Costa Rica Tourism and Retirement Guide
Safety
Generally, you are responsible for any decisions you take. You will not be able to sue anyone for negligence. There will be few signs warning you of slippery floors and sometimes there may not be a sign when a piece of the road is missing.
emergencies
Emergency phone number 911
Red Cross 128
Tourism Care Medical Services 221-5818
Hospital phone numbers
inoculations
There are no shots required for entering Costa Rica.
water
In most places the municipal water is good to drink. In the metropolitan area of San Jose it may not taste very good. Ask the locals if you are in doubt: "Se puede tomar el agua de tubo?"
first aid
If you are going off the beaten tracks you should carry the basic first aid supplies: band aids, tweezers, tape, insect repellent, sunscreen, anti-histamine cream.
sun
Costa Rica is close to the equator and when you are on the beaches the temperatures will probably give you a hint that you should apply sunscreen. At higher altitudes it gets cooler but actually the radiation gets more intense even though you do not feel it. If you have not been exposed to real sun in a while you should apply sunscreen before going out and even then you should limit the exposure of bare skin to 20 minutes on the first day. Preferably stay out of the sun around midday.
food
The food is generally not a problem in Costa Rica unlike in Mexico and the rest of Central America. You can eat whatever you like. The only exception is that sometimes the chicken tends to be undercooked and you can usually avoid problems by not eating gigantic quantities of chicken. Also ceviche, which is raw seafood, could be a more dangerous food.
driving
Driving in Costa Rica is quite a bit more hectic than in the US and Canada (with the exception of Boston and NYC) but European drivers will probably feel at home. If you see oncoming traffic blink their lights at you it means that there is a police checkpoint coming up or there is a dangerous situation ahead. This can range from cows in the road to a missing lane due to a landslide so pay attention to this. Not everybody who breaks down has safety triangles and often branches are cut and placed in the road to warn of trouble ahead. It is fairly safe to travel at night but I would recommend against it. At night, when it rains, visibility is reduced because of the glare caused by oncoming traffic. There may be people walking or riding their bicycles along the road that you will not see until you are close. Of course you will also miss the beauty of the country if you drive at night. Park in guarded areas. Many stop signs are missing in the city so pay attention to what other drivers do and try to see what sign the crossroad has. One-way streets are also not always obvious so look and see if all the cars are parked one way and what other traffic is doing. In the San Jose area you should keep your doors locked while you are driving and have your windows rolled up enough so no one can grab inside the car.
crossing a river by car
The insurance on your rental car does not cover water damage caused by river
crossings. Damage to the engine is caused by water entering the air intake
causing a blown head gasket or a bent rod. Before you cross a river check the
depth by walking through or use my favorite method: wait and watch someone else
cross first. To play it safe don't go any deeper than the level of your
floorboard, especially if it is a fast running river where you would have a
chance of being swept sideways with the current. Run the car in 4-wheel drive
and go slowly and evenly down into the river without revving the engine. Rev up
when you start to come out of the river.
If the engine cuts out in deep water and if there is any chance that water has
entered the air intake don't restart the car. Have someone pull the car out.
Check the air intake for water. If it is dry you can start the car. If it is wet
all the spark plugs need to be removed so you can crank the engine and blow the
air out of the cylinders and the manifold.
punctured tire scam
Rental cars are distinguishable and as such you may be a target. In this scam someone will puncture one tire causing a slow leak and then they will follow you. When you pull over to fix the tire they will offer to help and then they will rob things from your car. So, always lock your car!
buses
If you have luggage, make sure that it is stowed before you enter the bus. It is best to have a seat on the right-hand side where you can keep an eye on it during stops. Travelling by bus keep your documents and valuables in your lap with your hand on it or better yet in a pouch on your body. If you want to leave something in the overhead compartment put it across the aisle and in front of you so you can keep an eye on it. If you get out of the bus for a break take your valuables with you and don't leave anything except what is stowed below.
walking
A big difference is that pedestrians are rarely given the right-of-way and if you are driving and you try to wave them on they will often not cross the road for fear that you are just waiting until you can get a good shot at them. Keep this in mind when you are trying to cross a street. Also, if you are walking along a road without a sidewalk, walk against traffic. In cities and tourist towns you should pay attention to what is happening around you. Do not wear expensive looking jewelry. If you have a purse or a backpack, carry it in front of you with an arm over it.
swimming
Riptides are currents that pull you away from the coast. If you get caught in one don't fight it. Usually they are not very wide so if you swim parallel to the coast you will swim out of it. Then you can head for shore again.