The Jewel of Central America, Costa Rica, located above Panama and below Nicaragua, is a tiny country (slightly smaller than West Virginia) with amazing natural beauty and astounding bio-diversity. The climate of Dominical, Costa Rica is always warm and pleasant with rainfall peaking during the months of May through November and sunny days and only occasional rainfall during the remaining months.
The government of Costa Rica is democratic and the most stable in Central America. Many government policies are considered to be shining examples for other Latin American countries including their national parks, healthcare system and educational system. "Ticos", as Costa Ricans call themselves, are generally friendly and gracious, helpful and hospitable people with an uncanny ability to understand even the most fractured Spanish, the official language of the country. Many Costa Ricans, especially those working in tourist and service related fields, are bilingual. Although the country is not plagued with crime, it is always advisable to be alert and to exercise caution especially in large cities.The weather in Dominical is most like that of Quepos. There is an excellent section describing entry requirements, Customs regulations and safety tips under "How to Get There". Please be aware that it is necessary to have a passport to travel to Costa Rica at the present time. Under "Where to Go", the "Southern Pacific" section describes the "exuberant nature of the region." In "What to Do", the "Eco-tourism" section has a detailed description of national parks. Day tours to several of the parks can easily be arranged from Casi el Cielo. Pay special attention to #7, Manuel Antonio National Park and #20, Corcovado National Park. #19, Marino Bellena National Park is just minutes from the villa which has a bird's eye view of the park.
The official currency of Costa Rica is the colon. The English language newspaper, The Tico Times has a current colon/dollar exchange rate along with other timely news items. The American dollar is accepted in almost any location, however it is often difficult to use $50 or $100 bills because of past problems with forgery. Credit cards (VISA and Master Charge) are accepted in many locations especially in urban areas.
