| Welcome to our Q&A page. Please scroll down to find information about electricity, internet, currency, climate, items to bring and more. |
| For which length of time is it recommended to visit PachaMama? Since a visit to PachaMama is a rich experience to digest the request is to come for a minimum of 10 days, to have time to get oriented and have a taste of the essence of the village. One can come for a shorter stay if participating in a workshop, since that helps plugging into the rhythm of PachaMama at once. |
| Do I need a visa to visit Costa Rica? To be certain of your Visa status, contact the Costa Rican Consulate or Embassy in your home country. Visitors from most of the European countries, Israel, Canada and USA can stay 90 days without applying for a visa. |
| Do I need a Health Insurance? Every person staying in PachaMama is required to have a health insurance (ask your travel agent for information). Please bring with you your policy number. |
| Do I need to exchange U.S. Dollars to Colones (Costa Rican currency) before I come? It is not necessary to get Colones prior to arrival. PachaMama accepts U.S. currency, credit cards with an additional charge of 4%, but we don't accept travelers cheques. There is no ATM machine in the commune. (There is one in Nosara, half an hour's drive away). Most businesses in Costa Rica accept U.S. Dollars. If you need Colones, PachaMama exchanges small amounts or you can go to many local banks to exchange larger amounts. The best is to bring Dollars in cash in small bills, or Colones. |
| Where can I stay in San Jose? A list of recommended hotels can be downloaded here ... |
| Do I need a passport? Citizens of the U.S. and Canada may enter Costa Rica with a valid passport. Note that Costa Rican law requires your passport to be valid for at least 6 months after the date you enter the country. Check with your airline or travel agent for more information. Citizens of other countries should check with the applicable Costa Rican Consulate in your country about rules governing entrance into Costa Rica. You are required to carry your passport or a photocopy with your photo, passport number and entry stamp with you at all times. |
| What do I need to bring? Only 100% biodegradable soaps and shampoos are used in PachaMama. All the products that you bring should be natural, including skin and hair products, deodorants, insect repellents, shaving creams, toothpastes, etc. All these can be purchased in the PachaMama Shop. Bring a good flashlight (preferably an alternative one that doesn't use batteries, otherwise rechargeable batteries only). PachaMama provides bedding for casitas and cottages but bring your own towel. Comfortable clothes for yoga and meditations. Sandals with a good grip and a shawl or warmer clothes for chilly evenings. It's not recommended for campers to bring a tent, it's easier and cheap to buy one in San Jose (in Walmart or Universal.) The same goes for air mattresses, hammocks and other bulky camping gear. |
| What kind of electricity is there in Costa Rica? If you bring anything electrical, Costa Rica runs on 110 Volts, 60Hz.If you bring 220V equipment, a voltage converter is needed. Bring only rechargeable batteries! |
| Do I need vaccinations? Starting on July 30, 2007, the Costa Rican authorities will demand that all travelers coming from the following countries (Angola, Benin, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Gabon, Gambia, Guinea, Liberia, Nigeria, Sierra Leone, Sudan, Bolivia, Venezuela, Brazil, Peru, Colombia and Ecuador as well as the Republic of Guyana) have a yellow fever vaccination certificate. |
| Can I use my cell phone or get one in Costa Rica? It depends on your cell phone whether you can use it it here or not. If you have roaming capabilities you will most likely be able to connect with the Costa Rican cellular network. If your phone doesn't connect through roaming you can buy a pre-paid cellphone sim card at ICE or any cellphone provider but this requires that your cell phone is unlocked. Be aware that reception also depends on topographic features and distance from cellular antennas. Notice that you can only buy a SIM card outside PachaMama, for example at the airport. |
| Does PachaMama have internet / wi-fi? Yes, we have an iCafe with several computers which you can use with access cards sold at the reception. We also have wi-fi in the area around the iCafe and in most of the cottages where you can use your personal device with the same access cards. A one-hour card costs $ 4. A 5-hour card costs $ 15. A one-week card is $ 20 and a one-month card costs $ 50. It gets cheaper the more you use it. It is also cheaper if a couple share their card. For an additional charge wi-fi is available in the bungalows and villas. |
| Do you offer a laundry service in the village? Yes. |
| Can I rent a car? Yes and it‘s easy. You can either arrange it with the major car rental companies before you come or we can help arrange it once you are here. There are several companies that will drop off your rental car here in PachaMama. You will need a driver's license, passport and credit card. |
| Is there a shop in PachaMama? The Jungle Shop offers health food and you can get all the necessary items for your stay in PachaMama. |
| How can I get to the beach? During the high season PachaMama has a daily taxi service to the nearest beach in San Juanillo. |
