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You will be able to swim or surf in the warm clean ocean, even at night, enjoy nature, see wildlife, monkeys, birds, and other flowers, butterflies, hummingbirds, coffee plantation, rain forests, cloud forests, volcanoes, lie in the sun, scuba dive, fish in oceans, lakes, or streams, horseback riding, climb a mountain, take a bike tour, zip line, rafting, canoeing, boating on the ocean…. makes no difference! Costa Rica is for you. In August, Jaco hosts an international surfing contest.

Warm waters and beautiful country are what beach lovers have dreaming of for many years. That is what you will find on your trip to Jaco, Costa Rica. Costa Rica is warmer, less crowded, and less expensive than Hawaii or California, and there are no hurricanes like in the Caribbean. Plus, in Costa Rica, there are numerous activities and wildlife, like zip lining, fishing, surfing, diving, hiking, biking, jungles, volcanoes, hot springs, horse back riding, boating, rafting, monkeys, crocodiles, parrots, iguanas and more. In 2009, a world surfing tournament was held in Jaco.
People are not the only ones who like the warm Costa Rican ocean water: some spectacular sport fish love to swim in the local climate. Right off Jaco Beach is a world-class sportfishing zone, with dorado, tuna, marlin, and wahoo that would turn up their bills at colder seas. Their presence and Jaco’s reputation as a fishing paradise have resulted in numerous operators offering fishing charters out of Jaco. An annual billfish tournament also draws hundreds of participants and spectators.

Staying in this condo that is like home away from home will help you enjoy the country, the town of Jaco, the outdoors, activities, wildlife, nature, and the warm ocean temperature. When relaxing at the condo, you can swim in the landscaped long pool or jacuzzi.

Going into the Pacific Ocean is almost like a warm bath to go swimming, but with waves and beautiful scenery. Costa Rica is what it should feel like to swim in the tropics. The average water temperature in Costa Rica is about 80 Fahrenheit, slightly warmer than Hawaii which is twice as far from the equator. By contrast, the surf in Los Angeles averages about 66 degrees Fahrenheit.

You will find the Costa Ricans to be friendly and upbeat.

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If you have any electrical devices such as chargers, etc, please be sure to bring a converter plug as some devices will not work without it. Some outlets are 110 and will work without, but why take a chance? This will NOT be an issue when inside the Condo. All outlets in the condo are 110

Bring sun screen. You are near the equator and the sun can be intense.

Bring bug repellant for mosquitos in case you go somewhere where they are present.

If you plan to hike in the rain forests, you might want to bring a water repellant jacket with a hood and hiking shoes/boots.

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The climate is tropical and subtropical; “dry” (less rain)season (December to April); rainy season (May to November); cooler in the highlands.
But, even when it rains, it does not mean it rains a long time.

The beaches are tropical. Daytime temperatures are in the high 80’s F to mid 90’s. The rainforests are hot and humid, but the cloud forests are cool and moist. San Jose is 78 – 80 as it is in the central elevated area.
On the other hand, you can visit the mountains where the temperatures may not reach 65 degrees during the day and can be in the high 40’s to low 50’s at night with plenty of fog.

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Its area consists of the following : . total: 51,100 sq km : (slightly smaller than West Virginia : 
land: 50,660 sq km 
water: 440 sq km 
note: includes Isla del Coco.

The country has coastal plains separated by rugged mountains including over 100 volcanic cones, of which several are major volcanoes.

Four volcanoes, two of them active, rise near the capital of San Jose in the center of the country. One of the volcanoes, Irazu, erupted destructively in 1963-65. They are fun to visit.

The lowest point is the : Pacific Ocean 0 m; the highest point: Cerro Chirripo 3,810 m. ( A meter is 1.8 feet ???)

Population was estimated at 4,133,884 in July 2007.

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There is an ATM at the airport to get colones when you land. Check with your card issuer to see what the charge is. It may be a percentage plus a transaction fee.

American Express in the states may sell you some before you go. But, they discount heavily and then also charge a transaction fee.

Prices are quoted as C (substitute a cent sign) and the amount like our $ 1.00.

Take a calculator if you want to do accurate conversions.

Some say that places that quote prices in dollars are more expensive than others. Or, maybe they just deal a lot with tourists with dollars.

Not everywhere takes dollars or credit cards.

If they do take credit cards, you should get the current exchange rate on your bill. But, check with your card company to see if they have an exchange charge. One has a rate of only 1.0.%

There is an exit tax to pay at the hotel or airport. At the airport, they take dollars, colones or Visa.

Get and review restaurant bills to look for charges for extras.

NEVER EVER use a money exchange window in the San Jose airport! While you will be treated fairly in most other locations, that place will gouge you badly. You can pay for your orange cab outside with a credit card or dollars.

You will know if you know the accepted exchange rate before you land.

Go to : finance.yahoo.com/currency-converter for table and current rate for your currency into and out of the colones.

WARNING: Be very cautious of the money changers you will see in downtown San José.  These people lurk outside the banks waiting for people who do not have the time or the patience to wait in the long banks lines.  They do a money switch thing which is really clever to watch and you end up with less money, the wrong change, or counterfeit bills. 

Here are two links to help you learn the basics

Spanish Dictionary:  Type in your Phrase and it will translate it for you

Useful Common Spanish Phrases

If you are visiting, you won’t have to know how to speak Spanish, but like any country, the effort may be appreciated and you will have a better time.

Oh, and one other thing. If you DO meet anyone, and you will…  a hotel clerk, a store employee, waiter, or other person who doesn’t speak your language, don’t talk louder or slower. It won’t help! They are not deaf nor stupid. They just don’t speak your language.  They speak theirs.

For emergency, call 911, but they may not speak English.

The country has been a democracy for over 50 years. Its last President won a Nobel Peace Prize.  Its current president is a woman.

Because there is no army, much of the government’s money is spent on education. They have over a 90 % literacy rate.

Because it is such a great country to visit, over 100,000 Americans now live there. It is still a great place to visit.

Ticos are a mixing of races. Though most of the country’s 4 million people descended from Spanish immigrants, many families originated in other parts of the world. In the outlying areas, more people are mestizos, a mixture of European and Indigenous blood.  On the Caribbean coast you find strong links to African lineage; in the Talamanca Mountain, you will find it inhabited by the pure-blooded Indians of various tribes. In Guanacaste Province in the northwest part of the country, you will find Ticos reflecting their Nicaraguan heritage.

The predominant religion is Catholic. Nearly every town has a Catholic church and many have a football (soccer) field in front of the church!  In Costa Rica, football rules.  There are many spectacular churches here in Costa Rica, some over three hundred years old like the one in this photograph to the right.

Some Local Entertainment during Lunch

Always be alert and aware of your surroundings.
 

Never leave valuables in plain site in your car or beach or wherever they are unguarded in plain view, even for a moment. Do not flash a lot of money or wear valuable jewelry. 

At all times be on the lookout for pickpockets or crowds of young people who may wish to relieve you of your possessions. Snatch and run is a technique used by some, so again, be aware.  

It is generally acceptable to just carry with you a copy of the main page and page showing entry date of your passport.

Compared to what you make, you seem rich to many Ticos. Also, things you have that are not that expensive may still seem valuable and worth stealing to someone else. This includes towels, flip flops, and sunglasses. You can probably afford to replace these, but it still seems puzzling and is inconvenient and still a shock.

In an emergency, call 911, but they may not speak English.