WHAT TO PACK

Weather-Temperature: Sunny, Hot & Humid! ~ 80-90 degrees for May. To check on the real-time conditions in the Liberia/Tamarindo, Costa Rica area, click here for the weather forecast.

General Attire: Clothing made of cotton, linen, or summer and tropical fabrics - shorts, t-shirts, swimwear, etc.; Footwear: Sandals, water shoes, sneakers, etc.; Out on the Town: Casual attire is acceptable for most stores, casinos, bars and restuarants in the tourist areas. Up-scale establishments in the capitol of San Jose or other areas may require men to at least wear long pants or dress jeans, collared shirts and closed-toe shoes; while women may be required to wear at least casual evening wear, or dress jeans. Eco-Tours & Hiking, Adventure, Leisure Activities: Comfortable hiking shoes, climbing boots, binoculars, rain poncho, backpacks, light jackets and long pants where necessary, fishing gear, golf clubs, active wear for riding ATVs, horses, etc. (see the recommended clothing requirements for each of these activities)

Don't forget to pack: A camera, film, a hat, and sunglasses along with plenty of sunscreen!

Limit flashy jewelry, valuables and other such accessories. Bring/wear what you choose, but always be mindful of the attention you bring to yourself in a foreign country.

Bring bug protection or deal with it! Costa Rica consists of many wildlife preserves and rainforest jungle parks, i.e. insects are alive and well in Costa Rica! Outdoor repellent containing "deet" works very well.

Pack Alka-Seltzer, Tums, Rolaids, Pepto Bismol or something similar so you'll have it, if needed. Remember you are traveling abroad, and the foods, although delicious and fresh, may be "new" to your stomach!

Batteries and camera film are hard to find. Dispoable cameras are not kept in volume. Stores that carry them will charge dearly for these items. Plan ahead-Buy these items before you leave from home.

How to pack: Try to minimize the amount of luggage you are traveling with. Moving about will be easier and you can avoid the costly overweight & extra airline baggage fees that are now strictly enforced.

US DEPARTURE & PASSPORT

Please arrive at the airport 2 hours prior to departure to allow enough check-in time.

On American Airlines, for international travel, your check-in bag(s) can weigh no more than 50lbs.; If it's more, or you have more than one suitcase, the airline will charge you at least $25 each way; Contact your airline directly for carry-on luggage, checked-baggage limitations and overage costs; American 800-433-4300, Continental 800-525-0820, Delta 800-221-1212

You will need a US passport to enter Costa Rica - NO EXCEPTIONS! You are responsible for ensuring your travel documents are in order before the May 23rd trip. The US passport process can sometimes exceed 6-8 weeks. American citizens may visit here to apply for/renew a US Passport. If your situation is dire and you need a passport in less than two weeks before 5/23, we suggest using any one of express passport services. Try a web search for "express us passport service". NOTE: Prices will vary based on the urgency of your passort needs.

COSTA RICA DEPARTURE

An international departure tax of $26 is required upon your leaving Costa Rica. This can be paid in dollars or colones. Please leave ample time ahead of your flight departure time to make this payment at the Costa Rica departure tax window before checking your luggage at the airline counter. This window is located on the main departure concourse near the airline ticket counters. After completing your flight check in, you should complete the back of the departure tax form before entering the security screening line.

ARRIVAL in COSTA RICA & LOCAL TRANSPORTATION

Unless you have a customized itinerary for different travel dates, all members of FP travel group will be arriving in/departing out of the Liberia International airport (Airport Code: LIR).

After you clear entry processing in Liberia, customs and baggage claim, look for local tour operator reps and/or FP trip coordinators near the airport exit. They will have hotel transfer and transportation instructions for the travel group. Be prepared to present your trip transfer voucher when requested to board the shuttle.

Local Air Transportation:

If you've made your own air travel arrangements and plan to route via San Jose to meet us in Guanacaste for the weekend, be mindful of these geographical facts: Guanacaste is the northwestern most province (or region) of Costa Rica. The Guanacaste province is where the city of Liberia and town of Tamarindo are located. Our base hotel, the Barcelo Playa Langosta Beach Hotel is located in Tamarindo and is a 4-5 hour drive from the San Jose Int'l airport. The Liberia Int'l Airport is several towns over from Tamarindo (about a 45 min drive). These are two entirely different major airports.

BE ADVISED that if you are attempting to take a local airplane charter from San Jose to Tamarindo, we suggest you make these arrangements prior to arriving in Costa Rica. Seats are not abundantly available by these smaller flight companies (each plane may have only 10-18 seats total) and weather conditions throughout Costa Rica can change at any moment affecting flight departures to the local airstrips. Our strongest advice is to book on US air carriers that fly into the major international airports of Costa Rica or travel by car, where possible.

