I'm sorry to be a pain. I know I've read a lot about ATMs in CR, but now I've gotten myself completely confused. Our ATM card is Visa-based, but it says Cirrus and NYCE. It has worked everywhere we've ever tried it in the U.S. I believe that I once read that PLUS ATMs are the easiest to find in CR. Are we going to have a problem finding Cirrus/NYCE compatible ATMs to use our card? We'll be in LaFortuna and Manuel Antonio.

Also, another dumb question, as this is our first time traveling internationally. What is our best bet for changing colones back into American dollars when we are heading home? Do we do that somewhere in CR or can we do it at our bank here at home?

Finally, regarding the exit tax. I have read conflicting information. I've read that it has to be paid in colones, I've read that it has to be paid in US dollars, and I've read that a credit card is accepted. Does anyone know where I can get a definitive answer? Is it a problem to just pay it at the airport before we leave or should we try to pay it at a bank the day before? Can that only be done in downtown San Jose? (We'll be at the CR Marriott that last night--is there anywhere convenient to the Marriott that we can pay it?)

Thanks for any help you can give me!

Re- Exit tax. You can pay in US dollars, colones or charge to VISA. Visa is the only credit card accepted for the exit tax if you want to charge it.

Re- Colones. Try to plan not to have to change them back at all and just use them up. Towards the end of your trip you'll have a good idea about your spending/costs and how much you have left. Just try and work it that you use all the Colones up and use it for your departure tax if you still have some left at the end. Or use what's left to buy Coffee, duty free liquor or other tourist gifts at the airport.

I don't know about the ATM's.

Some day I'm sure I'll understand what works why in regard to ATMs, but I've not been able to wrap my brain around it yet. We tried to use our ATM/debit cards (with VISA logo on back)in Paris earlier this year, then recently in Costa Rica. We have used them all over the US and Mexico. However, they didn't work in either Paris or CR. We've been told that an actual VISA charge card with a PIN will work. But can't verify since we had never used our VISA that way and therefore didn't bother to maintain PIN for it. Will try next time though.

My Visa is from US Bank and the ONLY ATM that would take it was at the CR Marriott. That doesn't answer your question but in our case we were fortunate to have a stash of cash to last us.
Also, we spent our last nite at the Marriott using Free miles but used our colones to pay for our bar and restaurant tab.

many, many places take american dollars for payment. (we've never found any place that refused them) use your colones up, then finish your trip paying w/ dollars. lots of places actually have prices in colones and dollars. just have a small calculator handy for figuring the tab. we've never used an atm there, so can't comment on that.

Jo: I agree completely with above posters regarding exit tax. I would wait until you get to the airport to pay for the departure tax - it's really a piece of cake.

I've used my Visa/ATM extensively in Costa Rica and only had a problem at one bank in Grecia. I crossed the street and used it at another bank with no problem - go figure! My ATM is a Plus ATM, so I can't respond to your question about Cirrus. Maybe you could check with your issuing bank or perhaps the Marriott might be able to tell you if Cirrus is widely accepted.

Terri

Thanks everyone! I guess I'll wait til we get to the airport to pay the departure tax and I won't worry about how we pay it (dollars, colones, or Visa). It will be a good way to use up any colones we're still carrying around.

I guess I'd better take enough cash so that if we have ATM problems, we won't be stuck. It certainly seems as though there's no clear answer to that dilemma!

One more dumb question. How is colone pronounced? Is the "e" long?

Pronounce the "e" as the first letter in "energy". no long "e"s in spanish

Thanks!

I guess I was thinking about "e" pronounced like a long "a" (aren't some "e's" in Spanish pronounced that way?), not really a long "e" sound! That one year of high school Spanish was a long time ago and I keep mixing it up with French, as well. Anyhow, I'm glad to at least know how to properly pronounce "colones." Thank goodness my kids all speak Spanish half-way decently!

We're planning to use our Amex or Visa as much as possible, but how much cash or traveler's checks should we have on hand with us? We'll be driving, so I figure we may need cash some places for gas?

Jo:

You are correct - e in Spanish is normally pronounced like a long a in English. Therefore, colone would be pronounced co/lo/nay.

Terri

In reference to some of the earlier comments in the thread, you want to keep in mind that credit (charge) cards are really very different animals from ATM/debit cards. I have seen in my business here that not only are all credit cards not equal, but there are some very different restrictions on debit cards as opposed to credit cards. Some of them will work in some machines and not in others, for example, and some of them have blocks to credits issued to the card while others don't. We even saw one case where the bank ine the U.S. took a peso amount charged to a debit card here and debited the same figure _in dollars_, thereby charging the customer approximately 11 times what they should have! Convincing them of this was not easy...

