Costa Rica tourism returns during Covid-19 health crisis.
On November 1st Costa Rica opened again its borders to international travelers during the covid-19 pandemic under several strict health politics and protocols after 8 months of having terrestrial and aerial borders closed.
What you need to know is that upon arrival to the country you will need to wear a facemask in public places and businesses all the time, practice social distancing(1.8) meters from the others, you must have a travel insurance that covers medical care and fill out a health pass form.
Costa Rica currently has 38.141 active cases and 154.227 recovered cases up today. There are cases in all 7 provinces, however Drake Bay has had just 6 confirmed isolated cases. Regarding the use of public spaces like the beach, they remain open everyday until 2.30 pm and all outdoor tourism activities are permitted. Hotels and restaurants can operate at 50% capacity, and public transportation is limited but available, bars and nightclubs will remain closed. Driving restrictions are in place as well.
In DBBW, our main commitment with the clients is to provide a lifetime bird watching experience in rural destinations of Osa Peninsula thus during the reactivation process of the tourism in Costa Rica we are following all the safety protocols and policies established by the ICT(Costa Rican Tourism Board) and the Ministry of Health so we can guarantee that our clients, staff and services providers are safe during our birding adventures and reduce the spread of Covid-19.
Costa Rica is asking visitors for travel insurance that covers medical care and lodging in case you get Covid-19 in the country: https://www.grupoins.com/seguroparaviajeros
Also now there is a list of entry requirements for Costa Rica all details found follow this link here:
To enter the country you must fill out the health pass form as well. To fill out the form you must click on the following button: Pase de Salud Costa Rica
Drake Bay Birdwatching is fully committed to following industry defined policies and procedures for preventing the spread of COVID-19. We are currently operating private custom nature tours birding&wildlife focused all over the Osa Peninsula and the country. Personalized birding itineraries are being organized all over the main nature hotspots in the country on places such as Rincon de la Vieja National Park, Tortuguero, Savegre, Sarapiqui(La Selva OTS) and Braulio Carrillo area (Quebrada Gonzales, Volcan Barba).
These are our good practices implemented to prevent Covid-19 in our tours: :
- Hand sanitizer so and other disinfection products will be available for all our clients at any moment during the tour.
- All the crew(guide/driver) will always wear a face mask made with anti-fluid materials.
- All the birding equipment like spotting scope or any other device that is shared during the tour will be disinfected periodically.
- The crew will ensure to visit restaurants that follow strict sanitary protocols for restaurant services
- Our transportation will be fully cleaned and sterilized with sanitizer as many times as needed during the tours.
- The luggage will be sterilized with sanitizer after it is manipulated by any crew member
- The guide will remind every client to practice social distancing from people outside their social bubble. We avoid visiting crowded places during all the tours.
What to do before I go back Home?
Once you return to your country you might be requested to go on quarantine, additional screening or be asked for a negative Covid-19 test prior your arrival, airport health screenings, fill out a health form or mobile app registration.