Is Costa Rica dangerous for tourists?
While there have been some unfortunate incidents involving young tourists in the past few years, Costa Rica remains a very safe, stable country. Violent crime against tourists is a rarity here and in most cases, avoidable. Do NOT do anything in Costa Rica that you would not do in your home country. Do NOT buy drugs, party late with strangers, walk alone late at night in San Jose, flaunt cash or wear fancy jewelry. The most common crimes against tourists are pick pocketing and breaking into rental cars. If you get a flat tire, or experience a minor roadside emergency do NOT stop and accept assistance from strangers. Instead, drive to the nearest gas station or public place to change it. Be careful, use good judgment and you will most likely come and go without a hitch.

Can I drink the water?
The local authorities state that the drinking water in Costa Rica is perfectly potable, but we recommend that you stick to the bottled variety wherever possible to play it safe. Costa Rica is by NO means Mexico (where Montezuma's revenge has become the stuff of tourist legends) but there MAY be bacteria in the water in some areas that disagrees with your system. As such, we simply suggest you play it safe and be cautious of what you eat and drink.

Are there modern medical facilities?
YES! Health care in Costa Rica is excellent and there are several ultra-modern hospitals with English speaking Doctors (some are North Americans) in the greater San Jose area. Below are some phone numbers. For emergency assistance in Costa Rica, dial 911.

Clinica Catolica (225-5055) in Guadalupe
Clinica Americana (222-1010) in downtown San Jose
Clinica Biblica (257-5252, 257-0466) also in downtown San Jose
KOP Medical Clinic (228-4119) in San Rafael de Escazu

What type of food can I expect when dining out?
Costa Rican local cuisine consists mostly of chicken, beef or fish accompanied with rice and beans. The typical lunch menu is called a casado and includes one of the first three items, rice and beans and a small salad. The greater San Jose area has a wide variety of dining due to a high concentration of foreign residents and locals of mixed ethnic backgrounds. Dining options are more limited in the beach towns, although Manuel Antonio offers a pretty impressive variety of restaurants. If you like seafood, you can't go wrong ordering Dorado (Mahi Mahi) or Yellowfin tuna. In San Jose, Asian, Italian, French and international cuisine are all readily available.

Are there many mosquitoes?
There are surprisingly few mosquitoes on the popular tourist beaches. There are more in the rainforest and along the rivers. If you intend to take a river rafting tour or hike the jungle, bring insect rappellent.

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