From Wikitravel

Costa Rica is a country in Central America. In the north it borders to Nicaragua and in the south to Panamá. To the west there is the Pacific and to the east the Caribbean.

Contents 1 Regions 2 Cities 3 Other destinations 4 Understand 5 Get in 5.1 By plane 5.2 By car 5.3 By bus 5.4 By boat 6 Get around 6.1 Public bus 6.2 Rental car 6.3 Taxi 7 Talk 8 See 9 Do 10 Buy 11 Eat 12 Drink 13 Learn 14 Work 15 Stay safe 16 Gay and lesbian 17 Contact 18 Get out

Regions

• San José and the Central Valley
• The North
• Guanacaste
• Nicoya Peninsula
• The Central Pacific
• The South
• The Caribbean
• Cocos Island National Park

Cities

• San José - The capital.
• Tamarindo - Small pueblo on the Nicoya Peninsula famous for its beaches, a popular destination for tourists.
• Alajuela
• Cartago
• Heredia
• Jacó - Surfing paradise and superb dining
• Liberia
• Manuel Antonio - Pacific coast; entry point to Manuel Antonio National Park.
• Pochote - On Whale Bay, across the Bay from Puntarenas
• Puerto Limón - Main city on the Caribbean side
• Puntarenas - Ferry to Nicoya peninsula
• Parismina - Village on the Tortuguero Canals

Other destinations

• Arenal Volcano - active volcano
• Cahuita National Park
• Chirripo Nationa Park
• Corcovado National Park
• Manuel Antonio National Park
• Pacuare River and Protected Zone
• Monteverde and Santa Elena Cloud Forest Reserves

Understand

Get in

By plane

Juan Santamaría Airport (SJO) is located close to the cities Alajuela, Heredia and the capital San José.

SJO is currently under reconstruction. The dimly lit but otherwise pleasant airport features the normal assortment of duty-free shops but an inadequate selection of overpriced restaurants (Church's Chicken, Burger King and a fast-food pizza joint). SJO is serviced daily by American Airlines, Continental Airlines, Delta Airlines, United Airlines and US Airways as well as Taca and Copa Airlines.

There is a US $26 exit fee at the Juan Santamaría Airport. This must be paid in cash, or by Visa (in which case it will be processed as a cash advance).

Daniel Oduber Quirós International Airport' (LIR) is near Liberia in the Guanacaste province. This airport is closest to the Pacific Northwest coast. Liberia receives flights from Delta, American and Continental.

By car

The Interamericana (Panamerican Highway) runs through Costa Rica and is the main entry point by car. The border post in the north (to Nicaragua) is called Peñas Blancas and in the south (to Panamá) Paso Canoas. Virtually all travel out of the capital (except to the Carribean side) will involve travelling this road. There are many speed traps along this major artery, as well as some random police checks for seat belts and, especially near the borders, for valid travel documents. The highway speed is 80km/h, but since the Interamericana (a.k.a. Highway #1) passes through innumerable small towns the speed frequently drops to 50 or even 30 km/h as you suddenly find yourself in a school zone. Most of the highway is not divided. A common indicator that a police checkpoint is ahead is that oncoming cars flick their lights at you. Drivers also appear to flick their lights sometimes when someone has overtaken them. A speeding ticket is approximately 40,000 Colons (US $80), and although the police are generally congenial, foreign drivers are occasionally illegally offered an "on the spot" fine that is half that or less.

Many Costa Rican roads are in terrible shape, and short distances can take a very long time. Even the only road in and out of popular tourist destinations are riddled with major potholes. To avoid potholes, drivers will often snake through the left and right lanes, usually returning to the right when oncoming traffic approaches. While this may seem erratic to North American drivers, one becomes quickly accustomed to it. Driving at night is highly inadvisable due to the unpredicatability of road conditions and lack of safety features such as guard rails on the many hairpin turns in the hills.

Many roads are unpaved, and even the paved roads have lots of unpaved sections and washed out or unfinished bridges. Bridges are often only wide enough for one vehicle; one direction usually has priority. Do not expect to get anywhere quickly, supposed 3 hour journeys can turn into 5 or more hours easily: there are always slow cars/buses/trucks on the road. This causes a lot of crazy driving, which you begin to emulate if you are in-country for more than a day. The government does not seem to be fixing the infrastructure well (or at all!) 50km/hr is good over unpaved roads, you hit a resonance frequency where the damping factor of the suspension matches the undulations of the road and you have a smooth ride.

