Category Archives: Travel Updates

When is the best time to see an Arribada in Costa Rica in 2023?

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It is that time of year again, our yearly Arribada update! So when is the best time to see an Arribada in Costa Rica in 2023? Before we get deeper into that, let’s talk about this amazing show of nature. For those who have not heard an arribada, also known as a mass nesting event, is a phenomenon that occurs in some species of sea turtles, in which large numbers of females come ashore to lay their eggs in a single location. This typically occurs at night and can involve thousands or even tens of thousands of turtles nesting over a several day period.

Costa Rica Turtle Nesting 2022a
Arribada Costa Rica 2022a

In Costa Rica, arribadas are most commonly associated with the Olive Ridley Sea Turtle, which is one of the most abundant sea turtle species in the world. Costa Rica is home to several important nesting sites for the Olive Ridley, including Playa Nancite in the Santa Rosa National Park, and Playa Ostional in the Ostional National Wildlife Refuge.

Visitors to Costa Rica may have the opportunity to witness an Arribada if they visit one of these nesting sites during the appropriate season. However, it is important to note that sea turtle nesting is a protected activity in Costa Rica, and visitors should only observe the turtles with the guidance of a trained and authorized guide. Let your C.R. Referrals Travel Planner know you want to try and see an Arribada on your Costa Rica adventure!

Turtles nest during the darkest nights of the month, you want to be in the area around a new moon. They are most active in the green/rainy season.  Ostional is the best area for an arribada in Costa Rica. In 2023 the new moon falls on the following days each month.

arribada costa rica 2023

January and February are not great months for an Arribada, but the Olive Ridley Sea Turtle does nest year round and there is in fact an Arribada happening right now! Activity can still be witnessed on the darker nights of the month.

Arribadas costa rica in 2023 best nights

Like January and February, March and April are okay months for an Arribada, turtles are still nesting in the area in smaller numbers.

Arribada in Costa Rica, best months

As we get into the start of the Green/Rainy season, Turtle nesting activities start to increase. The further we go into the rainy season the more activity and in turn greater likelihood of seeing an Arribada. Arrive sometime the week before the new moon.

Arribada in june or july 2023

Looking at the darkest nights, you want to be in position in the Ostional area on July 14th or 15th, and staying through the new moon. Or arriving on or around August 13th and staying through the new moon. These are the ideal nights for mid year in 2023.

Some of the best months are September and October. The time to be in the Ostional area are the week leading up to the New moon, September 10th and on Oct 10th.

Best months for an arribada in costa rica in 2023

Arribada November December 2023

Your last months to see and Arribada in 2023, arrive sometime the week beore the new moon to increase your chances.

Nature is always hit or miss, but with careful planning you can increase your chances to witness a true wonder of nature. Contact us to start planning your customized Costa Rica adventure!

Olive Ridley Sea Turtle 2023 Costa Rica

Costa Rica Travel News & Covid Updates

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As of November 1st our countries borders are open to all countries and travelers from around the world. There is no more Covid-19 testing requirement to enter Costa Rica but the travelers insurance requirement is still in place. This is good news for many who have been feeling cabin fever over the last 8 months, but travel has changed.

The only big change is that now we all travel with care, common sense is all you need to navigate travel during this time, and to do it safely. Here in Costa Rica all of our hotels, tours, and transfers are taking all necessary precautions, new sanitary protocols are in place. We are planning a lot more fully private tours by request from our clients which limits exposure to other travelers while they enjoy everything Costa Rica has to offer.

Throughout Costa Rica the tourism industry is more than ready to see some more movement, and there are travel deals to be found! Right now at C.R. Referrals Travel we are giving away 2×1 tours on rain forest night tours, cloud forest night tours, coffee tours, trapiche tours, to name a few! These tour specials are offered exclusively through C.R. Referrals Travel.

Coffee Tour Deals Costa Rica 2x1 Night Hike Costa Rica Trapiche Tour

So far bookings for 2021 are very strong but the remainder of this year will largely be more local tourism. We love our beaches and Costa Ricans are also taking advantage of some of the incredible travel deals some hotels are offering. This is a good time to start planning a trip early, get in on the lower rates for a trip next year. It is hard to predict the coming high season, travel over the holidays is certainly down before picking back up in January.

