Topic Wiki

List of TR's:
Fan Of Dan, BrooklynCPA, momo Part 1, momo Part 2, lechaim2life, eliteflyer, Pbaruch, Rcarentals (Guanacaste)

Bringing food/meat through the airports:
  • San Jose Airport SJO - customs are known to be ruthless here with meat. There are many stories in the forums and online of people having all their meats or kosher travel meals seized at customs.
  • Liberia LIR - Recent experiences were that LIR customs didn't check anyone at all.
The general advice which is the only method that seems to consistently work, is bringing in specifically USDA certified products. For example most hotdogs will have an actual USDA certification printed on the hotdog packet. Some companies like Teva, Agri in various supermarkets and most manufacturers have the USDA certification and approval number printed on the label. This is rarely the case for supermarkets who repackage and butcher things themselves and do not have a USDA-certified processing room.
There have been reports of stickers like the USDA organic stickers regularly used to label meats in supermarkets working as well if they look like THIS
In the most ideal world, your food has a clear description of: The product, the nutrition, and a USDA label on the manufacturer packaging.

In a worst case, food can be airshipped to anywhere for a fee - for example from one of the SJO kosher suppliers to Liberia for example the JW Marriott for around $400.

Kosher Food/ Restaurants:
  • SKCR/Super Kosher has takeout under the local Chabad rabbi.
  • The Israeli restaurant in Jaco may not be acceptable for many.  It is my understanding that while they get some meat/chicken from Chabad, they have no hashgacha.
  • Supermarket Automercado has pas yisroel bagels in the freezer per the Chabad rabbi in tamarindo - may or may not be tamarindo specific.
  • Walmart is 6 minutes from Liberia airport, and has tons of American, kosher products and snacks.

Synagogue:

Things to Do:

West side/Liberia

Hotels:
The JW Marriott Guanacaste has amazing suites. If you book there, it's worth speaking to the reservations department before or after to see if you can negotiate an upgrade for a small fee. They offered off the base room, an upgrade of $175 a night for a suite, or $200 for a suite with ocean view, and plunge pool.

Getting Around:
A 4 Wheel drive here is mandatory. Not just because the humidity and rain create muddy and slippery roads, but mainly because the potholes here, are really huge and bad, and your car needs clearance to drive... The roads in costa rica are absolutely terribly maintained. they are completely manageable with a SUV - but expect a ton of bumps and thousands of potholes - almost the entire country is made up of 2 lane roads including highways. All overtaking is done in the direction of opposing traffic. cars here are seriously used and abused - so when you pick up your car.. it's worth going for one with as low mileage as possible.


Notes:

ALL CAR COMPANIES CHARGE MANDATORY LIABILITY INSURANCE. This seems to be one of the biggest complaints from tourists who don't know and consider this a tourist trap - like Israel.
CDW here often REQUIRES the letter - more than Israel.. so have that prepared.


Author Topic: Costa Rica Master Thread  (Read 177374 times)

Offline ebfonehome

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Re: Costa Rica Master Thread
« Reply #320 on: December 16, 2016, 03:58:27 PM »
Anybody going down January 27th-Feb 5th 2017 and staying at the andaz? Perhaps  we can make a larger order or bring down a toaster oven if its the right outlet? Im a little nervous to bring down Pomegranate meals.. Anyways be in touch.

-Eric
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Offline Buruch

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Re: Costa Rica Master Thread
« Reply #321 on: December 18, 2016, 01:20:55 PM »
Can anyone comment on driving conditions in Costa Rica.  Am considering spending shabbos in San Jose but would like to spend week near Liberia coast.  Looks like a 3-4 hour drive between the two but wasn't sure if driving there is recommended, whether it's safe or not or any other important considerations... Thoughts?

Friend of mine said you phone GPS is useless because roads can be flooded/impassable, and it won't know.

Offline BarryLincoln

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Re: Costa Rica Master Thread
« Reply #322 on: December 18, 2016, 02:16:38 PM »
Friend of mine said you phone GPS is useless because roads can be flooded/impassable, and it won't know.

Thx.  Good to know...

Offline beeweegee

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Re: Costa Rica Master Thread
« Reply #323 on: December 18, 2016, 03:17:44 PM »
Can anyone comment on driving conditions in Costa Rica.  Am considering spending shabbos in San Jose but would like to spend week near Liberia coast.  Looks like a 3-4 hour drive between the two but wasn't sure if driving there is recommended, whether it's safe or not or any other important considerations... Thoughts?
Safety depends on road conditions/flooding, so it's hard to predict. Also, plan that it will likely take much longer that you expect, as you are not used to the driving on these kinds of roads...

