March 2008 CR need your help!!
Mar 5th, 2008, 07:29 PM
#41
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Hi,
I just returned from a week in CR. I started out in San Juan where my daughter is going to school. Firstly, for cash: let your bank and credit card company know that you are going out of the country and for how long. In San Juan you can go to the ATM Cajero Automatico which are often in the big supermarkets -- however, they are sometimes unreliable. Do not despare -- keep trying, from one minute to the next, the machines will falter and then suddenly work. Keep your receipts so you can reconcile when you get home since the exchange rate is about 492 or so colonies to the dollar. You will have a hard time looking at your bank statement if you don't save those credomatic receipts.
In La fortuna, there are a couple of banks but they do not open in the morning until 9:00 AM -- go have cafe con leche and some of the delicious fresh fruit at one of the sodas until the bank opens. OMG!-- what fresh bananas! We don't get these here in the US!
Just for safety reasons, I would not walk around with a lot of cash. Pay for meals with cash and perhaps some activities. Hotels and rental cars, etc; I would pay with credit cards. If you see a problem with what you have been charged when you return home, you can always dispute the charge if you have used a credit card such as AMEX. Every hotel and most stores utilize AMEX. There is a small service charge (even on bank cards) but not a tax. it is literally pennies.
BTW, the best shopping that I found was in La fortuna. The prices were low, low, low for clothes and wood items. Don't buy these in the resorts or at the beaches.
My daughter and I went kayaking, swimming, and even on a canopy (zip-line)tour (Canopy Los Canones) near Arenal. We did not encounter any mosquitos or even flies. I was told by our tour guides that during the rainy season there is a true concern for mosquitoes can spread Dengue fever. Particularly in the Puntarentas and Tamarindo areas. The water is drinkable and delicious -- however, I was told that Tamarindo had drainage problems during the rainy season and the sewers backed up. I would be careful about drinking water in Tamarindo.
I am a toxicologist -- never put DEET on your skin, if you do use it. Place it on your clothing.
-Susan
I just returned from a week in CR. I started out in San Juan where my daughter is going to school. Firstly, for cash: let your bank and credit card company know that you are going out of the country and for how long. In San Juan you can go to the ATM Cajero Automatico which are often in the big supermarkets -- however, they are sometimes unreliable. Do not despare -- keep trying, from one minute to the next, the machines will falter and then suddenly work. Keep your receipts so you can reconcile when you get home since the exchange rate is about 492 or so colonies to the dollar. You will have a hard time looking at your bank statement if you don't save those credomatic receipts.
In La fortuna, there are a couple of banks but they do not open in the morning until 9:00 AM -- go have cafe con leche and some of the delicious fresh fruit at one of the sodas until the bank opens. OMG!-- what fresh bananas! We don't get these here in the US!
Just for safety reasons, I would not walk around with a lot of cash. Pay for meals with cash and perhaps some activities. Hotels and rental cars, etc; I would pay with credit cards. If you see a problem with what you have been charged when you return home, you can always dispute the charge if you have used a credit card such as AMEX. Every hotel and most stores utilize AMEX. There is a small service charge (even on bank cards) but not a tax. it is literally pennies.
BTW, the best shopping that I found was in La fortuna. The prices were low, low, low for clothes and wood items. Don't buy these in the resorts or at the beaches.
My daughter and I went kayaking, swimming, and even on a canopy (zip-line)tour (Canopy Los Canones) near Arenal. We did not encounter any mosquitos or even flies. I was told by our tour guides that during the rainy season there is a true concern for mosquitoes can spread Dengue fever. Particularly in the Puntarentas and Tamarindo areas. The water is drinkable and delicious -- however, I was told that Tamarindo had drainage problems during the rainy season and the sewers backed up. I would be careful about drinking water in Tamarindo.
I am a toxicologist -- never put DEET on your skin, if you do use it. Place it on your clothing.
-Susan
Mar 7th, 2008, 11:57 AM
#45
Join Date: Dec 2007
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We just got back a few days ago -- we were in Arenal, Malpais and the Osa and the mosquitoes weren't a problem at all. They absolutely love my son so I did take some basic OFF and also a small bottle of 100% DEET I take on backpacking trips. My son used the OFF a few times when we hiked in rainforests in the early morning or late afternoon but neither my husband or I ever needed it.
Since you say that mosquitoes love you, there must be a particular repellent that you normally use -- I would just take that, whatever it is. I don't think there's any need to go out searching for something different or specific.
By the way, I bought the OFF purely for the bottle design -- it was small enough to fit in a fanny pack and the cap seemed to snap on solidly so that it wouldn't leak. I bought a pump spray type which I think is the easiest to apply, whether on clothing or bare skin. My son gets bit on his head a lot so I just sort of mist it over his head.
Just as a reference, I think the mosquitoes here in Michigan in the summer are literally a hundred times worse!
