A well-prepared trip is a more relaxed one. This page gathers the practical information you need before departure: documents, flights, time difference, phone, health, money, packing, and local customs. We keep it up to date; since entry rules can change, please also check your government’s official advice: travel.state.gov (United States), travel.gc.ca (Canada) and GOV.UK (United Kingdom).
Your passport must be valid for at least one day beyond your date of entry into Costa Rica; we nevertheless strongly recommend at least six months’ validity, to travel without worry, including when you have a layover.
Citizens of the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom and the European Union do not need a visa for a tourist stay; the length of stay is granted by the immigration officer on arrival.
On arrival, immigration officers may ask for a return or onward ticket, proof of your lodging and sufficient funds for your stay (credit card or cash). Keep your return ticket and your itinerary, with the list of your lodges, close at hand. Travel insurance covering medical costs and repatriation is also recommended.
If you are a Visa Waiver Program traveler, such as a UK citizen, a layover in the United States, even without leaving the airport, requires an ESTA, to be requested online at least 72 hours before departure on the official website esta.cbp.dhs.gov. It costs USD 40 per person since September 30, 2025 and is valid for two years (or until your passport expires). US and Canadian citizens do not need one.
The country has two international airports: Juan Santamaría (SJO), near San José in the Central Valley, and Daniel Oduber (LIR), in Liberia, Guanacaste, convenient for starting or ending on the North Pacific coast. We adapt your itinerary to your airport and flight times.
Many US airlines fly direct to San José and Liberia from their main hubs, in about 2.5 hours from Miami or Houston and around 5 to 6 hours from the East and West Coasts.
Several airlines, including Air Canada, Air Transat and WestJet, offer direct flights from Toronto or Montreal to San José or Liberia, often seasonally. Connecting flights through the United States are also an option.
Direct flights from London are limited and seasonal; many travelers connect through Madrid, another European hub or a US airport (ESTA required, see above).
Costa Rica is on UTC-6 all year round, with no daylight saving time, like US Central Standard Time. In winter, it is one hour behind New York and two hours ahead of Los Angeles; in summer, two hours behind New York and one hour ahead of Los Angeles. The difference with London is six hours in winter and seven in summer.
Our team answers Monday to Saturday from 9 am to 9 pm and on Sunday from 9 am to 5 pm, Costa Rica time. During your stay, an emergency line is available at any hour at +506 8327-9335.
The mobile network covers towns, main roads and the main tourist regions well; the signal can weaken or disappear in some forests, valleys and remote coasts.
Your phone will work if international roaming is enabled: check your carrier’s rates for calls and data beforehand. Before leaving, download offline maps and WhatsApp, which is widely used in Costa Rica.
Our self-drive tours include a portable Wi-Fi router with the rental vehicle: it connects several devices on the road, independently of your lodges’ Wi-Fi.
No vaccine is required for travelers coming from North America or Europe. It is advisable to be up to date with routine vaccines (diphtheria, tetanus, polio) and hepatitis A; hepatitis B and typhoid may be recommended for long stays or remote rural areas. Ask your doctor or a travel health clinic.
The vaccine is required, at least ten days before arrival, for travelers who have stayed in or transited through a country at risk, mainly in sub-Saharan Africa and South America. The list changes: check with a travel health clinic if your trip includes such a stop.
Bring bandages and disinfectant, an effective insect repellent, high-factor sunscreen, something for minor stomach upsets, and your personal medication with its prescription.
The official currency is the colón (plural colones). US dollars are widely accepted in hotels, restaurants and for activities; change is often given in colones. Other currencies, such as pounds or euros, are not accepted for payment and can only be exchanged at a few banks.
ATMs are found throughout the country, including in small towns; they dispense colones and sometimes dollars. Drake Bay, on the Osa Peninsula, has none, and Tortuguero has only one: withdraw cash before you go.
Visa and Mastercard are accepted almost everywhere in tourist areas, American Express less often. Some small shops and rural providers have no card terminal: always keep some cash.
Arrive with a few dollars in small bills (USD 10 or 20) for your first purchases; USD 50 and 100 bills are sometimes refused.
Travel light: light, breathable clothes for the day, long light-colored clothes against mosquitoes in the evening, a sweater or fleece for nights at altitude (Monteverde, San Gerardo de Dota) and a waterproof windbreaker in every season. Add a swimsuit, a microfiber towel, a hat, sunglasses, good walking shoes and sandals.
The power supply is 110 volts, 60 Hz, with type A or B outlets, the same as in the United States and Canada: no adapter needed for North American devices. Travelers from the United Kingdom need an adapter; most chargers (phone, laptop, camera) accept 100-240 V, but a device designed only for 220-240 V, such as a hair dryer, requires a voltage converter.
Tropical humidity is hard on electronics: slip silica gel packets into your camera bag and bring a waterproof pouch for boat trips and rainy days.
In restaurants, the bill already includes 10% service and 13% tax; there is no need to add a tip, except to thank someone for exceptional service. For naturalist guides and drivers, a tip is customary when you have been happy with their service, but never compulsory.
Tap water is safe to drink in most towns and tourist areas. In some coastal or remote areas, bottled or filtered water is preferable: your lodge will advise you. A reusable bottle saves a lot of plastic.
Driving in Costa Rica is manageable, as long as you plan for slower journeys than at home. Our self-drive tours are designed with reasonable driving days, and the page explains licenses, rules and the rental car.
Costa Rica can be visited with confidence, with the usual precautions. Government travel advice nevertheless reports an increase in crime: leave nothing visible in the car, keep your documents somewhere safe, avoid walking alone at night in quiet areas of San José and stay alert at ATMs. On the beaches, often without lifeguards, beware of currents: don’t swim alone and stay close to shore. The emergency number is 911. Up-to-date advice is on the official websites: United States, Canada and United Kingdom.
Our team, based in Costa Rica, is happy to answer all your questions: entry requirements for your nationality, flights, seasons, health. Read about the best time to visit Costa Rica, write to us at info@vacancesaucostarica.com or through our contact page. To receive a trip proposal, fill in our quote request.
Pura Vida. The Vacances au Costa Rica team
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