San Jose Travel Guide

American Express -- American Express Travel Services is represented in Costa Rica by ASV Olympia, Oficentro La Sabana, Sabana Sur (tel. 242-8585), which can issue traveler's checks and replacement cards and provide other standard services. To report lost or stolen Amex traveler's checks within Costa Rica, call the number above or call tel. 257-0155, or call collect to 313/271-7887 in the United States.

Bookstores -- Seventh Street Books, Calle 7 between avenidas 1 and Central (tel. 256-8251), has a wide range of new and used books in English, with an excellent selection of tropical biology, bird, and flora books; it's open daily from 9am to 7pm. For a wide selection of new books in English and Spanish, check out Librería Internacional (tel. 253-9553; www.libreriainternacional.com), which has stores in the Multiplaza mall, as well as locations in downtown San José, Santa Ana, Zapote, Alajuela, Rohrmoser, Heredia, and Barrio Escalante.

Camera Repair -- Dima, Avenida Central between calles 3 and 5 (tel. 222-3969), is your best bet for any equipment or repair needs.

Currency Exchange -- It's easy to change money at banks in Costa Rica. In general private banks provide faster service than the state-run banks. Have someone direct you to a private bank or exchange house (casa de cambio), where you won't have to stand in line for hours.

Dentists -- Call your embassy, which will have a list of recommended dentists. Many bilingual dentists also advertise in the Tico Times. Because treatments are so inexpensive in Costa Rica, dental tourism has become a popular option for people needing extensive work.

Doctors -- Contact your embassy for information on doctors in San José, or see "Hospitals," below.

Drugstores -- There are countless pharmacies and drugstores in San José. Many of them deliver at little or no extra cost. The pharmacy at the Hospital Clínica Bíblica, Avenida 14 between calles Central and 1 (tel. 522-1000), is open 24 hours every day. The pharmacy (tel. 208-1080) at the Hospital CIMA in Escazú is also open 24 hours every day. Farmacia Fischel (tel. 295-7555; www.fischel.co.cr) has numerous branches around the metropolitan area.

Emergencies -- In case of any emergency, dial tel. 911 (which should have an English-speaking operator); for an ambulance, call tel. 128; and to report a fire, call tel. 118.

Express Mail Services -- Many international courier and express-mail services have offices in San José, including DHL, on Paseo Colón between calles 30 and 32 (tel. 209-0000; www.dhl.com); EMS Courier, with desks at the principal metropolitan post offices (tel. 800/900-2000 in Costa Rica; www.correos.go.cr); FedEx, which is based in Heredia but will arrange pickup anywhere in the metropolitan area (tel. 800/463-3339; www.fedex.com); and United Parcel Service, in Pavas (tel. 290-2828; www.ups.com). Beware: Despite what you might be told, packages sent overnight to U.S. addresses tend to take 3 to 4 days to reach their destination.

Eyeglasses -- Look for the word óptica. Optica Vision (tel. 255-2266) is a widespread and dependable chain with stores all around San José and the rest of the country. They can do everything from eye exams to eyeglass repairs.

Hospitals -- Clínica Bíblica, Avenida 14 between calles Central and 1 (tel. 522-1000; www.clinicabiblica.com), is conveniently located close to downtown and has several English-speaking doctors. The Hospital CIMA (tel. 208-1000; www.hospitalsanjose.net), located in Escazú on the Próspero Fernández Highway, which connects San José and the western suburb of Santa Ana, has the most modern facilities in the country.

Internet Access -- Internet cafes are all over San José. Rates run between 50¢ and $2 per hour (25p-£1). Many hotels have their own Internet cafe or allow guests to send and receive e-mail. And many have added wireless access, either for free or a small charge. You can also try Racsa, Avenida 5 and Calle 1 (tel. 287-0087; www.racsa.co.cr), the state Internet monopoly, which sells prepaid cards in 5-, 10-, and 15-hour denominations for connecting your laptop to the Web via a local phone call. Some knowledge of configuring your computer's dial-up connection is necessary, and you'll want to factor in the phone call charge if calling from a hotel.

Laundry & Dry Cleaning -- Self-service laundromats are uncommon in Costa Rica, and hotel services can be expensive. Master (tel. 226-9655) and Tyson (tel. 225-7549) are two dependable laundry and dry-cleaning chains with outlets all over town. The latter will even pick up and deliver your clothes free of charge.

