Traveling to Costa Rica
When traveling to Costa Rica there are several things
to be aware of.Keep the following things in mind when planning your trip:
- Unless you are a Costa Rican citizen you will need a passport.
As an American Citizen you do not need a vias as you will be traveling
as a tourist. If you don't have your passport, get started on geting one now by
visiting the US Department of State.
Allow for at least 10 weeks to recieve your
passport; less than 8 weeks requires expediting your order and costs more. If your passport will expire less than 6 months
after your entry to Costa Rica, you should renew it before heading down. For information about traveling to Costa Rica
from the US Department of State, visit their
Consular Information Sheet on the country.
- Plan to fly into the Juan Santamaría International Airport in San José. The
airport code is SJO. Do not fly into Liberia International Airport. That airport
services the northern coastal regions and it would be a long drive to the wedding!
- The following airlines serve San Jose with multiple flights every day: American Airlines,
Avianca, Aviateca, Continental Airlines, Copa Airlines, Delta Airlines, Lacsa, LTU, Martinair, Mexicana Airlines,
TACA Airlines, and United Airlines
- Prices of airline flights to Costa Rica tend to drop in May thanks to the
start of the rainy season. This is still four months in advance of the wedding and should get you the best deal. Look
into Kayak for a comprehensive search engine of all airlines and budget flight services
such as Travelocity and Expedia.
- Be prepared to pay a $26 exit tax per person upon leaving Costa Rica. This should be paid at
the airport from the exit tax booth on the day of your departure. Do not try and
buy this exit tax from the hawkers outside the airport! The official tax will
be stamped into your passport and you cannot leave without it! |
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Traveling in Costa Rica
There are a number of different ways to get around Costa Rica. While renting a car is an option,
the roads are not well marked and the scenery's so pretty, you won't want to be focusing on the
roads.
- Within the city, taxis are safe to take, ask your hotel to call one for you and expect to
tip. Official taxis are red with yellow triangles on the side with numbers and have marias or meters inside
to charge you correctly by time.
- When taking longer day trips or going to another part of the country, book through one of the
tour companies (most day trips offer transportation as part of the package) or use
Interbus for a reliable door-to-door mini-van and bus service. Their prices are reasonable and they offer comfortable
rides with knowledable drivers who know where the best pit stops are along the route!
- If you are up to a bit of an adventure and want to spend less time traveling and more time enjoying the destination, amazingly reasonable short plane flights (some fares under $30!) are available through Nature Air. They have flights to almost all major destinations throughout Costa Rica with travel time to most places under an hour.
- Public busses are a cost-effictive method as well, but are not as convenient or comfortable. The bus terminal is located
in downtown San Jose and your hotel should be able to give you more information on how to catch one of these busses.
- Airport taxis to your hotel are ordered just as you exit the airport and are
paid for up front. Go to the taxi window and let them know what hotel you are staying at. You will pay
there and get a voucher and they will hail a cab for you. Expect to tip for handling of bags/luggage.
- On the day of the wedding, transportation to and from the ceremony and reception site will be
provided from the hotels suggested on the "Where to Stay" page.
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