| What is the nearest town to PachaMama? Nosara is 25 minutes away. It has an airport, banks, a post office, restaurants, private and public medical aid and car rental possibilities. |
| What kind of food is served in the PachaMama restaurant? Pacha Mama's restaurant "Food-A-Vida" offers 3 fresh vegetarian meals a day. There is no sugar nor dairy products or flour being used. In addition the "Wild Treats" raw-food bar is open all day long offering fresh juices, smoothies and a variety of delicious raw dessert goodies. |
| Are there are any night activities? Often in the evenings there are activites e.g. movies, dance, singing or other events. |
| Can I visit the Turtles beach? PachaMama is located about 5 km from Playa Ostional, one of the most important nesting sites of the Olive Ridley turtle (Lepidochelys olivacea) in Latin America: Thousands of females arriving in huge "arribadas" during several nights, digging a hole in the black sand and laying their eggs ( 100 – 110 per animal) into this nest. The biggest arribadas normally occur from July to December. During these mass arrivals, thousands of nests of the animals having landed early are destroyed by the later arriving ones; for this reason the local people from the village are allowed to collect eggs during the first phase of each arribada. Turtle arribadas in Ostional are supervised by the national wildlife protection authorities. During the nesting time we sometimes organize tours to see this spectacular event. |
| Is the water safe to drink? Yes, the water in PachaMama is safe to drink from every faucet on the property. We filter the underground well waters. |
| What are the bathrooms like? All bathrooms are unisex. Bathrooms in the bungalows are private. There are public showers and toilets set in a few locations around PachaMama. Toilets and showers are in separate buildings. |
| Are there refrigerators in the rooms? None of the basic Casitas are equipped with refrigerators. There is a small fridge in the Cottages, the Family Casita and in all Houses. There is a communal fridge next to the restaurant. |
| Do you have heat and air conditioning? We have 2 AC cottages for an additional price of 10 $ a day. The year round temperature is 70 to 80 degrees Fahrenheit (21 to 27 degrees Celsius) during the day with mild nights. |
| How does a Casita look like? The standard Casita is simple but comfortable. They can be arranged with two single beds or one king size bed. Each Casita is equipped with a mosquito net for the bed, a small table, a low chair and a reading lamp. See also the accomodation page. |
| Do the Casitas have locks? All the Casitas have doors without a lock. PachaMama a relatively safe property and has no problem with theft from Casitas. Additionally, there is a safe in the office in which you can store your valuables. |
| Can I bring my children to PachaMama? What can they do while they're there? There are many possibilities for kids. They can join the the kids camp, the daily afternoon activities or use the private babysitting care. Kids between 3-5 that stay more then 2 months can join the kindergarten. For more details check the children's page. |
| What is the weather like? From December until May it is "dry season" in Guanacaste, the province of Costa Rica where PachaMama is located with average temperatures ranging from 80-90 degrees Fahrenheit (25 to 35 degrees Celsius).The climate is tropical with at times chilly nights. From April, there are occasional short tropical rains, increasing into some hours of rain during June, July & August. The mixture of sunny days and tropical rains creates a unique and beautiful climate. The 'green' or rainy season is from September and October, decreasing mid November. If you arrive in San Jose, long pants and a sweater may be needed, as it is high in the mountains and cooler. |
| Can I come for a short visit? Encouraging people to dive deeper into the PachaMama experience, a minimum period of 2 weeks visit is highly recommended. Unless booking for a specific workshop, a minimum charge of a two weeks stay is required from all visitors. |
| Can I drive a car in the rainy season in PachaMama? Yes, but it is strongly advisable to use a 4-wheel-drive. |
| Can I participate in a Silence Retreat when I come with my child? During the Retreats PachaMama is in Silence. All public places in the commune are silent zones without any children activities. Babysitter services are available if you want to participate in the Retreat. Be sure to inquire about this in advance. |
| Do you offer camping? Yes, there are many beautiful camping spots. Toilets and showers are nearby. You need to bring your own camping equipment. See Price List for camping fees. |
| How much luggage can I bring to PachaMama? As much as you are comfortable carrying around. There is no luggage carrying service in PachaMama. |
| Can I send packages to PachaMama? Sending packages sometimes takes a long time and there are occasional uncertainties with deliveries. There can be long delays or disappearing packages that the post office (and PachaMama) do not claim responsibility for. If you stay in PachaMama for a short period, it might only arrive after you leave. It's recommended to use private courier services like Fed-Ex, DHL and TNT. It's more expensive but reliable. |
