New York City 5 hrs

Miami 2 hrs

Philadelphia 4.5 hrs

Boston 6.5 hrs

Los Angeles 6.5 hrs

Chicago 5 hrs

Dallas-Fort Worth 4 hrs

San Francisco 7 hrs

Please note that if you should opt to fly to one of these regions, flights depart San José in the early morning. An overnight stay in San José upon arrival and departure may be required.

EC0-NATURE AREAS

Manuel Antonio: This is a small town with exquisite scenery and astounding ecological treasures. There are panoramic views of the Pacific Ocean, evergreen vegetation, an exciting mix of comfort and adventure, and popular beaches in Costa Rica. Manuel Antonio was designated as a National Park in 1972, forever preserving its 1,700 acres of land, 136,000 acres of ocean, and the 109 mammal and 187 bird species that inhabit its coasts and forests. This privileged place of virgin forests, lagoons, mangroves, beaches, and 12 small islands is also crucial as a nesting and feeding ground for many sea birds. Venture along the jungle trails and come face to face with toucans, white-faced monkeys, red squirrels, three-toed sloths, and many more!

Monteverde: This Cloud Forest Reserve is a village as well as a biological reserve. The Dry Season is the best time for bird-watching and any time of year visitors can enjoy art and butterfly galleries, orchid gardens, a serpentarium, horseback riding, family restaurants, pubs, craft shops, and more. The Reserve sits on the Continental Divide in the Tilarán Mountain Range and contains 8 life zones that shelter many rare species such as the brilliantly-plumed quetzal birds and the endangered gentle tapir, a relative of the horse. Nature trails let you journey safely and easily through this priceless ecosystem.

Arenal Region: Facing one of the most active volcanoes of Costa Rica, this is a favorite destination for locals and tourists. Lake Arenal provides safe viewpoints of the volcanic fireworks, and the Arenal Reservoir is rich in aquatic resources and wildlife. Hiking and horseback riding are also popular. Take a self-guided tour through the botanical gardens, handicraft markets, greenhouses, rainforest nature trails, river, waterfalls, keep your eyes open for the more than 225 species of birds that populate the region, and don't forget a rejuvenating soak in the Tabacon Hot Springs.

Osa Peninsula:At the top of the Osa Peninsula, Corcovado National Park offers an extraordinary chance to get close the diversity of nature. Beside the lush flora of this rain forest reserve, there are 624 species of mammals birds, reptiles, and amphibians to meet here.

Tortuguero: Great adventures await in the tropical rain forest of Tortuguero National Park. Your boat guide will lead you among a network of canals teeming with life, from howler monkeys to herons and more.

BEACH AREAS

Guanacaste: The largest province in Costa Rica, Guanacaste offers miles of untouched beaches on the Pacific, and is home to the relaxed beach towns of Flamingo and Tamarindo. You'll also find some of the country's finest resort hotels and best nature parks.

Puntarenas: The closest beach resort to San Jose, Puntarenas features striking and unusual volcanic black sand beaches. A great starting point for day trips to the Monteverde Cloud Forest or the Gulf of Nicoya.

Jaco Beach: Excellent surfing, small native style hotels, restaurants with local flair and low key entertainment are all part of the Jaco Beach experience. The area is an ideal base for exploring the Carara Biological Reserve.

Tambor: You can play all day in the warm Pacific water of Tambor, set on the Southern end of the Nicoya peninsula. In fact, it's a perfect place to get off the beaten path and onto the beach!

Caribbean Coast/Limon: Experience the Caribbean as it was, and as it should be...pristine beaches, waving palm trees and small quaint hotels. Don't miss the opportunity to explore at the underwater park in Cahuita.

Costa Rica is located in the heart of Central America. It is flanked by the Caribbean to the east and northeast, Panama to the southeast, Nicaragua to the north, and the Pacific Ocean to the west. The country contains a numerous rivers, plains, mountains, valleys, volcanoes, beaches, and several nature reserves. The highest regions are found in the interior, while extensive, flat lowlands reach to the Caribbean coast. On the Pacific side are bays, capes, cliff faces and inlets formed by the marine shelf, which cuts sharply into the coast. Three mountain ranges intersect with a fourth to form a cross and two volcanic ranges dominate the northwest.

The tropical weather in San José is usually temperate, with temperatures generally ranging between 70°-85° in the lowlands and 58°-76° in the elevated Central Valley, and San José, Monteverde, and Arenal. The Pacific coast is more arid and is the hottest region, with dry season temperature up in the 90s. Summer is the dry season, running from December to April and winter is the rainy season, running from May to November, though rain tends to fall only in the late afternoon or evening.