Offline Suave

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Re: Costa Rica Master Thread
« Reply #324 on: December 21, 2016, 06:24:16 AM »
Can anyone comment on driving conditions in Costa Rica.  Am considering spending shabbos in San Jose but would like to spend week near Liberia coast.  Looks like a 3-4 hour drive between the two but wasn't sure if driving there is recommended, whether it's safe or not or any other important considerations... Thoughts?
Roads are fine compared to other central american countries. Be careful on the PanAm past Liberia as the trucks & busses will pass slower moving traffic (a bit recklessly)

Why not spend shabbat at San Juan Del Sur, Nicaragua?
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Offline Luvtotravel

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Re: Costa Rica Master Thread
« Reply #325 on: December 22, 2016, 06:00:59 PM »
Roads are fine compared to other central american countries. Be careful on the PanAm past Liberia as the trucks & busses will pass slower moving traffic (a bit recklessly)

Why not spend shabbat at San Juan Del Sur, Nicaragua?
minyan? hotel walking distance?
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Offline mordechain

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Re: Costa Rica Master Thread
« Reply #326 on: December 22, 2016, 08:57:02 PM »
If you're going in our winter, which is the Costa Rica drier season, you shouldn't have any problem with the roads. I rented a corolla and had no issues at all. I would take all of their insurance though. I know that it's probably a rip off, but the idea of walking away from  a wreck or theft is much more appealing then dealing with it in a Spanish speaking country where they could theoretically hold me up for thousands of dollars.

Offline Suave

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Re: Costa Rica Master Thread
« Reply #327 on: December 23, 2016, 05:17:48 AM »
minyan? hotel walking distance?

Chabad of San Juan Del Sur is within 10 minutes walking distance of about 40 hotels.

PM me if you want the shliachs contact info.
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Offline Luvtotravel

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Re: Costa Rica Master Thread
« Reply #328 on: December 23, 2016, 10:08:54 AM »
Chabad of San Juan Del Sur is within 10 minutes walking distance of about 40 hotels.

PM me if you want the shliachs contact info.
tx!
Don't wait for the perfect moment; take the moment and make it perfect.

Offline solls108

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Re: Costa Rica Master Thread
« Reply #329 on: February 08, 2017, 08:26:22 PM »
What are top all inclusive and highly reccomended hotels in Costa Rica?

Offline Luvtotravel

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Re: Costa Rica Master Thread
« Reply #330 on: February 08, 2017, 10:02:24 PM »
What are top all inclusive and highly reccomended hotels in Costa Rica?
check out  arenalnayara.com
Don't wait for the perfect moment; take the moment and make it perfect.

Offline solls108

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Re: Costa Rica Master Thread
« Reply #331 on: February 08, 2017, 11:27:48 PM »
Thank you

Offline lcg

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Re: Costa Rica Master Thread
« Reply #332 on: April 07, 2017, 01:57:15 AM »
check out  arenalnayara.com

What's the best way to book this with points?

Offline tmendy226

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Re: Costa Rica
« Reply #333 on: April 24, 2017, 07:05:47 PM »
there should be a shliach there, why not ask him, or check out the website...

How did a shliach become a travel agent?


 ;)

Offline lafindumonde

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Re: Costa Rica Master Thread
« Reply #334 on: May 12, 2017, 03:18:51 PM »
Is there a thread for Nicaragua?

Offline PBaruch

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Re: Costa Rica Master Thread
« Reply #335 on: July 30, 2017, 10:57:13 PM »
We are tentatively planning a trip in the winter of 2018 with another family.  Can anyone recommend a service that will transport two families with kids from the airport (not sure which one we will fly into yet) to Arenal, to a second destination several days later, and finally back to the airport?  We would need a large van.
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Re: Costa Rica Master Thread
« Reply #336 on: August 14, 2017, 04:09:12 PM »
Is there a thread for Nicaragua?
Feel free to start one if there isn't and I will add some info (been there several times)
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Offline plainbachur

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Re: Costa Rica Master Thread
« Reply #337 on: November 30, 2017, 07:20:05 AM »
whats deal with zika?

Offline BarryLincoln

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Re: Costa Rica Master Thread
« Reply #338 on: December 03, 2017, 07:45:14 PM »
Anyone here with experience booking Andaz on points for a family of 5?  We generally don't mind staying in 1 room together.  Award bookings are for a max of 3 ppl per room.  Has anyone had issues bringing 3+ ppl into a room?  Just curious to hear others POV...

Also, are there any recent DPs on bringing prepared food into the country?

« Last Edit: December 03, 2017, 07:52:31 PM by BarryLincoln »

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Re: Costa Rica Master Thread
« Reply #339 on: December 14, 2017, 12:08:09 AM »
Anyone with experience/opinions on a hotel pick near Liberia for 5 nts?
1.Andaz using SUN & C+P
2. Marriott El Mangroove 47k SPG
3. JW Marriott 47k SPG
Am I missing any others? Westin is 150k