Navigation can prove challenging. Road signs are relatively few, and those that do exist can be inaccurate. It is recommended that you have a good road map with the small towns listed, since road signs will often only indicate the next town, not the direction of the next major city. Towns generally do not have town-limit signs; you are best to look at the names on the roadside food stores and restaurants to determine the place you are passing.

There are no formal street addresses in Costa Rica, but two informal systems exist. The first (often used in tourist information) indicates the road on which the establishment is located (e.g. "6th Avenue") together with the crossroad interval (e.g. "between 21st and 23rd Streets"). In practice, street signs are virtually non-existent, and locals do not even know the name of the street they are on. The second system, which is much more reliable and understood by locals, is known as the "Tico address", usually involving an oriented distance (e.g. "100 meters south, 50 meters east") from a landmark (e.g. "the catherdal").

It is worth noting the particular road naming system in San Jose. Avenues run east-west and streets run north-south. The numbering is less straighforward. Starting at Central Avenue going South are 2nd, 4th, 6th Avenue, etc. while going North are 1st, 3rd, 5th, etc. Streets use even numbers going west, and odd numbers going east. This means that if you are at 7th Avenue and 4th Street, and looking for 6th Avenue and 5th Street, you are on the wrong side of town.

Gas stations are full service and the guys there are very cool at taking dollars or Colón(es). The interesting thing is that Costa Rica is small so you do not burn a lot of gas getting places even though it seems like forever. Costa Rica is also land of the traffic circles so people from Europe should have no problem but North Americans should make sure they know how to navigate a large traffic circle.

By bus

There are bus services from the neighboring countries of Panamá, Nicaragua, Honduras, El Salvador and Guatemala. There is an extensive network of bus routes within the country with reasonable fares and usually comfortable seating. If using the bus routes within the country, some ability to speak and understand Spanish is helpful.

By boat

There are some boat transfers available into Costa Rica from Bocas del Toro in Panamá.

There is twice daily boat service from Los Chiles (in NE Costa Rica), former home of the Contras, to San Carlos, Nicaragua. The cost is about $5, plus a $1 fee. The boats usually only run in the mornings.

Get around

Keep in mind the pet peeve most tourists have with tico kindness: often times when a tico has no idea where a certain destination you may have had in mind is, he or she will simply direct you to a random location. Often times simply incomprehensible, these directions are a reflection on the cultural approach to kindness many Costa Ricans adopt. Service Car Rental has good chart about driving distances in Costa Rica.

Public bus

Most major tourist destinations in Costa Rica are serviced by at least two daily buses from and to San Jose. The advantages of public transportation in Costa Rica are that tickets are cheap (rarely more than $7 US per person)and they cover most towns around the country.

Rental car

For 350-700 USD a week you can rent a econocar/mid size 4WD. Insurance is the majority of this cost and it is not optional. 4 wheel drive is good for extensive traveling outside the Central Valley, especially in the wet season. In the dry season going from La Fortuna to Monteverde via a direct route was over a boulder strewn 15-30 MPH road. 4WD was also useful on the Nicoya coast.(above based on 2001 roads)

Due to the condition of most roads outside San Jose, car insurance, even with a zero-deductible option, generally does not cover tires and rims. Car rental companies requires a guaranty deposit from 750 USD during the rental period and a credit a credit card is necessary for this process. Using an insurance program provided by some types of gold or platinum credit cards is a good advantage since these credit cards would cover small scratches, small dents as well as the entire rented vehicle in case of collision or theft.

Taxi

Another easy way to get around Costa Rica is to use the services of mini-vans. At most of the hotels, the receptionist is able to assist travelers who want to travel across the country by arranging for the services of a driver. Rates are reasonable (US$20 per person, for example, to get from San Jose to Tamarindo in August, 2005) The drivers know the roads well; the vans are clean and comfortable; and they take you from door to door.

Taxis are available in most large cities. They are usually inexpensive, charging only a few dollars to get most anywhere within the city. The meter is called "la maria"; ask the driver to turn it on immediately upon getting in the car, or he may leave it off and make up his own, more expensive, price when you get to your destination. Official taxis are red with a yellow triangle on the side. If you are alone, especially if you are female, ride in the back seat as riding in the front with the driver can be seen as suggestive.

