Currency:

The national currency is the Colon and US dollars are easily exchanged at all banks, other foreign currency can be exchanged through private agencies. All major credit cards as well as travelers checks are widely accepted. 1 US dollar buys you roughly 595 colones.

Electricity:

110 volts, same as in the US and Canada. EU guests will need a power converter to power laptops, camera batteries, etc.

Language:

Spanish. Most Costa Ricans do speak some English

Time Zone

Central Standard Time

Country Information

With a relatively small population of roughly three and a half million inhabitants, Costa Rica boasts to be one of the oldest and more stable democracies in Latin America. This is a very progressive country with a vision for the future that focuses on both its people and the nations’ environment. Costa Rica’s national parks have real sense of pride for its inhabitants, the Costa Rican authorities have set aside one-third of the country as protected areas, and dozens of private wilderness reserves have helped elevate Costa Rica to star status for ecotourism. The country has a stunning variety of landscapes, microclimates, flora and fauna. Within Costa Rica’s 51,200 square kilometers there is a wider variety of species of birds than in all of Europe or North America.

San Jose is the capital of Costa Rica, and is at the heart of the sprawling Gran Area Metropolitana or GAM, located in the Central Valley. The city is the seat of national government, the focal point of political and economic activity and the major transportation hub of this Central American nation. Founded in 1738, San Jose is one of the youngest capitals of Latin America by its year of foundation, though it was not named capital until 1823. Today, it’s a modern city with bustling commerce and cultural ground zero for a vibrant art scene. The city is safe and guests will have no trouble getting around with the help of taxis and friendly Ticos (slang for a native Costa Rican).

Costa Rica’s overall climate can be best described as ideal. Located within the tropics, seasonal changes in Costa Rica are not as dramatic as they are in countries on other latitudes. There is a “dry” season (equivalent to summer and spring) during which temperatures hover pleasantly in the mid 70’s to low 80’s, which goes from December to May, and a “wet” season from June to November during which mornings are usually sunny and showers might be expected in the afternoon.

From a fishing perspective, Costa Rica is unique in that it offers two outstanding fisheries on opposite side of the country. The Atlantic coast is largely undeveloped and very raw. There are few population centers on this side of the country and as a result, very little in the way of infrastructure. The North Atlantic region, where we send guests to fish for tarpon and snook, have virtually no roads so the only way in is by plane or boat.

There are no big resorts and hardly any tourists in this area. What guests will find is a lot of is unspoiled jungle wilderness and plenty of big tarpon and snook. The Pacific coast is light years away from what you’ll find on the Atlantic side. This side of the country has seen more development and resort towns like Manuel Antonio and Jaco and the Los Suenos Marina complex have all the facilities found in any tourist oriented location. The Pacific coast of Costa Rica is an extremely productive fishery for pelagics, this is one of the best locations in the world to specifically target sailfish and roosterfish. Also common along the coast are tuna, marlin and dorado. The calm waters of this coast are usually flat and tranquil from December to late April each year meaning that the charter boats can run without the usual pounding found in other offshore fisheries.

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