| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| San José | 28 | 29 | 30 | 32 | 30 | 30 | 30 | 30 | 30 | 30 | 30 | 29 |
| London | 6 | 8 | 11 | 15 | 18 | 20 | 22 | 22 | 19 | 17 | 12 | 8 |
Below is an information overview. The conditions of entry, as well as the political and health situation, can change anywhere in the world at any time. We therefore recommend checking the website of the Foreign Office (www.gov.uk) before your departure.
Costa Rica is located in Central America and borders Nicaragua to the north and Panama to the south.
Democratic presidential republic
San José
Predominantly Roman Catholic, partly Protestant
The official language is Spanish.
The climate is tropical and varies according to region and altitude. The rainy season lasts from May to November.
Central Standard Time (CST) applies in Costa Rica, with no summer-winter time change. The time difference to UK is -7 hours in summer and -6 hours in winter.
120 volts alternating current, 60 hertz. An adapter is required.
To make phone calls to the UK, predial 0044 (+44). To make phone calls from the UK to Costa Rica, predial 00506 (+506).
Costa Rica is a small but diverse country in Central America, known for its impressive nature and friendly people. The inhabitants, who call themselves “Ticos”, are famous for their warm-heartedness and relaxed attitude – their life motto “Pura Vida” (“pure life”) stands for contentment, optimism, and the country’s laid-back lifestyle.
Tipping recommendation in USD: For the chambermaid, 1 USD per room and night is common. For group tours, we recommend around 3 USD per day and person for the tour guide and the bus driver. Of course, it is up to each individual whether and how much to tip. In restaurants, a service charge of 10% is included in the final price.
Your full ‘British citizen‘ passport must be valid for at least one day after your planned departure from Costa Rica. You will be denied entry if you do not have a valid travel document or try to use a passport that has been reported lost or stolen. You can visit Costa Rica without a visa for up to 180 days under a tourist visa waiver. The exact period is at the discretion of the immigration officer on arrival. For more information on requirements, check with the Costa Rican Embassy in the UK: https://costaricanembassy.uk
Whilst we endeavour to provide guidance where necessary, we can not be responsible for any problems encountered (whether at any point of entry or elsewhere) in the event that passport and visa requirements are not satisfied. For more information, please visit https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/.
Your expert tour guides will be able to provide you with detailed information about the country, people, history, culture etc., and offer advice and assistance for organising your trip. They can also help with room allocation and look forward to welcoming you with initial information. Here you will find out all you need to know and useful information about the trip. We have put together a varied programme including numerous highlights, enabling you to experience the culture and diversity of landscape that Costa Rica has to offer, and learn all about the country and its people.
Although your trip already includes a comprehensive package, you also have the option of choosing added extras. We recommend booking the following packages:
Gourmet package: The package includes half-board in the form of 2× lunches and 9× dinners in a restaurant or hotel: only £279* p. p.
Explorer package: The package includes the city tour of San José, the chocolate tour with tasting, the hanging bridges rainforest tour at the Arenal Volcano, and the hacienda visit with traditional lunch: only £229* p. p.
* Package prices may vary when booking on site.
On Madeira, a state tourist tax of up to 2€ (approx. £1.75) per room/night is payable locally (as of January 2026).
The currency unit is the Costa Rican colón (CRC). 1 CRC = 100 centimos. Exchange rate (January 2026): 1 GBP = 647.91 CRC; 1 CRC = 0.0015 GBP.
Payments are mainly processed in the currencies USD and CRC. Money can be exchanged at banks during opening hours. Purchases can be paid for in cash as well as, for the most part, with common credit cards. When withdrawing cash, high fees may be charged by the respective bank. For further information on using your bank cards abroad, please contact your bank.
There are strict rules about goods you can take into or out of Costa Rica: https://aduanafacil.hacienda.go.cr/AduanaFacil/ (in Spanish). You must declare anything that may be prohibited or subject to tax or duty. Declare cash, travellers cheques or goods if the value is 10,000 USD or more. You will get a certified declaration to show you brought it in with you. If you do not, your money or goods could be seized when you leave.
Important: If you are travelling to Great Britain from outside the UK, your personal allowances mean you can bring in a certain amount of goods without paying tax or duty. If you go over your allowances you must declare all your goods and pay tax and duty on all the goods in that category. Please inform yourself about the current customs regulations: www.gov.uk/bringing-goods-into-uk-personal-use/arriving-in-Great-Britain.
Costa Rica is located in a highly seismically active zone, which is why earthquakes and volcanic eruptions occur more frequently. Hurricane season runs from May to November. During this period, tropical storms and intense rainfall are to be expected, which can trigger dangerous landslides and flash floods in rivers and streams both in the mountains and along the coast. As a result, flooding may occur. Strong currents, both on the Pacific and Caribbean coasts, can be so powerful even in shallow water that they may put even good swimmers at risk.
Crime: The crime rate in Costa Rica is lower than in neighbouring countries, but should not be ignored. Petty crime such as theft occurs more frequently, particularly in cities and tourist centres. When going for walks or excursions, only carry what is absolutely necessary with you. Leave large amounts of cash and original ID documents in the hotel safe. If you need to carry them, take only secure, PIN-protected credit cards. Take photocopies of your documents with you when travelling. Alternatively, the files can be saved on your private email account, making them accessible worldwide. Avoid crowds as much as possible and, in places frequented by tourists, keep an eye on your valuables. Carry your valuables close to your body.
Costa Rican law enforcement authorities pay particular attention to cases of child abuse. Long prison sentences are threatened in such cases. Possession and trafficking of drugs are criminal offences in Costa Rica and are strictly prosecuted by the local authorities. In the event of arrest in connection with drug smuggling, a conviction leading to a prison sentence of several years must be expected. Participation in political events such as demonstrations is prohibited for foreigners and may also lead to imprisonment or expulsion.
At least 8 weeks before your trip, check the latest country-specific health advice from the National TravelHealth Network and Centre (NaTHNaC – https://travelhealthpro.org.uk/countries) on the Travel HealthPro website. Each country-specific page has information on vaccine recommendations, any current health risks or outbreaks, and factsheets with information on staying healthy abroad. Prior to travelling, seek personal advice from travel health advisory centres, tropical or travel medicine specialists, and adjust your vaccination protection accordingly.
Diarrhoeal diseases: These can be prevented by appropriate actions. The basic rules are: filter tap water with an antibacterial filter or boil it, consume only originally packaged drinks, and use only drinking water for brushing teeth and washing food. Meat should also be well cooked before consumption and not eaten raw. Flies should be kept away from food and hands should be washed or disinfected regularly.
Healthcare, especially in rural areas, is often not comparable to European technical and hygiene standards. In general, in the case of serious illnesses, accidents, etc., one of the hospitals in the Greater San José area should be visited as quickly as possible, where care is good but costs in private clinics are high. The costs for medical treatment and medication must usually be paid immediately in cash on site. In some cases, payment by credit card is also possible.
It is strongly recommended to take out international health insurance with the option of medical repatriation to the UK.
The customer must establish for himself that his physical and mental state is compatible with the selected journey. He is obliged to obtain information about the degrees of physical mobility and mental autonomy required for this journey.
All information is subject to change/Last updated: January 2026
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