San Jose Area
As the capital of Costa Rica, San José is often overlooked as visitors head off to visit the stunning natural beauty of the surrounding area. However, it is a large and vibrant city with some excellent museums as well as a lively Mercado Central, where visitors can get a feel for the local culture while enjoying a cheap meal or shopping for some local goods. Any traveler visiting Costa Rica will find that San José is a good base from which to explore this beautiful country.
Highlights of San Jose
- Museo Nacional
- Teatro Nacional
- Museo de Oro Precolombino
- Mercado Central
- The Butterfly Farm
Historical Sites
Museo Nacional
To get a glimpse of Costa Rican archaeology, including colonial furniture, costumes and religious art, the Museo Nacional is a nice option. There is a $2.00 discount for foreign ISE Cardholders and entrance is free for nationals with a Student ISE Card.
Teatro Nacional
Over 100 years old, the Teatro Nacional is definitely worth a visit to enjoy a show or at least get a glimpse of its striking architecture. Theatrical performances as well as classical and modern music events are shown regularly. Ticket prices are quite reasonable. Opening Hours: 9am-7pm M-F, 9am-noon & 1pm-5pm on Saturdays
Museo de Oro Precolombino
This not-to-be-missed museum houses an impressive assortment of pre-Columbian gold pieces. National ISE Student Cardholders get in free and foreign ISE Students receive a discounted rate of $6.00.
Museo de Jade
In the pre-Columbian cultures of Mexico and Central America, Jade was the most valuable commodity. This museum contains the world’s largest collection of American Jade Sculptures and other artifacts dating from 500 B.C. to A.D. 800. Since jade is an extremely hard stone, it is interesting to learn more about how people were able to carve it with the primitive tools of those times.
Activities
Mercado Central
For those who want to experience some of the local culture, head over to the Mercado Central located between Calles 6 & 8 in downtown San José. Usually packed with people, the Mercado has all sorts of things on offer from t-shirts to shoes and accessories. There are also quite a few "sodas" (restaurants) there where you can try some of the local cuisine which tends to consist of some variation of black beans and rice. A visit to the Mercado Central is a fun way to spend the day!
The Butterfly Farm
Opened initially in 1984 as the first commercial butterfly farm in Latin America, The Butterfly Farm grew in popularity and was eventually opened as a tourist attraction in 1990. Since Costa Rica prides itself on its natural treasures, this truly makes for an interesting stop. National ISE Cardholders receive a discounted rate of c1400 and the foreign ISE rate is $12.00.
Parque Nacional Tortuguero
Located to the north-east of San Jose is the Parque Nacional Tortuguero. Its 21 miles of beach stretch-out to provide the largest nesting site for green sea turtles in the western hemisphere. In addition, the park is home to many other native species of animals, such as crocodiles, toucans, monkeys, slots, macaws, and iguanas. Jungle Tom Safari offers a 12% discount to ISE Cardholders on tours and hotels in the Tortuguero area. Their website is: www.jungletomsafaris.com.
Parque Nacional Volcán Arenal
At a height of 1633 meters (5356 ft), the Volcán Arenal is a great place to visit for those interested in seeing an ac tive volcano in action. Depending on when you go, visitors can see hot lava flows, rocks being thrown into the air, or just the glow of the lava far below. There are a wide variety of adventure tour operators that run excursions to and around the volcano which is located northeast of San José.
Bungee Jumping off the Old Colorado River Bridge
For adventure seekers, there are a wide variety of excursions to choose from. Rappel Tour Tropical Bungee has been in business since 1991 and has had 26,000 jumpers. ISE Cardholders will receive 15% off. More information may be found at: www.bungee.co.cr.
Places to Stay
Hostels
There are a wide variety of hostels in San José. To search for hostels online with full descriptions, photos and availability information, please access the following link: http://reservations.bookhostels.com/isecard.com. The $2 reservation fee will be waived when booking through this site.
Hotels
San José also has some excellent hotels. ISE cardholder discounts range from 10-25%, with the majority ranging from 15-20% off. Additional information, including websites, may be found by searching the discount section of this website under "Accommodation".
Places to Eat
There are plenty of places to eat in San José. If you are interested in trying the local food, try out the popular "sodas" (restaurants) with their typical and inexpensive "casados" which literally translates to "married". These dishes usually include a vegetable salad, fried bananas, and some sort of meat dish. If you’re not in the mood for local fare, there are plenty of western-style restaurants to choose from as well.
Getting Around
Car
Unlike most other countries in the world, the majority of people in Costa Rica do NOT own a car. Therefore driving around is an option that might be worth considering. Here are a few rental car companies that offer discounts to ISE Cardholders:
- Avis: Offers discounts ranging from 10-20% off to ISE Cardholders (look under ISE discount section for some important additional information on how to obtain this discount)
- Real Rent A Car: 15% off on car rentals to ISE Cardholders
- Mapache Rent A Car: Offers 10% off on car rentals to ISE Cardholders
Train
Costa Rica has an excellent transport infrastructure within the city; however, due to damage to the railway network during the 1991 earthquake, train travel is not currently an option for travelers.
Bus
There are three bus terminals in San José: The Coca-Cola, the Atlántico Norte, and the Caribe. The buses are a very popular way to travel in Costa Rica but it can be a bit confusing for travelers unfamiliar with how the "system" works. The fares are quite cheap though, and if you aren’t afraid to ask for help, this is an effective, if a bit uncomfortable, way of getting around.
Taxi
Many tourists choose to hire a taxi for an hour, half day or a day in order to see some of the areas around San José. They are usually reliable and are a nice way to get around if you don’t feel like tackling the bus system and don’t feel comfortable driving yourself.
Moving On
Air
The most convenient way to get to destinations outside of Costa Rica is to fly. Juan Santamaría is San José's international airport. There are frequent flights to the US and Canada as well as several to Latin and South American countries. Please be aware that there is a $26.00 departure tax on all international flights.
|
