Ever since this COVID-19 mess started, and spread like wild fire throughout our world, more and more people from North America are interested in traveling to Costa Rica, either to invest as a hedge against a recession or live a much slower and relaxed lifestyle.
The Costa Rican government has worked very hard to re-establish tourism and re-open the country, through efforts by the Ministry of Health as well as the ICT (the Spanish acronym for Costa Rica Tourism Institute). Every two weeks government agencies review statistics from countries and individual states in the US for the number of new (the key here is NEW) coronavirus cases per 100,000 residents in each location.
If you are interested in traveling to Costa Rica, for which I can’t blame you, here is a list of the approved US States you can arrive from. Requirements to meet before departure are listed below.
List of US States approved for travel to Costa Rica as of September 28, 2020
- Arizona
- Colorado
- Connecticut
- Maine
- Massachusetts
- Maryland
- Michigan
- New Hampshire
- New Jersey
- New York
- New Mexico
- Vermont
- Virginia
- Oregon
- Pennsylvania
- Rhode Island
- Washington
- Wyoming
- District of Colombia (Washington, D.C.)
Additional States approved as of October 1, 2020
- California
- Ohio
Click here for a complete list of countries allowed to come to Costa Rica.
Personally, I wish they would just open up to everyone so I don’t have to do this Covid-19 update any longer. However, I agree and support the efforts the Costa Rican government to protect their people from this illness. In the near future, residents interested in coming to “Pura Vida” land from states like Hawaii, West Virginia, Delaware, Louisiana and Alaska may be allowed because the numbers of new cases in these States are dropping below the 100 new cases per 100,000 threshold. Let’s hope so!
The requirements for tourists that are coming to Costa Rica and reside in an approved area is as follows:
- All people entering Costa Rica must complete the digital epidemiological form. This is known as the “Health Pass” or click “Pase de Salud.”
- Tourists must obtain a negative PCR-RT coronavirus test. The sample for this test must have been taken at most 72 hours before the flight to Costa Rica. It used to be 24 hours but the time was extended to 72 hours on September 1st. If you have a layover you are not allowed to leave the airport and it can only be for a maximum of 18 hours.
- Tourists must purchase travel insurance that covers accommodation in case of quarantine and medical expenses due to COVID-19. This policy can be international or purchased from Costa Rican insurers. The Minimum is $50,000 USD health and $2,000.00 for lodging.
- Tourists from the United States must demonstrate they reside in one of the approved States, via their driver’s license or State ID.
- You will be required to use a face mask on the flight, throughout out the airport upon arrival, and in all enclosed areas, as in taxis, buses, stores, malls, museums to name a few.
Enjoy the natural beauty of Costa Rica in the national parks, with volcanos, waterfalls, tropical birds and of course, Monkeys. If you are interested in visiting Costa Rica, come on down! You won’t be sorry!
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I have written a few articles as well as posted many YouTube videos concerning this. Like the rest of the world, Costa Rica’s primary concern in 2020 has been controlling the Covid-19 pandemic. How has it fared? The answer is not simple. In some areas, like the Papagayo region of the Guanacaste province, the spread of the pandemic virus has been substantially contained and its effects have been largely mitigated. However, the densely populated Central Valley surrounding the capital has had an entirely different experience. How did we get to where we are today?
The first case of Covid-19 in Costa Rica was confirmed on March 6. Having seen the outbreaks and mortality rates that had occurred in other countries, the government quickly took steps to curb the spread of the contagion. Within ten days of the first case, mass gatherings were prohibited, and employees were directed to work from home if at all possible. In-person school classes were suspended, and the border was closed to visitors who were not citizens and shortly thereafter to permanent residents also. The next week additional restrictions were imposed on nighttime driving, church gatherings, and beaches. Even greater travel restrictions were in effect during Semana Santa, the popular vacation period during the Easter week. Many businesses considered to be non-essential were forced to close their doors temporarily. Restaurants were limited to takeout or delivery. The measures were so effective that a full two months after the first reported case, Costa Rica had accumulated just 761 cases, and only six people had died after contracting the disease. During the early months of the pandemic, the number of daily new cases was in the single digits or low double digits.
