Costa Rica
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From Drive the Americas
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[edit] Basic Facts
- Population: 4,133,884
- Capital: San Jose
- Fun fact: Óscar Rafael de Jesús Arias Sánchez is the current President of Costa Rica, and won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1987 for his efforts to end civil wars then raging in several Central American countries.[1]
[edit] Border Crossing Information
[edit] Entry Requirements
[edit] Necessary documents
 Payment Receipt for Fumigation |  Costa Rican Tourist Entry Paperwork |  Stamped Application with Receipt for Costa Rican Vehicle Import Permit |  Car import permit Costa Rica |
- Passport
- Drivers License
- Vehicle Title
- Several photocopies of each
[edit] Costs
- $12 for obligatory insurance
- Miscellaneous photocopying fees (can vary)
[edit] Procedure
After having your car fumigated (make sure to get a receipt), head to the immigration building. After presenting your passport, you will need to fill out an immigration form, present the filled out form with your passport, and have your passport stamped. You will then need to purchase 'obligatory insurance' for 7,890 colones (about $12 US) even if your car is already insured. You will need a xerox of your freshly stamped passport with the receipt for the insurance payment for the next step in the process. For every person driving the car, make similar xeroxes. At the aduana present the xeroxes, your passports, and vehicle title. You will then fill out another form from the aduana. The official will take the form over to your car to make sure the numbers match, after which he will stamp the paperwork. This paperwork will need to be further processed before you are given your final vehicle import documents. You should only pay for the insurance, and shouldn't have to pay for any other paperwork.
[edit] Exit Requirements
[edit] Necessary documents
 Tarjeta Regreso/Egreso: Paperwork for leaving Costa Rica |  Paperwork for canceling Costa Rican Vehicle Import Permit |
- Passport
- Vehicle import permit
[edit] Procedure
To leave Costa Rica, you will need to fill out a tourist form or tarjeta de ingreso/egreso and have your passport scanned at the migracion window. After completing the form and checking it with your passport at immigration, you can proceed to the aduana window with your processed paperwork, passport, and vehicle import permit. To cancel the vehicle import permit, fill out the provided form, and the aduana officials will briefly inspect your vehicle to make sure the forms and vehicle license plate match. They will return your canceled vehicle import permit, and you can proceed to the immigration station of the country you are entering. You should not have to pay any fees.
[edit] Individual Experiences
People's experiences vary depending on crowds at the border, corrupt or honest border officials, and rules can also change. People's individual experiences are included here.
[edit] Roads and Driving
A tourist may drive in Costa Rica with a valid license from their country and a passport. Seat belts are required for drivers and front-seat passengers. The use of helmets for motorcycle conductors is required.
According to the US State Department, Costa Rica is has one of the highest vehicle accident rates in the world. See general tips on driving in Latin America on the Roads and Driving Page
[edit] Gas Prices
A liter of super is .87 USD.
[edit] Car Rentals
A few people on Thorn Tree Forums said that Vamos Rent a Car company was very inexpensive. The cars were a bit older but reliable and some people had problems w/reserving cars or getting picked up at the airport.
If you are tired of dealing with the large rental companies, you may want to check out Rush Rent a Car. This Costa Rican family owned business will pick you up right at the airport, no need to get to the rental car location.
[edit] Camping and Hotels
[edit] Pacific Coast
Tamarindo
This sprawling beach town isn't exactly budget, but we found the lovely Hotel Chocolate about 500 meters from the beach. It has a nice garden courtyard with a pool, and small apartment style accomodations with a basic kitchen and hot-water bathrooms. The rooms have nice balconies with hammocks and tables, and the place has good wireless internet access. It's even better for groups of 4, since it has rooms with 2 queens or 2 bunkbeds if you're traveling on more of a budget. The owner is friendly and willing to bargain as well.
30 minutes south of Tamarindo on Playa Negra, you're likely to find more of the pura vida lifestyle that has made Costa Rica famous. We stumbled upon the cabinas at Cabinas Marvel, where they will also custom make you a rashguard or bikini. The owner Bob, and his wife Margarita, are super friendly and will bend over backwards to make your stay perfect. Really close to a bunch of great surfing areas as well. We ended up staying a lot longer than we had originally planned, as the small cabinas with kitchen and cold-water bathroom were too good of a deal to leave.
Nosara
Treehouse Gardens is a nice campground for those looking for budget accommodation. Or for those who like heights they have a treehouse built for two though you will have to climb down to use the shared bathrooms. They can be reached at treebox37@gmail.com or (506) 2682-1254.
[edit] Resources
| YourTravelmap.com | Detailed driving directions and driving times for Costa Rica- just put in two cities and you will get a driving route and estimated time of arrival. Additional information about national parks and towns, as well as references to hotels and tours.
- Recommended by Mark O. |
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[edit] Notes