We are still adding some tour ideas for inspiration on the new website, with all the time off we used it to launch the new travel site and hope that everyone can navigate it okay. Stay tuned for some new tours and added content in the website!

We have suspended many of the Cultural Costa Rica tours we had due to Covid-19. These trips visit remote indigenous villages and with Covid we do not want to spread this in any way to remote communities. When things improve we will be adding in some more Costa Rica cultural tours.

Catalina has been VERY busy with her side project Elope in Costa Rica. In addition to all the weddings that had to be rescheduled in 2020 her 2021 season is filling.

With the new C.R. Referrals Travel website up we will be blogging more about upcoming tours and travel updates. Stay tuned and Be safe!

Covid-19 Travel Updates – Updated Country List

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Costa Rica continues increasing the countries from which it will welcome foreign tourists.

Requirements for tourists visiting Costa Rica

Tourists wishing to visit Costa Rica via a flight must comply with these requirements:

  • Complete the online “Health Pass” epidemiological form: https://salud.go.cr.
  • Show proof of a negative RT-PCR test for the coronavirus. The sample for the test must have been taken no more than 72 hours before departure. For a multi-flight itinerary, the departure time of the first flight is used.
  • Obtain travel insurance. This can be either a pre-approved Costa Rican policy from INS or Sagicor, or an international policy that covers COVID-19 medical expenses of at least $50,000 and $2,000 for lodging. Tourists with homes/property in Costa Rica can contact seguros@ict.go.cr and request an exception to the lodging insurance portion.

Tourists must have remained in an authorized country for at least 14 days before travel.

Authorized countries for Costa Rica tourism

This is the list currently in effect:

  • UNITED STATES: Connecticut, Maine, Maryland, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, D.C., Arizona, Colorado, Massachusetts, Michigan, New Mexico, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Wyoming California and Ohio.
    • As of Oct. 15: Residents of Florida, Georgia and Texas.
    • As of Nov 01: All U.S. citizens and residents.
  • CANADA: All citizens and residents.
  • MEXICO: All citizens and residents.
  • THE EUROPEAN UNION SCHENGEN ZONE: All citizens and residents.
  • UNITED KINGDOM: All citizens and residents.
  • CENTRAL AMERICA (including PANAMA): All citizens and residents as of Oct. 15.
  • SOUTH AMERICA: Citizens and residents of Uruguay.
  • THE CARIBBEAN: Citizens and residents of Jamaica.
  • ASIA: Citizens and residents of Japan, South Korea, Thailand, Singapore, and the People’s Republic of China.
  • OCEANIA: Citizens and residents of Australia and New Zealand.

Requirements for citizens and residents

Costa Rican citizens and residents can fly to Costa Rica from any country, regardless of whether or not it’s on the authorized list.

Here are the entry requirements for citizens:

Here are the entry requirements for residents (permanent, temporary, special categories or estancias):

  • Complete the Health Pass.
  • Present a valid DIMEX card.
  • Have proof of current payment into the Caja OR have travel insurance that covers COVID-19 with a minimum coverage of 22 days. Residents without current Caja payments will be obligated to catch up on payments within those 22 days.

Citizens and residents are issued a 14-day home quarantine upon their arrival to Costa Rica. However, they are exempted from the isolation order if they come from an approved country and obtained a negative PCR coronavirus test prior to travel.

Source: https://ticotimes.net/2020/10/09/heres-the-full-list-of-authorized-countries-for-costa-rica-tourism

Costa Rica Entry Requirements for COVID-19

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Updated September 24, 2020 – As of Aug. 1, select international travelers are authorized to enter Costa Rica’s three international airports: Juan Santamaría International Airport, Daniel Oduber Quirós Airport, and Tobías Bolaños Airport. The list of authorized regions and countries is being revised periodically.