Talk

Spanish is the main language in Costa Rica. All major newspapers and official business are conducted in Spanish. English is used widely in areas populated by international tourists, and information for tourists is often bilingual or exclusively in English. A number of businesses operated by European proprietors can accommodate guests in Spanish, English and their native languages.

Some Costa Rican expressions:

• Ma'e, used akin to the English word "dude", although literally meaning something more like "idiot". Generally spoken among friends.

• Pura vida, literally translated as "pure life," is an expression endemic to Costa Rica. It can be used in several contexts, as an expression of enthusiasm, agreement, or salutation.

• Pulpería, A General Store

• Tuanis, means "OK". Taken from English phrase "too nice".

A prevalent version of slang in Costa Rica, and other regions of Latin America, is called "pachuco" or "pachuquismo," and is used by across social classes and understood as a "friendly" way of speaking.

The "tu" form is not commonly used in Costa Rica (or in Central America generally). Some people use the alternate informal "vos" but others consider it impolite and simply always use the "usted" form even with close friends.

See

One of the most wonderful activities for people who love nature is bird watching. You can enjoy bird watching in Southern Costa Rica. Due to the great diversity of climates, temperatures and forest types in the Southern area of Costa Rica, there is a wonderful variety of birds. Your experience will be greatly enhanced by having on hand the book "Birds of Costa Rica" by Alexander Schultz. You can find this book at certain bookstores in San José. Most hotels, as well as tourist information centers, will provide bird watching guides, maps and other essentials for bird watching. Do not forget to bring a hat, umbrella, boots, binoculars and camera.

Do

• wind surfing in the Tilarán area is some of the best in the world

• rafting, fishing, scuba diving, kayaking, and boating are all available

Agencies offer tours and itineraries to the active Arenal Volcano and Monteverde Cloud Forest.

Surf:

Costa Rica has many surfing hotspots.

The Pacific coast, particularly in central Puntarenas and Guanacaste, has some of the best surfing in Central America. Tamarindo is a perfect beach to learn to surf, whilst Playa del Coco offers advanced surfers the chance to surf at Witches Rock and Ollie´s Point.

On the Carribean side, there are beautiful beaches but limited surfing prospects.

The southern Costa Rica area has two very good spots for surf: Dominical and Pavones Beach.

The incredible and famous right spot, take it from West to the North West. The slow left but the rights make it famous. They can be stronger from December to January. The waves are not as many as in other places. It is a very long beach; the best waves are south and they are the most consistent and powerful ones of Costa Rica. It is the unofficial Surf Capital of Costa Rica; there are many reefs here and it is unadvisable to surf with low tide. The best Waves are North of Doly Hotel. In front of the Hotel Tamarindo Diria there is a right one which goes breaking to the howling tube, depending on the tide. It is the rocky lava reef of the Zully-Mar restaurant. The lefts break toward the North. With low tide the rights and lefts break over some reef and, be careful with the crocodiles. There is a place called La Piedra del Zapo,(the Frog´s Stone). These waves are very strong and sometimes frighten people; the rights and lefts are very good. It´s a huge collection of rights and lefts, rocky spots, reefs, good rest. It is called Small Hawaii. There is also a place called Purruja Place, (the place of the gnats). This right of stone and reef is better with low tide in front of Playa Negra Hotel; to the south there is one called “Callejones.” To the South it is better with high tides and, there is a left to the South; there are many reefs here.

