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.