Trip Tips and What to Pack for Your
Costa Rica Singles Vacation
Country Information
Costa Rica is located in Central America between Nicaragua and Panama and is one of the most-visited international tourist destinations. The main reasons for this are the country’s tropical climate and geographical desirability, which ranges from green mountain rainforest's to gorgeous beaches on both the Atlantic and Pacific coasts. A democratic and peaceful country—Costa Rica has not had an army since the year 1949—its people are friendly and highly educated.
Although Costa Rica is a small country in terms of area, there is a lot going on here in terms of weather. Though generally classified as a tropical country because of its close proximity to the equator, Costa Rica has no real summer or winter, and the sun shines here throughout the year. With over 12 hours of sunshine a day, the sun rises at about 5 am and sets at about 6 pm consistently throughout the year.
In San José and most tourist towns, the tap water is safe to drink. However, if you go to remote areas, especially on the Atlantic coast, you should drink purified water only. Best Single Travel recommends drinking bottled water at all times.
Visas
Passport-carrying nationals of the following countries are allowed 90 days’ stay with no visa: most western European countries, Argentina, Canada, Israel, Japan, Panama and the USA.
Citizens of Australia, Iceland, Ireland, Mexico, New Zealand, Russia, South Africa and Venezuela are allowed to stay for 30 days with no visa. Others require a visa from a Costa Rica embassy or consulate. These lists are subject to continual change
Other nationalities please check with your local Costa Rica Embassy.
There is a departure tax of $26 USD for visitor that is to be paid at the airport. The best way to pay this is by cash. If you choose to pay by credit card beware that this is actually debited as a cash transaction and there will be bank fees.
Costa Rica Currency
Costa Rica money is called the colon. 1 USD = 509 Colons. US dollar is accepted almost everywhere so there is no need to exchange. Prices in Costa Rica are frequently listed in US dollars, especially at upmarket hotels and restaurants, Canadian dollars are not widely accepted. Check here for currency exchange rates
ATMs are common in San Jose, but will be hard to find in smaller towns. Credit cards are widely accepted, please call your credit card company and let them know you will be traveling to Costa Rica.
Costa Rica Time
All of Costa Rica is in the GMT -6 zone, which corresponds to U.S. Central Time during winter months, and U.S. Mountain Time when the U.S. is in daylight savings time. The length of days in Costa Rica varies by only half an hour between seasons, so Costa Rica does not observe daylight savings time.
Electric Plugs
Costa Rica's electricity supply is 110V AC at 60 Hz - If you're traveling from the U.S. or Canada leave the electric converters and plug adapters at home. Weather
There is not a bad time for a Costa Rica singles vacation as the average annual temperature is between 70 to 81 degrees Fahrenheit and the coolest months of the year are November, December and January. The months March through May are the hottest months of the year, so make sure you protect yourself from the sun.
What to Pack for Your Costa Rica Vacation
Remember to pack all your liquids in your suitcase or you must follow the TSA rules for carry-ons - 3-1-1 = 3.4 ounce (100ml) bottle or less ; 1 quart-sized, clear, plastic, zip-top bag; 1 bag per passenger
One easily managed medium suitcase (bus to boat…) and 1 carry on bag. Some days you will be out all day so bring a small bag or knapsack that you can carry all day.
If you are planning on washing clothes as you go, be aware that laundries are few and far between in Costa Rica, but you can hand wash a few items (things like jeans can take forever to dry). Some of the hotels have laundry services—expect to pay a buck or two per item.
Water is another consideration when planning your wardrobe. Cloud and rainforest's have little regard for phrases like “dry season.” It may not rain during your visit, but the saturating humidity dripping from the leaves and the spray from the inevitable waterfall will make you glad for quick-drying garments.
For what to pack on all singles vacations and more tips - Click Here
Documents
* Passport and your emergency contact should have a copy
* Money, credit/debit card – don’t forget to call the banks and let them know you are traveling
* Insurance card and contact information
Miscellaneous
* Insect repellent with DEET (diethyl-metatoluamide)
* Contact lenses and/or extra pair of sunglasses
* Sun block of at least 15 SPF - the tropical sun is strong
* Water bottle
* Camera – and charger – batteries – lots of film or extra memory cards
* Binoculars for animal viewing
* Flashlight with extra batteries for night exploring
* Chargers and Adaptors for all your electronics - if needed (see above)
* Earplugs (for light sleepers)
* Plastic bags – for wet clothes
* Travel alarm clock or use your mobile phone
Phone & Internet
Calling Costa Rica from the United States explained
• 011 - US exit code; must be dialed first for all international calls made from the USA or Canada
• 506 - Country Code for Costa Rica
• phone number - 8 digits
• US to Costa Rica international dialing format: 011 + 506 + 2??? ????
