10. Travel Tips

Taxis - Before entering the taxi, please check the following:

Is the taxi legal? Make sure it has a license plate with a photo of the driver attached and clearly visible inside the taxi.
Ask the driver is his meter is working (the taxi meters are called "marias"). If his meter isn't working find another cab.
Prices from San Jose to the airport vary between $10.00 and $15.00, or the equivalent in colones.
Remember taxi drivers are not bilingual; if you do not know the language and need to get to a certain destination using this type of transportation, make sure you get assistance from a bilingual person (desk clerk, bell boy, etc) and write down on a piece of paper the correct direction.

Buses - Things you should know:

Bus service throughout San Jose and all over Costa Rica is good, and can be an economical and interesting way to see the country.
For bus schedules and fares to the many different bus lines and destinations consult the ICT tourist office at Plaza de la Cultura if you are staying in San Jose. Also if you are staying at any lodging facility the bilingual staff will be happy to assist you.
All buses have their fare prices written on placards above the windshield, inside the bus.
There are bus lines to the most remote areas of the country, and following you will find some of the most important bus companies:

Tracopa: goes to the southern zone of the country. Their terminal is located in front of the park at the Pacific Railway Station.
Alfaro: carries passengers to Guanacaste, including Santa Cruz, Filadelfia and Nicoya. Also, it offers transportation to beach areas such as Tamarindo beach and Sámara, traveling via the Tempisque Ferry. The Alfaro bus terminal is located near the San Juan de Dios Hospital.
Pulmitan: has service to Cañas and Bagaces.

Buses depart from San Jose to Puntarenas, Manuel Antonio and Jaco, from the "Coca Cola" bus stop. It is recommended that you purchase your tickets ahead of time and that you get to the terminal on time to take your bus. The buses to Limon leave from the National Park on the eastern side of town.

Tipping - Things you should know

Tipping is entirely up to you. Depends on level of service, whether or not you feel comfortable giving tips, and your budget. Costa Ricans, as a general rule, do not tip.
At Restaurants a 10% gratuity for service and 15% for sales tax is included in your bill.
Tipping is not used when it comes to taxis, unless extra service is provided.
Bellboys are often tipped a minimum of $1.00 per bag or the equivalent in colones per bag, at check-in and check-out.
Chamber maids: $0.50-1.00 per night is acceptable. Sometimes their service is overlooked.
For guides and drivers it really depends on the service rendered, $3.00-5.00 per person is acceptable.

Local currency

The local currency is the "Colon" and is constantly fluctuating against the U.S. dollar.
The most commonly used bills are fifty, hundred, thousand and five thousand.
If you carry cash, keep one to two thousand colones in 50 and 100 bills, separate from your 1000 bills. This will make you less of an attraction to pick-pockets during purchases.
There are two legal place to exchange your currency into colones: a bank or your hotel. Please note that exchanging the money on the street or Black Market is illegal in Costa Rica.

Security

Be aware of where you are and of your belongings. Remember that San Jose as any other major capital city has a petty theft problem.
Never leave belongings in your car, even if you locked the car; you can always leave them in the trunk.

Rental cars

There are many rental car companies in Costa Rica, some using new cars others using used cars they have bought in U.S. because the U.S. law do not allow these cars to run anymore, as they might represent a hazard for the population. So, please make sure you are getting a new car when renting one.
Most rental car agencies require a credit card, but there are agencies that will deal on a cash basis, and security deposits charges can run as high as $1000 or more.
Tips on Driving in Costa Rica: There has been numerous complaints from tourists who have rented cars and are stopped by traffic cops and pressured to pay "fines" on the spot, sometimes as much as $100. "In no case should anyone pay money. Drivers can only receive a ticket. They don't have to pay one cent," said the Ministry of Public Works and Transport, which oversees the Transit Police. If a policeman insists on being paid, insists right back on being given a ticket. If you are pressure to pay something, take down the policeman's name and badge number and send a letter of complaint to the Ministry of Public Works and Transport as well as the Costa Rican Tourist Institute, and be sure to tell the name of your rent-a-car company.

When in San Jose or other cities, most streets are one-way, which unfortunately you can not tell until a bevy of cars is coming straight at you. The best way to avoid this is to observe which way the traffic is heading before turning onto a street.

Try to avoid driving the mountainous road between San Jose and Guapiles to Limon at night. The fog is often thick, and landslides are common on the highway.

Domestic flights and charters

There are two domestic airlines with almost daily flights to the main touristic destinations: TRAVELAIR and SANSA.

If you need special arrangements and money is not a problem , you might want to rent a ONE ENGINE PLANE (CESNA) or TWO ENGINE PLANE (NAVAJO) which belong to private companies that charge a specific amount according to the capacity of each plane and whether you need a ONE WAY or a ROUNDTRIP FLIGHT.