Local Ground Transportation:

Taxis – Most taxis are privately owned. Beware of gypsy taxi drivers. Use taxi services arranged by your hotel or resort for local transportation. Some taxi drives will offer chauffeur type services if you desire. You should discuss financial agreement for this arrangement in advance of your trip.

Renting A Car – Rental cars are expensive, but a good way to see Costa Rica outside of the major cities. You should buy all the insurance offered – and then some. For a non-confrontational people, drivers in Costa Rica are very aggressive behind the wheel. Combine that with unpredictably poor road conditions and there can be “awkward” moments. Drive very, very cautiously. Most roads are desolate and poorly lit at night, if at all. During the rainy season, be sure that you rent an automatic shift four-wheel-drive (4WD) vehicle. If you are not familiar with the country, reasonably priced private transfers and local buses are a good alternative.

TIME ZONE & ELECTRIC USE

Costa Rica is on Central Standard Time, the same as Chicago and Houston. This is one hour behind New York City (ET) in the United States. Daylight Savings Time is not observed in Costa Rica. (However since the US is on DST at the time of our May '08 trip, note that there is a 2 hr time difference)

The voltage throughout Costa Rica is 110, the same as in North America. The wall outlets are the same as in the US. However, three-prong outlets are scarce, so bring along a 3 to 2 prong plug adapter and an extension cord for your electric chargers and/or other travel appliances, if you need one.

HEALTH

No shots are required, but having a Hepatitis A shot as a precaution is often suggested. The water in the major cities of Costa Rica is safe and most hotels and restaurants offer purified tap water. Regular tap water outside of your hotel is not safe to drink. To be always certain, you might prefer to drink bottled water (agua purificada) or seltzer (agua mineral) throughout your trip. Costa Rica has excellent, low-cost medical care and well-qualified practitioners. Many North Americans come to Costa Rica for cosmetic surgery or dental work.

Travelers to Central America need to be vigilant about food-borne as well as mosquito-borne infections. Chagas' disease, Dengue fever, Malaria, Leishmanias and Leptospirosis are just a few to be aware of. Most of these illnesses are not life-threatening, but they can certainly ruin your trip. Besides getting the proper vaccinations, and watching your sun exposure, it's important that you bring along a good insect repellant and exercise care in what you eat and drink. Other things to be aware of include handling, feeding or petting any animal, with the exception of domestic animals known to be free of any infectious disease.

SAFETY & CRIME

Costa Rica is a safe destination for 99% of its tourists! Violent crime is generally low compared to American cities, but pick-pocketing is common. In these cases, crimes are simple thievery (non-violent crimes of opportunity). In a common scam, thieves spill something on a passer-by, who is then pick-pocketed by the person who steps in to help 'clean up'. Another trend is for motorists to mug pedestrians and speed off. Exercise caution and common sense as anywhere in the world and carry your money and passport in an inside pocket or money belt out of view.

If you are lost, go inside a local store or restaurant to get directions. After dark, travel by taxi. Women should not walk alone at night. If you are bar or club-hopping, go with a group of people since there's always more safety in numbers. Stay anonymous by not wearing flashy jewelry or exposing rolls of money in public view.

If driving, never leave valuables inside your car, even for brief periods. Always use a guarded parking areas and remove all luggage overnight.

Additionally, most eco-adventures (such as hiking, river rafting, canopy tours, ATVs, scuba diving, etc.) involve some sort of danger, so be sure to use good judgment when deciding on your level of participation in these activities. Choose adventure-tour operators who are recommended and have a good safety track record.

CURRENCY, CREDIT CARDS, CHECKS

Costa Rican currency is the colón (co-LOAN), named after Cristóbal Colón (Christopher Columbus), and comes in bills of 500, 1000, 5000 and 10,000. US dollars are by far the most accepted foreign currency and credit cards can be widely used, except in small business establishments or hotels and restaurants in remote locations. The exchange rate is usually at around 500 colones (plural) to 1 US Dollar and can be exchanged at banks and change booths. Daily updates are provided at www.exchangerate.com. Non-US travelers should buy US dollars before they arrive in Costa Rica. Other foreign currencies are more difficult to exchange.

Credit and debit card holders can buy colones and possibly US dollars in some banks. Cards are accepted at most mid-range and top-end hotels, as well as at top-end restaurants and some travel agencies. All car-rental agencies accept credit cards. Visa is the most widely accepted, MasterCard less so and Amex rarely. BEWARE: Some businesses and hotels may charge a 7% fee for using credit cards, on top of government and service taxes. Look for and read these policies before the bill comes.

ATMs (cajeros automáticos) can be found in most cities and towns. The Visa Plus network is the standard, but machines on the Cirrus network, which accept most foreign ATM cards, can be found in some areas. Certain ATM machines will even dispense US dollars.

