Costa Rica Travel Fact 1: Area: 51,000 sq. km (19,700 sq. miles).

Costa Rica Travel Fact 2: Capital: San Jose

Costa Rica Travel Fact 3: Highest Mountain: Mount Chirripo, 3,820 meter (12,500 ft.)

Costa Rica Travel Fact 4: Coastline: More than 1,200 km (750 Miles) of both the Caribbean and Pacific Coast.

Costa Rica Travel Fact 5: Population: 3.8 million

Costa Rica Travel Fact 6: Language: Spanish. English Creole is also spoken by Costa Ricans of Caribbean decent.

Costa Rica Travel Fact 7: Religion: 76% Catholic majority.

Costa Rica Travel Fact 8: National Flower: Guaria Morada (orchid type).

Costa Rica Travel Fact 9: Time Zone: GMT -6 Hours, No Daylight Savings Time.

Costa Rica Travel Fact 10: Currency: The Colon.

Costa Rica Travel Fact 11: Weight and Measure: Metric.

Costa Rica Travel Fact 12: Electricity: 120v, 60-cycle current. Two-prong flat and round plugs.

Costa Rica Travel Fact 13: International Dialing Code: 506.

Costa Rica Travel Fact 14: Climate: There two seasons in Costa Rica. The rainy season, characteristically green with fresh vegetation, and the dry season. Costa Ricans call the rainy season winter (invierno) and the dry season summer (verano).

Costa Rica Travel Fact 15: Climate: In the Central Valley Invierno (rainy) lasts from May to November, Verano (dry) from December to April. Even in the rainy season, most mornings are bright and sunny. (Costa Rica Travel Fact hint: By visiting in the rainy season you can enjoy low season prices and fewer tourists).

Costa Rica Travel Fact 16: Climate: On the Caribbean Coast it can rain at any time, but October is the driest month. Humidity is higher on the Caribbean Coast.

Costa Rica Travel Fact 17: Temperature: Average temperature in San Jose is 24 C (75 F). Costa Rica has extremely high and low elevation in relatively close space. Temperature ranges from 20s C (70s F) to 30s (90s F). (Costa Rica Travel Fact hint: be prepared to wear layers).

Costa Rica Travel Fact 18: Economy: Tourism (we LOVE it), Pineapples (best in the World), Coffee (ditto!!!), bananas (have you had one?), electronics, and textiles are the basis of the economy. Costa Rica enjoys socialized health care and public education. No standing army.

Costa Rica Travel Fact 19: Literacy: 95 percent literacy rate.

Costa Rica Travel Fact 20: Government: Democratic

Costa Rica Travel Fact 21: Greeting: PURA VIDA is a way of life. It means Pure Life, enjoy!!!

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Here is a list of important Costa Rica culture tips that will help you maximize your enjoyment while in the beautiful land of Costa Rica. This is a growing list, so if you have suggestions please send them along (c:

Costa Rica Culture Travel Tip 1: Greetings
The country’s favorite greeting is Pura Vida (Pure Life). People greet each other with a hand shake when first introduced. Women usually greet each other with a kiss on the cheek, as well as say good bye in that same manner. The cheek kiss greeting can apply between men and women if a friendship relationship exists. Children are very affectionate, and usually greet their elders with a kiss. It is to be noted that amongst adults, excessive public demonstrations of affection are looked down upon. The Costa Ricans are humble people.

Costa Rica Culture Travel Tip 2 : Business Hours
Business hours are usually 9am to 5pm with a lunch break between noon and 1pm. National banks are usually open between 8:30pm and 4:30pm

Costa Rica Culture Travel Tip 3: Taxes & Tipping
Restaurants and hotels add a 13% tax to the bill. An additional 3% tourism tax is added by hotels, and a 10% service charge is added by restaurants. This covers the tip.  Hotel Bellboys should be tipped, but in restaurants tipping is not expected. With that said, if you receive exceptional service from someone such as a waitier or taxi driver, please feel free to add an additional 10%.

Costa Rica Culture Travel Tip 4 : Shopping
If you spend extended time periods in Costa Rica, it is likely that you will shop for services and/or materials. It is very important that you shop around. Prices can be all over the board, and it is common that you can get better pricing if you look around at different locations. If you are a foreigner (gringo), be aware that some people will try to price gauge you just because they think you will pay it. The sad part of it is that they are mostly right, and uneducated buyers are driving prices up for everyone. It is advisable to have a Costa Rican friend of confidence to help you get the services or materials that you need, since it is likely that they will get a better price than you will. The rule of thumb is to do your homework, shop around, ask a local to see if that price is fair, and then double check. This will ensure that you get the best value and that prices do not continue to be inflated by foreigners.

Costa Rica Culture Travel Tip 5 : Security & Crime
Costa Rica is experiencing an increase in petty theft such as pick pocketing, chain and watch snatching, backpack grabbing, and other forms of theft. This is true especially in down town San Jose. For the most part this is non-violent theft, a type of snatch-and-run thievery. There is no reason to become paranoid or frightened, but it is important to stay vigilant over your belongings, just like in any other major city in the world.