Best of Costa Rica with Manuel Antonio Beach Stay

The order of events and sightseeing may vary according to local conditions or for operational purposes. The schedules of the domestic airlines in country are subject to frequent changes. For this reason, we have indicated approximate times only. Your local guide will inform you of any schedule changes as they are informed of them. Some road construction &/or weather conditions may lengthen the driving times. Our intention is to adhere to the day-to-day itinerary as printed; however, order of events and sightseeing may vary according to local conditions.

Please be advised that disposable plastic items, such as bags and bottles, are not allowed within the premises of the national parks.

If booking more than 12 weeks before departure a deposit of €324.50pp will need to be paid at the time of booking with the full amount payable at 12 weeks prior to departure. The deposit applies to adults and children. If you are within 12 weeks of travel then the full balance of the holiday will be payable.

UK passport holders are not currently required to obtain a visa for Costa Rica prior to travel. You must also pay a departure tax of USD $29 when leaving the country. This must be paid before you check-in at the airport and must be paid in USD cash. Further visa advice should be sought from the applicable tourist authority for other nationalities and for general queries. We strongly advise you to check with your destinations' Tourist Board or Embassy for the most up to date guidelines regarding required passport validity.

The US Government enforces a restriction on people who have travelled to Cuba since 2011. These travellers are no longer eligible to apply for the ESTA Visa Waiver program and need to apply for a US visitor's visa (B1/B2) via their nearest US Embassy. This ban includes transit, where you’re flying on to another country. As some of our flights go via the USA, if you have visited Cuba since 2011, then you will need to apply for a US visitor visa via the American Embassy.

(April to October) - Your flight is to San Jose Airport will be with United Airlines ( UA) via Houston, departing from London Heathrow. Each passenger is entitled to hold luggage and hand luggage Size and weight restrictions will be finalised on your final documentation. Should you wish to take additional luggage you will need to pay extra at check-in. Check-in should be at least 3 hours before departure. *If any passengers have travelled to Cuba since 2021, they cannot apply for an ESTA and will need to apply for a USA visitor visa .

(November to March) Your flight is to San Jose Airport will be direct with British Airways, departing from London Gatwick. Each passenger is entitled to 23kg of hold luggage and hand luggage Size and weight restrictions will be finalised on your final documentation. Should you wish to take additional luggage you will need to pay extra at check-in. Check-in should be at least 3 hours before departure. IMPORTANT: Please note that final flight details will be confirmed on your final documentation which will be sent to you approximately 21 days before departure. A printed E-ticket is no longer required at check-in, all you need to do is present your passport to the staff at the desk and your boarding pass will be given to you.

We strongly recommend that you and all members of your party are suitably insured as soon as you book your holiday. It is a condition of booking that you must have suitable travel insurance. It is important that you purchase travel insurance that suitably covers your participation in whatever activities you may undertake at the time that you make your booking. To assist you with this, we have arranged travel insurance in partnership with Holiday Extras. To arrange your travel insurance with Holiday Extras, please call 0800 781 4237 and quote 'WK830' for preferential rates. Please ensure you provide us with the name of your insurer, policy number and their 24-hour emergency contact number as soon as possible. Mercury Holidays will not be liable for any costs incurred by you due to your failure to take out suitable travel insurance from the date of booking.

It is your responsibility to check any health and vaccination requirements applicable to your booked arrangements. We can only provide general information about this. Health and hygiene facilities and disease risks vary from country to country. You should take health advice about your own needs as early as possible and in good time before your departure. Sources of information include; www.fco.gov.uk, http://travelhealthpro.org.uk/, www.hpa.org.uk, your General Practitioner or a specialist clinic.

This tour is accessible to most people with an average level of fitness and normal mobility. It involves full days of sightseeing, often on foot and includes some climbing of stairs and getting on and off coaches and boats. This tour is not suitable for anyone with walking difficulties.

