FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Will I be able to charge my digital camera batteries?
Yes, electricity is available at all of the lodges we use. Current in Costa Rica is the same as in the United States. If you are traveling to Costa Rica from Europe or other areas, you will likely need to bring along a voltage converter, which can be found at many hardware and electronics stores. All hotels on your Foto Verde trip have 110 volt AC outlets in each room, allowing you to recharge your camera and other rechargeable batteries. You may wish to bring along a 3-prong to 2-prong adapter plug as one sometimes encounters older outlets with only 2 slots, which can cause problems with many modern computer, electrical, and photo devices that use a 3-pronged grounding plug.
How should I pack my photo gear for air travel?
We understand that getting your gear to your destination safely and without too much stress is a big concern for the traveling photographer. We’ve seen lots of different camera bags and strongly recommend Think Tank products. They’ve done a lot of work designing great bags that protect your gear and are fully complaint with major airline carry-on luggage policies. (Disclosure: Greg Basco has an affiliate relationship with Think Tank but he does not recommend any company whose gear he doesn’t use himself.) Click here to see how a number of photographers pack their Think Tank rolling bags for air travel.
How should I store my images if I bring a digital camera to Costa Rica?
You have a few options. The first, and by far the easiest to pack and carry is a portable hard drive such as a Hyperdrive, Image Tank, or the excellent Epson viewers which allow you to download your images directly from your compact flash card. The second is a laptop or netbook, which is attractive because you can review and work with your images and connect to the Internet in certain areas to e-mail family and friends. But a laptop is somewhat unwieldy and adds another piece of luggage to your kit. The choice is yours.
Click here to read Greg Downing’s recent article on backing up your images while on a trip.
My itinerary includes a boat tour for photography. What equipment should I use?
Greg finds that the best combination for photographing wildlife from a boat in Costa Rica is a fast telephoto lens with image stabilization (IS for Canon) or vibration reduction (VR for Nikon) mounted on a monopod, which allows for much more flexibility than a tripod and more stability than handholding your lens. Nevertheless, if you don’t have a monopod, do take your tripod along. You can use it with the legs folded up or, space permitting, even set up normally and shoot right off the tripod. Any advantage you can give yourself in terms of stability will pay off in sharper images. Some boats are covered while others are not. Both have advantages and disadvantages. Covered boats obviously help to keep your gear dry but limit your ability to obtain images of subjects slightly overhead. As with your general gear, it’s best to include rain cover accessories for your photo work from a boat.
I’m considering renting a car and doing a self-guided tour of Costa Rica. Why do I need Foto Verde?
Driving yourself around Costa Rica for your photo trip is an understandably attractive option. Nonetheless, a high level of Spanish is a very useful skill to have, as Costa Rican road signs leave a lot to be desired. Getting lost at least once is an absolute certainty, and outside of tourist hotels, the vast majority of people do not speak English. Further, having a driver and/or guide will leave your trip logistics in professional hands, allowing you to concentrate on photography. Nonetheless, if you prefer to go it alone, Foto Verde can help you to craft your itinerary, arrange a rental car, and book your lodging for you. You can always book a Foto Verde guide and/or driver for certain portions of your trip should you wish.
How do I keep my equipment safe from theft while in Costa Rica?
As photographers, we accept the need to be careful with our equipment as a fact of life. The best rule is never to let your equipment out of your sight. Nonetheless, this is not possible at absolutely all times. Despite the fact that Foto Verde chooses reputable lodges and hotels, care, as with travel anywhere in the world, must be taken. To this end, the exomesh system marketed by www.pac-safe.com is an interesting option for securing your photo gear that has been recommended highly by well-known travel photographer Bob Krist in his Outdoor Photographer column. Please see the US Department of State’s Costa Rica travel section for general safety info. And please inquire about photo equipment insurance through your homeowners’ policy. NANPA, the North American Nature Photographers Association, offers very reasonable gear insurance with worldwide coverage for its members. Visit www.nanpa.org for more information.
How do I keep my equipment safe from humidity while in Costa Rica?