The most popular time to visit is during the dry summer season (December through April) known as invierno. During the rainy winter season (May through November) known as verano, it is often dry and sunny in the morning, but rainy in the afternoon. Note that the seasons are reversed from US patterns. The rainy season, referred to as the "Green Season," is the lightest time for tourist crowds though this is when vegetation is at its lushest and most gorgeous. If you can work around the afternoon rains, this is a great time to see nature at its best. During the rainiest months of September and October, some rural hotels shut down.

Costa Rica is rich in natural assets, and has protected nearly a third of its territory as national parks. Its ecological wealth ranges from jungles, to sun-swathed beaches, to volcanic lava fields, to gentle river valleys, to coffee plantations. Costa Rica's forests and 760 miles of coastline contain 5% of the earth's plant and animal species. Its twelve major life zones are among the most diverse and productive in the world, and harbor many endangered species such as the sea turtles that nest on its beaches. Aside from simply enjoying the beauty, visitors have incredible fun rafting, scuba diving, bird-watching, horseback-riding, hiking, mountain biking, and more!

Arenal Volcano & Hot Springs Tour: Start with a visit to rushing waterfalls and the 2 rustic towns of Naranjo and Zarcero. Next, descend to the San Carlos Plains to witness the glowing orange explosions of the Arenal Volcano from a safe distance, and wind down with a soothing bath in the volcanic Tabacón Hot Mineral Springs.

Reventazón White Water Rafting: Perfect for beginners, this trip offers adventure without danger, first along a series of relatively easy rapids, after which you hurtle through El Gordo and Hueco Santo, the most challenging rapids of the run. All around is picture-book scenery and a numbing profusion of wildlife.

Aerial Tram Rain Forest Tour: Cross over the Continental Divide and continue on a ½ hour ride through Braulio Carrillo National Park for what may be the most amazing journey of your life through a canopy of ancient trees dripping with mosses, ferns, and orchids. Bring binoculars and you'll get once-in-a-lifetime views of the wildlife nesting, feeding, playing, mating, sleeping, and battling along the way!

Poas Volcano, Chubascos & Sarch Oxcart Factory: Poas is believed to be the world's largest geyser, which you reach through a network of trails that take you right to the emerald lagoon of its extinct crater. Continue to the town of Sarchi, the home of Costa Rica's native art where primitive local artists began the tradition of painting and decorating their oxcarts with intricate and colorful designs.

Folklore Show at Pueblo Antiguo: Professional actors portray a slice of Costa Rican history in this bilingual multimedia show that dramatizes notable elements of the country's turn-of-the-20th-century life. Marimba music, dance groups, and masked mythical figures entertain you in a lovely theme park. After a traditional dinner, you are treated to a native folkloric dance show.

Carara Biological Reserve & Jaco Beach: The Old Spanish Route, one of Costa Rica's most scenic roads, takes you to the 11,750-acre reserve where striking animals such as scarlet macaws, rare monkeys, and dazzling butterflies make up the tropical web of life. Explore this habitat via trails sheltered under a cathedral canopy of enormous trees and then head on to the beach for lunch and seaside rest or play, as you wish!

Corcovado National Park: A huge range of habitats covers this park from seemingly impenetrable rainforest to dripping, steamy cloud forest, oak forested seashore, and swamp. Located on the Osa Peninsula of the southern Pacific coast, lengthy, wide beaches fringe its western side. The Corcovado lagoon and swamp harbors large crocodiles and many of the park's 140 mammal species, and monkeys swing above every trail. All the country's big cats, such as the jaguar, live in there and can occasionally be seen on the beach. Over 400 species of birds and the largest population of scarlet macaws in Central America also live here. For advanced hikers only!

Museo Nacional de Costa Rica: The country's most important historical museum is housed in a former army barracks that was the scene of fighting during the civil war of 1948. Hundreds of bullet holes can still be seen on the turrets at the corners of the building. Displays of Costa Rican history and culture from pre-Columbian times to the present feature a 2,500-year-old jade carving shaped like a seashell and etched with an image of a hand holding a small animal.

Museo de Arte Costarricense: Costa Rica's most celebrated artists present their diverse work, including sculptures, paintings, and prints as part of the permanent collection. Rotating exhibits are also featured and the conference room's unusual bas-relief walls, which chronicle the history of Costa Rica from pre-Columbian times to the present, are a popular attraction.

Zoo Ave (Bird Zoo): Get a closer look at the birds you'll spot in the wild as you visit dozens of rescued injured or abused scarlet macaws, reclusive owls, majestic raptors, toucans, and other brilliantly colored birds from Costa Rica and around the world. Large iguana, deer, monkeys, and a 12-foot crocodile have also found a safe home here.

Pre-Columbian Ruins: In the Guayabo National Monument is a collection of building foundations and cobblestone streets predating the arrival of European man. Tour them on your own, or request a guide. Buses depart daily from Turrialba.