Currency is Costa Rican colon. Prices in Costa Rica are frequently listed in US dollars, especially in hotels and restaurants, where you can expect to pay international prices. US dollars are widely accepted and some ATMs dispense dollars. Credit cards are also accepted as a form of payment. It is very important that you budget carefully and ensure you have the right form or currency before you arrive in the country.

As normal practice you may be asked for your credit card details on check-in at the hotel in order to cover any extras incurred during your stay. If you do not have a credit card, you may be asked for a cash deposit. MasterCard and Visa are widely accepted in hotels as well as American Express.

You will need to take money with you to cover any personal purchases such as souvenirs, laundry, any meals not included in the itinerary as well as drinks (and alcoholic drinks) and any additional snacks; Approximately £200- £400 per person will be sufficient for the duration of the tour. It is a good idea to try and maintain a supply of small notes and change in the local currency for tipping or small purchases.

It is at your discretion to tip both your driver and guide. We would recommend to tip approximately US$5.00 per person per day for the tour guide and US$3.00 per person per day for the driver. This is a total of USD64 per person to budget for tips on your trip. As tipping is at your discretion, please tip as and when you feel appropriate too. Tips are accepted in the local currency and US Dollars.

The minimum number of travellers in your group will be 10, and the maximum will be 40. If in the unlikely event there are less than 10 people booked on your tour date, we will endeavour to reduce any disruption to your holiday and try to operate your tour with lower passenger numbers. If we are not able to operate your departure date, then you may be asked to change to a different date and a full refund will be made available to you should this alternative not be suitable.

There is no minimum number of travellers for this extension however the main tour passenger numbers will apply for the main part of the tour. If in the unlikely event there are less than the required number of people booked on your main tour date then you may be asked to change to a different date. A full refund will be made available to you should this alternative not be suitable.

This is a fully escorted tour, meaning that you will be met on arrival by your national guide who will remain with you for the duration of your trip. You will also be joined by a local guide in each of the cities which you visit, ensuring that you always have first-hand knowledge. Should the tour not meet minimum numbers, then it will be operated with local guides only.

Private Tour: If you have booked a private tour then you will be accompanied by a Driver Guide or a Driver and Local Guides. These will be available to you during all scheduled sightseeing. Private Tours can depart on any day of the week depending on flight and train schedules and the opening days of the attractions. They will follow the itinerary as described in the brochure unless you have been advised otherwise and you will still have all of the same meals, sightseeing and local excursions included.

The main tour is a fully escorted tour, meaning that you will be met on arrival and will have a guide with you throughout the tour ensuring that you have first-hand knowledge at all times. Accommodation and transfers are included for the Manuel Antonio extension but there is NO guide so your time will be free.

Your accommodation is selected for convenience, location, comfort or character, and can range from business hotels to leisure hotels. Hotel accommodation is generally rated as local three to four-star standard, but please note there is no international classification system for hotels, and differences in facilities and quality do exist compared to what you might expect in the UK. All group tours hotels have private bathroom facilities and air-conditioning, where needed. Rest assured that all accommodation used by Mercury Holidays is regularly inspected by our staff and partners to ensure that standards meet your needs.

Breakfast is always western style and served in the hotel each morning. Lunch and dinner (when included) will be taken in local restaurants or at the hotel. A variety of restaurants are visited giving you the chance to experience a range of dishes and flavours.

On your arrival in San José you will be met by a representative from our local agent, Best of Costa Rica, holding a sign displaying: “Mercury Holidays”. The Mercury Holidays/Best of Costa Rica representative will show you to your transfer vehicle. Your national guide will be on hand 24 hours a day should you have any queries.

If you need to contact your representative during your stay the details are:

Best of Costa Rica Contact number: 00506 2290 1302 E-mail: mercuryholidays@bestcostaricadmc.com

Emergency contact information: Please find below the emergency contact details for Best of Costa Rica Contact details: 24 hour telephone: 00506 8936 1212 24 hour email dddress: mercuryholidays@bestcostaricadmc.com