Maps -- The Costa Rican Tourist Board can usually provide you with decent maps of both Costa Rica and San José. Also try Seventh Street Books, Calle 7 between avenidas Central and 1 (tel. 256-8251); Librería Lehmann, Avenida Central between calles 1 and 3 (tel. 223-1212); and Librería Universal, Avenida Central and calles Central and 1 (tel. 222-2222).

Photographic Needs -- Film is generally more expensive in Costa Rica, so bring from home what you need. You should also have your film processed at home, but if you must develop your prints here, try Rapi Foto (tel. 223-7640) or IFSA-Kodak (tel. 223-1444), both of which have several storefronts around downtown. For more serious photographic needs (equipment, repairs, and so on), try Dima, Avenida Central between calles 3 and 5 (tel. 222-3969).

Police -- Dial tel. 911 or tel. 222-1365 for the police. They should have someone available who speaks English.

Post Office -- The main post office (correo) is on Calle 2 between avenidas 1 and 3 (tel. 800/900-2000 toll-free in Costa Rica, or 202-2900; www.correos.go.cr) and is open Monday through Friday from 8am to 5:30pm, and Saturday from 7:30am to noon.

Restrooms -- These are known as sanitarios or servicios sanitarios. You might also hear them called baños. They are marked damas (women) and hombres or caballeros (men). Public restrooms are rare to nonexistent, but most big hotels and public restaurants will let you use their restrooms. Downtown, you can find public restrooms at the entrance to the Museo de Oro Banco Central.

Safety -- Pickpockets and purse slashers are rife in San José, especially on public buses, in the markets, on crowded sidewalks, near hospitals, and lurking outside of bank offices and ATMs. Leave most of your money, and other valuables in your hotel safe, and carry only as much as you really need when you go out. If you do carry anything valuable with you, keep it in a money belt or special passport bag around your neck. Day packs are a prime target of brazen pickpockets throughout the city. One common scam involves someone dousing you or your pack with mustard or ice cream. Another scamster (or two) will then quickly come to your aid -- they are usually much more interested in cleaning you out than cleaning you up.

Stay away from the red-light district northwest of the Central Market. Also be advised that the Parque Nacional is not a safe place for a late-night stroll. Other precautions include walking around corner vendors, not between the vendor and the building. The tight space between the vendor and the building is a favorite spot for pickpockets. Never park a car on the street, and never leave anything of value in a car, even if it's in a guarded parking lot. Don't even leave your car unattended by the curb in front of a hotel while you dash in to check on your reservation. With these precautions in mind, you should have a safe visit to San José.

Taxes -- All hotels charge 16.3% tax. Restaurants charge 13% tax and also add on a 10% service charge, for a total of 23% more on your bill. There is an airport departure tax of $26.

Telegrams & Faxes -- With the spread of Internet communications, faxes and telegrams are becoming somewhat obsolete. Most hotels can send a fax for you. You can send telegrams and faxes from either the ICE office on Avenida 2 between calles 1 and 3 (www.grupoice.com; daily 7am-10pm), or Racsa (tel. 287-0087; www.racsa.co.cr; Av. 5 and Calle 1; Mon-Fri 7:30am-5pm, Sat 9am-1pm), as well as from most post office branches (tel. 800/900-2000 toll-free in Costa Rica; www.correos.go.cr).

Telephones -- There are no city or area codes to dial from within Costa Rica; use the country code, 506, only when dialing a San José number from outside Costa Rica. (To call San José from the U.S., dial the international access code [011], then 506, and then the seven-digit number.)

Time Zone -- San José is on Central Standard Time (same as Chicago and St. Louis), 6 hours behind Greenwich Mean Time.

Useful Telephone Numbers -- For directory assistance, call tel. 113; for international directory assistance, call tel. 124; and for the exact time (in Spanish), call tel. 112.

Water -- The water in San José is perfectly fine to drink. Nonetheless, some travelers experience stomach discomfort during their first few days in Costa Rica. If you want to be cautious, drink bottled water and frescos made with milk instead of water. Sin hielo means "no ice," and this is what you'll want to say if you're nervous about the water -- just because it's frozen doesn't mean it's not water.

Weather -- The weather in San José (including the Central Valley) is usually temperate, never getting extremely hot or cold. May through November is the rainy season, although the rain usually falls only in the afternoon and evening.