The currency of Costa Rica is the Colon. US dollars are not accepted. Please be sure to have the correct currency on hand or be prepared to exchange your dollars for colones upon arrival. Currency exchange desks can be found at the airport and many locations throughout the city.

No, about 90 percent of Costa Ricans speak Spanish as their first language. English may be spoken at your hotel and in the tourist areas, but not everywhere. We suggest that you get a good English-Spanish dictionary and familiarize yourself with common phrases such as hello, goodbye, excuse me and numbers 1-10.

Minicabs, although cheaper than black cabs, must be pre-booked by phone, internet or in person at the registered office. These are usually unmarked, private hire passenger cars whose drivers are not native Londoners, and therefore, do not have to take ‘the Knowledge’ test. If you choose to use them, don’t ever take an unlicensed cab (especially women traveling alone) as these have been associated with recent crimes and can be dangerous. For a licensed cab, look for a small purple version of the Underground logo on the front or rear windshield with ‘private hire’ written on it. Addison Lee (tel. +44 20 7387 8888) has a large, efficient fleet, and will text you the license plate of your cab for added security. When using a minicab, always verify the price with the driver before the journey begins.

Our best advice on driving in London would be: don’t. London’s streets are a chaotic mess of one way and winding roads. Traffic is tediously slow and parking is restrictive and expensive. Furthermore, the £11.50 daily congestion charge, instituted to reduce traffic through central London, as well as the price of gas (approximately $6 USD per gallon) make having a car in the city extremely cost prohibitive!

If you are planning on taking any day trips or touring the English countryside then we suggest you pick up your rental car as you depart the city to avoid excessive rental/parking expenses. Alternatively, you may consider renting the car in a town in the area where you will be visiting and then traveling there by train and picking up the car once you arrive.

No, there are currently no vaccination requirements to visit Costa Rica. There is no risk of yellow fever in Costa Rica. The government of Costa Rica requires proof of yellow fever vaccination only if you are arriving from a country with risk of yellow fever. This does not include the US.

Zika is a risk in Costa Rica. Because Zika infection in a pregnant woman can cause serious birth defects, women who are pregnant should not travel to Costa Rica. All travelers should strictly follow steps to prevent mosquito bites and sexual exposure to Zika virus during and after the trip. For the latest updates visit the CDC page https://www.cdc.gov/ on the internet.

A typical breakfast is hearty and consists of Gallo Pinto (rice and beans – sometimes served with scrambled eggs). Lunch is solid too, the typical dishes are Casado (rice and beans, served with meat or fish, fried plantains, cheese and corn tortilla), Ceviche (fish marinated and cooked in lime juice, coriander and pepper). There is not a dinner culture in Costa Rica. An afternoon snack consists of bread and coffee.

No, the water is not drinkable in Costa Rica. We suggest that you carry bottled water with you. Most tourist areas will have bottled water available for purchase.