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Travel and Tourism in Costa Rica
Travel alerts, currency, climate, transit, health, and safety information for visitors to Costa Rica.
Practical Information
Travel alert status, currency, climate, and transit details.
- Travel Alert Status
- Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution
- Time Difference
- UTC-6 (1 hour behind Washington, DC, during Standard Time)
- Currency
- 543.4
- Climate
- Altitude determines the climate throughout Costa Rica. Areas below 3,000 feet have average annual temperatures of around 80°, with little variation from month to month. The temperature drops from around 74° at 3,000 feet to 59 degrees at 5,000 feet. Above 5,000 feet, the average annual temperatures can range as low as 40 degrees to the mid-50s, with occasional frost during the coolest months. The temperature in San Jose is generally pleasant, with two seasons distinguished mainly by the rainfall. The dry season runs from December through April and the wet season extends from May through November. Even during the wet season the mornings generally are clear, with the afternoons and evenings dominated by heavy rains nearly every day. Relatively high winds often are present during the dry season. The average temperature in San Jose is 70 to 75° Fahrenheit. In December, the coolest month, the average temperature drops to around 65°. Temperatures drop into the 50s at night throughout the year. Humidity in San Jose averages 80 percent annually.
- Language(s) Spoken
- Spanish (official), English
- Ethnic Groups
- White or Mestizo 83.6%, Mulatto 6.7%, Indigenous 2.4%, Black or African descent 1.1%, other 1.1%, none 2.9%, unspecified 2.2%
- National Holiday
- Independence Day, 15 September (1821)
- Geographic Coordinates
- 10 00 N, 84 00 W
- Location
- Central America, bordering both the Caribbean Sea and the North Pacific Ocean, between Nicaragua and Panama
- Airports
- 149
Destinations
Regions and cities, top sights, national parks, UNESCO sites, and festivals for visitors.
Arenal Volcano and the Hot Springs Region
The Arenal Volcano region in the northern lowlands of Costa Rica has been, for several decades, the most visited destination in the country outside of San José. The reasons are not difficult to understand. The volcano itself, almost perfectly conical in shape, is one of the most visually dramatic volcanoes in Central America. The town of La Fortuna at its base is well-organized and tourist-friendly. Hot springs heated by geothermal activity bubble up across the region, creating a range of bathing options from simple natural pools to luxury resort spas. The Arenal Lake, one of the largest lakes in Central America, provides world-class conditions for windsurfing, kitesurfing, and kayaking. And the surrounding forest, including the Arenal Volcano National Park and several private reserves, contains abundant wildlife and well-developed trail systems.
Arenal was one of the most active volcanoes in the Americas from 1968, when a catastrophic eruption killed approximately 87 people and destroyed the town of Tabacón, until 2010, when the volcano entered a period of relative dormancy. During its forty-two years of active eruption, Arenal produced lava flows, ash clouds, and pyroclastic events that made it simultaneously terrifying and magnetically beautiful.
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Health and Safety
Medical facilities, vaccinations, disease risk, and sanitation conditions.
Costa Rica actively promotes medical tourism. While the perceived advantages are affordable costs, quality health care, and a chance to recuperate and have a vacation at the same time, there are also risks. Medical tourists should confirm that the facilities they intend to use are accredited and have an acceptable level of care. They should also purchase medical evacuation insurance before travelling, and should confirm that the cost and payment for their treatment is clearly understood by both parties.
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