Mobile
/ Cell Phones:
Carrying
a mobile phone can be very comforting. As many of our hotels are off
the beaten track, the ability to phone the innkeeper (to say that
you are lost or will be late) or to report an accident or injury can
be most useful, and keeping in touch with family at home is always
nice. It is possible to rent a phone once you arrive. Cell
Phones Costa Rica and Roberts
are providers you might want to investigate, as they offer a variety
of calling options. Approximate rental rate, through a car rental
company, is about $40 per week plus air time. The cellular coverage
seems very good in Costa Rica. Another alternative is to take your
own cell phone with you, where you can arrange global roaming services
in advance with your service provider. Be sure that your phone will
function in Costa Rica by contacting your service provider before
you leave home. MCI, Spring, & ATT long distance calling cards
are accepted in Costa Rica. Otherwise, a local "199" calling
card can be purchased in $5, $10, or $20 increments at the airport
or local supermarkets after arrival. Public phones are sometimes not
easily found.
Electricity:
120
volts @ 60 cycles is commonly used in Costa Rica, the same as USA
and Canada. North American flat-prong plugs are used in all outlets.
European and UK plugs won't work, and if you are coming from a 220volt
country, it is probably best to leave your electronics at home.
If you are curious about where your equipment will work, check out
Electricity
around the World,. You will be amazed at what an unnecessarily
complex world we have created!
Currency,
Taxes, and Tipping:
The
local currency is the Colone (ko LO nay), and it is tied to the
US dollar in an interesting way - it devalues against the USD slowly
and steadily over time - about 9% per year. During a vacation stay,
you will hardly notice the change, but from year to year you will.
Here is an exchange
rate graph. Most Costa Ricans know approximately how much a
dollar is worth and will accept them almost everywhere, but you
will always pay a bit more if you do not use colones. Never expect
US money for change. Euros and Canadian dollars are useless on the
street here, and you may have difficulty changing them outside of
banks. You will find that you will pay a premium to buy colones
at home before your trip (if you can find them), as there is little
demand for them outside of Costa Rica. Both international airports
have currency exchange booths, but bring a few greenbacks just in
case. Credit cards are widely used in the tourist industry, and
in many restaurants. If you get off the beaten path a bit (highly
recommended) the local coin will be more reliable. Inform your credit
card company before leaving home that you will be visiting Costa
Rica, otherwise it is possible that when charges start appearing,
they may assume it has been stolen and invalidate it. Credit card
companies charge very high fees to the businesses, so you will often
be able to negotiate a lower price for cash, US or local. In almost
all hotels, the price is quoted to you in USD, but when you come
to pay they convert it to colones which your credit card firm then
converts back to your home currency. Guess what - you lose a bit
each time, but that's just the way it is. In Costa Rica waitpersons
are on salary and therefore tipping is not a particularly big issue
for them. Often a 10% tip is already included and indicated on the
bill so there is no obligation to tip, but if you receive particularly
good service, a 5% additional gratuity is normal. Incidentally,
US cash is freely traded throughout the country and you will not
offend anyone by using it. A 16.39% sales & room tax is added
to hotel rates throughout Costa Rica. The departure tax of US$26
is payable at the airport BEFORE you check-in for your departing
flight.
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