Frequently Asked Questions

There are two (2) major international airports in Costa Rica:

#1: San Jose “Juan Santamaria Airport“ (SJO) is the largest airport in the country. Most major airlines (United, Delta, American, Southwest, Alaska, Spirit, Jet Blue, etc.) fly directly into into the capital city, San Jose’s (SJO) International Airport and it’s only a little over a 1 hour drive to Los Sueños Resort & Marina. Daily flights direct from Houston to San Jose are under 4 hours. There are also many daily direct flights out of Miami under 3-1/2 hours. In 2016 many European airlines (i.e. British Airways, Lufthansa, Swiss, etc.) started providing direct non-stop flights into Costa Rica’s San Jose (SJO) airport.

#2: Liberia “Daniel Oduber Airport“ (LIR) Liberia (LIR) handles some airlines and some of the smaller charter flight operators, however this airport is more than a 3-4 hour drive away from the Los Sueños Resort.

We can arrange ground transportation to pick you up at either San Jose (SJO) or Liberia (LIR) airports and drive you to the Los Sueños Resort & Marina. The drive from San Jose (SJO) is typically under 1-1/2 hours, while the drive from Liberia (LIR) is approximately 3-4 hours, depending upon traffic.

You are required to have a passport that has at least six (6) months left prior to the expiration date. Also, be sure your passport is in good physical condition with no tears or none of the seams are coming loose as Immigrations (and sometimes the airlines) have been known to turn people away when the edges of the passport are frayed or ragged. A clear plastic passport protector sleeve is a good idea to help keep it in good shape. It’s also a good idea to make a copy of your passport before leaving home and carry that with you at all times, while locking your original passport in your hotel or condo safe. If you are driving a vehicle make sure you have a copy of your passport’s photo page & visa stamp at all times. Without proof of a current visa the police can issue heavy fines.

Many credit card companies will DECLINE charges that you try to make using your credit card outside of the USA & Canada if you haven’t traveled before (or recently). We recommend contacting your credit card, using the customer service number located on the back of your card before traveling to Costa Rica. Advise them that you are planning a trip to Costa Rica and will be using your credit card there, which they will note in your file. They will also take any blocks off the credit card so you won’t have any problems using it while traveling. Most all credit cards (Visa, MasterCard, American Express, Discovery), as well as US Dollars are readily accepted throughout Costa Rica except for very small shops or restaurants. Most everyone will accept US Dollars, however, we suggest you try and bring smaller bills ($5, $10’s or 20’s) as some of the smaller vendors won’t cash $50 or $100 bills. If you want to exchange your home countries currency with the local currency, “Colones” (the Costa Rican currency), we recommend going to Scotia Bank or Pro-America banks, which are both located right here at the marina. They also have ATM cash machines in the marina.

Most cell phones from the USA & Canada work within Costa Rica. We commonly have access to 3G and even 4G now in most parts of the country. HOWEVER, just like credit cards, you may have to call the company and have them remove any “blocks” they may have on the phone for international use. Many carriers (like AT&T) will have automatic blocks on the use of your phone outside of the US. You simply call them (or go to your account online) and have them authorize international use of your phone. There is usually no charge for this. Be careful of using too much data (emails, internet, etc) as the roaming fees are usually quite expensive unless you get a “package” through your carrier. Most all hotels, condominiums, and even restaurants here have wireless Internet that you can use on smart phones such as Blackberry or iPhones. Also, a new app called VIBER is available and makes for free phone calls and text messages (both parties have to be using the app). SKYPE is a free app you can put on your smart phone or computer and make free calls to others on SKYPE or very about 2.3 cents per minute to any phone in the US (Landline OR cell) and it just requires an internet connection (wireless, 3G, 4G etc.) Also FACETIME is popular on iPhones. Most all of Costa Rica now has 3G & 4G cellular service.

Almost every Condo & House throughout the Los Sueños Resort provide free WiFi internet service, as do most restaurants and businesses here.

Electric service here in Costa Rica is 110/120v. The electrical power plug used is the standard North American 110/120 volt plug configuration, identical to the plug configuration used in the USA, Canada & Mexico.

The Los Sueños Resort has excellent drinking water. A subsidiary of the resort owns a series of private aquifers and operates its own wells and water distribution systems. The water quality is tested monthly to ensure the quality meets strict quality standards set by the resort. Most guests enjoy the taste of the water and drink it straight from the tap without any filtration. Outside the resort the water is typically good as well, however, if you don’t travel often it may be a good idea to drink bottled water, which most restaurants can provide. There’s nothing worse than ruining your vacation with a stomach bug.

Within the Los Sueños Resort campus there is a private medical facility ran by Clínica Bíblica, a private hospital out of San Jose. The clinic is located north of the main guardhouse within the Resort’s gates. In addition to providing emergency stabilization and patient transfer services, the bilingual staff of the CARE Clinic offers preventative medical consultations, a full-service pharmacy, and check-ups. Outside the resort (i.e. in the town of Jaco) there are several pharmacies. Each pharmacy here in Costa Rica has a full-time doctor on staff, who typically is bi-lingual.