North Carolina Master Gardeners

Located in Central America, between Nicaragua and Panama, bathed by the Pacific and Atlantic oceans; with a population of just over 5 million people and thousands of colorful species, all of whom feel proud to call this little piece of land “home".

5% of the world’s biodiversity can be found within Costa Rica’s borders and great efforts have been made to preserve this rich resource; protected areas make up almost 25% of the land (National Parks, private Reserves, etc) – more than any other country in the world. From hiking and surfing, to white water rafting and exploring volcanic regions, Costa Rica is the perfect playground for nature lovers and adventures seekers alike.

SUSTAINABILITY. Because we believe in sharing our social and ecological assets without compromising the resources for the future generations, we strongly encourage you to follow the policies in our Wildlife Areas and National Parks. Always use the garbage or recycling cans and enjoy sharing with our local people without going against our culture.  Never feed the wildlife or take animals and plants out of a national park, reserve or protected area.

Although the local currency is the Colón, US Dollars are taken almost everywhere, as well as Visa and Master Card.

Euros, Canadian Dollars, American Express cards and Travelers Checks are not so widely accepted.

The exchange rate is based on a range system, so it’s always better to check upon arrival in Costa Rica.

Costa Ricans drive on the right side of the road. The quality of the roads in Costa Rica is, for the most part, not great. Stretches of the Pan-American Highway leading to and from the major cities tend to be okay, but the rest is a mix of dust, gravel, potholes and perilously mountainous roads.

You must be over 21 to hire a car. You will need a credit card for the deposit.

The taxis are coloured red (except those serving the International Airports, which are orange). Taxis are usually metered, so make sure they put it on and that it hasn’t already been running, or ask your hotel concierge how much a fare should be, and negotiate with the driver to an agreed amount before setting off.

Costa Rica is one of the countries in Latin America with higher health and sanitary standards. Besides the State-owned hospitals, there are many private hospitals and clinics with excellent standards of service.

There are no required immunizations for entering Costa Rica. However we recommend discussing the itinerary with your physician and checking on personal health needs.

For complete information regarding health requirements you can visit www.cdc.gov.

Costa Rica is a safe country, but there are cases of theft in several parts of the country, especially in tourist areas, so it is advisable to be alert at all times, do not leave your belongings unattended, avoid walking down the street late at night without company, and avoid entering sites that seem unsafe. As a general rule, do not bring valuable belongings or of high sentimental value that can be lost or stolen. The Costa Rican Tourism Board, in conjunction with the police, have created a subdivision titled tourist police with more than 250 officers, whose primary purpose is to maintain order and security in tourist areas. If you have any questions or concerns, you can seek them.

In the following link you can find a video with Safety Recommendations for visiting Costa Rica:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SNOzqCABJ4E

Drinking water is safe all over Costa Rica, however, just to be on the safe side, we recommend you check before with your guide or hotel, and if any doubt, please stick to bottled water (use your reusable bottles!). It is advisable to carry water with you on all your hikes and to keep well hydrated, even when you don't feel thirsty. 

Costa Rica is very close to the equator, so we have tropical weather.

This means that there are two defined seasons, rainy and dry. The dry season (or verano) goes from December to April. The rainy season (invierno) goes from May to November. There is a mini-dry season (or veranillo) in the month of July.

During the rainy season we get dry, sunny mornings and afternoon showers. However, being in the tropics, there is always a chance of rain regardless of the month. It's advisable to pack a light water-proof jacket or poncho, just in case!

Your packing list will vary depending on your itinerary. In general, you will experience several changes of temperature and altitudes as you travel from one site to the next.

It’s always smart to dress in layers, and keep your rain jacket handy. In general, light weight; fast-drying clothes are advisable, as well as good hiking shoes for the day on the trail and a spare pair for the evening.

Wear neutral browns and greens for birding and wildlife viewing; and dark for night tours (specially the night-turtle ones!)

For your own comfort, we suggest changing for clean and dry clothes for evening, whether if you are in San Jose or at a remote lodge.

Always bring mosquito repellent for both day and night.

Costa Rica uses the same 110V – 60 cycle system as the USA. European appliances will need adapters.

Electrical sockets (outlets) in Costa Rica are very similar to the electrical outlets found in the United States and Canada, and if your appliance has a North American plug, it's possible that you won't need any adapter at all in order to plug in there. However, there are two potentially very important physical differences that may need to be addressed with an adapter: grounding and/orpolarization. If your plug has one or both, and the socket doesn't, then the plug may not physically be able to fit into the socket without an adapter.