Celll Phone Service - We recommend checking with your individual cell phone carrier to see if your phone will work in Costa Rica and check the international rates for both phone and data. You will have limited phone and Internet service in Tortuguero. There should be readily available Internet in the other parts of the country.
Costa Rica is more known for its adventure activities then for its shopping. Shopping for souvenirs and other items can range from local markets offering traditional goods to large stores and gift shops. Prices at regular shops are fixed and bargaining is uncommon.
Costa Rica Shopping
Coffee is the best buy in Costa Rica. Buy whole beans and not the ground ones. Packaged grinds are much finer than US grinds and more often contain sugar mixed in with the ground coffee. For the best deal, buy coffee beans in the grocery stores.
Costa Rican woodcarvings, mostly bowls, napkin holders and elegant art pieces are good buys.
Local Foods
Costa Rican cuisine is known for being flavorful, yet fairly mild, with high reliance on fresh fruit and vegetables. Rice and beans are the bases of most Costa Rican meals. At breakfast, they're called gallo pinto and come with everything from eggs to steak to seafood. At lunch or dinner, rice and beans are an integral part of a casado, usually consisting of cabbage-and-tomato salad, fried plantains (a starchy, banana-like fruit), and a chicken, fish, or meat dish. On the Caribbean coast, rice and beans are called rice 'n' beans, and are cooked in coconut milk.
Arrive in the capital of India, New Delhi and after clearing immigration and customs you will be met and transferred to the hotel. Note: normal check-in time is 2.00 pm. 
In the morning, visit the highlights of New and Old Delhi with a guide. Designed in 1911 by the British, New Delhi is one of the greenest capitals in the world. See the impressive Qutab Minar, a 234-foot-high red sandstone minaret. The buildings in this complex date from the onset of Muslim rule in India. Drive past the government buildings and the Rashtrapati Bhawan (Presidential Palace) along the broad and majestic Rajpath before continuing to Old Delhi.
Then drive by the Red Fort, a symbol of Mughal power. Take a rickshaw ride around Chandni Chowk (an old shopping street) to visit the Jama Masjid Mosque area, the principal mosque of Old Delhi in India. Commissioned by the Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan, builder of the Taj Mahal, and completed in the year 1656 AD, it is the largest and best-known mosque in India. Also visit Raj Ghat, a memorial of the great Mahatma Gandhi, and time permitting the Bhai House of Worship a temple shaped in the form of a Lotus flower. Dinner & Overnight at the Hotel.
In the morning we travel south 3 1/2 hours to Agra along the Yamuna Expressway. The earliest reference to Agra is in the epic The Mahabharat. Ptolemy, Alexander the Great's geographer, also called it Agra. It was, however, in the medieval period that Agra earned prominence as a capital city under the Mughals. Its many wonderful monuments include the Taj Mahal, the greatest of them all. In the Afternoon visit the Taj Mahal with a guide. The Taj Mahal is simply beautiful—not just in design and technique but also in desire and intent. It was built as a monument to love, a manifestation of life's most powerful emotion. When his wife died unexpectedly, Emperor Shahjahan vowed to honor her with a memorial of unmatched beauty. He commissioned the world's best craftsmen and 20,000 workers to build this beautiful structure. The result is a delicately carved, white marble jewel that seems to float on a sea of red limestone. The Taj Mahal is generally considered the finest example of Mughal architecture, a style that combines elements of Persian, Turkish, Indian, and Islamic architectural styles. In 1983, the Taj became a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Also, visit the Agra fort. Near the gardens of the Taj Mahal stands the important 16th-century Mughal monument known as the Red Fort of Agra. This powerful fortress of red sandstone encompasses, within its 2.5-km walls, the imperial city of the Mughal rulers, which comprises many fairy-tale palaces (Jehangir Mahal and Khas Mahal),, halls of public and private, an audience (Diwan-i-Khas and Diwan-i-Aam)) ; and two lovely mosques
Early in the morning we travel west about 1 1/2 hours to Fatehpur Sikri, the once-fabled Mogul capital that has taken on a sleeping beauty quality, lying quietly but wonderfully preserved. The Great Mughal Emperor Akbar built Fathepur Sikri (the City of Victory) during the second half of the 16th century as the capital of the Mughal Empire. A large number of masons and stone carvers worked hard on an area that was over two miles long and a mile wide. Using the locally available red sand stone, they created a complex of monuments and temples, all in a uniform architectural style, including one of the largest mosques in India, the Jama Masjid. 