The lush cloud forests and rain forests for which Costa Rica is famous means that your camera gear will be exposed to high humidity. We’ve never had problems with our gear here in Costa Rica, and neither have our clients, so humidity is nothing to be obsessed about. And it is certainly not a deterrent to visiting and photographing the rainforest. Nonetheless, a three-pronged strategy will help avoid damage to your gear and allow you to concentrate on your photography.
First, pack your gear well in water repellant camera bags and backpacks and sprinkle these liberally with silica gel packages. Former Foto Verde Tour participant Christian Moynihan turned us on to this site for all of your silica gel needs: http://www.silicagelpackets.com/. Whenever possible, pack each item in ziploc bags to avoid condensation upon exiting an air-conditioned vehicle or when traveling from the cool highlands to the warm lowlands.
Second, try to avoid actually getting your gear wet. We try to send our photo clients to lodges with covered shooting areas but these are not always available. A good rain cover for your camera and/or a small umbrella that clips onto your tripod can be very useful. And rain showers can come down suddenly when you are out with your camera. That same small umbrella is an easy way to cover up as are garbage bags stored in handy places in your camera bag. Camera bags with built-in rain covers are particularly useful.
Third, at night you may want to dry your equipment with a compact hair dryer that you bring along for this purpose (most lodges do not have hair dryers in the bathroom). Rob Sheppard of Outdoor Photographer magazine has written a nice article (inspired by a few rainy days photographing with Greg Basco in Costa Rica!) for the March 2007 issue of that magazine.
Are there any tropical diseases of which I should be aware?
Though not a frequent disease in our country, some areas, notably the central Caribbean coast near the main port city of Limon, have been reported to have a couple of thousand cases of malaria every season (Costa Rica’s total population is approximately 4.5 million). Strains have not been reported to be chloroquine-resistant in Costa Rica. To prevent any possible infections, we strongly recommend that you consult your physician and inquire about prescription medication for this specific disease. Other tropical maladies such as dengue fever, leishmaniasis, and botfly infections do occur infrequently in Costa Rica. Covering up and employing plenty of your favorite insect repellant is always a safe strategy. Remember that DEET, a major ingredient in many insect repellants, melts plastic. To avoid fusing your shutter button to your camera body, we suggest repellants made from botanical ingredients or other non-DEET products. For more information on health issues in Costa Rica and Central America, visit the Center for Disease Control, the Pan-American Health Organization, and Native Planet.
What is Leishmaniasis?
Leishmaniasis panamensis is a protozoan that causes infections in humans in Costa Rica. Vector hosts are mammals (esp. rodents and dogs). Forest sandflies, not beach sandflies, bite infected vector hosts and then can pass on the protozoan to humans. Human infections are most common during the onset of the rainy season, usually May through July but sometimes April through August depending on the region of the country. The probability of contracting Leishmaniasis during your visit to Costa Rica is low. The basic strategy for prevention is the same as that for preventing general mosquito and other insect bites – cover up exposed skin and use insect repellant (non-DEET based of course for the safety of our camera gear).
Will I have access to the Internet while in Costa Rica?
Many of the hotels that we use do offer Internet access, either as wireless or via a hotel computer, to guests. In fact, we use hotels in San Jose for your arrival and departure days that do offer Internet so that you may e-mail family and friends. An iPhone or Netbook is a great accessory to have as you can connect quickly when you have a chance. Nontheless, you should not plan on having daily Internet access during your trip.
What emergency contact numbers should I give to friends and family?
We have a number of different emergency contact options, all of which will be made available to you when you book with us.
Will someone be there to meet me when I arrive in Costa Rica?
Certainly. One of our representatives will be waiting for you as soon as you exit the airport after going through immigration, claiming your baggage, and clearing customs. Non-airport staff are not allowed inside the terminal, so please look for one of our representatives holding up a Foto Verde Tours sign as soon as you step outside. We will provide you with detailed arrival information when you book with us.
What expenses does my Foto Verde itinerary cover?
Your Foto Verde itinerary details exactly which meals are included in your package price. Nonetheless, our itineraries generally include all meals, transportation, guiding, entrance fees, and special tours. As a matter of course, your package price will include everything except tips, alcoholic beverages, non-meal time drinks and snacks, and the airport departure tax of $26 US.
