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TRAVEL INFORMATION
Arrival and Departure Airport: You should fly into Juan Santamaria International Airport (airport code: SJO) in San Jose, Costa Rica. Please plan to arrive by late afternoon on Day 1. On the final day, please schedule your flight to depart from Juan Santamaria International Airport (San Jose International) Airport. Please schedule an afternoon or early evening flight.
Pick-up & Drop-off Information: We provide complimentary airport pick-ups and drop-offs on the first and last day of the trip. We will be waiting for you with a sign saying 'Access Trips' as you exit customs at Juan Santamaria International Airport. If you would like to be picked up from or dropped off to somewhere other than the airport, please contact us.
Airlines and Checking Equipment: If you intend to bring your own equipment, please check with your airline regarding policies for checking and transporting sports gear and equipment before you book your flight. This includes inquiring as to weight, charges and liability.
Flights: We do not book flights or insurance for our clients. For recommendations, click here
TRAVEL REQUIREMENTS
Travel Insurance: Medical insurance, including emergency evacuation coverage, is compulsory for all our trips. Please do not attend any of our trips without purchasing appropriate insurance coverage and providing the details to Access Trips. We recommend that you purchase travel insurance that includes cancellation protection so that you will be covered in the event that you are unable to attend our trip (due to injury, illness or other unforeseen circumstances). We do not provide travel insurance for our clients. Please contact your local travel agent to purchase travel insurance. Additional details are on our website at: http://www.accesstrips.com/company/insurance/
Passports & Visas: All countries require a valid passport with a minimum of 6 months validity. Citizens of some countries will also require a visa. Citizens holding valid passports from the following countries are permitted to stay in Costa Rica for 90 days without a visa:
Argentina, Austria, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, Denmark, Finland, France and Germany dependencies, Greece, Holland and dependencies, Hungary, Israel, Italy, Japan, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Norway, Panama, Paraguay, Poland, Portugal, Puerto Rico, Romania, South Korea, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Trinidad & Tobago, United Kingdom, United States of America, Czech Republic and Uruguay.
Citizens holding valid passports from the following countries are exempt from all visa requirements for stays of 30 days in Costa Rica, though once inside the country, they can apply for extension from the Immigration office, for an authorized period of stay of 90 days:
Antigua & Barbuda, Australia, Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Bolivia, Bulgaria, Chile, Dominica, El Salvador, Grenada, Guatemala, Guyana, Honduras, Iceland, Ireland, Jamaica, Kenya, Mexico, New Zealand, Philippines, Russia, Saint Kitts/Nevis, San Marino, St. Lucia, St. Vincent, Singapore, Slovakia, South Africa, Suriname, Taiwan, Turkey, The Vatican, Venezuela, Estonia and Monaco.
Citizens of all countries not listed above are required a visa from a Costa Rican embassy or consulate before traveling.
Age: Most of our trips do not have any age restrictions. The majority of our clients are between the ages of 28 and 50, but we also have many clients who are older and younger than this. Please contact us with any questions.
HEALTH AND SAFETY
Emergency Contact: If you need to contact Access Trips in an emergency, you can reach us at the following:
Email: customer_service@accesstrips.com
Mobile-phone: +1 (415) 260-7270
Dialing within North America: 1 (650) 492-4778
Dialing outside of North America: +1 (650) 492-4778
If you do not receive an immediate answer when calling the above numbers, please leave us a detailed message and we will get back to you as soon as possible.
Health requirements: Please carefully review the health information section of the following webpage for up-to-date health information, including information on the quality of medical care, the availability of medications and the necessity for vaccinations in the destination country:
http://wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel/destinations/costa-rica.htm. We strongly recommend that you visit a travel doctor before embarking on international travel. You are responsible for ensuring that you receive any necessary vaccinations before traveling on your trip with us.
Fitness requirements: Our Costa Rica mountain bike trip is open to beginners. You do not need any prior mountain biking experience to participate in this trip. Nevertheless, you should have a reasonable level of fitness and be able to bike for up to 6 hours each day. Van support is available for most of the trip so if you find yourself getting tired (especially on an uphill) you will be able to jump in the van for a break. We recommend seeing a doctor before participating in any new physical activities.
Safety & Security: To maximize your safety during our tours you should exercise common sense and caution at all times. We recommend that you always stick to set travel arrangements, and avoid unknown areas. We also recommend that you wear minimal jewelry and that you keep valuable items safely stored. Always keep a copy of your passport, airline tickets, travelers checks and credit card numbers separate from where you keep the originals. For information on safety and security in Costa Rica, please review the safety and security section of the following webpage: http://travel.state.gov/travel/cis_pa_tw/cis/cis_1093.html
Drinking Water: Some people have no problems drinking tap water in the more developed parts of Costa Rica. However, in general, we recommend drinking only boiled or bottled water.
Climate, Currency, Banking, and Electricity
Climate: Costa Rica's climate is warm and tropical year round, however, the country has many microclimates depending on elevation, rainfall, topography, and by the geography of each particular region. The summer (dry season) goes from December to April, and winter (rainy season) goes from May to November.