This is the list currently in effect:

  • UNITED STATES OF AMERICA: Only for residents of the next group of twenty one states:
    • As of Sept. 1, 2020: UNITED STATES OF AMERICA: Connecticut, Maine, Maryland, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Vermont, Virginia, and Washington, D.C.
    • As of Sept. 15, 2020: UNITED STATES OF AMERICA: Arizona, Colorado, Massachusetts, Michigan, New Mexico, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Washington and Wyoming.
    • As of Oct. 1, 2020: UNITED STATES OF AMERICA: California and Ohio.
  • CANADA for citizens and residents
  • MEXICO for citizens and residents
  • THE EUROPEAN UNION SCHENGEN ZONE,
  • UNITED KINGDOM
  • SOUTH AMERICA: for citizens and residents of Uruguay.
  • THE CARIBEAN: for citizens and residents of Jamaica.
  • ASIA: for citizens and residents of Japan, South Korea, Thailand, Singapore, and the People’s Republic of China.
  • OCEANIA: for citizens and residents of Australia and New Zealand.

 Requirements to enter Costa Rica:  

  • Fill out the electronic epidemiological HEALTH PASS form, available at https://salud.go.cr.
  • RT-PCR diagnostic test with a negative result; the sample must have been taken within 72 hours of travel to Costa Rica.
  • Passengers coming from the U.S. must show through their driver’s license or state identification (State ID) that they live in one of the 20 authorized states.  This requirement excludes children travelling with their family.
  • Traveler’s Medical Insurance – international or purchased in Costa Rica through the National Insurance Institute (INS – Instituto Nacional de Seguros) https://www.grupoins.com/seguroparaviajeros, or Sagicor https://www.sagicor.cr/seguro_para_turistas/­.

For international insurance policies, tourists must request a certification from their insurance company, issued in English or Spanish, verifying at least the following three conditions:

  • Effectiveness of the policy during the visit to Costa Rica.
  • Guaranteed coverage of medical expenses in the event of becoming ill with the pandemic COVID-19 virus while in Costa Rica, for at least USD $50,000 (fifty thousand United States Dollars).
  • Includes minimum coverage of USD $2,000 for lodging expenses issued as a result of the pandemic.

Passengers who fail to comply with these requirements may not enter the country.

Upon landing in Costa Rican territory, travelers must wear face protection and comply with the strict protocols of the air terminal with regard to physical distancing, disinfection of carpets, and taking temperature readings, and must follow any other sanitary instructions.

Tourists from authorized states may enter the country even if their route includes a stop at a destination that is not authorized, as long as they do not leave the transit airport.

To view a video with important U.S. entry information, click here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MAc-cbzOhxM.

Opening to Private Flights

As of Sept. 1, private flights from the United States will also be allowed to enter Costa Rica, given that their size and nature means they present a much lower epidemiological risk.

The same requirements as set forth above shall be applicable to persons on private flights. In the event that they come from a state or country that is not authorized, they must receive the approval of the Ministry of Health and the General Directorate of Migration and Foreigners (Dirección General de Migración y Extranjería). Interested parties should submit a request with the following items:

  • Full names of the passengers.
  • Nationalities and ages.
  • Legible copy of the biographical page of the passport of each one of the passengers.
  • Date of arrival, arrival airport, and flight origin.
  • Strategic reason for admission (investment review, property in Costa Rica, humanitarian reasons, etc.).

Gradual Maritime Opening                         

Passengers and crew members of yachts and sailboats must meet the same entry requirements as those issued to passengers entering by air on August 1.

Those who entered the country by sea from the list of permitted countries and who have not made a stopover elsewhere, should not be subjected to isolation if they have been sailing for more than 14 days.

If the passengers do not bring with them the negative RT-PCR test taken 72 hours prior to the trip to Costa Rica, or they set sail in an unauthorized city or country, they will receive a sanitary isolation order for 14 days from, from which will be deducted the number of days on the high seas, counting from the last port departure date recorded in the yacht or sailboat’s log.

In addition to the aforementioned requirements, tourists arriving from yachts or sailboats must hand over to the immigration authorities the “International Ship Sailing” document and dock in authorized marinas.

In case of doubts with the medical insurance, the passengers and crew of yachts or sailboats can write to the email seguros.marinas@ict.go.cr.

Where can I find updated official information on the situation of COVID-19 in Costa Rica?