Nicoya Peninsula It is a good place to surf and to watch the famous laying of the eggs of the “Lora Turttle”. To surf, it is better to go south of the river; it is a long beach. Many crests and a left spot towards the North end. The swell sometimes gets very high. The reefs are towards the South of the Bay at each end. Except of this spot, south of the rock, waves get big. It is also good towards the North. To obtain a right go the side of El Villagio Hotel. It is a place of difficult access but you may find good waves. It has a protected Bay to the South. It is the favorite beach for the “Ticos”, (Costa Ricans). The mouth of the Bay has rocky spots with good rights. There are other reefs to the North with good rights; there are also, very good rights and lefts in front of the Chora Island. It is dangerous to get into this area without investigating it first. The rights are very good in the mouth of the reef. Near the river the rights and lefts are good and sometimes, get big. It has the biggest swell of the area. It is a picturesque cove. The waves are smaller. It is a calm place of good swell and, distant. Very good waves in front of the hotel and people go exclusively to surf. It has a reef with a correct, good and short spot. A long beach and the reef breaks since the beginning; the good rights are towards the North end, but not on low tide. With reefs to the North and good waves. The rights and lefts are good which break better on low tides. Here there are several hotels and places in which people can help you find the better places to surf. Be careful if you go to Suck Rock that is in front of the Camping and Rocamar Restaurant. It can be good with any tide and wind conditions. The best waves are found to the West; they are more lining to the South. The beach is a mile long with rock on each end. There are approximately twelve crests along so, you can choose your own. (May and October). Three reefs are found with good spots to the left. Punta Barrigona is located to the North in front of Cabinas & Camping Mar Azul. The best one is to the South and with low tide and, the Suecos towards the South of the right side of the reef, being this one the best of the two and, breaks just in front of Sunset ref. Marine Lodge. To get here you need a motorboat or boat and, you get the waves towards the West side.

Central Pacific 33.The best ones are to the left side and on the months of July and August. 34.They are bigger by the South side of the river. 35.Behind the pier by the street of the Tabaris Restaurant, on the South side. 36.It is a rocky spot South of Tibibes. They are good and big. You have to row through the river ro get here and, it is called this way because there are many sharks. 37. The wave to the left breaks since the beginning to the South of the beach; be careful with the crocodiles. 38. It is an excellent left wave and without reefs, 10 km North of Jaco and, it is accessible only by motorboat or boat. The left one is ranged along and they are on the left side. 39. It has an excellent swell. It is a big, wide and long beach with good crests but, it tends to close outwards when it reaches 5 feet. The best swell is near the river towards the South. This is a place with good lodging, accessible, adventurous and with good service. 40. Punta Guapinol is the South end and five minutes from Jaco. There is a reef with a big right (Roca Loca). The wave breaks over a submerged big rock. 41. With howling tubes to the South, the best wave is obtained with high tide, in front of the Hotel Terraza de Pacifico; it is the only lighted beach in Latin America for championships. 42. South of Playa Hermosa, around Punta Judas; long and sandy beach. In front of the river you find the waves with best basins and, the other waves to the North. 43.The waves are better by the river. They can be bigger and more hollowed than in the West.. 44. The waves are better by the river and bigger. 45.The waves break with lefts and rights, it´s better when the tide is growing. Be careful with the crocodiles. The right is long to the South side of the river and, it is a long left which is better by the Barco de Damas or Quepos. 46.The left is located at the pier and the long surfing board is better; the waves are to the West and going to the South. 47. It is the most famous national park known internationally with good lefts and rights. Walk to the North along the beach and you will see a stone reef where the waves break, depending on the tide. Keep on walking beyond the big stone and you will find a small rocky cove with bigger and good waves; here, it breaks better on high tides. 48.To the South of Quepos on the road to Dominical, the crests have good rights and lefts. 49. It is in between Quepos and Dominical; it has very good waves on high tides. It has a swell of 3 km. 50.There are several places to surf but the best one is by the river; the waves are consistent, hollow and with a good break. It can turn heavy by the size with a swell that may reach 20 ft approximately. There are enough crests walking along the beach from one side to the other and, the best one just in front of San Clemente Cabins. You have to be very careful at this beach. At the South of the town you may obtain a Ref/Point that breaks to the left out of Punta Dominical; it also has a short right. 51.There can be swell here and the which has been seen is very small, it is the entrance to the only Marine Natural Park in Costa Rica, being the biggest coral reef house on the Pacific side of the country. Here there is a Ref/Island that might have swell. The Pacific South West 52. It is a remote break with big, long and powerful waves. The way to get here is by boat and, to do so get to the Sierpe town by the coast (Coast highway as the “Tico” way) or, 15 km South of Palmares. Board one behind the Las Vegas Restaurant with Mr. Jorge Uribe, whose telephone number is 786-66-82 and who will offer you very good information. The trip through the Sierpe River and out of the Pacific is very nice. 53. The breaks and the waves are on the west side of the end of the Peninsula. 54. The waves are to the South, it is practically a private area with good swell. Also called the Matapalo Beach, this wave is very good on the left side of the reef and, the wave breaks between to shorts outwards the rocky reef, with the rocks in the middle. It breaks out with more strength beyond the next rock spot. Be very careful when it is on low tide. It is long and ends fast but, it is to the left on low tide. The rights are easy long, slow and left. It is the jungle area of Matapalo. It has excellent rights and the waves are obtained fast; on low tide the reefs are exposed. It is the turning point for different surfing zones and to find the find the better waves. It is a black sand and long beach with good breaks especially on the South end. It is the excellent left spot; it is said that it is the longest one of the world, approximately one km surfing on it. The best ones are during the rainy season form from April until October; you may board a boat and sail three miles to the South and they can be twice as big. It is the exposed reef point and the beach breaks which are bigger than in Pavones on the left and right. With remote reef breaks, near the border with Panama, it is accessible only by boat; deep water and big waves. There is also a close island with good swell. The Caribbean Coast It is a small cove to the North of Playa Bonita Beach. It has a non-deep rupture of the rights on the coral reefs. Four kilometres North of Puerto Limon, it is a sandy and popular beach. The best wave is to the left break and sometimes gets big towards the North end. It is a good right; sometimes it has big waves. It is a stone reef out of the beach; this is the excellent right spot when the waves turn big. It has a small right out of the island and it breaks over an alive coral and reef. It has the running from the South of Puerto Limon. It has big waves that close on the outside and, it almost always has waves. Because of the size, the running and the breaking out, it can become very dirty but there are good bars by the South area. Around Banano River there is a good swell. It is South of Limon on the mouth of Banano River. Sometimes it has good waves and sometimes it has few. Here the alive coral reefs rest; the left is very good, it is close to the entrance of Cahuita National Park. It is the biggest and best coral reef to surf in Costa Rica. It is a black sand beach of 5 km. It is a night-life town. It is a serious swell rest in front of Stanford Restaurant. The wave is big, thick, with deep water towards the not deep and sharp coral reef. It is probable that the right is the best and biggest of Costa Rica and, certainly the most powerful. The left is also good. It is very known as the Caribbean Pipe by the style power and pain, with two crests: the first depends of the South and its walls towards the second crest, which is easier. The crest also has a good, short left for the fast tubes. Here all surfers should protect themselves with helmets and protecting shoes due to the reef. Long Shoal is a couple of miles away; it has good crests and you need boards for big waves and a boat. This waves are for the experienced surfer. It is a good beach break six kilometres from Puerto Viejo. Cocles Beach break. Good right and left waves; they are very good from 2-4 ft while closing. They are also very good when they start closing. It is a sandy beach with life saving equipment; the surfers know it as “Blocf.” The breaks of the rights are out of the reefs, north of the spot that faces the cove. It is known as Playa Grande Beach. It is very isolated; there is not a place to stay or eat. It is a sandy beach, good rights and lefts. They are very good from 2-4 ft while closing. It is a fast right 7 km from Punta Uva.

