 DESTINATIONS
Costa Rica Staff Writer Golf Courses at a Glance
FAQ1.Where is Costa Rica? Costa Rica is located in Central America between Nicaragua and Panama. It has two coastlines, the Pacific and the Caribbean, with a few volcanoes and a rain forest packed with monkeys in between. The capital, San Jose, is home to a quarter of a million people. One of the country's key features is its undulated landscape. La Meseta Central is the highest plateau and it runs down the middle of the country. Surrounding this plateau are several mountain ranges as expansive and as high as any throughout Central America. 2. Do I need any special documents once I get there? All U.S. and Canadian citizens will need a passport valid for six months and a pre-paid ticket out of Costa Rica. Tourists may remain in the country without a visa for up to 90 days. 3. Will I suffer from any jet lag? Well, that of course depends on what part of the world you are traveling from, but Costa Rica is in the US Central Standard time zone, and it does not observe daylight savings time. 4. What type of weather should I expect? The temperature is fairly constant in Costa Rica throughout the year. The highs usually range in the mid 80s, while the lows are in the mid 60s. May to November is the rainy season, and is usually characterized by sunny mornings, with bouts of warm afternoon rain to follow.
The official language is Spanish while the official currency is the Costa Rican Colon. You will find that - like many international locations - many people speak some English, but brushing up on a little Spanish prior to your trip may be a good idea. 6 What kind of taxes will I pay when I am in Costa Rica and how much should I tip? There is a departure tax of $17US for all non-Costa Rica citizens upon leaving the country. Tipping is not necessary at restaurants as 10 percent is automatically charged to your bill, but kicking it up to 15 or 20 percent depending on the service is of course appreciated. It is also standard to tip tour and taxi guides. 7. Besides golf, what are some worthwhile activities? One of the more outlandish activities popular among Costa Rican tourists is bungee jumping. A frequented venue is the Old Bridge over the Colorado, home to a 300 foot drop. Surfing on either of the country’s coasts is also a popular past time. Finally, visiting the Costa Rica's many national parks and volcano ranges are other solid tourist options. Transportation InformationCosta Rica is over seven hours from New York, but only an hour and half from Miami, and is served by several major U.S. carriers. Continental makes departures from Houston, Montreal and Toronto; Delta from Atlanta; and United from Houston, San Francisco and Washington, D.C. Additionally, Air Canada flies out of Montreal, while Iberia, LTU and Grupo Taca fly from Miami. Alamo, Adobe, Mapache and Europcar are the car rental agencies that will be available upon your arrival. And for those looking to get to the areas not as easily accessible via a rental car, there are many day and multi-day tours available for spots all over the region.
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What is the official language and currency?