Costa Rica's weather is influenced by altitude. The Pacific coast has two peninsulas: the mountainous Nicoya peninsula in the north, and the lowland Osa peninsula in the south. A rich lowland savannah patched by deciduous forests stretches along the Pacific coast between the two peninsulas. The Pacific coast is drier while the Atlantic coast has the most rainfall (about 300 days a year).
Currency & Banking: The Costa Rican currency is the colon. All banks will exchange US dollars, and some will exchange euros and British pounds; other currencies are more difficult. Make sure the dollar bills you want to exchange are in good condition or they may be refused. For the latest currency exchange information please go to: http://finance.yahoo.com/currency
ATMs: It's increasingly easy to find cajeros automáticos (ATMs) in Costa Rica, even in the smallest towns. The Visa Plus network is the standard, but machines on the Cirrus network, which accepts most foreign ATM cards, can be found in larger cities and tourist towns. Note that some machines will only accept cards held by their own customers.
Credit cards: You can expect a transaction fee on all international credit-card purchases. Holders of credit and debit cards can buy colones and sometimes US dollars in some banks, though you can expect to pay a high transaction fee. Cards are widely accepted at some midrange and most top-end hotels.
Traveler's Checks: Most banks and exchange bureaus will cash traveler's checks at a commission of 1% to 3%. US dollar traveler's checks are preferred. It may be difficult or impossible to change checks of other currencies.
Electricity: Costa Rica's voltage is 110-120. US and Canadian travelers can plug any normal electric-powered device (hair dryers, shaver, laptop computer, etc.) directly into an electrical wall outlet.
WHAT TO TAKE
Equipment
We have bikes available for rent. This option saves you the time and hassle of dismantling and shipping your own bike. Please see the optional extras in our booking form for information about our bike rental prices or email us at customer_service@accesstrips.com
However, you are welcome to bring your own bike if you prefer. We recommend that your bike have at least front suspension and that it is a quality brand (Giant, Trek, Kona, Cannondale, Scott, Specialized). If you bring your own bike it is important that you check it thoroughly to ensure it is in good mechanical order before you depart for your trip. Our team is equipped to make minor repairs but to save you hassles during the journey it is a good idea to check your bike before you arrive. If you are not familiar with bike maintenance, your local bike shop can help you with this.
Also, if you intend to bring your own bike, please check with your airline regarding policies for checking and transporting sports gear and equipment before you book your flight. This includes inquiring as to weight, charges, and liabilities.
Clothing Norms
In the city, most people dress as they do in any other large city in the world. Locals commonly wear pants, jeans, long skirts, t-shirts and tennis shoes. The trendy and younger groups wear the same trends as seen in the US or Europe such as bejeweled tops, embellished or metallic jeans, and leather purses. Costa Ricans tend to get pretty dressed up to go out at night.
At the beach, casual dress is the norm with shorts and flip-flops. In most establishments you will need some type of shirt and footwear to enter. Personal appearance is extremely important to Costa Ricans so it is key to try and maintain good hygiene practices and wear clean, neat looking clothing that is appropriate for where you are going.
Additional things to bring: To minimize the effort of carrying your bags into your accommodation each evening, we recommend that you pack as lightly as possible.
We suggest that you bring the following items:
Clothing & Equipment
* Your bike (if you decide to bring your own)
* Helmet (provided with rental)
* Biking gloves
* Padded shorts for biking
* Cycling shoes
* T-shirts
* A light-weight rain coat (just in case!)
* Walking or hiking shoes
* Sandals
* A sweater for evenings
* Toiletries
* Money belt
* Sunscreen
* Sunglasses
* Swimsuit
* Beach towel
* Insect repellent
* First-aid kit with lip balm, aspirin, band aids, cream for sore muscles (e.g. deep heat), extra prescription drugs you may be taking
Documents & Money
* Passport (with photocopies)
* Travel insurance (with photocopies)
* Airline tickets (with photocopies)
* Credit and/or debit card and/or travelers checks and/or cash
* Any entry visas required
Spending Money
* Meals: All breakfasts, 1 lunch and 1 dinner is included in the trip price. For the rest of the meals, you should budget USD $15 for dinner and USD $10 for lunch.
* Other expenses: Aside from meals, there are no required additional expenses for this trip but you might like to take spending money for such things as souvenir shopping, nightlife and internet cafes.
* Tipping: A 10% tip for meals is included by law in all restaurant bills. Discretionary tips to your tour staff for good service are much appreciated. We recommend USD $5-$20 per instructor, multiplied by the number of days in the tour, and half that amount for drivers.
USEFUL LINKS
Country Information: For additional information about traveling in Costa Rica:
http://travel.state.gov/travel/cis_pa_tw/cis/cis_1093.html
http://www.visitcostarica.com
Currency Exchange: For the latest currency exchange information: http://finance.yahoo.com/currency
FINAL NOTE
The information contained in this document is provided in good faith. Due to the nature of travel, details in this document may change. You should thus use the above information as an indication only and not as a contractual obligation on the part of Access Trips, Ltd. |
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