Practical Information

Visa

Costa Rica

Travellers from the UK, US and EU normally do not need a visa to enter Costa Rica; however, proof of onward travel may be required – we suggest you take a physical copy of your flight details in case officials ask to see them.

Please note, visa requirements often change and it is your responsibility to obtain any required visas for this trip. Therefore, we recommend that you check with the nearest embassy or consulate of your chosen destination(s), including any countries you may be transiting or transferring through.

Some local governments provide guidance on what visas their citizens need. To help, we’ve gathered a selection of useful links below.

• Australia: www.smartraveller.gov.au/destinations/americas/costa-rica
• Canada: www.travel.gc.ca/destinations/costa-rica
• United Kingdom: www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/costa-rica/entry-requirements
• USA:  www.travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/international-travel/International-Travel-Country-Information-Pages/Costa-Rica.html

Vaccinations and Health

Costa Rica

There are no required vaccinations. However, you may want to consider vaccinations for tetanus, hepatitis A, rabies and typhoid. The risk of malaria is slight, but you may wish to consult your doctor or travel clinic for further advice.

Many travellers will also require a yellow fever vaccination certificate if arriving from a country with risk of yellow fever transmission, Tanzania and Zambia.

Dengue and zika, both viral diseases spread by mosquitoes, are known risks in Costa Rica. There is currently no vaccine or prophylaxis available, so we strongly recommend you take the usual precautions to avoid mosquito bites.

Please check all requirements and travel vaccination recommendations with your doctor or travel clinic.

Local Time

Costa Rica's time zone: America/Costa_Rica (UTC -06:00)

Electricity

Costa Rica's electricity: Plug types A (two flat pins, US standard) and B (three pins, US standard) – 120V, 60Hz

Money

Costa Rica's currency: Costa Rican colon (CRC); however, US dollars are widely accepted

ATM Availability

ATMs are increasingly available in Costa Rica and are now present in most tourist areas. A flat fee of up to US$5-$7 and a small commission usually applies with debit card withdrawals. Mastercard and Visa are quite widely accepted in the bigger hotels, restaurants and tourist shops though not in rural areas. Always check the handling fee when paying by credit card, as it can be high. We recommend you bring some small denomination notes (US$1 and US$5 notes) since getting change is often a problem when paying for small items/taxis.

Extra Expenses & Spending Money

US dollars are widely accepted as payment in Costa Rica; however, change will likely be given in local currency and the exchange rate fluctuates. We suggest taking some US dollars with you but then using ATMs to withdraw the rest of your money in local currency while you’re there.

You should allow extra to cover the cost of those meals not included in the price of the trip. Approximate costs are given for guidance only and may vary widely according to location and type of establishment.

• Coffee/tea: US$2-US$5
• Soft drink: US$2-US$5
• Medium beer: US$4-US$7
• Local snack lunch: US$15
• Three-course dinner at a reasonable mid-range tourist-class restaurant: US$45- US$50
• Bottle of wine: US$50-US$60
• Bottle of water: US$2

Optional activities (bookable locally):

Monteverde

• Don Juan Coffee tour: US$46
• Trapiche tour (sugarcane mill): US$71
• Frog pond tour: US$50
• Monteverde Orchid Garden: US$50

Samara/Carrillo

• Stand-up paddleboarding mangrove tour: US$53
• Wildlife and mangrove kayak: US$59
• Turtle-nesting tour (nightime): US$50 (visits Camaronal, Corozalito or Ostional beach depending on season)

Optional excursions can be paid for by cash (preferably), credit or debit card and can only be booked locally.

Tipping

Our local staff are paid well and fairly for their work. However, it is usual for groups to tip guides and drivers and it would be reasonable for each group member to contribute approximately US$5 per day for the driver and US$7 per day for the tour leader, although you may wish to tip more if travelling in a small group. Porters at the airport and hotels are normally tipped about US$1 per piece. Occasionally the tour leader will organise a tipping kitty to facilitate these and other tips (such as waiting staff in restaurants), which will be collected in advance at the start of the trip.

People, Places & Planet

We work hard to create trips that improve life for the people and places we visit and look after the planet we explore. Find out more about our sustainable travel ethos and practice here and find out about the work of the Exodus Travels Foundation here.

Some sustainable travel highlights of this trip include:

People

How this trip helps improve life for local communities.

