Green Blog

Costa Rica is on the rise as a tourist destination. This tranquil tiny country in Central America is the only country without an army, which was abolished back in 1948. To this day they continue to live peacefully in this tropical paradise.

While traveling to any foreign country there are just unspoken safety tips you should always follow. Costa Rica is no different. Having a vacation that you enjoy and is free of stress is easy in Costa Rica so make your plans and don’t forget these simple things.

When traveling to Costa Rica, it’s good to know that they accept American dollars as well as their currency, the colon or colones in plural. Traveler’s checks are accepted but not in most places. They are difficult to collect on for the proprietor so most restaurants and hotels will not accept them.

If you choose to bring travelers checks to Costa Rica, it’s best to take them into the bank and exchange them for local currency or American dollars. Write down all the numbers on your traveler’s checks and keep them in a safe place separate from the traveler’s checks. Also, never exchange your money on the streets.

Traveling throughout Costa Rica, it’s ok to keep your passport in the hotel safe and just carry a copy of the face page and current stamp page. Best to put your plane tickets, passports and extra checks in a safe spot at the hotel. If you decide to rent a car, it’s the law that you have your rental documents and driver’s license with you while driving.

When traveling through populated areas like San Jose, we suggest you keep your doors locked and the windows up. Valuables left on the seat in the car can be fair game for petty thieves; so don’t risk loosing your valuables. There are many hitchhikers on the roads and we recommend that you do not pick them up.

One thing I think is funny about Costa Rica and the hitchhikers is that when you see one carrying a machete, you instinctively become apprehensive. These men are gardeners and this is an everyday gardening tool in Costa Rica used to keep the roadways free of branches and the tall grass at bay. But it’s a fright at first until you realize what they are using the machete for.

Costa Rica has been home to me for over two years and it’s been a pleasant and peaceful experience. The Tico’s, as they are commonly called, are incredibly special people. They are bighearted and enjoy the visitors who come to experience their amazing country.

Costa Rican’s are extremely hard working, most making an average of $500.00 per month to live. However, they want for nothing and are willing to share whatever they have with you. So treat them respectfully and you will get the same in return.

Visiting Costa Rica? Leslie J. Riannen invites you to go in style while being Eco Friendly by choosing the only Green Costa Rica Car Rental Company. Mapache offers Costa Rica San Jose Car Rental for its total fleet of low emission vehicles. Visit their site to reserve safely and securely before your next trip.

Do you have the burning desire to study another language? If that language happens to be Spanish then why not take advantage of the international learning experiences that are on offer in Costa Rica. Studying Spanish at a school 5 minutes from the beach; sounds delightful, don’t you think?

You would not merely being studying, which can sometimes become quite mundane, but you would have the chance to go out and explore the many wonders on offer in one of the world’s most tropical paradises. Whoever said that studying has to be boring?

There are an abundance of Spanish schools to choose from here in Costa Rica, but from experience I would highly recommend CPI (Centro Panamericano de Idiomas) Spanish Immersion School. It is made up of three spectacular schools and each school is located in a highly, unique place. Why not make the most of being able to divide your studies and time between heaven and well, I suppose heaven and heaven!

One of the schools is set in the suburbs of a town called Heredia. Students will get to experience what it is like to live and learn in a typical Costa Rican town and yet not be too far from Costa Rica’s capital city; San Jose. The school is encircled by exotic gardens in which you can unwind during break time and for those who are just bursting with energy then there is a ping pong table, mini soccer pitch and basketball court.

CPI ‘Monteverde’ (Green Mountain) is located between two local villages and two huge cloud forest reserves in an area commonly known as ‘Monteverde’, hence the name of the school. This magical and mysterious mountain top town is home to a wide array of wildlife; including birds, monkeys, sloths and even pumas (don’t be alarmed!) If you are not exhausted from all the walking and Spanish classes then why not work out in the school’s mini gym and afterwards take advantage of the hanging hammocks and bubbling jacuzzi. Don’t spend too long in the jacuzzi though, as there will be a magnificent sunset view waiting for you!

