WELCOME TO COSTA RICA: 9

History 10, Indigenous 12, Costa Rica Today 13, Geography 14, Biodiversity 16,

Blue Flag Beaches 18

GENERAL INFORMATION: 19

Accommodations 20, Banks 22, Buses 23, Day Trips 30, Dialing & Dollars 33,

Disabled Travelers 34, Emergency Contacts 34, Ferries 36, Gay & Lesbian 36, Getting Here 37, ICT 44, Internet & Cafes 44, Investing 47, Laundromats 48, Living & Working Here 49, Maps 51, Media 52, Radio & TV 53, Medical Care 54, AA 55, Medicine, Cosmetic 56, Medicine, Alternative 57, Pets 59, Recycling 60, Take Care 61, Taxes & Tipping 63, Tour Operators 63, Volunteering 64, What to Bring 66

REAL ESTATE: 71

Inform Yourself 72, Real Estate Brokers 73, The ABCs of Renting 77

LIVING CULTURE: 87

Art Galleries 88, Arts 89, Bands & Music 90, Books 92, Resource Centers 98,

Bookstores & Newstands 98, Cheapies & Freebies 100, Dance Schols 101, Festivals

& Celebrations 103, Food 107, 24-hour Restaurants 108, Houses of Worship

108, Movies 109, Museums 111, Schools 113, Shopping 118, Shopping/Malls

120, Theaters 121

INSIDE TIQUICIA: 125

Bullfights 126, Central Markets 126, Cimarronas & Mascaradas 126, Coffee 127,

Dichos 127, Directions 127, Don and Doña 127, Farmers Markets 128, Festejos/

Turnos 128, Oxcarts 128, Piropos 128, Displays of Affection 129, Telling It Like

It Is 129, Tico Time 129, Two Last Names 129, Beer & Spirits 130

SEEING THE SIGHTS: 131

Central Valley 131, Three days in San Jose 135, San Jose Lodging 141, Sabana,

Pavas, Rohrmoser 145, Los Yoses/San Pedro/Curridabat 149, Escazú/Santa

Ana/Ciudad Colon 157, Alajuela 163, Heredia 171

COFFEE TOWNS: 178

Atenas 178, Grecia 179, Sarchi 180, Naranjo 181, Palmares 182, San Ramón

183, Bajo la Paz 184, Cartago 185, Orosi Valley 188

CARIBBEAN ZONE: 227

Barra del Colorado 199, Tortuguero 201 Limón 203, Cahuita 205, Puerto Viejo 211

TURRIALBA: 221

Turrialba 222

SARAPIQUI: 227

Sarapiquí 228

NORTHERN ZONE: 235

Zarcero 237, Ciudad Quesada 238, la Fortuna 239, Arenal Volcano 245, Nuevo

Arenal 247, Tilarán 250

MONTEVERDE: 253

Santa Elena 255 , Monteverde 255

NORTHERN GUANACASTE: 266

Cañas 267, Liberia 268, Rincón de la Vieja 271, La Cruz/Santa Rosa 273,

Los Chiles/Upala 274, Northern Beaches 275

SOUTHERN GUANACASTE: 287

Nicoya Peninsula 288, Southwest Shore 296, South & East Nicoya Shores 304

CENTRAL PACIFIC: 315

Puntarenas 317, Jacó 323, Quepos/Manuel Antonio 331, Río Savegre/

Matapalo 340

SOUTHERN ZONE: 345

Cerro de la Muerte 347, San Isidro de el General 351, Cerro Chirripó 353,

Dominical 355, Uvita/Ojochal 359. Sierep 365, Drake Bay 366, Puerto

Jiménez/Carate 368, Gofito 375, Golfo Dulce 377, Zancudo 378, Pavones 380,

San Vito/Buenos Aires 381

SPORTS & LEISURE: 387

Aerial Trams, Balloons & Canopy Tours 388, Aerobics, Running & Sports 388,

Cycling 388, Birdwatching 389, Bungee Jumping 390, Camping 390, Casinos

390, Diving 391, Golf 391, Hiking 392, Horses 392, Motorcycles 392, Orchids

393, Soccer 393, Sportfishing 394, Surfing 395, Swimming 395, Tennis 396,

Turtle Watching 396, White-water Rafting 397, Windsurfing & Kitesurfing 398