Costa Rica Travel Guide

Currency, cash and cards

Credit cards

As a modern country, you will find that credit cards are widely accepted and used in most urban areas, especially in larger cities. However, if you intend to leave major cities and explore Costa Rica’s many charming small towns or bustling markets, it is advisable to carry cash, especially small denomination notes.

Currency

The currency of Costa Rica, the Colón, is named after the legendary explorer and sailor Cristobal Colón, or as he is more commonly known: Christopher Columbus. Though Columbus is most famous for discovering America, he is also credited for discovering Costa Rica in 1502. Fascinatingly, during the colonial times, cacao seeds were implemented as a basic form of currency. This remained the case until the 1840s, when coffee plantation workers started to use “coffee tickets” – a basic form of currency given to plantation workers as a reward, to exchange goods in stores. The Colón became the official currency in the last years of the 19th century.

The coins were first introduced in 1897 and changed little until 1935, when they were redesigned to include national symbols such as Costa Rica’s coat of arms. However, as if to represent Costa Rica’s stance on environmental protection, bills since 2012 were colorfully changed with touches inspired by the country’s diverse wildlife. New images depicting the sloth, the hummingbird, the morpho butterfly and the white-headed capuchin monkey were introduced. The design isn’t the only interesting feature though – indeed these new bills were created with new materials so that visually impaired people can distinguish between bills as well!

Health information

As a humid, tropical country, some diseases and viruses can be expected in Costa Rica. Luckily, there are some things you can do to mitigate these dangers. Travelers should make sure to have hepatitis A and typhoid vaccinations, as it is possible to contract these through contaminated food or water in Costa Rica.

The water in San Jose and other areas popular with travelers is generally safe to drink. Some minor sickness is often a risk when visiting foreign countries, and especially those with a different climate to what you are used to, and Costa Rica is no different. If you want to avoid this risk altogether, it may be a good idea to buy bottled water.

There is no risk of Yellow Fever in Costa Rica. The government requires proof of vaccination if you are arriving from a country with risk of Yellow Fever. At the moment, Zika virus transmission remains a risk in Costa Rica. As such, it is advisable to take meticulous anti-mosquito measures whenever possible. Repellents such as DEET are essential for your trip, especially if you are visiting the rural and forested areas. Considering the information mentioned above, we recommend that you postpone your visit to Costa Rica if you are pregnant.

Altitude sickness

This will mostly affect people who intend to explore Costa Rica’s mountainous terrain. But when climbing or hiking around Costa Rica’s many mountains and volcanoes, you may experience some altitude sickness. are unlikely to experience much altitude sickness below 2500 meters (or 8200 feet) elevation, at lower altitudes such as Monteverde (1500 masl/4900 feet), some travelers have found themselves short of breath more often than they would at sea level. If you travel on the many winding roads in Monteverde it is possible you will experience some dizziness stemming from the motion and altitude.

Apart from these tips in our Costa Rica travel guide, our experienced team of destination experts are happy to share more information with you. Get in touch with us for your personalized, obligation-free Costa Rica tour itinerary.