| City Codes |
| SJO: San Jose |
| LIO: Limón |
| Entry requirements: Valid U.S. passport. |
| Taxes/Surcharges: International departure tax: $17. |
| Hotel taxes and service charges: 13% hotel taxes, 10% service charge. |
| Tipping: Restaurants include 10% in bill. Taxi drivers don't expect a tip. |
| Currency: Colón (pronounced "co-loan"). Major credit cards widely accepted. ATMs convenient in larger cities and towns. Banking hours: 8:00 a.m. - 11:00 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. - 3:00 p.m. Monday thru Friday and 8:00 a.m. - 11:00 a.m. on Saturday. |
| Shopping: Costa Rica is known for coffee, ceramics, wood carvings and reproductions of pre-Colombian gold jewelry. Most popular souvenirs are hand painted miniature ox carts, symbol of the country's rich folklore. |
| Food and Drink: Costa Rica boasts a wide variety of international restaurants including American, Italian, French, Japanese, Spanish, Chinese, German, Argentine, Korean and Lebanese. Many small hotels, mountain retreats and roadside cafes offer opportunities to sample the local specialties which are usually seafood or poultry served with "gallo pinto" (beans and rice). Fresh tropical fruits abound. |
| Telephone Area Codes:(506) country code. No city codes. |