Buy

The local currency is Colón(es) named after Columbus (Spanish: Colón). The rate of change is about 515 Colones for 1 US Dollar (July 2006), but note that there is a growing inflation. Also note that the use of US Dollars is quite common, in fact, in the tourist setting, almost everything is priced in Dollars.

You can find ATMs in most places. They normally dispense US Dollars and Colones.

The most common souvenirs are made from wood.

You might get a discount (usually around 10%) when paying in cash.

When paying with Travelers checks, unless for hotel nights, change them first at a bank. Expect long delays with Travelers checks at the bank, lots of stamping, the higher up the official at the bank the more stamps they have. Dollars are easier.

In Golfito there is the "Deposito Comercial de Golfito", a duty free area where you can buy mostly electrical appliances, home furnishings, perfumes, cloths, etc at the best price. Guanacaste and the North West

Eat

Costa Rican cuisine can be described as simple but wholesome. The spiciness often associated with Central American food is mostly absent.

Gallo pinto is a mixture of rice and beans with a little cilantro or onion thrown in. While more common at breakfast, it can also be served at lunch or dinner.

Casado, which means married, is the typical lunch in Costa Rica, containing rice and beans with meat, chicken or fish, always served with salad and fried plantain.

Good, fresh fruit is abundant in variety and low in cost. Mercados provide an excellent place to sample fruit and other Costa Rican fare, with many including sit-down snack bars.

Be sure to stop off at a Soda along any of the roads: a casado and beer will cost ~$3.

Don't forget to try the Lizano Salsa that you will surely find at any restaurant. It is a mild salsa that has a hint of curry and is slightly sweet. It tastes good on just about anything!

