One change at the border as far as money and documents. (Costa Rica exit tax options)
Costa Rica
Enter; Passport, Onward travel, bus ticket or plane ticket
Exit; Passport, exit tax $7 or $7.50
There is a lady from the bank there before bank hours daily and on the weekend to enter your passport number in her pad and link it to the exit window. She sells them for $7.50 for the bank. It works great. The Costa Rica windows open at 6am Costa Rica time. The bank opens 8am Costa Rica time. So the lady with the pad, Lily, can get you the tax early. She works for the bank. I think it is Bancocredito. Not sure of the spelling but it is the same one that operates out of the window during regular hours.
Panama
Exit; Passport
Enter; Passport, plane ticket to passport country, bank statement showing minimum $500 account or show $500 cash. Mandatory 24hrs out of country.
Cheers,
Hil Jenkins
Replies
Yes you can take the bus at the David bus terminal with the name: Frontera or Puerto Armuelles
We did our border crossing last Thursday and we were out and back in within 30 minutes. Neither Costa Rica nor Panama was interested in seeing our cash.
It depends on the clerk. The Panama Exit Clerk told me up front to have all the items I listed upon reentry. I'll try to get out in one day next time. All they can do is say no. Which they did to me. Costa Rica never does ask to see cash, only Panama.
It's wise to have everything listed----you might be asked for them.
Cheers,
Hil Jenkins
We did have everything we needed - I put the cash on the counter in a pouch, but they never asked to see it or count it.
I had the bank statement and cash. Showed them the statement and it worked like it is supposed to work.
Cheers
Hil