The third school was founded in the Guanacaste area, which lies on the North West coast of Costa Rica. Just a 5 minute walk away from the school is Flamingo Beach. It is the perfect place to relax and take a swim after your Spanish classes. with its white, sands and clear, blue waters. However, if you are simply too tired and just want to relax at school, then you can always take a dip in the swimming pool. The school also offers a place to play basketball and ping pong.

Your Spanish course begins when you decide and you choose if you want to study for a week or even up to a whole year. The Spanish Programs are specialized and the levels are determined based on individual needs. If you are feeling adventurous and you really want to explore Costa Rica then why not split your studies between each of the three international schools?

Once CPI has selected the right Spanish Program for you it doesn’t stop there. It can arrange your accommodation. If you don’t want to speak anything but Spanish then a home stay would be ideal. Nevertheless CPI also offers stay in one of its fully equipped and furnished studios, which are located close to the school.

Take advantage of the exotic paradise In which you room. When you have free time be it an hour, a day or a weekend, why not get out there and explore those surreal surroundings, Because I promise you that there is nowhere in the world quite like Costa Rica. It is a country that possesses beautiful beaches, xxx jungles, mysterious mountains and vicious volcanoes.

Costa Rica is a wonderful place to visit, filled with much beauty and magic. The author has resided for many years in Monteverde Costa Rica. If you ever decide to visit Monteverde make sure to check out Monteverde, Costa Rica 5 Day Package Tours in Costa Rica.

It’s always a great idea to do some research of the country you are traveling to when going abroad. Laws change and sometimes travel guides have out of date information. Since Costa Rica is on the rise for travel destinations, I thought I would share some important facts with you.

As with most boarder crossing, it is required for you to present a passport. Central America is no different when traveling through its amazing destinations. Once you reach your final destination, it is ok to just copy your passport and the stamp page then leave your passport in the safe at your hotel.

If you choose to rent a car in Costa Rica, be sure that you bring your current driver’s license and carry your passport copy with you at all times. Expect to pay high deposits for renting a car, which is fully refundable; meaning you better examine the car thoroughly before leaving the car lot. Additionally, gas stations can be hard to find in remote locations, so gas up in the bigger cities.

Costa Rica has some driving laws that we were not familiar with. The law states that if you get into an accident, not only are you to wait for the police but you must also wait for the adjuster for the insurance company to arrive. As you can imagine, this can take a long time so best to drive defensively so you won’t have this delay on vacation.

Another driving fact you should know is that that in Costa Rica, like many other Central American countries, there are not typical number and names as street addresses. Addressed can be something like 250 metros este y Fabrica de Queso so keep your eyes open when driving.

Costa Rican currency is called a colon or colones for plural, however US dollars are accepted most anywhere. The highest denomination in bills is the 10,000 colones then ranges down to c5,000, c2,000, and c1,000. If the exchange rate is c500 at the time of your visit then a 10,000 colon is equivalent to $20 US dollars.

As of December 2009, the exchange rate in Costa Rica was 570 colones to one American dollar. When you want to figure the price of something listed in colones, you would divide that price in colones by the current exchange rate. If you need to figure out the price listed in dollars, you take the dollar amount and multiply it by the exchange rate and that will give you the price in colones.

Driving in Costa Rica can be tricky because all the street and road signs are in Spanish. You might want to brush up on your recognition of those signs before your trip. Spanish is the native language of Costa Rica but there are many locals who speak English, especially in the more popular spots.

As we all know, tourists are prime targets for petty theft. As for Costa Rica, this amazingly peaceful country abolished its army back in 1947 and to this day is a very safe country. However, we suggest you always keep an eye on your things to ward off petty thieves who prey on the unsuspecting.

Visiting Costa Rica? Leslie J. Riannen Asks that you visit in style while staying Eco Friendly by picking the only Green Costa Rica Car Rental Company. Mapache offers Car Rental in Liberia for its total fleet of low emission cars. Visit their website to reserve safely and securely before your next trip.