Travelers checks are not exchanged as favorably as cash. Banks and exchange bureaus will cash travelers checks at a commission of 1% to 3%. Many hotels will accept them as payment, but read business policies carefully, as some hotels do not. US dollar travelers checks are preferred. American Express checks are the easiest and quickest to replace in Costa Rica. Checks of other currencies may be impossible to change and difficult to replace.

ABOUT THE PEOPLE & COUNTRY

The official language is Spanish, but many of the people speak some English, a required course in all schools. Costa Ricans are affectionately known as Ticos (TEA-coes) – and you would be hard pressed to find a more friendly and welcoming culture. Smile and say Hello!!!

The population of Costa Rica is now approximately 4,000,000 people, which includes 40,000 natives who belong to eight different cultural groups. Catholicism is the dominant religion, as it is in most of Latin America.

Costa Rica's constitution requires 6% of its Gross Domestic Product be dedicated to education – and as a result it has a higher literacy rate (95%) than the United States. You will find that the country is very modern with major industry in the larger cities and heavy tourist areas, such as the capitol, San Jose. Rural and outlying remote areas may not be as developed, as can be expected.

BARCELO LANGOSTA HOTEL & TAMARINDO LOCALE

A credit card or cash deposit "may be" required upon check-in for your own incidental charges (phone calls, etc.).

Safes are available in every room of the better hotel locations; As always when traveling, it's wise to utilize the safe to store valuables.

IT IS ADVISED NOT TO DRINK TAP WATER from the faucet in your room or any other public (non-resort) areas; Use the bottled water located throughout the resort; Water and ice served in all the resort dining areas & bars is OK; Also, it's wise to brush your teeth with bottled water; Need more bottled water? Just call the front desk or see your housekeeper at your resort; When outside the resort, always drink bottled water and refrain from beverages with ice.

Cellular service in Costa Rica: Sprint/Nextel (Maybe), Cingular/AT&T (Maybe), T-Mobile (Maybe), Verizon (NO). Check with your US carrier for international coverage areas to be certain or a special service upgrade may be necessary. CAUTION: International roaming fees are very costly! You can rent a local cell phone if you wish. We suggest using the local pay phones with a calling cards as a good practice. (Remember, local phone operators will likely speak Spanish)

Unless necessary, don't call (locally or internationally) direct from your hotel room as the service and connection costs are extremely high; Room to room calls are of course free. Buying a local calling card is the most inexpensive option for calling back to the U.S and within Costa Rica.

Internet service is available in the hotel lobby, but it is pricey. We suggest that you visit a local internet cafe near our resort location for much more reasonable prices.

TVs in your room will have some local and international English speaking stations. Radios will only have local Costa Rican station(s); Enjoy the reggaeton, samba, bossa nova, salsa, merengue, bachata, and reggae - remember you're not home - you are in a different region of the Western Hemisphere entirely!

Service Tipping - In restaurants, beauty salons and bars, tips are usually given when not included in the bill, varying from 10% to 15%.

Taxi Transportation - Cabs are usually available in Tamarindo most times of the day, but if you need a driver the hotel receptionist or bell hop can assist you with transportation.

Town of Tamarindo - The Barcelo Langosta hotel is less than a 10 min taxi ride to the center of the Tamarindo town. Tamarindo is a very popular beach town and has several bed & breakfast hotels, boutigue hotels and well as all-inclusives in the area. You will find that it is pretty developed compared to other resort areas in Costa Rica with ongoing housing and business construction projects in progress. There are plenty of places to walk, shop, eat, or just explore. Tamarindo has it's fair share of craft and art stores, small clothing boutique shops, restaurants, bars and even a casino. You can even find jewelry stores, a large supermarket, a post office, internet cafes, offices for travel, real estate, car rentals, boat charters for ocean fishing, & surfing and scuba diving schools. There are also three more local area beaches all within 20 mins of town (Playa Conchal, Playa Brasilito, Playa Flamingo).

Funky People Online Travel Group Itinerary: Besides the hotel activities, opening party and the night on the town tour included in your trip package, a list of suggested restaurants, clubs, bars and points of interest will furnished upon your hotel arrival in Costa Rica.

For those individuals that plan to locate and meet with our travel group in Costa Rica at some point, note that getting in touch with FP staff at our base hotel in Tamarindo may prove to be very difficult. We strongly suggest that you plan ahead and do not rely on leaving phone messages with hotel reception. The Funky People travel group coordinators WILL NOT have a Costa Rican cell phone number. You may view a copy of our public events schedule online or contact our offices by Monday May 21st, 2012. Be mindful, that vacation plans are subject to change at any time. Why? 'Cause it's Costa Rica and we're on vacation too. See you in the Sun!!!!