Mercado Central: This is the sort of marketplace every traveler anticipates finding in a foreign land, and no trip to San José is complete without a round of this indoor labyrinth of shops, stalls, and restaurants. Everything from crafts and clothing to freshly picked coffee is sold here, and the surrounding streets host a daily farmers market.

San José has an impressive variety of restaurants serving cuisine from all over the world and you'll never pay much, even for 6- and 7-course meals at the best restaurants. Rice and beans are the staples, called gallo pinto when mixed together, and are served at nearly every meal. To sample the local flavor, find a soda (the equivalent of a diner in the US), where the food is good, cheap and filling. Don't miss out on the perennially favorite drink, a fresco, which is a bit like a fresh fruit milkshake without the ice cream, and made from delicious tropical fruits that are whipped into a pure ambrosia. On almost every street corner in downtown San José, you will find a fruit vendor selling fresh exotic fruits that will make a waterfall of your mouth, including more varieties of mangos than you ever knew existed!

Gourmet: La Luz serves the most adventurous food in Costa Rica, mixing fresh local ingredients with international cuisine. The wait staff is attentive and knowledgeable and the chef makes the rounds most nights. The glass-walled dining room is one of the most elegant in town, with a view of the city lights. All breads and desserts are baked in-house. San José, On the old road to Santa Ana, inside Hotel Alta

Highly Recommended: Café Mundo radiates the casual elegance of its former colonial mansion, appointed with wood tables and wrought-iron chairs. The outdoor veranda, tropical garden, and tile fountain are especially nice during the day, and the lively bar with colorful wall murals is also popular. The chef has a passion for fresh local ingredients prepared with creativity and classical finesse. San José, Calle 15 and Avenida 9

Local Flair: La Esmeralda is more than a restaurant - it's the Grand Central Station of Costa Rican Mariachi bands - and the later at night, the better. Often, while the musicians wait for "pick-up" work, they serenade diners in the large open-air dining hall. The classic Tico food is excellent, especially the coconut flan for dessert. San José, Avenida 2 between Calles 5 and 7

Romantic: Le Chandelier is located in a large old house in a quiet residential neighborhood. It is one of the most elegant restaurants in town and its surroundings give it the feel of an old-time Hollywood restaurant. Swiss chef Claude Dubuis creates unique dishes, with French classics served alongside less familiar dishes such as roast duck in green-pepper sauce or tenderloin with cranberry sauce. The feast and is topped off with rich desserts like crème brulée. San Pedro, ½ mile south of the ICE office

San José at night has a good range of activities and is as wild as the wilderness itself. You'll find plenty of good-time clubs and bars, a wide range of theaters, and pulsing discos. In San José, pick up a copy of the Tico Times (English) or the "Viva" and "Tiempo Libre" sections of La Nichión (Spanish) to find out where the parties are.

Teatro Nacional: Performances by the National Symphony Orchestra light up the stage during the April to December season, and there are also year-round concert and play performances.

Beatle Bar: The Fab Four line the wall and the music is a mix of Beatles and other 60s and 70s rock classics. Grab one of the outdoor tables or take a turn on one of the most happening dance floors in the city.

El Tobogan: The dance floor is about the size of a football field and it's always full. This is the place where the locals, "Ticos," come to boogie to live music.

Risa's Bar: Six restaurants and bars occupies all 4 floors of this beautiful old building in the heart of San José. A large disco takes up much of the first two floors with a variety of different environments spicing up the rest of the building.

Casino Colonial: This 24-hour casino is a complete gaming hall that also offers a bar, restaurant, cable TV, and a betting service for major US sporting events.

La Avispa: Two dance floors and a quiet upstairs bar cater to gay and lesbian patrons.

Centro Comercial El Pueblo: This hotspot has 2 discos with Latin music at Cocoloco. Infinito has 2 dance floors that split their musical styles between mostly techno, pop and funk on one side, and strictly Latin on the other.

Fiesta de Santa Cruz: This religious celebration honors the Black Christ of Esquipulas, with folk dancing, marimba music, and bullfights. January

Fiesta de los Diablitos: Boruca Indians wearing wooden devil and bull masks perform dances representing the Spanish conquest of Central America. There are also fireworks shows and an Indian handicrafts market. February

Dia del Boyero: A colorfully painted oxcart parade celebrates the traditional occupation of oxcart driving, and local priests bless the oxen. March

Juan Santamaria Day: Costa Rica's national hero is honored with parades, concerts, and dances. April

Festival for the Virgin of the Sea: A regatta of colorfully decorated boats carrying a statue of Puntarenas' patron saint is the main event of this festival. July