Aravali and Vindhya ranges meet. The park derives its name from the fort of Ranthanbhor, which sits on a rocky outcrop in the forest. The landscape is dotted with ancient Banyan trees, Dhok and Pipal trees, clusters of mango trees, and crisscrossed with evergreen belts. The terrain is made up of massive rock formations, steep scarps, perennial lakes and streams, and forest that suddenly opens up into large areas of savannah. For a relatively small area, the park has a rich diversity of fauna and flora. The species list includes 300 trees, 50 aquatic plants, 272 birds, 12 reptiles (including the marsh crocodile), amphibians, and 30 mammals. Other than the tiger, for which the park is most famous, other predators found are leopards, striped hyenas, jackals, caracals, and jungle cats. Also seen are sloth bear, sambar deer, chital (spotted) deer, nilgai (blue bull) antelope, wild boar, chinkara (Indian) gazelle, Indian hare, mongoose, common langur, palm civet, palm squirrel, porcupine, and monitor lizard. In the afternoon, take a safari to the park to see wildlife in its natural habitat and to “hunt“ for the elusive tiger. inner.
Very early in the morning, revisit the park for another safari. After breakfast, we will travel south-west for about 5 hours to Bijaipur, with lunch en route. 
Udaipur is an enchanting city. From the lakes in the midst of the sandy terrain to the green forested hills where wildlife still abounds, the surprises are endless. late afternoon, take a short boat ride and proceed to the old city for a walk around the bazaars, shops,shops and havelis (mansions) before arriving at Bagore Haveli for a performance of local dances and music. 
In the morning, we will visit the vast and exquisite City Palace of the Maharana, in which amber, jade, and colored glass give the palace a sparkling yet ethereal quality. The City Palace was built concurrently with the establishment of Udaipur city by Maharana Udai Singh II and his successor Maharanas over a period of the next 400 years. The Maharanas lived and administered their kingdom from this palace, thereby making the palace complex an important historic landmark.
Also, we will visit Sahelion-ki-Bari, the garden of the maids of honor, and continue to the Crystal Gallery and the Vintage and Classic Car Museum, which have nearly two dozen of the Maharana's personal collections of exclusive cars. The rest of the day is free for independent activities and overnight at the hotel.
with carvings that are so delicate that they look like lacework. It is amazing to find that among hundreds of pillars, no two are alike. Continue to Kumbalgarh, one hour north-east, and after lunch at the hotel, visit the Kumbalgarh Fort, a fascinating place built in the 15th century by Maharana Kumbha on top of the Aravalli range at 1100 meters. The Fort contains palaces and is encircled by enormous walls reminiscing of the Great Wall of China. Dinner and overnight at the hotel 
On our day in Pushkar, we will visit the campsites, take a camel ride, walk through the colorful bazaars, and see and participate in the festivities.In the afternoon, we will continue north-east for 3 hours to Jaipur. The rose-pink capital of Rajasthan, aptly called the'pink city’, is surrounded on all sides by rugged hills. The city was founded in 1727 by the astronomer-king, Sawai Jai Singh II, and built according to the Shilpa Shastra, the ancient Hindu treatise on architecture and sculpture. It is a walled city of seven rectangular blocks, with the Maharajah's palace located in the center amidst lovely gardens. In the evening, take an e-rickshaw ride through the old city bazaars and markets. See the Hawa Mahal, or Palace of Winds, a major Rajput landmark built in 1799. This five-story building in the old city is a pink sandstone masterpiece with semi-octagonal and delicately honeycombed windows. The monument was originally conceived to enable ladies of the royal household to watch the city’s daily life and special events in absolute privacy. 
In the morning, we will visit Jantar Mantar, an observatory that is equipped with instruments of astonishing size and precision, including a 90-foot-high sundial. Also, we will visit the City Palace, which is the royal residence of the erstwhile King of Jaipur. It houses a museum with a superb collection of Rajasthani costumes, armory from the Mughal and Rajput eras, weaponry, and swords of different shapes and sizes, some with ornamental handles inlaid with enamel, embellished with jewels, and encased in magnificent scabbards. Drive past Moti-Doongri Palace, a privately owned hilltop fort built like a Scottish castle, to Ram Niwas Gardens and the architecturally impressive Albert Hall before returning to the hotel with the afternoon free for independent activities.In the late afternoon, take a walk in the walled city’s bazaars before going to the Birla Temple at dusk for the Aarti ceremony with an overnight stay at the hotel.
