Costa Rica Travel Tips and Meet Up Time

Travel Tips

Costa Rica is serviced by numerous major carriers, with service originating from various points in Europe, the United States, Canada, the Caribbean and South America. Airlines with direct flights to Costa Rica include Continental, American, Delta, United, Iberia, KLM, British Airways, Grupo Taca, Copa, Cubana, Avianca, and Mexicana.

There are lots of perks, of course, to booking online. First, you get to see the options from which to choose. Second, you usually earn more reward miles. Third, often the best fares an airline carries are only listed on the internet. From our experience, no one avenue always has the lowest fare, so you are probably best checking several of the sources below.

We think its worth checking out the major discount booking sites first, to provide an overview of what seems to be out there.

Expedia http://www.expedia.com
Orbitz http://www.orbitz.com
Travelocity http:// www.travelocity.com

Then, check on the airline websites for those major carriers which se em to offer the lowest fare. Airlines often have their best webfares listed only on their own websites.

American Airlines http://www.aa.com/ 1-800-433-7300
Continental Airlines http://www.continental.com/ 1-800-231-0856
Delta Airlines http://www.delta.com/home/index.jsp 1-800-241-4141
Northwest Airlines http://www.nwa.com/ 1-800-447-4747
United Airlines http://www.united.com/ 1-800-538-2929

Sometimes consolidators, who book directly with airlines in negotiating their own fares, have the best rates

http://airtravelcenter.com/atcbroker.htm
http://www.airlineticketsinfo.com/info/consolidators.htm

And sometimes even travel agents have access to special fares, or are more knowledgeable about routing a fare to where you can get a better deal. If you're already working with one, it's best to start there. Otherwise , you might try asking who your employer u se s, or your friends. One we've u se d and been happy with is Jane Becker: beckerj@netins.net

Incidentally, websites like www.sidestep.com. claim to se arch se veral sites at once to find the best deal, but we have found that it frequently does not yield the best deal.

If you do not care about knowing which carrier you go on, it may be worth trying to bid on airfare (Ebay style) at: http://www.skyauction.com

If you miss your flight and are delayed more than an hour or two, the group will head on to the program site. You will then need to get in contact with the person you designated as your emergency contact, whom we will have contacted to give you instructions to take the bus to Oratina, where you will then be met by a GA representative to take you on to the program site.

You will be brought back to the airport the following Saturday between 2 and 4pm . We leave the program at about 10am , and if roads are wet or there is traffic it can take longer than the usual 4 hours. There are usually 2 stops: the airport and a central San Jose spot, like the National Theater, for those who may be staying on to travel independently.

If you are flying in a day early, and especially if coming in late the night before the program begins, think about NOT going in to San Jose, which is a 30 mins , $12 taxi ride, each way, but to stay in Alajuela, which is the town nearest the airport. It is a 5 min taxi ride and much nicer too.

Some hotel options are as follows:

• Hotel Los Volcanes, 506 441 0525, losvolcanes@racsa.co.cr , which is $25 pp and very good value for a nice hotel with free internet taxi to airport and breakfast included.
• Another is h\Hostel 5ta Avenida, hostel5taavenida@yahoo.com , tel 506 441 1563
• Villa Pacande, info@villapacande.com , 506 441 6795, or 373 7602 or 373 7611, again with breakfast and internet included only 5 mins from airport.

HOTELS

A few places to recommend in San Jose if you need to stay there overnight (depending on what you're hoping for):

1) a good, safe, and inexpensive place to stay in San Jose is Casa Ridgeway ($10 to $12 a person). Av. 6/8, Calle 15 ( ( 221 1400; friends@racsa.co.cr ); located in the short, dead end street between and running parallel to Av. 6 and 8). Our experience is that taxi drivers at the airport all seem to know of this place. But if you take a taxi from inside the city itself, taxi drivers will need to be given this address. Sometimes private rooms go for as much as $20, hot water showers, close in to center of town, and great staff (it was founded by Quakers and has lots of peace oriented activities); the director of Casa Rigeway is the ex-wife of a man who directs another GlobeAware joint venture program in Escazu. BE SURE TO WRITE THE ADDRESS DOWN TO SHOW THE DRIVER or show them THESE DIRECTIONS: Casa Ridgeway, Calle 15, Avenida 6/8, San Jo se . Tel: 233 6168, fax: 224 8910

2) Pension La Cuesta 456-7946 ggmnber@racsa.co.cr $18 (shared bath, in an old 1920s house, includes breakfast, good security

3) Diana's Inn $30 223-6542 dianas@racsa.co.cr overlooks Morazan park rt in middle of town; and staff here is really great and accommodating

4) La Casa Verde de Among casaverde@racsa.co.cr, $60 Really well restored historic site with cool patio, TVs, private baths, etc - really adorable

5) Kap's Place- 221-1169, 390-0971isabel@racsa.co.cr, extremely popular; hosts speak terrific English; great bathrooms, super common areas for gathering, very clean $30

6) For American style hotel (we typically avoid): Best Western Irazu 232-4811 bestwestern@irazu.co.cr $90

7) D'Raya Vida 223-4168 rayavida@costarica.net $100; Costa Rica Chic estate - wood floors, antiques, private baths and cable TV

AIRPORT HOTELS:

Hampton Inn San Jose Airport Hotel

GETTING FROM SAN JOSE AIRPORT

A taxi should be no more than $10 from the airport into the town of San Jo se . Taxi drivers will surround you as you exit airport. The 1st one or two will tell you its $15 to town; simply insist that you know it is a $10 ride, and they will either take you or someone el se will. Al ternatively, you can take the bus for less than a $ to Terminal Coca-Cola. When you get your bags at the airport, simply ask where the bus stop is. Buses leave frequently. From Coca Cola terminal it is a $1 or $2 ride to almost anywhere - though make sure that the taxi driver turns on the meter and that it starts at somewhere around 220 colones (about 50 cents).

Contact Info for Casa Ridgeway

Telephones: (506) 233 61 68
(506) 255 63 99

E-mail: casaridgway@yahoo.es