Central America Tips: Be smart, do your research, and have fun
Apr 15 '01
The Bottom Line You can have a wonderful vacation if you plan ahead and take certain safety precautions.
Traveling can be great, but in order to ensure a fun and safe trip careful planning must be made and precautions taken.
Before you go
Make sure to find out information about the country you are visiting before you go. Books are one of the best resources. Set aside some time to go to the library or bookstore and read up on your destination. For budget travelers I highly recommend Lonely Planet or Let’s Go travel books. These books list must sees, inexpensive places to stay and eat, and other valuable information such as prices, maps, and bus schedules. Talk to friends and acquaintances about their travel experiences and find out if anyone you know has been there. If no one you know has been to that location, try the internet. Do a search on your country. Connect to ICQ and chat with someone that actually lives in the country you are going to visit. This is a great way to see the non-touristy sights and get a feel for what life is like for the locals.
What to pack
Find out what the weather is like at the time you are going. Will it be the rainy season? In Costa Rica the rainy season is from April to December. It usually rains for a few hours during the middle of the day. Make sure to bring a light rain jacket and an umbrella.
If you plan to visit any holy sites or museums make sure you bring something appropriate (i.e, no shorts- and women should wear longs skirts).
Make sure to get a good sturdy backpack and bring along an extra little duffel or sports bag for short weekend trips. If you plan on staying in hostels you will want to have a pair of flip-flops to wear in the shower and around the room. Luckily I had no problems with theft but it did happen to quite a few people I know. Don’t bring any valuable and if you do bring them make sure to lock them up or get a money belt (one that goes under your clothes). You may also want to buy a few little locks to put on your daypack, or main backpack.
If you plan on experiencing the nightlife make sure to bring a few comfortable dressy casual outfits and comfortable shoes. I did a lot of walking and a lot of dancing. For women traveling alone… it’s safer to dress on the more conservative side if you want to avoid unnecessary comments and perhaps harassment.
When packing try not to bring big bottles of your toiletries. Find small shampoo bottles, and soap containers. Unless you are planning on staying for a long time, there is no need to bring such big bottles of shampoo, toothpaste, etc. You might want to bring a few little hotel soaps or body wash tubes. These are great for when you take those little weekend excursions. You don’t have to worry about where to put wet soap. Also, make sure to bring 2 light towels (one bath towel and one beach towel). For women, those little sarong wrap skirts make great beach towels/blankets and they double as a skirt (2-in-one).
Money
Most cities now have ATM’s. Even in the small towns on the beach I was able to find an ATM. To be on the safe side bring a few travelers checks, but for the most part I think ATM’s are the best way to go. You don’t have to worry about carrying around a lot of cash, and usually the banks give you the best exchange rate. Some American banks do charge a dollar or two to withdraw from another bank. Make sure to find that out before you go. If you really want to save money you can just enter a bank, tell them you forgot your pin, and they will withdraw for you if you have VISA. This saves you that buck or two. Hey that could buy you a good meal (things are pretty cheap in Central America). If you don’t have a money belt I suggest getting one of those small wallets with a key chain. I would put my wallet in my front pocket and safety pin it to my pocket as well. Maybe that seems a little over precautious, but hey, I never got anything stolen.
Don’t look like a tourist
I know that may sound hard, especially for those of you with fair complexion and blonde hair, but you still need to try. Try to learn a few necessary words in Spanish. Learn how to say thank you and how to ask for things, and know a few words so that when someone answers your question you know what they are saying. If you don’t know where you are going, do not, I repeat do not walk around with an open map. If you do need to refer to your map walk off to the side of the street or inside a building and then open it up. Always act like you know where you are going. Even if you are not sure, walk confidently with your head up, and do as the locals do. Try not to wear baseball hats, Hawaiian shirts, fanny packs, … you know the usual tourist attire.
Costa Rica- Things not to miss
Here are a few must sees in Costa Rica:
San Jose: Museo de los Ninos. This is not just a museum for kids. I had a wonderful time. This museum has many (30-40) different rooms to learn about a variety of topics ranging from space to music. There are a lot of hands-on displays and creative ways to learn about things. You can make music, play with mirrors, see a freeze frame shadow of yourself on a wall, and lots of other fun things.
Arenal: You can see a live volcano spew its lava and ashes while relaxing a safe distance away in hot springs. Make sure to go in the evening on a not so cloudy day.
Manuel Antonio: At this beach you can take a hike through the forest and see iguanas, monkeys, and all kinds of other wild animals. This was the most beautiful beach I saw.
Tortuguero: On the Caribbean, this beach is the place to see huge turtles lay their eggs. This was amazing. You can also take a boat trip through the canals and see crocodiles, tropical birds, sea otters, and other fascinating animals.
Café Brit: See how coffee is made, taste samples, and see a cute play about the history of coffee. This plantation is in a beautiful location outside of Heredia.
All in all
If you remember these tips and be aware of your surroundings you should have a wonderful vacation. Remember to be smart, do your research, and most importantly HAVE A GREAT TIME!
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