Vacation Home Rentals

posted by Vacation Home Rentals on Jul 12

Costa Rican active holidays are some of the best times you will experience so make sure you plan correctly and take everything you will need so you can take advantage of all the opportunities to enjoy yourself while in Costa Rica. Mak sure to browse the online world for insider tips on where to go and what to do in Costa Rica. There is so much to do but sometimes it’s nice to go off the beaten track and experience something new.

Making Sure You Have the Right Currency for Costa Rica

First things first you need a place to stay and a way to get from the airport to your hotel but then you will need to worry about some local currency for your time in Costa Rica. In Costa Rica the currency in use is called the Colon. You can change most popular currencies at the San Jose airport, Costa Rica’s main airport, although this will not give you the best exchange rate. Taking some Costa Rican money with you when youtravel is recommended, as you can never know what’s going to happen and if you arrive late at night currency exchange places may not be open.

Using US dollars in Costa Rica is acceptable in most cases but expect to pay extra than you would when using Colons. If you can’t fond somewhere to change money places that accept US dollar will usually be able to give you change in Colons. Keep any foreign currency you bring to Costa Rica in good condition because torn or damaged bills will not be taken in most establishments and especially by banks.

Where to Go In Costa Rica

The Monteverde Cloud Forest is one of those places you just have to visit when in Costa Rica. Sutiable to people accross the generations you will see photographers as well as families on holiday here. If you fancy a little alternative then why not visit the butterfly garden located in the near by town.

Check out an active volcano, Volcan Arenal is a great opportunity to get up and close with the sheer brute force of nature. While you can see the volcano from your hotel there is nothing like taking a dip in one of the hot springs that are near by.

Active holidays in Costa Rica are becoming more and more popular, as people discover this Little gem of a country.

posted by Vacation Home Rentals on Oct 11

Crossing the border (frontera) from one country to another in Central America is relatively easy except going into Costa Rica. Long border crossings are relatively not existent when you  drive the PanAmericana Highway from Guatemala to Costa Rica.

Costa Rica has always been the leader of tourism in Central America. To make your journey memorable…Travelling to Costa Rica by road is another adventure they decided for you.

This can take anywhere from a half hour to 2 hours +…

Driving your vehicle when crossing becomes a little bit more complicated. If it’s in your mind to take another person’s vehicle-… You really do not want to drive it if at all possible.

Below, the list is predominantly for those who drive their vehicle. Not thinking of driving? Then just delete those parts ot items pertaining to vehicles.

Items required:

• a couple of pens – in case one gives up on you
• valid passport with current stamps
• valid exit visa stamp if you are a resident of Nicaragua but not a citizen
• valid exit documentation for your Nicaraguan vehicle should you be driving. This can take at least a half a day to 2 days depending on your luck with the local officials. This requirements are given by a local Policia In the town where your vehicle is registered.
• valid vehicle registration card – circulation
• proof of insurance for your vehicle
• cedula – should you be a resident
• valid drivers licence.
• 3 photocopies of your passport (main page), vehicle registration, insurance certificate, exit visa for your vehicle, cedula, (include front and back side of all documents that have printing or stamps)
• patience – generally more then usual – simply because you do not know what kind of adventure you are going to run into.
• a spare batch of patience just waiting for the real fun adventures you may have.
• a high dose of positive attitude and humor
• plenty of small denomination bills – Cordobas or dollars (US) on the Nicaraguan side and Calones or dollars (US) on the Costa Rica side. Contrary to what some believe the adventure of dealing with the coyotes can leave with a better exchange rate. You would have to know the exchanged rates in order to do that.

Normally it takes around 30 minutes to 1 hour. It could take longer at the boarder if the traffic is heavier than usual. Approximately for each country there is an equal time.

When you are Leaving Nicaragua:

First charge. The cost for 4 people crossing the boarder with a vehicle is 80 Cordobas (about .00). Tax for the local town. Depending on how many people you have in the vehicle.

By the time you have paid for the entrance into the boarder you must go to the offices where you obtain a free customs form. The building is where you see all of the buses lined up in the center. To register where you are from where you have been, and .where you are going….

make sure you have your Passport out and ready to fill the proper information out. (The forms are generally bilingual in english and Spanish)

Once you have the forms filled out you must stand in line…

…Did I mention patience?

When the Migration officials stamp your passport and send you on your merry way. Non-resident’s cost . This could changed at any time.

IF you are traveling with your own vehicle you must also go to another office on the Nicaragua side.

Here you will obtain an inspection paper from the local inspector then if you are lucky and the Policia are close by you have them sign off on the inspection.

