It is my pleasure to tell you how can you travel to Costa Rica safely. Where do you want to go in 2021? For many travel enthusiasts, 2020 was marked by hardships. But things are looking better now. Nowadays long-distance travel makes possible again.
A suitable land for a trip is Costa Rica not only that the peak tourist season in the months of October, November falls, the country also offers various ways to travel off tourists.
Why travel to Costa Rica during the Coronavirus period? Costa Rica is an incredibly diverse country. The mixture of jungle, beach, volcanoes and rainforest offers a suitable combination for all travelers.
Even if Coronavirus has been shaking up the travel world lately, trips to Costa Rica are still possible – the country is even one of the most recommendable travel countries for this time.
The best time to travel to Costa Rica, the dry season, slowly begins in October. In autumn you also have the advantage that you can still experience the blooming, green landscape that the previous rainy season led to.
In the main dry season, which runs from December to April, you can look forward to constant weather conditions and up to 40 degrees.
At the end of 2021, the corona situation should also have eased and it is likely that trips will be able to take place again with fewer restrictions.
Costa Rica & Sustainability – Routes away from the crowds
Overall, Costa Rica strongly focuses on sustainability and tries to offer the most environmentally friendly tourism possible. There are countless good eco-lodges in nature where you can stay overnight and from where you can plan day trips.
Costa Rica was actually a pioneer in the field of sustainable tourism. Nevertheless, it is noticeable again and again that there is still a lot to improve, for example with regard to capacity limits in national parks or more days of rest.
If fewer tourists come in the next few years, there will probably be an even greater focus on sustainability.
In the rainforests of the country you can spot the following animals, for example: raccoons, monkeys, slots, macaws.
Costa Rica is a comparatively small travel destination where you can see a lot within about 2 weeks. The risk of infection is generally low, especially on hiking trips and trips to nature.
You are out and about a lot in the open air and the bus transfers are rather shorter than with standard round trips.
If you generally value walking on very little-frequented trails, we recommend the following trip:
Hike Costa Rica close to nature. This trip takes place particularly strongly in nature and there are many beautiful jungle lodges, such as the Bananito Lodge in the hinterland of the Caribbean coast.
Requirements for entry
Since November, the limits are set for international air transport. The most important things about immigration at a glance 48 hours before boarding the aircraft, each person traveling must fill out a digital health form (“Pase de Salud”). The QR code received for this form must be presented upon entry.
An internationally valid health insurance must be taken out, which covers medical care in the event of an infection with Coronavirus as well as the costs for accommodation and food for the 14-day quarantine.
This must be added to the digital “Pase de Salud”. Alternatively, on arrival at the airport in Costa Rica, health insurance can be taken out with a Costa Rican insurance company
Foreign citizens who are not resident in Costa Rica must be able to present a flight ticket for onward or return travel upon entry.
Pay Attention: The national borders are still closed to passenger traffic, only Costa Ricans or holders of a residence permit can cross the border there.
The check-in and security checks normally as always extend to each other only at a greater distance. Boarding is then divided into smaller groups, e.g. depending on the row of seats is boarded so that there is no traffic jam in the plane.
Of course, you must wear a mask during the entire flight. However, the mask may be removed when eating or drinking. There are also strict hygiene rules at the airport.
Mobility in the country & restrictions
Costa Rica can be traveled quite well again all parts of the country can be reached. All airlines are gradually planning to continue their flight connections.
– There are bus connections to all parts of the country, but in some cases with less frequency.
– There is a driving ban for private cars on weekdays between 10 p.m. and 5 a.m., on weekends between 9 p.m. and 5 a.m.
Other restrictions – Restaurants must close at 10 p.m. on weekdays and at 9 p.m. on weekends.
– In closed rooms such as restaurants, hotels, banks, etc. the mask requirement applies.
Which airlines fly to Costa Rica? Direct flights from USA. In recent years, more and more airlines have been added to serve Costa Rica from Europe, including Iberia, British Airways and Edelweiss Air.
Don’t forget to check Accommodation & hygiene on site
Face masks are compulsory in public and indoor spaces, in restaurants as well as in hotels or buses. In the hygiene protocols, great care is taken to ensure that the necessary distance is given everywhere, that everything is disinfected and that there is the possibility of washing hands, e.g. when entering a shop.
Remember keep all measures in the selected hotels and restaurants.
Highlights of Costa Rica
Costa Rica has countless sights to offer. The diverse nature and fauna is particularly impressive: Manuel Antonio National Park, steaming volcanoes but they are not common in Costa Rica, the green Hills of Monteverde National Park, among others.
A question that comes up very often is whether the sights in Costa Rica are open again. The national parks and other attractions are now accessible again, in some cases with a reduction in capacity to 50%.
What happens in the worst case? If you should get Coronavirus despite all the measures taken, or if the trip has to be broken off, provision is of course made here you will find the answers to the most frequently asked questions:
What can I do if I get Coronavirus? Costa Rica generally has a very good health system. There is compulsory health insurance for all residents and there are also 29 hospitals throughout the country and over 1000 smaller clinics available for tourists, where one can be cared for.
What measures do the common airlines take to ensure that fellow travelers are COVID-free?
A corona test or the like is not required. Each travel participant receives a guide along with the travel documents, in which the guests are asked to take responsibility for themselves.
Only those who are absolutely symptom-free and have not knowingly been in contact with a person infected with corona should take part.
However, there are often other regulations, for example from the airlines, that must be complied with.
What happens if a booked trip cannot take place due to corona reasons? If, for example, there is a travel warning, you can always rebook to another trip free of charge. Alternatively, a voucher can be issued or the deposit can be transferred back.
So tell me are you willing to travel? Do you want to finally soak up the sun again? Have you got wanderlust? You finally want to look forward to a journey, sun and sea again? As you can see, you are well protected in the worst -case scenario.
Costa Rica is a fantastic travel destination, regardless of Coronavirus! Contrasting nature, wild coasts and unique cloud forests await you here.