Preparing to Travel to Costa Rica with Serendipity Adventures

Once you've planned your Costa Rican holiday with Serendipity Adventures, you should review the following information to prepare for the trip. You may also want to read our information about Costa Rica, which will introduce you to some of the strange differences in the way the third world works.

Lost Luggage - Prepare Now

Lost luggage is no more common in Costa Rica than in the US. Still, it is a reality of airline travel. Now that Costa Rica's airport allows ONLY ticketed passengers inside the buildings, Serendipity can't go to the airline desk to help with LOST LUGGAGE! To prepare for the possibility that your luggage may be lost, make a PHOTOCOPY OF YOUR PASSPORT to leave with the desk clerk, and an ADDRESS for the airline to deliver your luggage to before you leave the USA and keep them in your carry on luggage. If your luggage is lost, do not go past customs until you give the airline the NAME of the hotel where you will be the first night, and a copy of your passport, Serendipity's phone number (2558-1000) and the claim number on your baggage check (be sure to write down the claim number for your records, too). Sorry we won't be able to help you in this ordeal but we cannot get into the service counters.

Customs

The customs screen is primarily concerned about Costa Rican residents. Even if you speak Spanish, use only English when you go through customs. For more information about immigration and customs, please see Arrival in Costa Rica: Customs Service & What to Declare.

Arrival at the Airport - Meeting Serendipity

If your itinerary from us tells you we will meet you at the airport, here's what you do. When you reach the sliding glass doors at the exit from customs (after they X-ray your luggage) turn left to exit down the left corridor. Your Serendipity Adventure leader will be there waiting for you, usually holding a yellow paddle with the Serendipity name and logo on it. If do not see your adventure leader just stay put for a few minutes, and decline all the offers of taxi cabs and guide services (most locals are polite; just say no thanks, and that you are expecting someone). If a few minutes pass and you still haven't met your adventure leader, you can call Serendipity from the phones across the street. Just pick up the phone and call Serendipity toll free at 800 CALL 911 (do not dial a 1 before the number). The airport is fairly safe, however keep an eye on your belongings. Believe it or not, we haven't stranded anyone at the airport -- YET!

Once we've got you, you're done with the hard stuff. The rest is all easy - like climbing mountains, twisting down rivers, startling a few toucans from their nests, etc.

What to Bring

Most of your days with Serendipity you will be doing something active. You will also probably get wet. The following list should help you figure out what to pack.

Suitcases

We strongly recommend that you use backpack or duffel bag style luggage and avoid hard-sided cases because soft sided cases are easier to carry/stuff into the vehicle, turn into a pillow or armrest, and to keep dry under roof rack covers.

Clothing

Most of Costa Rica is humid. Near the coasts it will be quite warm, but in the mountains and cloud forests it can be quite cool, especially at night. Light weight, light colored clothing is advised, but long sleeves offer better protection from the sun and, when off the beaten path, against insects and foliage (sugar cane leaves are similar in abrasiveness to corn leaves). You'll need some light clothing but also one jacket, sweatshirt or lightest weight Polar fleece (best because it dries quickly) for warmth. A lot of Costa Rica is at high altitude (3000-4000 ft.), and it can get into the low 60's after dark.

Of course you'll need a few pairs of shorts, T-shirts, and at least one pair of long pants for ballooning and horses, and for evening meals where insects nibble on your ankles.

Evening wear

Meals, even at the fanciest hotels, are very informal, so just be comfortable. It does get pretty cool in the evenings (middle 60's) in the mountain areas, so don't get caught with nothing to keep you warm: long sleeve collared shirts for San José restaurants advisable. If your evening meal is in the open air, as it often is, you may want to wear long pants and long sleeves to protect yourself from mosquitoes.

Shoes

Strong shoes that can get wet and dry quickly, (strong tennis shoes/cross-trainers advised) are mandatory. Since air drying may be nearly impossible between activities, bring at least 2 pairs. Waterproof hiking boots never dry, but for long hikes good boots are essential (hair dryers work well for drying shoes). Please bring leather gloves (unlined, short cuffs) for ballooning and horseback riding, and your own biking gloves (ours get lost all the time!). Generally, strong tennis shoes are great for serious treks. Horseback and rafting definitely need "wettable" shoes. NO OPEN-TOES SHOES ON THE RIVER RAFTING! (Our favorite water, horseback, light-duty hiking and definitely canyoning footwear is the Columbia brand "Snake River Trainer" sold at Cascade Outfitters but often in winter they are out of stock, so you might have to look at some other web site to find it).

Raincoat

You can bring a raincoat, for emotional security and to prevent the rain from coming. Generally up to about 3,000 ft. altitude when you are outside and active the raincoats act only to hold the sweat inside. When it does rain, it is usually very warm, and serves well to wash away the sweat and mud you've accumulated. A poncho is more versatile, because you can also sit on it, roll up wet clothes in it, and it also gives more breathing room to your arms, etc. However, the high altitude CLOUD FOREST areas get down to about 45°F, and if your itinerary includes activities in the cloud forest, you'll want a raincoat and a fleece jacket to keep warm and dry.

Cameras

If you want to bring a camera on the raft, investigate the underwater/waterproof bags available from good camera shops, or the cheap disposable waterproof cameras. No matter how fancy the waterproof bag is for a camera, everything that gets "opened" during the raft trip will get WET. Even on non-rafting days, the humidity can condense on lenses and interiors of cameras, so camera cases need desiccants.

General items

Don't forget personal medications, sun block, insect repellent, anti-sting cream (like Cortaid or other after bite lotion — the types of insect bites in Costa Rica may have very different reactions than the types you are used to in the USA, so be prepared) artificial sweetener (if you use it), a wide brim or baseball hat, and, if you wear glasses or sunglasses, a strap to keep them in place as well as a backup pair. And don't forget the gloves!

You might consider a pocket knife, waterproof matches or lighter (even non-smokers), a small "fanny pack", a small flashlight (a real MUST), a water bottle for hikes etc., small first aid kit (bandages, antibiotic ointment, anti insect bite cream).

Dealing with glasses in whitewater

We have helmets on river trips (we make them mandatory wearing on the white water rivers) which are fitted with visors for sun, so if you wear glasses, better to NOT bring the sun glass prescription pair but rather the clear ones (or auto-adjust variety). Glasses, however, get terrible water spots, so treat your lenses with anti-spotting solution (like Rainex) before the trip. When you are on the river we'll provide a dry bag that can carry everything you need during the trip (including a spare pair of glasses). All your other luggage, etc. will be in the support vehicle, and guarded well, so you can leave valuables (passport, money, etc.) in the car without concern.

Guide Tips

Most of our clients are now giving the guidescredit cards which Serendipity conversts, rather than cash or travelers checks. This is a good and safe way to give the guide money. Very few of our guides (like 99.5% of all Costa Ricans) have no way to cash a foreign check, while our company can process your credit card immediately for the guide.

Emergencies

If for any reason you need us, call us! Our phone in Costa Rica is 2558-1000 Monday-Friday 8:30-5:00. We also have TOLL FREE number within Costa Rica: dial 800-CALL911 (800-2255-911) (DON'T PUT 1 or 0 in front of 800!!!). If the guard answers (after hours), just say "Emergency" and he will connect you with an English-speaking Serendipity staff. For your family outside Costa Rica, they need to dial (011 from USA for International) 506 (country code for Costa Rica) and 2558-1020, and again say, in English, EMERGENCY.