Annexation of Guanacaste Day: Bullfights, folk dancing, horsebackparades, rodeos, concerts, and other quintessential Costa Rican events celebrate the region's annexation. July

Independence Day: Celebrating Costa Rica's independence from Spain in 1821, the country erupts with parades and parties. The entire country stops and sings the National Anthem at 6 pm, when the Freedom Torch arrives from Nicaragua, signifying Central America's liberation. September 15

Fiesta de los Negritos: Boruca Indians celebrate their patron saint, the Virgin of the Immaculate Conception, with costumed dances and traditional music. December

Festejos Populares: Bullfights, a horse parade, and a carnival with street dancing, floats, and a whirlwind of carnival rides fire up the fairgrounds in Zapote, culminating with a dance in Parque Central. December

Bring loose-fitting, natural fiber clothing. T-shirts and shorts should be reserved for beaches and tourist centers. Long sleeve shirts and pants are good as protection against sun and mosquitoes, and in smaller towns where immodest attire is frowned upon. Bring a hat and pack a light jacket for occasional cool nights and early mornings, as well as for volcano trips. Sturdy sneakers or hiking boots are essential, as are sunscreen, bugspray, sunglasses, and an umbrella. Sun products can be difficult to find in outlying areas, so pack sufficient supplies for your trip.

We strongly advise that you confirm the following information and regard this only as a basic guide.

Sunburn & Heatstroke: The sun can be harsh, especially in summer, so sun block and a hat are essential. Drink lots of water to avoid dehydration.

Animal Products: International laws prohibit trade in endangered wildlife, so visitors to Costa Rica should not buy any wildlife or plants. Avoid sales of any kind of sea turtle product (including jewelry), wild birds, lizards, snakes or cat skins, corals, or orchids (except those grown commercially).

Currency Exchange: Street corner foreign exchange transactions are technically illegal and risky. They are known for shortchanging people and passing counterfeit bills.

Water: Drinking water is pure and suitable for drinking throughout most of the country. However, bottled water is recommended.

Inoculation: Inoculation for yellow fever is recommended. Malaria has been eradicated but there is evidence of a resurgence, so consider bringing malaria pills for extensive stays in lowland areas.

Spanish is the official language, but English is widely spoken in the tourist centers.

The standard in Costa Rica is the same as in the US, 110 volts AC/60 cycles. Three-pronged outlets, however, can be scarce, so it's helpful to bring along an adapter.

We strongly advise that you confirm the following information and regard this only as a basic guide.

Entry: A passport valid for at least 30 days after your travel date and an onward/return ticket is required for all visits to Costa Rica. No visa is required for stays up to 90 days. For stays over 90 days, apply for an extension within the first week after arrival with the Costa Rican Immigration Department and, after 90 days, obtain an exit visa.

Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative: Effective January 23, 2007, ALL persons, including US citizens, traveling by air between the United States and Canada, Mexico, Central and South America, the Caribbean, and Bermuda will be required to present a valid passport, Air NEXUS card, or US Coast Guard Merchant Mariner Document, or an Alien Registration Card, Form I-551, if applicable.

The passport requirement does NOT apply to US citizens traveling to or returning directly from a US territory. US citizens returning directly from a US territory are not considered to have left the United States and do not need to present a passport. US territories include the following: Guam, Puerto Rico, the US Virgin Islands, American Samoa, Swains Island, and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands.

Costa Rica Customs: Visitors entering Costa Rica may bring 500 grams (17 ounces) of tobacco products per person, 5 liters (5.2 quarts) of wine or spirits per person age 18 or older, 2 kilograms (4.4 pounds) of sweets and chocolates, one camera, six rolls of film, binoculars and electrical items for personal use only are also allowed.

US Customs: Upon return to the US, visitors may bring in $800 worth of merchandise without paying duty. Limits on alcoholic beverages are: one liter (33.8 fluid ounces) may be brought in duty free with travelers over 21. Limits on tobacco are: 200 cigarettes and 100 cigars may be brought in duty free.

US Embassy:

Calle 120 Avenida 0, Pavas, San José, Costa Rica

Office Hours: 8:00AM-4:30PM

Local Address: 920-1200 San José, Costa Rica

US Address: US Embassy San Jose, APO AA 34020

Phone: (506) 519-2000

After Hours/Emergencias: (506) 220-3127

Embassy Fax: (506) 519-2305

Public Affairs Fax: (506) 232-7944

Email: consular@usembassy.or.cr

Instituto Costarricense de Turismo: Calles 5 y 7, avenida 4, PO Box 777-1000, San Jose, Costa Rica, phone: 506-23-17-33, fax: 506-55-49-96

USA: Costa Rica National Tourist Bureau, toll-free 1-800-343-6332