PLEASE READ CAREFULLY. Costa Rica requires that a passport and a visa. They must be valid for at least six months beyond the completion date of the planned trip. Please check your passport and visa to make certain your expiration dates have about 6 months more than your planned return date. Example; if your trip has you scheduled to return to your country on January 30th, you should have your passport and visa expiration dates of July 30 of that year. Costa Rica is very strict about this!

Make a copy of your passport and keep it separate from your real passport during travel to Costa Rica. (Do NOT put either of these in your baggage. Only in carry-on bags, but keep them separate).

As we travel around Costa Rica, you will use your paper copy and leave your passport in your safe at your hotel.

VISAS: Depending on your country of origin you may enter Costa Rica without a visa. USA, Canada and most European countries have this privilege.

Further details may be found at the U.S. State Department's travel site.

As you are aware, covid-rules have changed. As of Aug. 3, 2021, Costa Rica is open to every country in the world. As of right now, we are allowed to go anywhere without wearing masks. Pickleball is not restricted. We hope it stays that way!!!

https://cr.usembassy.gov/201119-travel-alert/

Costa Rica is just above the Equator, but in spite of the warm, humid climate, there are many microclimates here, especially when going up into the highlands. Bring a light jacket and a light rain jacket or travel umbrella. A pocket plastic rain jacket will do during dry season, (Late November through April), because some parts still have rain. During rainy season (May through August), it rains for a few hours in the afternoon. The last 2 month of rainy season, , it rains a lot...Also see our list of "Items to Bring"

Do not wear fancy clothes. Be casual and don't wear a lot of "showy" jewelry. There is a lot of poverty and people don't enjoy having wealth shoved int heir face. Casual wear is typical in Costa Rica. If you choose to do this and happen to travel into the city of San Jose before or after our tours, you make yourself a prime target for theft.

The Costa Rican currency is called Colon. Visa and Mastercard, and cash are widely accepted. (No American Express). Leave travelers’ checks and personal checks at home.

500 to approx. 630 colones is $1.00 USD. It changes frequently, so check before you go. Here is how we get an idea of what something is costing us:

1,000 colones is approx. $2. or less. 2,000 colones is approx.(less than) $4. etc. Double the number in the "thousands" column, so 15,000 is approx. a few dollars under $30.

There are banks everywhere. You can use your ATM card to pull out money when needed.

This is not Mexico. Don't plan on getting a better deal by bargaining for items in souvenir stores. You can get a break if you pay cash.

All major credit cards are widely accepted.

First and foremost, before leaving for Costa Rica, you should alert your bank and credit card company that you'll be traveling and ask them to advise you of any fees for using your cards while traveling internationally. You can now use your credit cards almost anywhere, but ask at the store first if they take credit cards. Some little mom & pop stores don’t. You will also find ATM machines distributed throughout the country, but we suggest, out of experience, that you use only ATM machines at banks, not on the street or stand-alone ones in stores. They tend to "eat" your card, and it can take up to a week or longer to get it back... if at all!

Outlets are 110 V, with standard US-type plugs.

Tap water is safe. We have lived here for 5 years now and have traveled all over the country with no problems.

No vaccinations are necessary.

Most airlines now pack that tax into your fare. It is now unusual to pay it at the airport, but make certain your airline has this service, which saves you time and hassle at the airport in Costa Rica. Departure tax is US $29.00.

All you need is insect repellent, and (in order of “best”), ..choice #1 an umbrella, #2 a rain coat with a hood or #3, a plastic "pocket" hooded rain coat ... Wear hiking boots with good tread if you are planning on an actual hiking tour on your time off. However, hiking boots are not necessary for our tour.

Sales tax is 13%

(Restaurants also charge an additional (service charge) of 10% as a tip for the employees. If you wish to raise that tip, they will be grateful, as they receive about $3.00 per hour.

Dial 911 for immediate assistance.

