Del Pacifico

Getting There:
It’s easy to get to Costa Rica, you’ll want to fly into San Jose, Costa Rica, Central America (Juan Santamaria International Airport- SJO).
You’ll need a valid passport- please be sure to check the expiration date before you travel! You need at least 90 days left on your passport to be allowed into the country. Make sure the kids have them too! US passports for children under the age of 16 are only valid for 5 years- after the age of 16 the passport is valid for 10 years.
When you arrive in the airport you will first pass through immigration, then you will head to baggage claim. After you collect your bags, you will go through customs and exit the airport. There are porters for hire if you need help getting your luggage out of the airport.
No need to bring lots of traveler’s checks – cash is king in Costa Rica and credit cards are accepted almost everywhere (Visa & Master Card are more widely accepted than American Express or Discover). There are plenty of ATM machines if you run low on cash. We suggest the ATM machine in the baggage claim area of the airport.
We recommend hiring an English-speaking driver for the drive from the airport to Del Pacifico. You can keep them for the entire trip or you can rent a car once you are at Del Pacifico. We can arrange to have the car delivered to you here at Del Pacifico. To rent a car you must have a valid driver’s license as well as your passport and a credit card- debit cards are not accepted (even if they have the “Visa” logo on them). The average rate for a car is $80/day plus you will be paying for your own fuel. The better deal, in our opinion, is to hire an English-speaking driver who would be with you the whole time. Their rate is typically $175/day but this includes fuel and a built-in interpreter/tour guide!
There is a $26 departure tax that you will need to pay before you can leave Costa Rica. This can be paid on the day of departure at the airport or it can be paid at some hotels for a minimal service charge.

Returning to the US/Canada: Your carry-on bags will be searched by hand before you can board the plane in San Jose. You are not allowed to bring ANY liquids onto the plane here- even if you just bought a drink after going through security or have your lip gloss in a zip lock bag. These items will be confiscated. The exception is anything purchased in duty free a minimum of an hour prior to take off.

Duty Free liquids. Unless you have a direct flight to your final destination, you will need to recheck your bags after you go through Immigration & Customs in the US. Then you will go through a security check before you can get to the terminal for the next leg of your trip. If you bought any liquids in duty free they will need to be placed in your checked bags before going through security again.

What to Pack
Don’t forget sunscreen & a hat! The sun is very strong here and you can get a tan even when you think it’s cloudy.
For evening events our recommended attire is resort casual. Lightweight clothing is suggested.
For horseback riding- LONG pants, preferably jeans and CLOSE-TOED shoes are required. We recommend sports bras for the ladies.
If you will be spending time in San Jose- this is a more formal area. We recommend smart casual attire. San Jose also has a cooler climate than the coast- a light sweater or jacket (especially in the evening) is recommended.

Once You Are Here:
Tipping: A 10% service fee is included in the check at all restaurants. You can leave it at that or add up to another 10% gratuity for your server. It is also customary to tip drivers, maids, tour guides & luggage carriers- there is no standard tipping amount for these service professionals so just give what you are comfortable with tipping.

Safety: There is very little crime in Costa Rica- but like anywhere else in the world you need to be cautious and aware of your surroundings. The most prevalent crime is “crime of opportunity” (ie/ a suitcase left on the backseat of a car or a passport or wallet left in a glove box) so plan accordingly.

Beaches: Our beaches are very clean. The sand looks dark because it is exotic volcanic sand. We have amazing surfing beaches- the riptide can be very strong. Even the strongest swimmers should exercise caution. If you get caught in a riptide, swim parallel to the beach until you get past the break, then you can swim back in to shore.

Quick facts about CR:
Costa Rica is not an island- it is a part of the isthmus Central America. It is bordered on the north by Nicaragua and on the south by Panama.
Spanish is the official language however most people you’ll come into contact with also speak English.
Costa Ricans are extremely well educated –the literacy rate is 97% and the majority of people are bilingual.
Costa Rica is the size of West Virginia but has 12 micro-climates ranging from tropical to alpine.
6% of the world’s bio-diversity resides here
Costa Rica is considered a “Blue Zone” which means that people here commonly live active lives past the age of 100. Just consider Costa Rica your fountain of youth.
These are some of the nicest people in the world- if you need help with something don’t hesitate to ask.

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