San José

Mongolia is in Costa Rica's visa 'Third Group', so a consular visa is required: single entry, up to 30 days, passport valid for more than 180 days. There is no embassy in Mongolia, so apply in person at a Costa Rican consulate such as Beijing, Seoul or Tokyo; the consul decides within up to 30 days. However, with a valid multiple-entry US or Canadian visa (B1/B2 etc.), a multiple-entry Schengen C/D visa, or an EU or UK residence permit you enter without a Costa Rican visa; the visa must be valid on the day of entry, and the stay granted will not exceed its validity. Japanese and Korean visas do not count.

Tip: Using a multiple-entry Schengen visa for a connection via Europe, then entering Costa Rica visa-free on it, is the simplest option.

Immigration may ask for a return or onward ticket, an accommodation booking and proof of at least $100 per month (bank statement or card). The passport must be undamaged and machine-readable. Airlines also check your visa or US/Schengen visa before boarding for Costa Rica.

Private hospitals are expensive and adventure activities (rafting, ziplines) are everywhere, so get travel insurance that covers adventure sports. Tickets for parks such as Poás and Manuel Antonio are sold only on the SINAC site with time slots, and sell out fast in the dry season — book once your dates are fixed.

Tip: In the dry season (December–April), especially Christmas and Holy Week, book hotels and rental cars months ahead.

Right outside arrivals is the queue for the official 'Taxi Aeropuerto' (orange): fixed zone fares, roughly $25–30 to central San José. Confirm the fare at the desk before getting in. Ignore unofficial drivers touting outside the terminal.

Uber is widely used in Costa Rica; UberX from the airport to the city is usually cheaper than the official taxi. Uber drivers meet passengers at a designated spot outside arrivals, so message your driver through the app.

Many visitors skip the city and leave straight from the airport: shared shuttles such as Interbus run from the airport and city hotels to La Fortuna, Monteverde and Manuel Antonio (to La Fortuna ~$50–65 per person, ~3.5 hours). A private transfer pays off for families.

If your phone supports eSIM, install a Costa Rica plan from Airalo, Holafly or similar before you fly — you can call an Uber the moment you land. Coverage drops in mountains and forests, so download Google Maps areas for offline use.

SJO arrivals has Kölbi, Claro and Liberty tourist SIM counters: a few GB for 7–30 days costs roughly ₡5,000–15,000. Registration needs your passport. Kölbi (state-owned ICE) has the widest coverage in the countryside and mountains.

Central San José (theatre, museums, market, Barrio Amón) is walkable. Elsewhere use Uber or the red metered taxis (ask for the 'maría' meter). Don't walk around at night — call an Uber.

Shared shuttles (Interbus etc.) go hotel to hotel, ~$50–65 per person to La Fortuna. The cheap option is the public bus: Tracopa, for example, runs San José to Quepos/Manuel Antonio in ~4 hours for ₡5,000–8,000. Each company has its own terminal, so check Google Maps.

Tourists may drive on a foreign licence plus passport during their tourist stay, but carrying an International Driving Permit avoids problems. Mandatory insurance (TPL) is added at the counter and can double the rental price, so compare full prices. Use Waze, avoid mountain roads after dark and leave nothing in the car.

The official currency is the Costa Rican colón (CRC). US dollars are accepted everywhere in hotels, tours and large shops, but change comes in colones and the rate may be poor. Small markets, buses and sodas need colones. Visa and Mastercard work in most places.

Bank ATMs (BCR, Banco Nacional, BAC) dispense colones and sometimes dollars; machines inside bank branches are safest. A few clean, untorn US dollars from Mongolia are handy for tours and tips. National parks usually take cards only.

Restaurant bills already include the service charge and tax, so extra tipping isn't required. Tipping tour guides, drivers and hotel staff according to your satisfaction has become customary.

A 'soda' is a small family eatery: the lunchtime 'casado' (rice, beans, meat or fish, salad, fried plantain) is cheap and filling. Breakfast is 'gallo pinto' (rice and beans with eggs). The Central Market is full of sodas.

Tip: For children, order a fresh fruit drink ('fresco') made with water or milk.

Costa Rica grows quality arabica: take a coffee tour at an estate such as Doka on the slopes of Poás and buy beans at the supermarket. Cacao and chocolate tours are popular on the Caribbean coast.

Tap water is drinkable in San José and most tourist areas; in some remote places (Tortuguero etc.) drink bottled water. A refillable bottle saves plastic.

All emergencies — 911 (police, ambulance, fire), free, 24 hours, with English-speaking operators. Red Cross ambulance 128, fire brigade 118. Private hospitals: Hospital CIMA, Clínica Bíblica, Hospital Metropolitano.

Pickpocketing and phone snatching are common in central San José, bus terminals and the Central Market: keep your phone out of sight on the street and valuables in the hotel. Never leave anything in a rental car (car parks, beaches, outside waterfalls) — windows get smashed. Beware of 'helpers' who appear when you have a 'flat tyre'.

Rip currents are strong on the Pacific coast — don't swim where there are no lifeguards, and if caught, swim parallel to the shore. Poás is highly active, so check the park news before you go. Stay on trails in the forest, where snakes are possible; use mosquito repellent (dengue).

Costa Ricans ('ticos') are friendly and relaxed: 'Pura vida' works as hello, thank you and 'all good'. Rushing or raising your voice looks rude; punctuality is a little loose.

Feeding monkeys and raccoons in national parks is strictly forbidden — it is fined and harms the animals. Don't touch wildlife, don't use flash, and watch turtle nesting only with a guide and without lights.

Casual clothes are fine in town; don't walk into shops or restaurants in beachwear. Cover shoulders and knees in churches. Volcanoes and cloud forests are cold and wet, so pack a light jacket and a rain poncho.

Waze — Costa Rican addresses are often given as 'north of the old church', so it is the main navigation helper. Uber — rides in town and from the airport. Download Google Maps areas for offline use.

Buy national park tickets through SINAC's online service (an account is required). Download Spanish in Google Translate for offline use — market vendors and drivers speak little English.

Traffic between San José and SJO is heavy at morning and evening rush hours, so call your Uber early. Check-in and security for international flights can be slow — leave plenty of time. From La Fortuna or Manuel Antonio you can take a shuttle straight to the airport.

Costa Rica's departure tax by air is $29; most airlines include it in the ticket price. If yours doesn't, pay it at the airport counter before check-in — check with your airline.