Costa Rica (Lonely Planet, 9th Edition) - Matthew Firestone [483]
Thankfully, Costa Rica’s gays and lesbians have made some strides. In the 1990s the Supreme Court ruled against police harassment in gay nightspots and guaranteed medical treatment to people living with HIV/AIDS. And in June 2003 the first ever gay-pride festival in San José drew more than 2000 attendants. Gays and lesbians traveling in Costa Rica are unlikely to be confronted with poor treatment; nonetheless, outside of gay spots, public displays of affection are not recommended.
The undisputed gay and lesbian capital of Costa Rica is Manuel Antonio – for more information, see boxed text.
The monthly newspaper Gayness and the magazine Gente 10 (in Spanish) are both available at gay bars in San José (Click here). There are a number of other resources for gay travelers:
Agua Buena Human Rights Association (2280-3548; www.aguabuena.org, in Spanish) This noteworthy nonprofit organization has campaigned steadily for fairness in medical treatment for people living with HIV/AIDS in Costa Rica.
Cipac (2280-7821; www.cipacdh.org, in Spanish) The leading gay activist organization in Costa Rica.
International Gay & Lesbian Travel Association (IGLTA; in USA 800-448-8550, 954-776-2626; www.iglta.org) Maintains a list of hundreds of travel agents and tour operators all over the world.
Tiquicia Travel (2256-9682; www.tiquiciatravel.com) Makes arrangements at gay-friendly hotels.
Toto Tours (in USA 800-565-1241, 773-274-8686; www.tototours.com) Gay-travel specialists who organize regular trips to Costa Rica, among other destinations.
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HOLIDAYS
Días feriados (national holidays) are taken seriously in Costa Rica. Banks, public offices and many stores close. During these times, public transport is tight and hotels are heavily booked. Many festivals (Click here) coincide with public holidays.
New Year’s Day January 1
Semana Santa (Holy Week; March or April) The Thursday and Friday before Easter Sunday is the official holiday, though most businesses shut down for the whole week. From Thursday to Sunday bars are closed and alcohol sales are prohibited; on Thursday and Friday buses stop running.
Día de Juan Santamaría (April 11) Honors the national hero who died fighting William Walker in 1856; major events are held in Alajuela, his hometown.
Labor Day May 1
Día de la Madre (Mother’s Day; August 15) Coincides with the annual Catholic feast of the Assumption.
Independence Day September 15
Día de la Raza Columbus’ Day; October 12
Christmas Day (December 25) Christmas Eve is also an unofficial holiday.
Last week in December The week between Christmas and New Year is an unofficial holiday; businesses close and beach hotels are crowded.
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INSURANCE
No matter where you travel to in the world, getting a comprehensive travel-insurance policy is a good idea. For travel to Costa Rica, a basic theft/loss and medical policy is recommended. Read the fine print carefully as some companies exclude dangerous activities from their coverage, which can include scuba diving, motorcycling and even trekking. You may prefer a policy that pays doctors or hospitals directly rather than you having to pay on the spot and make a claim later. See also Click here for details on car insurance, and Click here for more on health insurance.
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INTERNET ACCESS
Internet cafes abound in Costa Rica, and you don’t have to look very far to find cheap and speedy internet access. The normal access rate in San José and tourist towns is US$1 to US$2 per hour, though you can expect to pay upwards of US$5 per hour in the hard-to-reach places.
Wi-fi access is on the rise in Costa Rica. If you keep your eyes open (and computer on), you’ll find wireless hot spots in San José, Alajuela, Jacó, Monteverde and Santa Elena, La Fortuna, Tamarindo, Puerto Jiménez and Puerto Viejo de Talamanca. Furthermore, the majority of top-end hotels and backpacker hostels offer secure wireless networks to their customers.
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