COSTA RICA REPORT TRAVEL.

  

At the Paso Canoas Customs Office in Costa Rica you pay nothing to enter the country. Before putting the entry stamp on my passport, the clerk asked me if I had a return or onward flight ticket and I said yes but he didn't want to see it.

For the currency exchange the Bank opens after 8.00 and also the unofficial money changers show up after 8.00. If, like me, you arrive before this time, I have withdrawals with an ATM or credit card or change money in the center of San Josè, at a kiosk open until 18.00 located in Av. Central at the intersection with Calle 4. Of course there are also numerous banks, scattered around the center, where you can change currency or withdraw.

 

The bus saddle Compagnia Tica Bus, coming from Panama City arrives at its terminal located in Av 3 a few squares from the center of San Josè. The area is not the most recommended but if you arrive during the day and have a small backpack you shouldn't have any problems walking the scarce km that separates you from the pedestrian part of Av Centrale.

 

The center of San Josè can be easily explored on foot and at least during the day appears safe.

 

The beautiful and well-kept Backpackers Hostel, located in Av Centrale 30 mt. east of Plaza della Cultura offers a place in a dormitory with shared bathroom for the price of $ 10 per night or the equivalent in local currency.

 

To reach Managua or Granada in Nicaragua, from San Josè, there are 3 companies: King Quality, departing at 3.00 at night, Tica Bus with departures at 6.00, 7.30 and 12.30 and Transnica with departures at 4.00, 5.00, 9.00 and 12.00. I opted for the latter with departure at 5.00 am since there was no room on Tica Bus. The cost of the ticket is 20,000 CRC, including the $ 7 tax to be paid to leave Costa Rica. It is possible or perhaps better to pay in US Dollars. The trip lasts 8 or 9 hours including a stop of about 1 hour which is divided as follows: once you arrive at the Costa Rica border, you go down to have your passport stamped. Then you give it to the bus attendant along with $ 14 for entry into Nicaragua and go up on the same and arrive at the Nicaragua Customs where you get off and while the aforementioned clerk has the passports stamped, the police check all the luggage. Then we get back on the bus where the Nicaraguan Police return our passports and we leave for Managua. There are numerous unofficial money changers on the Nicaraguan side.

 

I paid 1,300 CRC for the night taxi, without a meter, to reach the Trans Nica bus station in San Josè, located about 2 km west of the Plaza della Cultura.

My complete travel report with map, photographs and videos is available at this link:

http://vivendosalendo.blogspot.com/2016/04/traversata-del-centro-america-da-panama.htm