• The use of a local guide means our customers will be well informed about local traditions and cultural-social sensitivities.
• This trip brings income and opportunity to the destination community through the inclusion of locally owned hotels and restaurants, the emphasis on eating locally produced food, and by supporting other local enterprise.
• We use fairly small, family-run and locally staffed establishments, which ensures we are benefiting local communities.
• Although this is primarily a nature-based trip, we incorporate as much benefit to local people as possible. One way to support local people and boost the economy is to buy crafts in some of the remote regions we visit. Purchasing locally made handicrafts encourages cultural exchange and provides a significant form of alternative income.
• Our local guides are careful to explain that any souvenirs made from animal parts, shells or local hardwoods should not be purchased.
• This is a small-group tour, meaning we have a low impact on the environments and communities we visit and ensure we do not disrupt or lead to the displacement of local people.
• Our local operator is very involved in supporting community projects. Our local operator cares about our impact on the destination, which is why we carry out several actions. For instance:
  • Celebrating International Tourism Day 2019 by cleaning a beach at Guacalillo, recollecting 330lb (150kg) of waste.
  • Collecting plastic lids and donating them to Fundación ProParques to develop walkways to improve accessibility for people with mobility problems in the country’s protected wild areas.
  • Establishing an alliance with the Recycling Program of the Municipality of San José, from May 2015 to December 2020, that led to recycling 43 tons of recoverable resources. During the pandemic, staff continued the recycling process from their homes.
  • Purchasing souvenirs from local artists to promote local arts.
  • Running beach days with older adults living in care homes.
  • Eliminating single-use plastics in our operation.
  • Reducing printed documents by having all the information in a secure drive.
• Our local operator continuously develops activities for the benefit of personnel who work for the company through its human resources department and the Brigada Pintando Sonrisas. Different activities are carried out, such as More 4 You, which has the purpose of creating strategic alliances that promote health among collaborators. In addition, the New Work project is responsible for promoting healthy spaces that promote the work environment of the staff.
• The local staff are given the option of free therapy with BetterHelp, the world’s largest provider of online therapy.
• In 2017, Exodus Travels introduced the Inspiration Project, where we’ve worked with our partners to take more than 6,000 children in 30 countries on a day of adventure and exploration. Each inspirational day out is designed to introduce young minds to the wonders of our world and their place in it. From visiting cultural heritage sites to natural wonders, each trip has been packed with firsts – their first time leaving their own village, their first time seeing the sea, their first time visiting a busy city. We continue to operate these days out to inspire children to protect and preserve the world as they grow up.

Places

How this trip helps protect and conserve local landscapes and nature.

• Read about our commitment to nature protection and restoration here, including our rewilding commitment for every customer who travels.
• By travelling in a small group, led by a local guide, we ‘tread lightly’ to minimise our impact on local resources and the environment.
• Our local operator has an animal welfare policy that requests suppliers to comply with the minimum conditions of animal welfare.
• Our local operator has been awarded by the Costa Rican Tourism Board for their sustainable tourism practice and dedication to improving sustainability standards. This means efforts are made to rationally use water and electricity, provide adequate waste management, and positively impact communities, among many other actions.
• Most of the accommodation and restaurants we visit on this trip use locally sourced food.
• Vegetarian options are available if notice is given, which include a variety of fresh fruit, vegetables and rice.
• We travel responsibly using appropriate methods of transport; therefore, depending on group size, a minibus/coach is used.
• Our trips adhere to ABTA’s industry-leading animal welfare guidelines to ensure the best possible practices with regard to working animals and wildlife viewing. Our animal welfare policy can be found here.
• We work with our partners on the ground to proactively eliminate or reduce waste, for example eliminating all single-use plastic water bottles and instead providing refills for reusable bottles.

Planet

How we seek to keep the carbon footprint of this trip low.

• Read about our climate action here, including our carbon reduction and compensation commitments.
• An example of ecofriendly accommodation on this trip is Studio Hotel, which has LED bulbs for energy saving and low-consumption air conditioners, solar panels to heat water throughout the hotel. It also has the Ecological Blue Flag distinction, which rewards the effort and voluntary work in the search for conservation and development in accordance with the protection of natural resources, the implementation of actions to tackle climate change, the search for better sanitary hygienic conditions and the improvement of the public health of the inhabitants of Costa Rica.

Tips for sustainable travel on this trip

• Leave no trace: We do all we can to ensure we leave no rubbish behind in the wild and beautiful places we visit; we ask that you do the same. If there are no recycling facilities in-country, we’d ask you to consider bringing recyclable materials home with you.
• Plastic waste reduction: Please bring your own reusable water bottle on this trip; filtered water will be provided where tap water is not drinkable.

Important Information

Optional activities and excursions

If you would like to join an optional activity or excursion outside those listed in the itinerary, your leader may be able to assist with selecting a provider. However, Exodus has not assessed the safety standards of activities or excursions that are not listed in the Trip Notes. All optional activities or excursions are undertaken at your own risk.

Water safety

This trip includes time by a lake, river or sea, where there may be opportunities to swim. You should always seek local advice before deciding whether to swim. Open-water or wild swim spots should be treated with extreme caution. Information on how to keep yourself safe while swimming is shown here.

Family trips

Our staff and leaders are there to ensure the trip runs as smoothly as possible. However, company policy states they cannot take care of children; it is your responsibility to look after your young ones throughout the trip. During free time or if you decide to opt out of part of the itinerary, you are responsible for your family and any arrangements that need to be made, though your leader will be happy to make recommendations.