You can stay informed at the following links:

Ministry of Health:

https://www.ministeriodesalud.go.cr/index.php/centro-de-prensa/noticias/741-noticias-2020/1725-situacion-nacional-covid-19

Costa Rica Tourism Board (ICT):

https://www.ict.go.cr/en/institutional-services/coronavirus-support-material-tourism-sector.html

Presidency of the Republic:

https://www.presidencia.go.cr/noticias/

Migration Office:

https://www.migracion.go.cr/

Juan Santamaría International Airport:

https://sjoairport.com/en

Daniel Oduber International Airport (Liberia International Airport):

https://lircr.com/en/

Source from the Costa Rican government – https://www.visitcostarica.com/en/costa-rica/statement-costa-rica-tourism-board-covid-19  

 

 

Statement by the Costa Rica Tourism Board

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August 27, 2020 –  The listed of authorized regions and countries is being revised periodically.

This is the list currently in effect:

  • THE EUROPEAN UNION, SCHENGEN ZONE, AND THE UNITED KINGDOM: for flights from the European Union, the Schengen Zone, and the United Kingdom; for citizens and residents of the European Union, the Schengen Zone, and the United Kingdom.
  • CANADA: for flights from Canada; for citizens and residents of Canada and for citizens and residents of the European Union, the Schengen Zone, and the United Kingdom in transit.
  • SOUTH AMERICA: for flights from Uruguay; for citizens and residents of Uruguay.
  • ASIA: for flights from Japan, South Korea, Thailand, Singapore, and the People’s Republic of China; for citizens and residents of Japan, South Korea, Thailand, Singapore, and the People’s Republic of China.
  • OCEANIA: for flights from Australia and New Zealand; for citizens and residents of Australia and New Zealand.
  • As of Sept. 1, 2020: UNITED STATES OF AMERICA (Residents of nine states): Connecticut, Maine, Maryland, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Vermont, Virginia, and Washington, D.C.
  • As of Sept. 15, 2020: UNITED STATES OF AMERICA (Residents of three states): Colorado, Massachusetts, and Pennsylvania.

Requirements to enter Costa Rica:  

  • Fill out the electronic epidemiological HEALTH PASS form, available at https://salud.go.cr.
  • RT-PCR diagnostic test with a negative result; the sample must have been taken within 72 hours of travel to Costa Rica.
  • Passengers coming from the U.S.A. must show through their driver’s license or state identification (State ID) that they live in one of the 12 authorized states.  This requirement excludes children travelling with their family.
  • Traveler’s Medical Insurance – international or purchased in Costa Rica through the National Insurance Institute (INS – Instituto Nacional de Seguros) www.grupoins.com/seguroparaviajeros, or Sagicor www.sagicor.cr/seguro_para_turistas/­.

For international insurance policies, tourists must request a certification from their insurance company, issued in English or Spanish, verifying at least the following three conditions:

  • Effectiveness of the policy during the visit to Costa Rica.
  • Guaranteed coverage of medical expenses in the event of becoming ill with the pandemic COVID-19 virus while in Costa Rica, for at least USD $50,000 (fifty thousand United States Dollars).
  • Includes minimum coverage of USD $2,000 for lodging expenses issued as a result of the pandemic.

Passengers who fail to comply with these requirements may not enter the country.

Upon landing in Costa Rican territory, travelers must wear face protection and comply with the strict protocols of the air terminal with regard to physical distancing, disinfection of carpets, and taking temperature readings, and must follow any other sanitary instructions.

Tourists from authorized states may enter the country even if their route includes a stop at a destination that is not authorized, as long as they do not leave the transit airport.

Opening to Private Flights

As of Sept. 1, private flights from the United States will also be allowed to enter Costa Rica, given that their size and nature means they present a much lower epidemiological risk.

The same requirements as set forth above shall be applicable to persons on private flights. In the event that they come from a state or country that is not authorized, they must receive the approval of the Ministry of Health and the General Directorate of Migration and Foreigners (Dirección General de Migración y Extranjería). Interested parties should submit a request with the following items:

  • Full names of the passengers.
  • Nationalities and ages.
  • Legible copy of the biographical page of the passport of each one of the passengers.
  • Date of arrival, arrival airport, and flight origin.
  • Strategic reason for admission (investment review, property in Costa Rica, humanitarian reasons, etc.).

