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| *Travel Tips>>>Costa Rica Travel Tips |
I'm going to Costa Rica soon, does anybody have any intelligent suggestions or advice based on experience? |
Travel Info I'm going to Costa Rica soon, does anybody have any intelligent suggestions or advice based on experience? Travel Tips You'll get lots of advice. Here are a couple of items that people may not think to tell you: 1:) Be neat and clean! Costa Ricans are generally very clean, and as well-dressed as they can be, esp. in more populated areas. A decent (ironed is even better), neat, clean appearance will make a better impression than the more stereotypical "I'm a tourist on vacation and I don't have to bathe or comb my hair for 2 weeks - yippee!" look. Costa Rica is perfume and cologne friendly - watch out if you have sensitivities! 2. When you ask directions, always ask at least 3 unrelated people. Many ticos don't like to tell you that they don't know where something is, so it's not uncommon for them to just...make up directions. So ask 3 people and look for at least 2 people to agree! Also beware of directions that use landmarks that no longer exist: "follow this street until you get to the old park, then turn left." The old park was converted into a Payless 5 years ago, but they may not think to tell you that! 3. Beware the many pickpocketers! Wear your backpack as a frontpack, if you have to carry one. Put cash in a safe place (not a back or even a side pocket - I once stood in line behind a friend at a bus stop and watched someone walk up, stick his hand in my friend's side pocket, and take out his wallet before I could say, "hey, what are you doing?" Carrying a big backpack in a crowded area is an invitation to be robbed. If you have to carry a big pack, lock it, and make sure the outer pockets have things that you won't miss - I always put my dirty socks back there:) Pickpocketers are yet another reason to try to not look like a typical tourist. 4. If you take a taxi, make sure the taxi driver puts on the "maria" (meter) before you start. If you take a 'pirata' (unregistered taxi) the taxi driver won't have a maria, you should negotiate a price up front. Probably best to avoid the piratas, altho I have good friends who make their living that way. 5. In spite of warnings, CR is an amazing and beautiful country, full of wonderfully friendly and helpful people. I lived there for 2 1/2 years, and would love to live there again. It's still much safer, overall, than the U.S., so be careful, but don't be scared. |
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