1. Make two copies of your passport, airline ticket and travelers checks.  Put one copy in your luggage and carry the other copy with you.  The local tourist board advises tourist to 'Always carry a photocopy of your passport and leave a original in the safety deposit box at your hotel...'  Note: When you arrive make a copy of your passport with your entrance stamp so that it is valid. 

2. Scan your important documents into an assessable file or find a storage site on the Internet to store them. Your passport, tickets and travel check numbers maybe some of the obvious but don't forget about your prescriptions, credit card numbers and other important documents.  And for fun you may want to download some family pictures or photos of your home town to share with your new Tico friends.  PhotoBucket.com is a free site where you can download images.

3. Set up an email address with international access.  Yahoo, Hotmail and Juno are a few with free email. Email accounts where you have to call a local number are not accessible from Costa Rica.

4. Make a copy of your itinerary and leave it with someone at home.  Also, keep in touch with love ones and so they will know your whereabouts and email them as you travel and as your schedule changes.  There are affordable Internet cafes in most of the country.

5. Use a money belt or two.  (Yeah I know sounds a little much.)  But with two you can use one for your daily travel (around you neck) and the other one, around you waist that you do not have to access in public.

6. Travelers checks are fine but many places do not accept them however ATMs are readily available in much of the country.  For your safety use ATM's in the daytime if possible. 

7. Only travel with a day or two worth of cash if you can. 

8. Don't buy international phone cards before coming to Costa Rica, purchase one here to be assured that it will work.  Also, cellular phones often won't work here so leave yours at home.  Costa Rica has a state run phone company and only their phone cards and cellular phones work.  Calling the United States with a local phone card is about 48 cents a minute.   

9. Hide or pin some money in your luggage or inside your clothes. Yeah right.  However, in the case that you do get robbed or separated from your money you have a backup.  If you have pants with deep pockets bring them they will be a traveling plus.

10. Do not bring or wear anything that you can't afford to lose. This could be tip number one.  Do not bring expensive jewelry etc. 'A fool and their jewelry are often parted.' You get the picture.

11. We have met travelers who were separated from their luggage on their flight so we recommend that you pack as if you are going to be separated from your luggage for a day or two.  Use a carry on for two days or so of clothes and the essentials that you need to travel.

12. Register with your embassy.  This is an option that takes a bit of time but is well worth it.  You may want to e-mail your embassy before coming to find out how and when to register.

13. And, oh yea, don't bring torn, worn or marked dollars, virtually no one will take them.

14. On the bus do not store anything over your head.  When a bus gets crowded sometimes luggage in overhead racks disappear.  And try to purchase your tickets in advance to get seats up front in the bus.

15. You may want to bring some coins, patches, pins or post cards etc. from home to trade or give to your Tico friends.