With the vehicle inspection form signed off by both the

• inspector and
• Policia

you then get to stand in line to have the migration officer check for

• properly signed vehicle inspection,
• the proper registration,
• insurance,
• exit papers for your vehicle, and
• driver’s license.

You go to the next line, by the time they approve, to wait and have the Policia check for the proper registration, insurance, exit papers for your vehicle, and driver’s license.

Once all is approved you are then given a vehicle exit ticket to present and the migration exit post – the next stop.

In order to proceed to the fumigation office, at the exit, you have to hand you exit ticket to the official at the exit post. 60 C0rdobas will be the price (approx)-. $4.00) and this for the spraying of your vehicle to disinfect it before going into Costa Rica.

Later, you drive to the Costa Rica boarder buildings and …

Join us for the rest of the adventure of crossing the border…Literally saving hours to other motorists!

posted by Vacation Home Rentals on Sep 3

Crossing the border (frontera) from one country to another in Central America is relatively easy except going into Costa Rica.   You can pretty much drive the PanAmericana Highway all the way from Guatemala to Costa Rica without going through long border crossings.

Costa Rica has always been the leader of tourism in Central America. To make your journey memorable…Travelling to Costa Rica by road is another adventure they decided for you.

This can take anywhere from a half hour to 2 hours +…

Driving your vehicle across becomes a little more complicated. If taking another person’s vehicle it’s in your mind… Really, If at all possible, you do not want to do that.

For those who drive their vehicle, this list below will be helpful. If in your case there is no driving involved then just delete those parts having to do with vehicles.

Items required:

• a couple of pens – in case one gives up on you
• valid passport with current stamps
• valid exit visa stamp if you are a resident of Nicaragua but not a citizen
• valid exit documentation for your Nicaraguan vehicle should you be driving. Depending on your luck with the local officials this can take a half a day to 2 days. At the town where your vehicle is registered, this is given from a local Policia-.
• valid vehicle registration card – circulation
• proof of insurance for your vehicle
• cedula – should you be a resident
• valid drivers licence.
• 3 photocopies of your passport (main page), vehicle registration, insurance certificate, exit visa for your vehicle, cedula, (include front and back side of all documents that have printing or stamps)
• patience – generally more then usual – simply because you do not know what kind of adventure you are going to run into.
• a spare batch of patience just waiting for the real fun adventures you may have.
• a high dose of positive attitude and humor
• plenty of small denomination bills – Cordobas or dollars (US) on the Nicaraguan side and Calones or dollars (US) on the Costa Rica side. Most believe you get a better exchange rate from the bank. This is true if you do not know how to deal with the coyotes. To do that you have to know the exchange rates.

Commonly it takes around 30 minutes to 1 hour. it can take longer if the traffic at the boarder is heavier than the usual. Equal time for each country, approcimately.

Leaving Nicaragua:

First charge. The cost for 4 people crossing the boarder with a vehicle is 80 Cordobas (about $4.00). Tax for the local town. The quantity of people in the vehicle will determine the total.

If you already have paid for the entrance into the boarder you must go to the offices where you obtain a free customs form.   This is in the building where you see all of the buses lined up in the center. To register where you are from, where you have been and where you are going….

It is important to make sure you have your Passport out and ready to fill the proper information out. (most of the times both in English in Spanish the forms are generally bilingual)

By the time you have the forms filled out you then have to stand in line…

…Did I mention patience?

While the Migrations Officials stamp your passport and send you to your final destiny. Non-resident’s cost $5. At any time this can changed.

IF you are traveling with your own vehicle you must also go to another office on the Nicaragua side.

On the Nicaragua side you will obtain an inspection paper from the local inspector; then if you are lucky and the Policia are close by you should have them sign off on the inspection.

With the vehicle inspection form signed off by both the

• inspector and
• Policia

you then get to stand in line to have the migration officer check for

• properly signed vehicle inspection,
• the proper registration,
• insurance,
• exit papers for your vehicle, and
• driver’s license.

Once they certify then you go to the next line to wait and have the Policia check for the proper registration, insurance, exit papers for your vehicle, and driver’s license.

As soon as all is certified, a vehicle exit ticket is given for you tto hand it at the migration exit post – the next stop.

At the exit before proceeding to the fumigation office; hand your exit ticket to the official at the exit post. It will approximately cost you 60 Cordobas. $4.00) and this for the spraying of your vehicle to disinfect it before going into Costa Rica.

Later, you drive to the Costa Rica boarder buildings and …

Join us for the rest of the adventure of crossing the border…Literally, it has saved hours to other motorists!