www.CostaRicaTicas.com

doing my research for the run to CR in Sept, my question is do you pay the girls in US money or colones?

They will take either Havoc. Personally I prefer colones, use colones for everything while there and feel I get a better deal negotiating with CR funds. Exchange rate is pretty simple...

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Living well is the best revenge
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you can pay in seashells for the chicas in jaco.

They also accept gold bars, uncut diamonds, bearer bonds... anything liquid.

Seriously, they will accept either currency. And they can do the exchange much faster than most of us, so don't think you can trip them up by offering ¢ versus $.

Drop three zero's and double the number...

i.e., 1000 colones equals 2 dollars.

Not exact and the exchange rate will fluctuate daily, but it's an easy way of guesstimating what amount you are spending with your 'funny money'.

Bob

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EVERYONE'S A ROCK STAR IN C.R.!!
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And since you get a slightly better rate when you exchange your dollars at your hotel, you get a little bit of a discount when using colones with the girls. Also should point out that the bar and restaurant tabs you run can be paid in either currency - but you will not get the same deal - always better to pay in colones. Especially at the BMand DR.

thanks for the tips.

Hey Havoc,

Another tip or two:

First, never try to buy C.R. currency on the street. Counterfeiters, especially Colombians have introduced very realistic and hard-to-spot funny money into the C.R. economy.

Excellent exchange rates can be obtained at banks and casinos. Hotels may or may not be your best bet, and they also frequently run out of cash, particularly late at night (unless the hotel has a casino, of course).

Many ATM's in San Jose dispense either dollars or colones. Make arrangements with your bank to make sure your ATM card works in C.R. Also, be sure to notify your credit card companies that you'll be using the Visa, MC or Amex while in Costa Rica, otherwise they might freeze your account. Not fun.

Even if you pay in dollars at stores and restaurants, you'll likely receive change in colones, and not always at the best rate.

I use colones for everything while in country. If I have colones left over at the end of the trip, I either apply them to my hotel bill or pocket them for future trips. It can be very difficult to change colones back into U$D.

Hope this helps.

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Pura Vulva! Wandering through the dark, I am El Ciego.

The advice on notifying your bank and/or credit card company before hand that you'll be traveling is excellent. One other bit of advice if you're using ATMs for cash advances: Check before you leave home if your bank hits you with an extra service charge. My local bank only charges .75 per withdrawl on my debit card, the same as if I were to be using it in the US. However, some Credit Card companies really zap you. Chase hit me for somewhere around $12 fee for a withdrawl. Fortunately I only used that card once or I'd have been really pissed.

i found the best bank to be the one across the street from the morazan hotel...never any concerns with my transactions , from inside the bank to the atm..( well sometimes in the early am...there was a guy sleeping inside the atm booth) but i kept a foot on the ground and one over his face if he made a move...you can withdraw us or colones ..first few trips i did everything in us but now as i have gotten better with the money ...i never use us money.....its just better once you understand the money...just watch the change ..the big ones are worth a dollar....i use all the small for a last nite tip for the maid in my room...my guess by the time i stay for 8 days it comes to about 10.00 to 15.00 to us..sure its a nice surprize for them ...as i have stayed at the same hotel and get the same room for the last 5 trips...and have gotten to know the staff...

I f you do need to change colones back to dollars before leaving CR you can do so in the airport at the booth to the left of where you pay your departure tax. There is another location between 2 of the gates after you have gone through security.

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