A few tips & tricks…
This is the motto of Costa Rica: Vivan semper el trabajo y la paz (May work and peace last forever!). Costa Rican culture was shaped by the meeting of his two ancestral cultures, the Mayan influence and the Chibcha influence, several languages of which are still fluently spoken today. Similarly, the Atlantic coast was settled by Africans, mostly from Jamaica. Thousands of families from China came to Costa Rica to develop the railroad. All of these influences have created a very different mix of cultures in the heart of Costa Rica. The most important holidays are directly related to Catholicism, as they make up about 75% of the Catholic population. But notable are Cultural Diversity Day on October 12th and his Independence Day on September 15th.
Good to know
Costa Rica is very accessible from Quebec as well as from Europe thanks to direct flights from Montreal, Paris or Madrid for example… It is really safe to travel in Costa Rica, even if like everywhere in the World you have to be careful. It is therefore possible to drive in complete autonomy. A mix between transfers and rental cars is our recommendation to be free and save money at the same time.
Today, the country’s economy is basically based on tourism activities. The government has taken drastic measures to protect the environment and all infrastructure and activities are subject to strict controls. Every year the country welcomes her 2 million visitors for ecotourism travel. Costa Rica’s unique geographic location gives it direct access to the North American market. Also, the country is in the same time zone as major cities such as Chicago and Dallas. With well-developed maritime access, the country also has access to the Asian and European markets. Costa Rica’s other economic resources come from the cultivation of pineapples, bananas and coffee. But high-tech industries are also booming, especially microprocessor manufacturing. The country attracts celebrities in the industry due to the high level of education of its inhabitants.
The countrywide foreign money is the colón (CRC), divided into one hundred centimos. It is pegged to the United States greenback.
However, the North American greenback is popular in maximum business institutions, eating places and fueloline stations on the each day change rate. The enormous majority of institutions receive the maximum famous credit score cards: Visa, Master Card, Diners and American Express.