I want to come to Costa Rica for my own trip, not as part of a group workshop tour but I noticed that your tours are more expensive than the trips that some other companies offer. Why don’t you charge the same as some of the deals I found?
There are other companies in Costa Rica that offer photo tours or, more often, that will offer you a general tour even though you are a photographer. General tours and birding tours are much different than photography tours, and Foto Verde Tours is the only company that specializes in photo tours. Thus our services are geared specifically toward photographers, and we utilize only lodges and service providers that we feel offer you the best photo opportunities. Our guides and even our drivers are specialized in photography in addition to general natural history, a rare skill in the marketplace. Thus, we pay them a bit more than regular tour guides. And of course, a custom tour, with fewer people, will tend to more expensive than a trip with more people.
Be aware that on other companies’ trips you may find yourself sharing a day tour with lots of other people, most of them not photographers. We, on the other hand, always include private tours devoted specifically to the needs of our photographer clients. In addition, the hotels and lodges on these more general trips or photo tours from other companies likely have not been chosen by photographers for their photographic potential. You will find in Costa Rica that many of the best nature photography opportunities in the country are found not deep in the national parks but rather right on the grounds of your hotel or lodge.
We offer a premium product, what we feel to be the best product for the nature photographer. When you do your comparisons, we advise that you check carefully to see what is and is not included in your trip and how this may impact your photography experience here in Costa Rica.
Where should I change money in Costa Rica?
There is a money exchange stall in the airport, but we suggest that you change money at your hotel or at a local bank. You will get better exchange rates and be able to make your transaction in a more comfortable setting. As explained above, your Foto Verde itinerary will include most expenses, meaning you will not have need to change large amounts of money. In addition, major credit cards and US dollars are widely accepted at many stores. Nevertheless, having a bit of local money for snacks and bottled water is never a bad idea.
Do I tip waiters at restaurants? How much is an appropriate tip for drivers, hotel staff, guides, etc.?
Tips are accepted graciously in both dollars and colones. In general, tips are included on all meal charges as an automatic 10% service charge (standard practice in all restaurants throughout the country). If service is outstanding, an additional tip of 5% or so is always appreciated. Nevertheless, since the costs of meals are included on Foto Verde trips, you need not worry about tipping at restaurants. As for other tips, the following should serve as loose guidelines; the exact amount is of course up to you and according to the level of service any one of these people might have provided during your stay.
* Bellhops often receive about $1 per bag.
* Cleaning staff at your hotels and lodges can receive $1-2 per night.
* A $1-2 tip for a bartender at the hotel is fine when you order drinks.
* Hotels and lodges often have a tip box that goes to a general pot that is divided among the staff. If leaving a tip in the box, you can calculate what to leave by who has helped you and your length of stay.
* Drivers transferring you to or from the airport appreciate a tip of $3-5.
* If you have a full-time driver during your trip, a tip of $5 per day per person is appropriate for groups of 5 people or more. For smaller groups, you can add a little bit to this per day suggestion.
* If you have a full-time photo/naturalist guide, a tip of about $10 per day per person is appropriate, with perhaps a bit more for smaller groups
How do I make international calls from Costa Rica?
Many international phone cards will work in Costa Rica. A locally available option, the 199 card, is one of the easiest and cheapest. You will be able to make a phone call of approximately 15 minutes to the US with one $6 card. The cards are available at most hotels and tourist-related establishments. Your Foto Verde guide, driver, or local hotel staff will be happy to help you purchase and use a 199 phone card.
What kind of clothes should I bring?
In general, your best choices are lightweight garments that breathe and dry quickly, and you’ll want a mix of long sleeves and short sleeves. A light polartec and a good rain jacket are also good to have. For meals, it’s informal here at the lodges and in the country in general. A pair of jeans, tennis shoes, and a clean shirt are just fine for dinner. Lightweight hiking boots are fine for your photography out in the field, and if you’re visiting a beach area, you will want sandals or aqua shoes as well. Many of the lodges we use offer laundry service for a cost of approximately $1 per garment with next day service. Of course a good hat and sunscreen are important. At 8 to 10 degrees north of the equator the sun is strong, even on cloudy days.
