ever want to get your blood rushing you will want to check out the Canopy Tour by Sky Trek. Be careful which canopy provider you choose as there are some providers that have very sketchy foundations making them not the safest option. Sky Trek is more expensive than the rest, but their service and quality, as well as insurance policies make them the best choice in Arenal.

Taking a taxi in Costa Rica can prove to be quite the tricky task. Firstly, since their are no street names anywhere in Costa Rica, your driver can basically take you anywhere he likes if you are not familiar with Costa Rica, and you will have no way of knowing. It’s not like you can tell your driver to take Main Street.

Secondly, most taxi drivers in Costa Rica don’t speak any language other than Spanish, so you will have to find a way to communicate where you actually want to go. What is helpful is to have a friend write down the directions for you. The best thing to do is to find a landmark close to your destination and tell him to go there. I say him, because there are almost no women who drive taxis in Costa Rica. Also, try to look confident, so that your driver doesn’t think you don’t live here.

Probably the bet advice I can give when taking a taxi in Costa Rica is to ask them to please turn the Maria on. This is the machine they use to track your trip and price. Sometime a driver will tell you they can’t and will give you reasons like:
1. We don’t use the Maria at the airport, they are flat rates (not true)
2. We don’t use the Maria after a certain time, it is a flat rate (also not true)

When your driver doesn’t want to use his Maria is because he is planning on charging you more than you should be paying. Kindly get out of the cab if he insists.

Airport taxis are the last area we need to discuss in our Taking Taxis in Costa Rica Tips. When you arrive at the airport you will see orange taxis lined up outside. These are the designated airport taxis. They are also the most expensive taxis in the country often charging double and sometimes triple the standard rate. If you want to save some money when taking a taxi in Costa, just walk to the street (30 second walk) and take a regular cab that will use the Maria.