Vacation Day 3 - Bangkok - Damnern Saduak - Kanchanaburi - Sai Yok
Check into our Floating Jungle Rafts, the magnificent close-to-nature floating lodge. Enjoy the stunning nature surroundings of the tropical forest, a unique blend of the culture and tradition of Mon people, and the history of World War II. Take a ‘River Jump’. Put on a life jacket and then jump into the river. You will be floating along the hotel in the Kwai river. The beautiful scenery surrounded will look even more remarkable when you view it from the water. Dine under the clear blue sky and see the river flowing at its own pace.
Vacation Day 4 - Sai Yok - Helfire Pass - Kanchanaburi - Bangkok
Thai language used at the time, the jobs of the Thais and how to cook. In this town, you can dress up in traditional Thai clothes and walk around the town.
Heading out of the town we drive though the scenic countryside to Ayuthaya, the ancient capital of Siam from 1350 to 1767 AD. This glamorous city was all but ultimately destroyed by the hands of Burmese, however it is still fascinating to explore the ruined temples. Among these is Wat Phra Sisanphet, an impressive monument that was used as the royal temple by several kings. The following site is Wat Chai whose the constructing patterns are very interesting. We continue to Bang Pa In, which was served as the summer palace for many Thai monarchs. This structure has a captivating collection of marvelous pavilions in a variety of Thai, Chinese, Italian and Victorian architectural styles.
Then relax as we board a short bamboo raft trip along the Mae Taeng River. Next we drive a few miles to a Padong "long neck" tribe village. The women of the tribe wear long brass coils around their neck which actually pushes the collarbone down, giving them the appearance of an extended neck. This tribe has come from Burma as refugees in recent years due to the persecution of the Burmese government. Spend some time in the village before we drive back to Chiang Mai.
After a short flight back to Bangkok, we head to Pattaya, a city on Thailand’s eastern Gulf coast known for its beaches. A quiet fishing village as recently as the 1960s, it’s now lined with resort hotels, high-rise condos, shopping malls, cabaret bars and 24-hour clubs. Upon arrival, we check in to our hotel, the Amari Garden before visiting the Sanctuary of Truth.
Common Goal of Life toward Utopia.
Today we enjoy three interesting islands off the coast of Pattaya. The island of Koh Pai features several undisturbed natural beaches with a variety of coral clusters and ocean habitats for the avid snorkelers.
Vacation Day 10 - Pattaya - Bangkok
Day 1: Arrive in Istanbul, Turkey ( June 21, 2024 )
09:00 am Meet up with your guide and the drive. rIn the morning we will greet you at your hotel and take you on a guided tour of the historic old part of Istanbul.
09:00 am Meet up with your guide and the driver (4-hour program ) In the morning, we will meet you at your hotel and take you on this enlightening walking tour down to the waterfront near Eminonu.
Traditional Anatolian villages. Enjoy belly dancing shows, cultural folk dance and costume shows. 
( If you booked the optional Hot Air Balloon tour --- 05:00 AM Meet up at the lobby of the hotel and transfer go to the balloon launch site.
Breakfast at the hotel. 09:30 am Meet up with your guide and We will visit Turkey's most impressive Roman and Biblical sites today, in what promises to be one of your most memorable days in Turkey.
*The Temple of Artemis is situated in serene countryside celebrates the Greek goddess Artemis, the virginal huntress and twin of Apollo, who supplanted the Titan Selene as goddess of the Moon. This temple, known as Artemision in Greek times, was the largest of its kind at the world.
After breakfast, we will depart from Kusadasi to Pamukkale; upon arrival, we will continue on the guided tour of Pamukkale and Hierapolis. Our drive will take us through a rich agricultural area, teeming with cotton fields and fruit orchards. Sites we will visit: Pamukkale is a town in western Turkey known for the mineral-rich thermal waters flowing down white travertine terraces on a nearby hillside. It neighbors Hierapolis, an ancient Roman spa city founded around 190 B.C. Ruins there include a well-preserved theater and a necropolis with sarcophagi that stretch for 2km. The Antique Pool is famous for its submerged Roman columns, the result of an earthquake. 
Ancient city of Hierapolis - The ruins of Hierapolis ancient city or "Holy City" (in transla6ion from Greek) is located in about 17 kilometers from the Denizli close to Pamukkale.
Breakfast between 07:00 to 10:00