Also as per usual in Central America standard breakfast fare is a ham sandwhich, so people adverse to eating pork might be advised to check out a grocery market for something else.

Drink

Refrescos are beverages made from fresh fruit (cas, guanabana, sandia/watermelon, mora/blackberry, fresa/strawberry, granadilla/passion fruit), sugar and either water or milk. All sodas (mom and pop diners) serve these. You can also easily buy the standard international soda pops. 'Fresca' and 'canada Dry' are recommended.

The national drink is called guaro, which is made from fermented sugar cane. It is similar to vodka, and is usually drunk with water and lemon.

The most popular beers in the country are Pilsen and Imperial: all bars and restaurants serve both. Bavaria, "Bavaria Negra" (dark) and Rock Ice are more expensive and therefore less common.

Learn

You can learn Spanish in Costa Rica. Reflecting the higher living standard, it's a little more expensive compared to other countries such as Guatemala but then again, the education level of your teachers will be much higher.

A good and really complete institution is AICR. With packages that include Spanish lessons, homestays (all inclusive), Cultural Training, and Volunteer opportunities.

Some hostels offer packages that include Spanish lessons and daily home-stays with the locals (in addition to your room and board).

After Colombia, the Spanish spoken by the Costa Ricans is one of the clearest in the region.

Work

The local newspaper, La Nacion, has an extensive jobs listing every Sunday and Monday.

Stay safe

Traffic in Costa Rica is dangerous, so be careful. Roads tend to have many potholes. Like any other tourist destination, watch for pickpockets. The coasts of Costa Rica are known for strong currents and rip-tides. There are no signs indicating an unsafe beach due to riptides, so take precaution and listen to the locals on where it is safe to swim. There are some active volcanoes in Costa Rica and they are dangerous, so follow the warning signs posted. The slopes of the Arenal volacno invite visitors to climb closer to the summit, but there have been accidents in the past with unseen gas chambers. Also be wary of the climate of Costa Rica. It is very hot in the daytime, but in the morning and evening it becomes very cool, so you should bring a heavy jacket.

Gay and lesbian

Costa Rica is widely known as the most tolerant of Latin American countries for Gay and Lesbian travelers but caution should still be exercised. There is a thriving gay scene in San Jose with many gay and lesbian options for nightlife. The Manuel Antonio and Quepos area is also a favorite spot with several gay hotels, a gay bar and a nude mostly gay beach, Playita.

Contact

The international calling code/country code for Costa Rica is 506.
A postage stamp to Europe is 125 Colones.

The primary means of outside contact are through email and public pay telephones.

Internet cafes are fairly easy to find in tourist areas, with prices all over the place. Some of these offer long distance calls over the internet.

Public phones are accessed with calling cards (tarjetas telefonicas) which can be purchased at most shops, even in outlying areas.

There are three different types of pay-phones:

• Coin phones. Note that these only accept the older silver-colored coins.

• Chip phones. These phones allow you to insert a chip-type calling card into them and make your calls.

• Colibri phones. These phones have a small swipe bar for a scratch off type calling card refered to as a Colibri calling card which are available from 500 colones and up. Note that I've never encountered a swipe that actually works--you always have to enter the calling card access code on the keypad. Despite this, the Colibri calling card is the recommended one to buy as you can use it any of the types of phones whereas with a chip card you must search for a chip phone.

Both types of calling cards are typically available in pharmacies and other locations where you see the sticker on the door.

Domestic calls are quite cheap but vary with distance. Calls to cellular phones are charged significantly more though.

International calls are fairly expensive. The cheapest way to make them is over the internet using a service such as Skype at an Internet café. But making short calls using the domestic calling cards (you can make international calls using these but the denominations of the calling cards are quite small so your call with be short!) or the international calling cards available within Costa Rica (all from the government phone monopoly ICE) is the next best deal. Certainly better than credit card calls or using a US calling card generally.

Mobile phone service in Costa Rica is provided by Grupo I.C.E. using GSM technology at 1800 MHz. See map for coverage. Roaming is possilbe with a GSM handset but can be expensive. Note that the GSM phone systems in the United States and Canada use different frequencies and that travelers from there will need a "world" handset. You should check with your provider beforehand. Prepaid Sim cards are not available in Costa Rica.

Get out

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