Costa Rica’s national health care system prepared for the pandemic before it developed locally. On March 31, a hospital dedicated to the treatment of coronavirus was inaugurated. This former rehabilitation center was equipped with the ventilators and other ICU supplies and personnel that would be needed. As the virus spread in San Jose and the surrounding metropolitan area, sections of other hospitals were conditioned to receive and treat Covid patients. In the more rural parts of the country, there were few changes in the health care system. More capacity was not needed as the number of cases continued to be very low.
The reopening of Costa Rica’s airports to tourists from some countries and states has moved many to ask, “Is it safe to visit Costa Rica now? What has happened to the pandemic in recent months?” Sadly, the transmission rate has increased dramatically since June. On June 19, 119 new cases were reported. It was the first time more than 100 persons were infected in a day. By July, the number of daily new cases was in the hundreds, and since September started the daily average has been more than a thousand. While those nationwide numbers are concerning, other factors should also be considered. The great majority of the infections have occurred in the Central Valley. Most outlying areas have had very few cases. For example, the Sardinal District–home to Playas del Coco, Playa Hermosa, and Playa Panama–reports just 9 active cases at present and the entire county of Carrillo has had only 103 cases, most already recuperated. Another factor to analyze is that a recent study reveals that of the thousands of cases in Costa Rica, more than half can be traced to social gatherings. The second most common place to contract the virus is the workplace. So for tourists who won’t be engaging in either of those activities, the risk is greatly reduced.
Few objects are as iconic as a Costa Rican Oxcart. With its brightly painted wooden wheels and matching ox yoke, “la Carreta” is the quintessential symbol of Costa Rica’s past. It played an important role in Costa Rica’s history since it made the of export of coffee and other goods possible. Fittingly the Oxcart is considered one of the country’s national symbols.
The idea of the oxcart was bought to Costa Rica by the Spanish colonizers, but the original design had spoke wheels that kept getting stuck and breaking on the country’s rough terrain and muddy roads. During the 19th century the oxcart, as we know it, was born. The spoke wheels were replaced by solid wood wheels bound by a metal ring that held up much better on rutted, muddy roads. The side and back panels were made removable in order to accommodate different types of cargo–walls for coffee and corn, none for sugar cane. Some carts had a front bench where the driver and a passenger could sit, but usually there was just the cargo area and the driver and his passengers rode in the box when empty, or walked alongside when loaded. The oxcart was the only means of transportation for many families and became a vital part of their lives.
The first exports of coffee were transported from coffee plantations in the Central Valley to the ports by oxcarts in the mid-1800’s, and this continued for almost 100 years, making the oxcart a key player in the economic development of Costa Rica.
The first oxcarts were plain and functional. Painting and decorating the oxcarts started early in the 20th century, predominantly by Joaquin Chaverri, founder of his namesake Oxcart Factory in Sarchi. He first painted his family’s cart orange, and then painted decorations on it for family outings. To this day, orange and red are the traditional backgound colors. As time went on, each region developed its own unique design allowing for identification from afar and in crowded markets. Soon, each farmer created designs distinctive to his family. They used bright colors, geometric designs, stars, flowers, birds, animals and even portraits and landscapes to decorate the entire cart–including the wheels. The quality and intricacy of the painting indicated the social and economic status of a family.
No two oxcarts are painted the same, and, in time, contests were held to reward the most creative and inspiring designs. Some oxcarts even had their own song–a chime created when a metal ring struck the hub nut of the wheel as it turned. Though oxcarts are used all over Central America, only Costa Rica decorated their carts, making them unique.
Since oxcart painting originated in Sarchi, it is the cultural home of the oxcart. There is a museum, and in the town’s central park you can see the “World’s Largest Oxcart” built in 2006.
What is important for you to know is that I am still with the same group of seasoned professionals as always. Although we are not flying the “Balloon” we are still the same group of over 15 people that you have known for the last 17 years.
Our three offices will remain open and staffed with same agents and support folks to always take care of your real estate and other needs while you enjoy owning your own property and 
