Depending on your country of origin, you may enter Costa Rica without a visa. USA, Canada and most European countries enjoy this privilege. For more information, please visit: Visas

Whether traveling by air, land, or sea, all visitors must have an entry and exit ticket in order to enter the country.

With a legal driver’s license, you are allowed to drive for three months.

Non-residents may get married in Costa Rica. Required documents include: - original birth certificate - affidavit of single status - police record - valid passport - divorce decree (if applicable). These documents must follow the authentication procedure before being taken to Costa Rica.

The main difference is the amount of rain. It doesn´t rain as much in the cloud forest as it does in the rain forest. The species of flora and fauna found in each may also differ.

The water is potable in most of the country. However, we recommend bottled water, especially in areas around the coast.

The colón is the currency of Costa Rica. US dollars and major credit cards are also widely accepted.

All major credit cards are widely accepted. ATM machines are located throughout the country.

Starting on July 30, 2007, the Costa Rican authorities will demand that all travelers from the following countries possess a yellow fever vaccination certificate: Angola, Benin, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Gabon, Gambia, Guinea, Liberia, Nigeria, Sierra Leone, Sudan, Bolivia, Venezuela, Brazil, Peru, Colombia, Ecuador, and the Republic of Guyana.

Outlets are 110 V, with standard US two prong plugs.

Dogs and cats entering Costa Rica must have a health certificate issued by a licensed veterinarian, endorsed by a veterinarian service (VS) veterinarian. The examination for the certificate must be conducted within the two weeks prior to traveling to Costa Rica. The required vaccinations are: distemper, hepatitis, lestospirosis, parvovirus and rabies (for animals 4 months or older).

Departure tax is US$29.00, which can be paid in US Dollars, colones or with a credit card.

You must apply for a working visa at the Costarican Consulate.

Costa Rica offers different ways to legalize your status: temporary resident, pensioner, foreign government mission. For more legal information, contact the Costa Rican consulate or the Costa Rican Residents Association at www.casacanada.net

Only Poás Volcano National Park, Carara National Park and Santa Rosa National Park offering wheel chair access.

Kosta Rhoda offers special trips for the handicapped.

There is an American Legion in Costa Rica for veterans of the U.S. Armed Forces. You can also contact The Association of Residents at: (506)2233-8068 or at www.casacanada.net

At the end of 90 days, you must leave the country for at least 72 hours. Upon returning to Costa Rica, the permit will be renewed automatically for 90 more days.

All you need is insect repellent, a rain coat with a hood and a comfortable pair of hiking boots.

You can contact SANSA at ww.flysansa.com (506)2221-9414.

Sales tax is 13%

Dial 911 for immediate assistance.

The Tico Times. www.ticotimes.net (506)2258-1558

You can practice it at Pacuare, Reventazon, Corobici, Sarapiqui, Naranjo and Savegre rivers.

Limon Carnivals are celebrated in October, and Puntarenas has them from February 21 to March 3rd.

You can go to Tortuguero National Park in the Caribbean or to Las Baulas National Park in the Pacific coast.

Costa Rica is bordered by Nicaragua in the north, Panama in the South, the Caribbean Sea in the East and the Pacific Ocean in the West.

Costa Rica is divided into 7 provinces: San Jose, Heredia, Alajuela, Cartago, Limon, Puntarenas and Guanacaste.

If you want to use a cell phone in Costa Rica, you must bring an UNLOCKED cell phone and buy a SIM prepaid card at the ICE (the national telecommunications company) booth in the baggage section of the airport (or in a telephone company office in any city around the country). The unlocked cell phone must be a quad-band GSM or 3G handset or at least have an 850 or 1800 mHz band. Most US phones use 950 mHz. Motorola and Sony Ericcson are brands that have models with the right bands. At the airport ICE booth, you can ask for the different SIM prepaid cards they offer and it will be inserted in your handset. Some of them will include internet access.

When you are sent a quote or the reservation notice for a car, it is recommended that you ask about the cost of insurance and taxes, as well as the amount of the deductible that will be charged to the credit card or security deposit. Similarly, if you reserve with a franchise, the best advice is to contact the franchise office here in Costa Rica.