Your cell phone will not work here in Costa Rica unless you are an international traveler. Make arrangements with your cell phone company for international calls. But check to see if you can use them in areas without wifi.

If you are a regular international traveler and know that your phone is set up for changing sim cards, yes, you may, but best to just get covered in the USA before you come..

Your airport for San Jose is Juan Santamaria International Airport. Airport code: SJO.

ARRIVAL INTO COSTA RICA:

We ask that you come in a day ahead of the tour start date, (see the arrival day listed on your perspective tour); you must come in the day before that date. After much experience and trial & error, we have found that coming to Costa Rica a day early is the easiest and most pleasant option for our guests.

We will pick our guests up at the designated hotel at the stated time for your specific tour. The tour starts at that time, leaving for our first destination and, ultimately, arriving at our destination’s hotel at around 3 p.m.

Transport is included from the airport to the hotel. After leaving baggage claim, (1) head straight down the walkway (which only goes to your right), and (2) find the MALINCHE restaurant farther down the sidewalk, (also on your right), and (3) wait there for the transport van. (4) Look for a sign in the front window of the van, OR for the man outside of the van, holding a sign that reads, “Country Inn & Suites by Radisson.” (Look for that entire name).

Costa Rica is in the Central Standard Time Zone year-round. No time change here.

We hope that helps.

We highly suggest that you use local transportation, like Uber or taxis. If you come in the rainy season, you might say, "So what's a little rain"? As locals, here 10 yrs, we strongly suggest that you NOT rent a car. Traffic and roads here are so different. The roads here are narrow. The traffic is often heavy, with many large shipping trucks. For many reasons, it’s just better to let the local people drive you, since they know the roads best .

As we said and want to emphasize, this is not the USA.

First-time air travelers; Remember that when going through TSA security you are allowed to bring a quart-sized bag of liquids, aerosols, gels, creams, and pastes in your carry-on bag and through the checkpoint. These are limited to travel-sized containers of 3.4 ounces (100 milliliters) or less per item. Placing these items in a small bag and separating from your carry-on baggage facilitates the screening process. Anything in a container larger than 3.4 ounces or 100 milliliters needs to be put in checked baggage. That includes items such as peanut butter…even anything gooey can't be put in carry-on bags if it's more than the above allowance.

As you consider what to bring, please be aware that you are in a country that has poverty. There will be no situations where you will need to wear any jewelry that is expensive. The rural areas of Costa Rica where our club is, are generally safe. Costa rica is very casual, so we suggest that you leave your dressy items behind.

WHAT TO BRING:

• Lightweight jacket

• Pocket raincoat, regular lightweight raincoat, or small umbrella

• Shorts

• Short sleeve and sleeveless tops or shirts of cotton or quick-dry types.

• Hat for sun protection

• Sun Screen (bring it from the USA. It is extremely expensive here).

• Bug repellent (sometimes we run into "no see ums, " so bring something that handles these buggers, as well as mosquitos)

• A water Bottle

• A small bottle of liquid laundry soap for quick hand washing (Optional), and remember, more than 3.4 oz need to be placed in luggage, not a carry-on bag.

• Swimsuit

• Your pickleball paddle if you play

• Sun Glasses

• Aloe Vera for sunburn

• Bug spray is used for mosquitos and no-see-ums (usually)

• Anti-histamine for itching (bug bites)

• Binoculars

• Court Shoes for pickleball play

• Hiking boots or sneakers, depending on how rough of terrain you wish to use on free time.

• Whichever of these types of footwear you think you might want to use: amphibian hikers, hiking/walking shoes, river/reef sandals, beach sandals/flip-flops sandals

• Load a translation app on your phone for Spanish/English

• Passport (also photocopies), never give your passport to anyone. Again, consider the date of your return to your country. Ensure your passport is valid for six months past your return date. Costa Rica is very strict about this.

• Driver’s license (also photocopies)

• Money, credit/debit card, Insurance card, and contact information

• Personal prescriptions should be filled before you leave home.