Anyway, although I don't know that all credit cards work in all machines everywhere, I think you'll find significantly more consistent results using a credit card in ATMS internationally than a debit card.

Incidentally, the Visa (or whatever) logo really doesn't matter; what distinguishes credit and debit cards visually is the use of holograms and raised, imprintable numbers. If you see those things, you're looking at a bona fide credit card.

best,

Steve Ryberg

Thanks, Steve, but now I think I'm more confused than ever. Of course, I'm a dinosaur who doesn't have an ATM card or a debit card. But, my husband has an ATM card that also works as a debit card. It says "Visa" on it. We also have Visa credit cards, issued by a different bank that are, I believe, just credit cards. Now, if one uses a credit card to get cash, wouldn't that count as a cash advance with an exhorbitant interest rate?

Am I confused about something?

Sorry if I muddled the issue -- not my intent!

"...my husband has an ATM card that also works as a debit card. It says "Visa" on it. We also have Visa credit cards, issued by a different bank that are, I believe, just credit cards."

Well, again, if it has a hologram and raised numbers (among other things), it's a bona fide credit card. If it doesn't, it's just not a credit card, whatever else it may be. (Whether it's a combined ATM and debit card I think would just depend on how it was issued and set up.)

"Now, if one uses a credit card to get cash, wouldn't that count as a cash advance with an exhorbitant interest rate?"

You may well be right, and again that would depend on the exact set up of your account and card and all that. You'd have to check that with your card issuer. (I for one have found that the end result is not so bad given that most cards give a pretty good exchange rate, for example.)

I was just trying to say that I think you'll find more success while travelling and trying to use your card in strange machines in different countries if that card is really a credit card as opposed to just some debit/ATM-type card. I could be wrong, but as long ago as the late 80s I was successfully using credit cards in ATMs in Europe and through many years of the 90s in Japan and also I believe once in Korea, and I never had any problem. I think credit cards are by nature more universal and less peculiar, less subject to specific restrictions or controls placed on them by a particular bank or account or whatever.

Hope that helps.

Steve

FYI - unless I am misunderstanding as well, my debit/ATM card has raised numbers, a hologram & it says Visa - although it is NOT a credit card. I have been fine in other countries using my debit card in ATM machines as well as for purchases - so I plan to have it, my 2 credit cards for purchases only (not for ATMs) & cash.

Thanks, Steve.

I think I now know what I'm confused about. (Knowing why one is confused is half the battle, right???) You didn't muddle the issue at all. You were very helpful. I'm just inherently muddled, I'm afraid! I think it's because my Visa credit card is only a credit card. I can't imagine it would work as a debit card b/c it isn't connected to my bank account. I never realized that the same card could work both as debit and credit.

In any case, we'll bring the credit card and the ATM/debit card and some cash and hope for the best!

I'm psyched!

I have a debit card with the hologram, raised numbers, Visa logo etc with Plus on back but all money I charge or withdrawl comes directly from my checking account, it is definitely not a standard credit card. I've so far used it in CR, Bonaire, Brussels, France, London, Curacao & Bimini....have never had a single problem. I found an atm locator for Cirrus but it says only Mastercard, not Visa : http://www.mastercard.com/atmlocator/index.jsp I would call the issuer & ask to be sure.

I think Visa and the Plus System go together and Mastercard and Cirrus go together. Here are locators for both:

Mastercard/Cirrus:
http://www.mastercard.com/atmlocator....jsp?page=home

Visa/Plus:
http://visaatm.infonow.net/bin/findN...;TYPE=PERSONAL

"FYI - unless I am misunderstanding as well, my debit/ATM card has raised numbers, a hologram & it says Visa - although it is NOT a credit card."

Well according to security information the credit card companies give merchants, it actually is a credit card, then. Have you had any opportunity to try it as a credit (not debit) card? Or it might be an unitialized credit card just waiting for you to call or sign up and activate it as such. I doubt the credit card companies would make a mistake on such obvious things, as they want to make clear their security measures and those are the most obvious differences they cite between the two types of cards.

Steve

Hi Steve -

My card is in fact only a debit & ATM card. I can use it for purchases without giving my pin number & signing as if I would with a credit card, but it is all taken out of my checking account - which is what a debit card is. I know it is not a credit card; I use it every day. Regardless, no worries b/c I have used it & my actual credit cards in other countries without any problem.