Gradual Maritime Opening

In compliance with Costa Rica’s entry requirements from Aug. 1, private yachts are allowed to enter the country beginning Sept. 1. If passengers do not have a negative PCR test, or if they sailed from a city or port that has not been authorized to date, they will receive a health quarantine order which will deduct the number of days on the high seas, counting from the last port departure date recorded in the yacht’s log.

Where can I find updated official information on the situation of COVID-19 in Costa Rica?

You can stay informed at the following links:

Ministry of Health:

https://www.ministeriodesalud.go.cr/index.php/centro-de-prensa/noticias/741-noticias-2020/1725-situacion-nacional-covid-19

Costa Rica Tourism Board (ICT):

https://www.ict.go.cr/en/institutional-services/coronavirus-support-material-tourism-sector.html

Presidency of the Republic:

https://www.presidencia.go.cr/noticias/

Migration Office:

https://www.migracion.go.cr/

Juan Santamaría International Airport:

https://sjoairport.com/en

Daniel Oduber International Airport (Liberia International Airport):

https://lircr.com/en/

Current Countries allowed to Travel to Costa Rica

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The updated list includes 44 countries and continues to exclude the United States. The new list is as follows:

1. Australia
2. Canada
3. Swiss Confederation
4. Vatican State
5. Grand Duchy of Luxembourg
6. Ireland
7. Japan
8. New Zealand
9. Principality of Liechtenstein
10. Principality of Monaco
11. Kingdom Belgium
12. Kingdom of Denmark
13. Kingdom of Spain
14. Kingdom of the Netherlands
15. Kingdom of Norway
16. Kingdom of Sweden
17. Kingdom of Thailand
18. United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
19. Czech Republic
20. Cypriot Republic
21. Republic of Austria
22. Republic of Bulgaria
23. Republic of Korea
24. Republic of Croatia
25. Republic of Slovenia
26. Republic of Estonia
27. Republic of Finland
28. Republic of Hungary
29. Republic of Iceland
30. Republic of Latvia
31. Republic of Lithuania
32. Republic of Malta
33. Republic of Poland
34. Republic of San Marino
35. Republic of Singapore
36. Slovak Republic
37. Federal Republic of Germany
38. French Republic
39. Hellenic Republic (Greece)
40. Italian Republic
41. Republic of Uruguay
42. People’s Republic of China
43. Portuguese Republic
44. Romania

The new countries on the authorized list are: Australia, New Zealand, Uruguay, Korea, Japan, Singapore, China and Thailand. This list will be reevaluated every two weeks.

Stay safe, we hope to see you soon!
Sloths Tours Costa Rica

Covid-19 Costa Rica Travel Update

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It is true that the face of travel in the short term and likely the mid term have changed, but that is not to say the age of travel has come to an end!  The traveler in me will always find a way to experience new places and see things for the first time and I am not alone. There will be a new normal, as travel starts to reopen for Costa Rica and around the world, but it has started.

The entire tourism sector has made changes in booking and sanitation procedures, including hotels, airlines, and tour companies. There are also things we can do as your travel planner that can create a safer environment for you. For our part, because our trips are all completely customized, that allows us to think outside the box and go even further to protect our clients. If you are concerned about traveling with the virus on the loose, we simply make your trip private to limit your exposure to other travelers. This means:

  • Private Transfers – This limits exposure to other travelers while you are on your Costa Rica vacation, it is much safer than shared transfers.
  • Private Tours – This again limits exposure to other travelers, it will be you and your private guide on the tour. This is also a much better tour experience, having the guide all to yourself as opposed to sharing his time.
  • Focus on Nature – We focus the trips away from cities and larger population areas. Costa Rica is all about nature so we focus on that to limit general exposure.

With careful planning you can experience Costa Rica with little worry of catching the virus while you are here. Costa Rica is all about nature and that is where the focus will be. You still get our handpicked guides and drivers, our 24-hour trip support, and one of the best customized travel experiences of our life.

It has been surreal to see what this has done to modern life, this world we have created with all its conveniences is indeed fragile and we have all been reminded of that. I hope that everyone stays safe, we are working hard on new travel ideas and look forward to the day when travel starts to come back to normal in the world. Sending our love from Costa Rica.
Costa Rica Beaches