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 177358 times)

Offline yitzyul

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Re: Costa Rica Master Thread
« Reply #440 on: November 17, 2020, 11:04:36 AM »
The LIR to SJO sounds pretty good. Driving at night can be perilous. But in the city you’re fine.

Does that mean to avoid night driving? The itinerary you just posted (looks excellent) involves allot fo driving, can't imagine I can do all that during day time?

Offline yitzyul

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Re: Costa Rica Master Thread
« Reply #441 on: November 17, 2020, 11:05:22 AM »
https://goo.gl/maps/VidjeDA3desSqvv39

For food, If I take ready meals (hope no customs issues) you just asked each resort to freeze and warm up?

Offline Kobe Bryant

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Re: Costa Rica Master Thread
« Reply #442 on: November 17, 2020, 11:08:53 AM »
Does that mean to avoid night driving? The itinerary you just posted (looks excellent) involves allot fo driving, can't imagine I can do all that during day time?
We did drive at night. (Thank you @Tom Brady) If possible I would try to avoid it.

Offline Kobe Bryant

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Re: Costa Rica Master Thread
« Reply #443 on: November 17, 2020, 11:09:22 AM »
For food, If I take ready meals (hope no customs issues) you just asked each resort to freeze and warm up?
Not the right person to ask
Tuna wraps, lol
Although we did bring in meat and dairy products.

Offline sam28

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Re: Costa Rica Master Thread
« Reply #444 on: November 17, 2020, 12:17:18 PM »
Can someone please tell me what is there to do in Costa Rica ? and what part is the best place to stay ?

Offline yitzyul

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Re: Costa Rica Master Thread
« Reply #445 on: November 17, 2020, 12:27:05 PM »
Not the right person to askAlthough we did bring in meat and dairy products.
Do you have link to your TR handy?
TY

Offline lansky

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Re: Costa Rica Master Thread
« Reply #446 on: November 18, 2020, 12:37:15 AM »
We did drive at night. (Thank you @Tom Brady) If possible I would try to avoid it.
oh this is what I'm looking for some people showed pictures of roads half of it off and no road markers how bad is it especially sjo to let say the los Suenos area and was the Arenal volcano a waste as some people say it is?

Offline lansky

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Re: Costa Rica Master Thread
« Reply #447 on: November 18, 2020, 12:46:59 AM »
And what's the advantages of flying into lib i thought most things are closer to sjo ,unless I'm missing something and anyone can comment on the el mangrove, los Suenos, islinata putnita

Offline Kobe Bryant

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Re: Costa Rica Master Thread
« Reply #448 on: November 18, 2020, 08:04:40 AM »
Do you have link to your TR handy?
TY
Work in progress.

Offline Lou Bob

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Re: Costa Rica Master Thread
« Reply #449 on: November 18, 2020, 09:47:03 AM »
oh this is what I'm looking for some people showed pictures of roads half of it off and no road markers how bad is it especially sjo to let say the los Suenos area and was the Arenal volcano a waste as some people say it is?
If you use Waze, you don't need to worry about directions, though not all roads are clearly marked with lines. There's plenty to do in Arenal. I would not call it a waste at all.
Always use an Amex, you'll thank me one day.

Offline yitzyul

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Re: Costa Rica Master Thread
« Reply #450 on: November 18, 2020, 02:28:29 PM »
Doable...?  Suggestions?

Arrive Sun afternoon
LIR- Andaz Sunday & Monday
Tuesday early- Arenal Volcano stay overnight
Wed- Manual Antonia park Stay overnight
Thursday eve drive bak to SJO for 1 AM flight (is it  difficult drive at night)?


Offline Kobe Bryant

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Re: Costa Rica Master Thread
« Reply #451 on: November 18, 2020, 02:46:06 PM »
And what's the advantages of flying into LIR I thought most things are closer to sjo ,unless I'm missing something and anyone can comment on the el mangrove, los Suenos, islinata putnita
Staying at the Andaz alone is worth it. The region is very nice. And not sure where you are getting your information from, but Arenal is a beautiful area and there’s plenty of activities to do and nature to explore.

Offline Kobe Bryant

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Re: Costa Rica Master Thread
« Reply #452 on: November 18, 2020, 02:49:08 PM »
Doable...?  Suggestions?

Arrive Sun afternoon
LIR- Andaz Sunday & Monday
Tuesday early- Arenal Volcano stay overnight
Wed- Manual Antonia park Stay overnight
Thursday eve drive bak to SJO for 1 AM flight (is it  difficult drive at night)?
Sounds great. I would try to squeeze in a couple of hours for Carara NP. 

Essentially this.
https://goo.gl/maps/VidjeDA3desSqvv39

Offline Lou Bob

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Re: Costa Rica Master Thread
« Reply #453 on: November 18, 2020, 03:18:28 PM »
Lots of driving...
Always use an Amex, you'll thank me one day.

Offline lansky

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Re: Costa Rica Master Thread
« Reply #454 on: November 18, 2020, 08:29:50 PM »
anybody whent to Corcovado np or marina ballena?

Offline yitzyul

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Re: Costa Rica Master Thread
« Reply #455 on: November 19, 2020, 12:08:23 AM »
Does anyone have Costa Rica currency (Colones) that canI can exchange for USD? (and live or have a way to get it to Monsey?

TY

Offline Lou Bob

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Re: Costa Rica Master Thread
« Reply #456 on: November 19, 2020, 09:40:18 AM »
Does anyone have Costa Rica currency (Colones) that canI can exchange for USD? (and live or have a way to get it to Monsey?

TY
you can pay pretty much anywhere with USD and get back Colones. (tolls for example). Maybe not the best exchange rate, but not bad enough to go crazy to exchange money before getting there.
Activities can be booked online, so you can use a CC for that.
Always use an Amex, you'll thank me one day.

Offline importantq

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Re: Costa Rica Master Thread
« Reply #457 on: November 24, 2020, 08:56:23 PM »
We are planning to be in Costa Rica during Dec 15 - 31.
Does anyone want to arrange to meet up somewhere during Shabbos or share food?

Offline Kobe Bryant

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Re: Costa Rica Master Thread
« Reply #458 on: November 24, 2020, 09:03:22 PM »
We are planning to be in Costa Rica during Dec 15 - 31.
Does anyone want to arrange to meet up somewhere during Shabbos or share food?
Which company are you using for Covid travel insurance?

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Re: Costa Rica Master Thread
« Reply #459 on: November 24, 2020, 10:06:44 PM »
Which company are you using for Covid travel insurance?

Trawick insurance worked fine.