ENTRY REQUIREMENTS FOR COSTA RICAFor entry into Costa Rica you DO NOT NEED a COVID-19 test but you do need to obtain a "COVID Clause" on your travel insurance policy and to complete the Ministry of Salud´s health pass online. You can get the cheapest travel insurance online through Trawick. https://www.trawickinternational.com/products/safe-travels-voyager They will issue a travel insurance policy that is fully compliant with the next step. Or you may use your own insurance company just make sure your insurer issues a certification in English or Spanish, noting: 1. the validity of the policy during the dates of visit to Costa Rica, 2. guarantee of coverage for medicals expenses in cases of COVID-19 related medical treatment in the amount of 50,000 USD 3. and, minimum coverage of 2,000 USD for extended lodging expenses due to COVID-19 related illness. The final step is to complete an online Health Pass (Pasa de Salud) 48 hours prior to your arrival in Costa Rica (don´t try and fill it out earlier or it will not work). The Health Pass can be found at https://salud.go.cr. The site is both English and Spanish and is easy and quick to complete. You will upload your insurance document here. FLIGHTS AND HOTELSThe airport you need to fly into is SJO Juan Santamaría International Airport. We will have a private vehicle picking up guests, from SJO international airport or hotels nearby, at midday on the day that the retreat begins. Travel time is around 2.5-3hrs to our centre. You may choose to fly in VERY early that morning or overnight in a hotel close to the airport. The first ceremony is that evening so a hotel may be preferred. The following hotels are close to the airport and have a free shuttle. Try to book a hotel close to the airport. Sometimes a small distance in km in Costa Rica can be a long time because of traffic in SJO. Some hotels that are close and look nice are: - Palma Real Hotel and Casino $67 USD per night - La Sabana Hotel Suites Apartments $78 OBTAINING YOUR COVID TEST (IF REQUIRED BEFORE RETURNING TO YOUR HOME COUNTRY)The return transfer will depart Ikara Retreat Centre at 9am on the last day of the retreat. travel time is approx 3 hours. You may choose to stay in a hotel again or fly out in the afternoon of that day. If you are planning on traveling around Costa Rica after the retreat we can certainly help you to arrange a rental car and get you to where you need to go. If you require a COVID test before returning to your home country we can help you organize this. The test date is always dependent on when you actually fly out of Costa Rica. What most people found easiest is to return to a hotel and book an antigen test at SJO Airport. They operate 24 hours a day. This test needs to be done 4 hours before you fly out and you receive your test results via SMS or email. You can book this online https://covid.morphotr.com/ The testing facilities are in tents outside the airports and costs are as follows: - Antigen Test: $65. Results in 1 hour. They recommend making your appointment 4 hours in advance of your flight. - RT-PCR (Next Day): $99. Results are delivered the next day between 11 a.m. and 11 p.m., Monday through Saturday. Results will take 2 business days when the sample is taken on Sunday. - RT-PCR (3 hours): $240. Results provided in 3 hours. If you require an RT-PCR test to return home, we can co-ordinate this for you from the retreat centre as well and either organize a house call or take you to Quepos for your test. |
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