• Contact lenses and cleaning solutions

• Emergency contact information (names, addresses, and phone numbers - in case of unconsciousness – of your parents and physicians in your country of origin)If you wear prescription glasses, pack a spare pair.

• Cell phone or laptop wall charger. Leave photocopies of your passport, driver’s license, credit cards, airline tickets, and any reservations that you've prepaid with your home emergency contact person.

Yes, but please make sure you find out what is NOT allowed to be brought into Costa Rica. As far as we have heard, opiate-type painkillers are illegal but check with your doctor or pharmacist to be sure. Below are some rules to follow.

• Carry just the necessary quantity, which is the quantity normally used by a person having your health problem.

• You should have a prescription or a written statement from your doctor specifying that the medicine is being used under his/her control and that you need it for your physical health.

• Have the medicines labeled or properly identified. If they are not labeled, you could be targeted as a trafficker, entering or out of a country in customs. So, keep it in the packaging and have all documentation. If they are not labeled, you could be targeted as a trafficker, entering or out of a country in customs. So, keep it in the packaging and have all documentation.

• Narcotics and certain drugs with a high potential for abuse, like ibogaine, may not be brought into the United States. If you need them, you need to declare them in your customs declaration, carry them in their original containers, carry only a reasonable quantity for personal use, and carry a prescription that explicitly states that you need these medicines for your condition.

• If you need to bring in needles, syringes, oxygen tanks, and similar devices, you should bring your prescription, indicating they are necessary. Contact the airline and the Transportation Security Administration before your flight if you need special requirements.

• Non-prescription drugs, vitamins, and supplements will usually not pose a problem if the amount carried is reasonable.

Weather is the same year around in different areas of the country. It depends on where you are, elevation-wise.

The beaches, no matter where you are or what season we're in here in Costa Rica, will almost always be very warm, 90 to 96 degrees during the day, with high humidity, like Florida or much of the east coast in the summer. Each tour will have you in this area for at least a few days.

Going up into the Central Highlands, where our club is, it is much cooler, 70 to 85 degrees during the day, and less humidity. Each of our tours, except the 7-Day UPSCALE, brings you to the Central Highlands to play Pickleball. Rainy Season versus Dry Season: Each season has an upside and downside.

DRY SEASON: (Late November/early December through mid to late April). Many people are bent on only visiting Costa Rica during the dry season. There are parts of the country that have no rain at all during this time. But if you want to visit any of the lush, green primary-growth forest areas, it still rains occasionally in these areas...just not as much as during the rainy season. That's why the area is beautifully green.

The downside of the dry season is the number of tourists that come, and sugar cane fields out in the country are burned almost daily, making the sky hazy with smoke, and then there is the wind which makes the green more dusty looking. Costa Rica has some deciduous trees, just like in the north. As leaves fall from those trees, they become bare. There is still a lot of green everywhere, but as locals, we love all of the green landscape. Those from the States or Canada see the dry season as beautiful. We have found that even though it's more sparse green and dusty, the tourists think it's gorgeous. It's all in the eyes of the beholder, but we live here and don't mind the rain in the afternoons, so we like the rainy season better.

RAINY SEASON: (Around May 1 through mid to late November)

This is the time of year we always encourage our friends to come down for a visit. The rainy season is our favorite, with its beautiful blue skies and gorgeous lush green everywhere..because of the rain.

May through August: Downpours in the afternoons for a few hours, and sometimes no rain. The mornings and rest of the day are beautiful most of the time, including after the rains, in the evening, which usually brings beautiful sunsets from the leftover clouds.

September and especially through October brings a lot more rain. We don't do tours then. Rain transitions out around mid to late November.

We try to use the dry season months for our pickleball tours, but if our group chooses rainy season dates or goes into the rainforest areas, we will choose a hotel with covered courts. (Some areas have no specific "rainy season", but have some intermittent rain occasionally..making lush, beautiful rainforest.