Since you say that mosquitoes love you, there must be a particular repellent that you normally use -- I would just take that, whatever it is. I don't think there's any need to go out searching for something different or specific.
By the way, I bought the OFF purely for the bottle design -- it was small enough to fit in a fanny pack and the cap seemed to snap on solidly so that it wouldn't leak. I bought a pump spray type which I think is the easiest to apply, whether on clothing or bare skin. My son gets bit on his head a lot so I just sort of mist it over his head.
Just as a reference, I think the mosquitoes here in Michigan in the summer are literally a hundred times worse!
Mar 7th, 2008, 04:10 PM
#46
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Hi, Sumi,
Thanks for your input...I bet it was hard to leave costa rica and go back home with the winter weather. We live in southern california where mosquitos are not prevalent during any season...but we went to minnesota several years ago where the mosquitoe is the state bird and did not use adequate repellent...
Thanks for your input...I bet it was hard to leave costa rica and go back home with the winter weather. We live in southern california where mosquitos are not prevalent during any season...but we went to minnesota several years ago where the mosquitoe is the state bird and did not use adequate repellent...
Mar 7th, 2008, 04:24 PM
#47
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Hi Sumi,
I was glad to read your post. We are in MI too and live on the Grand River. The mosquitos can be relentless here in the summer. I was in Costa Rica once in June and wasn't bothered at all my the pests. I am going again in April and then in June, so it's nice to know that I might be getting away from the pests for a while.
I was glad to read your post. We are in MI too and live on the Grand River. The mosquitos can be relentless here in the summer. I was in Costa Rica once in June and wasn't bothered at all my the pests. I am going again in April and then in June, so it's nice to know that I might be getting away from the pests for a while.
Mar 9th, 2008, 07:39 PM
#49
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Just go prepared. We where there in late May/June last year, and Osa we were tore up. Had to use the DEET while hiking all the trails. In Puerto Viejo my daughter got it pretty bad by the no-see-ums until we realized...
Mar 10th, 2008, 05:05 PM
#51
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Hi steviesmom,
Only 10 days. . .sometimes you think it will never arrive and all of a sudden, it's time to go! Enjoy the anticipation and the excitement of traveling and arriving!
You are leaving at 9:30 ish in the a.m.? What have you decided to do about that? Are you returning the night before? Leaving at 5:00 would be so very risky. It's a 3 hour drive IF ALL GOES WELL and no surprises on the highway. Will you be returning a car? Expect that process to take at least 30 minutes, very likely 10-15 min. more by the time they shuttle you to the airport.
Just a little concerned and didn't read how you'd resolved that problem. I'll be thinking about you and knowing that that you are having so much fun! Enjoy. .
Only 10 days. . .sometimes you think it will never arrive and all of a sudden, it's time to go! Enjoy the anticipation and the excitement of traveling and arriving!
You are leaving at 9:30 ish in the a.m.? What have you decided to do about that? Are you returning the night before? Leaving at 5:00 would be so very risky. It's a 3 hour drive IF ALL GOES WELL and no surprises on the highway. Will you be returning a car? Expect that process to take at least 30 minutes, very likely 10-15 min. more by the time they shuttle you to the airport.
Just a little concerned and didn't read how you'd resolved that problem. I'll be thinking about you and knowing that that you are having so much fun! Enjoy. .
Mar 10th, 2008, 07:15 PM
#52
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Hi, Shillmac,
Thanks so much for your kind words and input. Because of people like you and MRand, Tully, volcanogirl, hipvirgochick....I thought about the time and possible issues so on early friday morning the day before we will be leaving los suenos for the San jose costa rica marriott by the coffee plantations...so we will be near the airport. We will now be leaving from this hotel on Saturday! The great bonus in this is now we will get to see the Poas volcano, sarchi and la paz waterfalls!!
Thanks so much for your kind words and input. Because of people like you and MRand, Tully, volcanogirl, hipvirgochick....I thought about the time and possible issues so on early friday morning the day before we will be leaving los suenos for the San jose costa rica marriott by the coffee plantations...so we will be near the airport. We will now be leaving from this hotel on Saturday! The great bonus in this is now we will get to see the Poas volcano, sarchi and la paz waterfalls!!
Mar 11th, 2008, 09:38 AM
#54
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Thanks......bye the way anyone out there for our stay in Central pacific any tours you recommend? We will be there for 5 days and have already booked the canopy tour and Manuel Antonio? Is the mangroves tour good? Any other private day tours anyone recommends. 9 more days and counting! Thanks.
Mar 11th, 2008, 03:21 PM
#60
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11 days to go for us !!! I cant wait to visit and loved reading all the posts.
Steviesmom - thank you for all of your help too!!!
Most of these tours say to bring a rain coat with you - Is this true for this time of year? Is it a hard and drizzly rain?
Steviesmom - thank you for all of your help too!!!
Most of these tours say to bring a rain coat with you - Is this true for this time of year? Is it a hard and drizzly rain?
