anyone been to costa rica? what currency should I take

kaptainmarc

kaptainmarc

kaptainmarc

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Flying out to costa rica next week and I am unsure what currency to take.

I was going to take dollars but don't know wether it would be better taking colons.

anyone got any experience of costa rica?
 
I went last Feb. I took Colons, Its got Sloths, Sharks and Monkeys on it! The towns were more developed than I expected there, there are ATM's and supermarkets take cards.

It feels very safe there, we had no problems just wandering about exploring the place by ourselves.

Word of warning stuff is expensive. For example, the cheapest Sun cream we could find in the local supermarket was £18. Excursions out of the hotels are pricey too. Eating out of the hotel cost us £40 for 2 pizzas and 2 beers.

It's an amazing place, I'm sure you'll enjoy it! Where are you staying? We went to the Rui Guanacaste near Coco Beach
 
robfosters said:
My friend went there. Said one day he and his wife had breakfast by the Caribbean Sea and dinner looking out over the Pacific.
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I think there's a volcano/mountain you can go up and see the Pacific and Caribbean at the same time in the right conditions. The Iguanas are green on the Carribbean coast and Grey on the Pacific side.
 
neilw said:
I went last Feb. I took Colons, Its got Sloths, Sharks and Monkeys on it! The towns were more developed than I expected there, there are ATM's and supermarkets take cards.

It feels very safe there, we had no problems just wandering about exploring the place by ourselves.

Word of warning stuff is expensive. For example, the cheapest Sun cream we could find in the local supermarket was £18. Excursions out of the hotels are pricey too. Eating out of the hotel cost us £40 for 2 pizzas and 2 beers.

It's an amazing place, I'm sure you'll enjoy it! Where are you staying? We went to the Rui Guanacaste near Coco Beach
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strange you say that

I am staying in the Rui Guanacaste :D

we've prebooked 3 days worth of excursions
how much money did you take with you? Im unsure which currency and how much
 
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I’d want to go snake hunting if I went there. Just to watch them, not kill them lol. I believe they have the bushmaster there.
 
Cool, The hotel is amazing, There is masses of space on the beach. The Food is really really good, so much to choose from. The evening entertainment isn't great. Go down to the pools before they close at about 18:00 as its getting dusky you'll likely have it to yourself.

You can get the Shuttle bus or water taxi to Coco beach. The sunset cruise from Coco is nice. The hotel also runs a trip to Tamerindo, which is worth a visit especially if you want to surf.

There are massive Iguanas everywhere, They will sit on the sun loungers next to you. Take a torch down to the beach at night and look at the Bats and Hermit crabs.

There is an animal park next door to the hotel which is small but nice there's plenty of Sloths there. They have a zipline thing as well but we didn't go on that.

The Hotel has a dive center, which is good if your a diver try and get out to the Catalina Islands. It also has a small Casino and Nightclub a few small shops and a Gym.

With the sea in front of you walk left along the beach, about 500m along in the mornings you'll find the spider Monkeys near the sign for the monkey bar. If you want your own tropical beach walk to the end of the beach where the rocks start you'll find a steep track heading up the hill (Fairly steep) it goes up and over the hill to the next beach If the tides in you'll most likely have it to yourself.

Also at that end of the beach is a track you can follow that and it goes in a big loop back to the front of the hotel, Probably about a mile, You can spot the howler Monkeys along there.

On the beach lots of dead puffer fish where getting washed up so mind you don't step on them, you may also get dead turtles wash up as well :( The sea also had Tiny jelly fish wish gave a minor sting, like a stinging nettle don't know if it's like that all year.

I seem to remember taking about £500 with me to cover excursions and diving. The Hotel is a long way from anything, so nothing really for you to spend money on there. If you've already paid for excursions you may need less. The longer excursions will normally include food. There is an ATM at the hotel in the casino, but it ran out of money quickly and was often broken.
 
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When I was working in Mississippi last month one my work colleagues met and started seeing a Costa Rican lass. He's 37 and she was 24 and they were at it like rabbits everyday. Very rampant she was. That's all know about Costa Rica, know nothing about the currency, sorry.
 
Most places will accept dollars, but no reason not to take colones if you can order them direct (they'll be harder to change back though). Most ATMs will dispense both dollars and colones.

I haven't stayed in a resort (the wife is Costa Rican, so we tend to stay with the in-laws) but if you can avoid eating at the hotel you'll get much better deals elsewhere, particularly if you find a traditional restaurant. A casado (rice, beans, fried plantain, meat) usually doesn't come to more than about £5. I guess everything will be more expensive near the coast though.

Suggestions: take your own sun cream -- as noted, it can be expensive as it's often imported -- and mosquito repellent. There will be loads of day trips, the ones I took the first time I went included meals, so were reasonable value. Say "pura vida" a lot.
 
xyphic said:
Most places will accept dollars, but no reason not to take colones if you can order them direct (they'll be harder to change back though). Most ATMs will dispense both dollars and colones.

I haven't stayed in a resort (the wife is Costa Rican, so we tend to stay with the in-laws) but if you can avoid eating at the hotel you'll get much better deals elsewhere, particularly if you find a traditional restaurant. A casado (rice, beans, fried plantain, meat) usually doesn't come to more than about £5. I guess everything will be more expensive near the coast though.

Suggestions: take your own sun cream -- as noted, it can be expensive as it's often imported -- and mosquito repellent. There will be loads of day trips, the ones I took the first time I went included meals, so were reasonable value. Say "pura vida" a lot.
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we are all inclusive with a few different resturants to eat at in the resort so will only venture out a couple of times to eat I imagine.

I love rice and fish so I'm normally spoilt in resorts :D

Spoke to exchange places here and they wont change back Colones but will dollars.

I think I am going to take less than needed and withdraw some when I am there and put all my trips on credit card
 
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