VITAL STATISTICS

Capital: San José Population: 4.9 million Language: Spanish. English is fairly widely spoken Time: GMT-6 International dialling code: +506 Visas: Not required by UK nationals for stays of up to three months. Money: Costa Rican colón (CRC), currently around CRC752 to the UK£. US dollars are also widely accepted, and many ATMS dispense both dollars and colónes. Credit and debit cards are widely accepted.

When to go

■ High season – the driest season across much of the country (but you should still expect a fair bit of rain). ■ Mid-season – more rain, fewer people. ■ Low season – the ‘Green’ season sees rainfall peak across most of the country. However, this also means dry season on the Caribbean coast side and turtle-nesting season at Tortuguero.

Health & safety

The water is usually safe to drink (check if unsure). Recommended immunisations usually include hepatitis A, tetanus and diphtheria; there’s also a possible risk of malaria on the Caribbean coast but check with your doctor. Violent crime against visitors is rare, but take the usual precautions.

Further reading & information

Costa Rica (Rough Guides, 2017) – up-to-date overview of the country www.visitcostarica.com – official tourist board site www.lata.org – the Latin American Travel Association