Area: 51.1000 km2.

Limits: Panama to the Southeast, Nicaragua to the North, the Atlantic Ocean to the West, and the Pacific Ocean to the East.

Capital: San Jose.

Other major cities: Alajuela, Cartago, Heredia, Liberia, Limon, and Puntarenas.

Population: approximately 4.159.758 inhabitants.

Time zone: EST -1 and GMT – 6. Costa Rica is on Central Standard Time.

Maximum length: 464 km from the Sapoa River to Punta Burica.

Minimum length: 119 km from Tuba to Boca del Colorado.

Maximum width: 259 km from Cabo Santa Elena to the mouth of the Colorado River.

Highest mountain: Cerro Chirripó, 3820 meters over sea level

National flower: Guaria Morada (Guarianthe skinneri)

National tree: Guanacaste (Enterolobium cychocarpurri)

National bird: Yigüirro (Tardus grayil)

Climate: Tropical with two seasons, dry from December to April and rainy from May to November. The average temperature is 72° F (22° C)

National Parks: Costa Rica protects approximately a 25% of its territory through national parks, biological reserves and private reserves.

Language: the official language is Spanish, but many people speak some English

Money: the Costa Rican currency is the colon which fluctuates daily against the dollar, and can be exchanged at banks and change booths, never in the streets. American dollars and major credit cards are acceptable almost everywhere. For current information on the exchange rate, please visit: www.bccr.fi.cr

Education: the Constitution of Costa Rica requires 6% of its gross domestic product be invested in education which is free and obligatory.

Religion: our Constitution gives us freedom of cult, but Catholicism is the dominant religion.

Main income: high technology, tourism, coffee, banana, flowers and other agricultural products.

Electricity: the voltage in Costa Rica is 110, and you will need to bring a voltage adapter if bringing appliances for 220.

Cellular phone: you must contact your telephone company in advance for the requirements to use your cellular phone in Costa Rica.

International calls: you can make international calls from almost any telephone in Costa Rica. You can dial directly using the correct country codes, through the operator (# 116), or by using the services of MCI or AT&T. If calling Costa Rica from another country, dial 506 as the country code.

Health: Costa Rica is one of the safest countries as far as health is concerned, and it has excellent medical care and well-qualified professionals. The water is pure and safe in most of the country, and no vaccinations are required to enter Costa Rica; however, it is your election if you prefer to get vaccination for precaution.

Safety: although Costa Rica used to have a low crime rate, it has increased in recent years, and tourists should be cautious at all time.

Entry requirements: all visitors require a passport valid for at least 6 months to enter Costa Rica. Citizens from the United States, Canada, and most of the European countries do not need a visa. If you need further information regarding proper documentation and other migratory requirements, please contact the Costa Rican Consulate or Embassy in your country or visit the following websites:

*   www.migracion.go.cr
*   www.visitcostarica.com/ict/paginas/informacionturistica.asp

Departure requirements: there is a $26.00 departure tax which can be paid in colones, dollars or VISA card at the airport the day of departure or in advance at two different banks: Banco de Costa Rica or Banco Crédito Agrícola de Cartago.

Souvenirs: tourists will not leave Costa Rica with empty hands because they can choose from a great variety of Costa Rican souvenirs: delicious coffee and chocolate, beautiful wooden hand-made products like oxcarts and rocking chairs, hammocks, jewelry, pottery, hand-painted art, leather products, T-shirts and many others.

Accessibility from around the world through the convenient connections and a wide range of fares from several well-known airlines. Even though, Costa Rica Delights does not sell airline tickets, we gladly offer you a quick way to visit their websites directly from our page.

Costa Rican hospitality: the “ticos”, as Costa Ricans are called, are well-educated people, friendly, humble and happy to share their small country with their visitors who will always be welcomed as part of their families.

Diversity: Costa Rica excels in the world because of its variety of microclimates, the richness of its flora and fauna, and the high percentage of protected areas.

Peace: a powerful word and the most difficult valuable to attain. Since the army was abolished in Costa Rica in 1949, Costa Ricans have greatly valued living in peace and democracy. In 1987, our President Dr. Oscar Arias Sánchez (now re-elected 2006-2010) stressed this fact to the world when he was awarded with the Nobel Peace Prize, making us feel proud of having inherited our grandparents’ land of peace and respect for each other.

Variety of sites and infrastructure: there are a lot of places to visit, and exciting activities to experience, all of them within reach of anybody throughout the year. Our country offers variety: from a cute wooden lodge near a volcano to an all-inclusive five-star resort at a beautiful beach, from romantic spots for honeymooners to highly professional environments for incentive programs. Since nature is our most precious attraction, the tourist can enjoy it in fullness by just a long walk through the wilderness or by even a more exotic means like a cruise to the Coco Island.

CLIMATE
Costa Rica’s climate is tropical and very pleasant throughout the whole year. There are only two seasons, and the average temperature is 72° F (22° C). The dry season from December to April is the high season for our local tourism since it coincides with our school vacations. This season becomes more definite in the Pacific area while the Atlantic side is characterized by its humidity. The rainy season runs from May to November, and it usually rains in the afternoons or evenings while the mornings are usually sunny and warm. As you can see, Costa Rica’s climate welcomes you any time of the year because you can even choose the climate you want to experience by just changing the zones or the altitude. If you prefer a little bit of cold you can visit the mountains or some volcanoes, but if your preference is the heat, the beaches are the best choice; and the most amazing thing is that you can do both in just the same day.

PACKING LIST
Since you are travelling on vacations to a tropical country, our recommendation is to travel light and mostly informal, and with the expectation of a sudden change of weather. Besides taking your personal items like passport (plus any other migratory documents if needed), another ID with photo, driver’s license, credit cards, some cash and airline ticket, Costa Rica Delights recommends you to take into account the following packing list:

- Although Costa Rica is a small country, it is not free of crime and delinquency, and we want to give you some advice to avoid any unpleasant situation during your visit.

- Most of the hotels in the country have safety boxes in their rooms, so you can leave your valuables like passport, airline ticket, money and jewellery. Try to always carry a photocopy of your passport, and just a few cash.

- We advise you to exchange your money at the banks or hotels, exchange booths or hotels, never in the street.
Please be cautious with your wallets and purses, we recommend the gentlemen to carry the wallet in the front pockets of your pants or shirts, and the ladies to hold the purse with your hand in the front.

- Remember you are on vacation, and you do not need expensive jewellery in the rainforest.

- If going are out during the evening, it is better to request a taxi that works for the hotel and arrange the drop off time back at the hotel with them too.

- If you decide to rent a car, remember to leave the car in parking lots and avoid lonely places. Do not leave your belongings inside while you are far away. Try to drive with your windows closed, especially in the cities. Follow the driving limits and if a traffic official stops you, show him the rent-a-car contract, your driver’s license and your passport, and pay the traffic ticket at the rent-a-car office.