The questions every first-time visitor asks — answered honestly by a local, family-run transport company based in La Fortuna. No fluff, just what you actually need to know.
Citizens of the USA, Canada, the UK and most of Europe don't need a visa for stays of up to 180 days. You need a passport valid for the length of your stay and proof of onward travel (a return or exit ticket) — airlines sometimes check it at check-in.
No vaccines are required for travelers arriving from the USA, Canada or Europe. (A yellow fever certificate is only asked of travelers coming from certain countries in South America or Africa.) Routine travel health advice applies — bring insect repellent.
December to April is the dry season — sunniest, busiest and priciest. May to November is the green season: lush, cheaper, sunny mornings with afternoon rain; September–October are the wettest months on the Pacific side. Full breakdown in our best time to visit guide.
7–10 days is the sweet spot for a first trip: two or three regions (say Arenal + Monteverde + a beach) without living out of a suitcase. See our ready-made 7-day itinerary for how that looks day by day.
It's the priciest country in Central America, but you control the dial: lunch at a local soda is $7–10, mid-range hotels run $80–150 a night, park entries $15–20. Transport is where groups save: private shuttles are priced per vehicle, not per person, so a family of four often pays less than four shared-shuttle seats — see real shuttle prices.
Light quick-dry clothes, a rain layer (even in dry season), sturdy sandals plus closed shoes for trails, swimwear, reef-safe sunscreen, insect repellent, and a dry bag for boat trips and waterfalls. Nights in Monteverde and around Poás get cool — bring one warm layer.
The local currency is the colón (roughly ₡500 to $1). US dollars are accepted almost everywhere in tourist areas — bring small, unworn bills ($1/$5/$10/$20); change comes back in colones. You don't need to exchange money before your trip.
Yes — Visa and Mastercard work in hotels, restaurants, tours and supermarkets. Keep some cash for tiny sodas, roadside fruit stands and tips. ATMs are easy to find in every tourist town.
Restaurants already include a 10% service charge by law, so extra tipping is optional (rounding up is appreciated). For guides and drivers, a common reference is 10–20% of the service value — but tips are always optional, never obligatory, and any amount is welcome and appreciated.
Yes — it's one of the safest countries in Latin America (famously, it has no army). The realistic risk is petty theft: never leave anything visible in a parked car, don't leave bags unattended on the beach, use the hotel safe. Violent crime against tourists is rare.
In most of the country, yes — tap water is safe in San José, La Fortuna, Monteverde and most established tourist towns. In a few remote beach areas locals prefer bottled water; ask your hotel. (Every Travesía transfer includes complimentary bottled water either way.)
Use repellent at dawn and dusk, especially on the coasts — dengue exists in Costa Rica like everywhere in the tropics. There's no malaria concern for typical tourist routes, and highland areas (Monteverde, San José) have very few mosquitoes.
We don't recommend it. Rural roads are unlit and winding, with potholes, pedestrians, and the occasional animal on the road. Plan drives to arrive before dark — or let a local driver who knows every curve handle it. More in Do you need a car?
Many are, but rip currents are the #1 hazard and most beaches have no lifeguards. Ask locals or your hotel which side of the beach is safe, keep kids close, and if caught in a current swim parallel to shore — don't fight it.
No. English is widely spoken in hotels, tours and tourist restaurants. A little Spanish goes a long way in rural areas — and everyone smiles at a well-placed ¡pura vida!
Literally "pure life," it's Costa Rica's national phrase — used as hello, goodbye, thank you, no problem, and life philosophy all at once. You'll be saying it by day two.
Costa Rica uses the same plugs as the USA and Canada (Type A/B, 110–120V). North American travelers need nothing; European travelers need a simple US-style adapter.
If your plan doesn't include roaming, a local prepaid SIM (Kölbi, Claro or Liberty) costs just a few dollars with generous data — kiosks sell them at both airports. eSIMs for Costa Rica are also cheap and can be set up before you fly. WiFi is standard in hotels and in our vans.
Fresh and comforting: gallo pinto (rice & beans) for breakfast, casados (rice, beans, plantain, salad + a protein) for lunch, incredible fruit and coffee everywhere. Eat at local sodas for the best value — our picks are in Best restaurants in Costa Rica.
Longer than the map suggests — roads are mountainous and slow. Real-world times: SJO → La Fortuna ~3 h, SJO → Manuel Antonio ~3 h, La Fortuna → Monteverde ~4 h, LIR → Tamarindo ~1.5 h. Plan one travel block per day, not two.
Only really in the San José metro area, and in a legal gray zone — drivers can't pick up inside airport zones, and coverage is thin to nonexistent in La Fortuna, Monteverde, Manuel Antonio and most beach towns. For intercity travel, use a shuttle, rental car or bus.
Not necessarily — it's a genuine trade-off. Cars give flexibility but add insurance costs, rough roads, parking worries and navigation stress. Private door-to-door shuttles cost similar-or-less for groups and let you actually look at the scenery. Honest comparison: Do you need a car in Costa Rica?
Use official red taxis (orange at the airport) with a running meter ("la maría"), or transport arranged by your hotel. Avoid unmarked "pirate" taxis that approach you at terminals and beaches.
Child seats are required by law in Costa Rica and good companies provide them. At Travesía, child seats are always free on request — just tell us the ages when you book.
A pre-booked private transfer: your driver tracks your flight, waits inside arrivals with a name sign, and drives you door-to-door — no haggling, no lines, no dragging luggage between counters. See exactly how arrival works in our SJO airport arrival guide, or check your route's price below.
Private, door-to-door transfers anywhere in Costa Rica — flight tracking, name sign, free child seats.