Can I drink the water?
This is probably the question that our clients ask us the most. And it’s the one for which we have the least definitive answer. Water in and around the capital area is treated with chlorine and generally can be consumed with no worries. The lodges that we use for our photo travel often have their own well water, which is tested regularly by the Ministry of Health. Nonetheless, upset stomachs do occur as a result of change in diet or simply bacteria different from those to which Northern stomachs are accustomed. Serious disorders such as Giardia or amoebic dysentery are virtually undheard of. Bottled water is very widely available in Costa Rica, and a conservative strategy would be to use it as often as possible when outside the capital. As with travel to any foreign country, immodium pills are good to have along, and some of our clients also bring along Cipro or other broad-spectrum antibiotics. Some go so far as to begin taking antibiotics before arriving in Costa Rica. For antibiotic use, we suggest you consult with your physician.
Can Foto Verde arrange my air travel? Does Foto Verde Tours offer traveler/traveler health insurance?
Because we are based in Costa Rica, we have two disadvantages in regard to these questions. Regarding air travel, tickets from the US or Europe to Costa Rica that are purchased in Costa Rica tend to be very expensive. We recommend that you purchase air travel through your regular travel agent or indepedently through one of the many available online services. Similarly, we are unable to offer competitively priced traveler’s insurance because of the state monopoly on insurance provision in Costa Rica. You may be able to obtain travelers’, travelers’ health, and photo equipment insurance through your homeowners’ policy or through your credit card. In addition, there are a number of online companies that offer travelers’ insurance for reasonable fees. In case of medical emergency, Foto Verde will do everything in our power to help you obtain necessary treatment. Please refer to the Health section of our general Costa Rica travel info page and and our policies page for more info.
I see “BAT” on some of my trip communications from Foto Verde Tours. What is that?
BAT stands for Best Adventure Travel, or Buena Aventura Turismo here in Costa Rica. BAT is the general travel agency started 15 years ago by Paulo Valerio. When Greg and Paulo founded Foto Verde Tours, they created it as a trademark, registered to the parent company BAT.
Can Foto Verde confirm my return flights for me?
Unfortunately, we cannot do this for you. Because of airline privacy and security restrictions only the ticketed passenger is usually allowed to confirm flights. You can do so online or via phone at the front desks of any of your lodges or hotels. Be sure to have your ticket number and social security number handy as you may be asked by your airline to provide these when confirming your return flight.
The airline lost my luggage. What do I do?!
Don’t worry — too much! We will help you through the process. But read the following carefully and remember the procedure. In case of missing luggage, you must fill out a claim form with the airline and authorize “BAT Travel/Foto Verde Tours” (through a signed note) to retrieve your baggage when it arrives to the country, for that takes a few days sometimes. In this case it is absolutely necessary for us to have a copy of the original passport of the person whose luggage is missing. Transportation of the baggage to the location where you would be must be arranged directly between you and the airline. If they agree to pay us for the transfer, we will be more than happy to deliver your bags. We’ve not had this happen yet, but if it does, follow the procedure above, and then contact us immediately using any of the emergency contact options provided in the emergency contacts section of this website.
Someone I know mentioned an airport tax. Do I have to pay that?
Indeed, every person who leaves the country through either the Juan Santamaria International Airport outside of San Jose or the Daniel Oduber International Airport outside of Liberia must pay the airport exit tax of US $26. This is the first thing you do upon entering the airport (before heading to the checkout counter), and the tax may be paid in US dollars, Costa Rican colones, or a mix of the two currencies. You also may pay with a credit card, though only VISA is accepted. Also note that additional charges may apply if using a credit card. The best thing to do is simply reserve $26 to be used for the airport tax.
Is Foto Verde Tours the best photo tour option in Costa Rica?
Indeed. Surveys show that 9 out of 10 dentists recommend Foto Verde Tours (n=5, please draw your own statistical inferences).
Didn’t find your answer here? Make sure to check out the other links in our Travel Info section, and feel free to contact us at any time with further questions.