Travel Tips and Recommendations
What kind of clothes should I bring?
Pack light and bring comfortable clothing. T-shirts and shorts are acceptable in San José during the day, but if you plan to go out in the evening, slacks are highly recommended, as some restaurants won’t admit guests wearing shorts or sandals. Loose-fitting, long-sleeved shirts and pants are advisable if you want to avoid sun exposure. A wide-brimmed hat is great for protecting your face and neck from the sun. It’s also a good idea to pack a light sweater or jacket, as the air conditioning on the bus can be quite cool. Sturdy sneakers or hiking boots are essential if you plan to do a lot of sightseeing or hiking. Waterproof hiking sandals or other breathable footwear are ideal for walking around town, as well as for beach walks, crossing streams, and navigating muddy trails in the rainforest or cloud forest.
How is the weather in Costa Rica?
The climate is generally ideal. In the lowlands—dry in the Pacific Northwest and humid elsewhere—daytime temperatures typically range from the 80s to 90s °F (high 20s to mid-30s °C). In mid-elevation areas, temperatures usually stay in the 70s °F (low to mid-20s °C). At higher elevations, temperatures can drop to the 40s and 50s °F (5 to mid-teens °C), especially at night or early in the morning.
Language
The official language is Spanish, but English is widely spoken, especially in hotels, travel agencies, banks, car rental offices, restaurants, and other tourist-related businesses.
Time
Costa Rica does not observe Daylight Saving Time. To approximate the local time relative to U.S. Eastern Standard Time (EST)
Electricity
The electrical current is the same as in the United States: 110 volts, 60 cycles.
Credit Cards
All major credit cards are accepted in most hotels, stores, restaurants, and car rental agencies. Outside of San José and in some rural areas, travelers should be prepared to pay in local currency.
Insurance
Passengers transported in vehicles owned by CENTRAL AMERICAN TOURS are covered by insurance from the Instituto Nacional de Seguros.
Responsibility
CENTRAL AMERICAN TOURS, as a recognized tour operator company, acts only as an agent for the passenger in matters related to travel, whether by car, motorcoach, boat or plane. Catours assumes no liability for injury, damage, loss, accident, delay or irregularity that may occur due to any defect in a vehicle or for any reason whatsoever, including the actions or default of any company or individual providing transportation or other travel-related services. CENTRAL AMERICAN TOURS is not responsible for losses or additional expenses caused by delays, hotel or airline issues, illness, weather or other unforeseen events. CENTRAL AMERICAN TOURS assumes no liability for the loss of personal belongings or baggage. They reserve the right to cancel or modify any tours, schedules or rates, and to substitute or eliminate stops on any tour without prior notice, and may utilize the services of affiliated companies when deemed necessary. When services are provided by third parties, their own insurance, payment and cancellation policies will apply.