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FIESTA
Colorful Costa Rica
February 23 – March 2, 2008

The Colors of Paradise

A festival is an event, usually staged by a local community, which centers on some unique aspect of that community. Festivals (also called fests or fiestas) serve to meet specific social needs and duties, as well as to provide entertainment. These times of celebration offer a sense of belonging for groups. Modern festivals that focus on cultural or ethnic topics seek to inform members of their traditions. There are numerous types of festivals in the world. Though many have religious origins, others involve seasonal change or have some cultural significance.

Whatever the reason for a fiesta, most people need little excuse to have an old-fashioned celebration. Similarly, our vacations should be like a fiesta—carefree and enjoyable. They should be alternately relaxing and exciting, planned and spontaneous, and above all, fun! Costa Rica is perfectly suited for turning your vacation into a fiesta, as the Ticos (as Costa Ricans refer to themselves) are already celebrating the arrival of spring with their own fiesta. One of Costa Rica’s more unusual traditions is a cruelty-free variation on the classic bullfight. In their version, there is no matador and the bull gets the upper hand (or horn) on the locals (and loco tourists) daring enough to enter the ring.

Costa Rica feels like a year-round fiesta, because it is so naturally colorful. First time visitors may feel like they stepped into the middle of rainbow. From every angle the world is flooded with vibrant hues. Flowers of dazzling red, green, gold, orange, pink and purple are matched only by the brilliance of the tropical birds nesting in the branches. Exotic Morpho butterflies flit past adding the most vibrant flashes of neon blue. The brown cone of an active volcano glows at twilight with a fiery orange mantle of molten rock adorning its flanks. Coffee plants herald their presence with a million dots of lustrous red. The sea and sky blend together faraway along the horizon in an ethereal gradation of blue.

Visitors can be so blinded by all the visual stimuli that they seem to forget what is perhaps Costa Rica’s most attractive feature. The sheer diversity of its landscape makes Costa Rica a veritable playground, with a wide range of activities to suit every taste. Whether you want non-stop action or quiet reflection, Costa Rica is a place you just have to experience.

For more than a decade, Toto Tours has enticed hundreds of people on more than 30 tours to this beautiful country. With this new itinerary we take advantage for the first time of the ever-increasing number of flights into Costa Rica’s newest airport in Liberia. Entering the country at this point enables us to get close to nature as quickly as possible without the traffic snarl and hubbub that is San José. Liberia is the starting and ending point for an amazing vacation that includes a river float, a rainforest canopy tour, hot springs, volcano watching, walking in a primordial cloud forest and endless miles of beckoning beaches.

Toto Tours provides your passport to the very best that Costa Rica has to offer. All our hotels are considered luxury properties (except the one at Arenal, which is rated “superior” and has an amazing view). For the hedonists, there are many opportunities for optional spa treatments to pamper body and soul. Those looking for nightlife will find plenty in “happening” Tamarindo on the beach.

If you’ve never been to Costa Rica, then experience it with Toto Tours, the Costa Rica experts. If you haven’t been back in a while, return with us to see what’s new. You’ll discover why we return, year after year, to this very popular gay destination!

Click here to view itinerary

2008 Fiesta Information

ACCOMMODATIONS
(Click hotel name to read description)

Rincon de la Vieja: Borinquen Resort

Arenal: Arenal Paraiso

Monteverde: El Establo (deluxe rooms)

Tamarindo: Cala Luna Villas

Playa Panama: Casa Conde del Mar

PREPARING FOR THE TOUR

Entry Requirements—For citizens of the United States and Canada no visas are necessary. With a valid passport, you’re on your way.

Immunizations—No immunizations are required, but it is wise to make sure your tetanus booster is up-to-date.

Exit Requirements—All tourists must pay a departure tax of $24 at the airport. You may pay in either dollars or colones.

WHAT TO BRING

Think tropics—hot and humid on the coast and rain likely in the rainforest. Also be prepared for cool nights in San José. Pack accordingly, but try to limit yourself to two small suitcases. Electric current is 110 volts, same as in the U.S., with standard plugs and outlets. Pack all medications in a carry-on bag and leave expensive jewelry home!

Suggested Packing List:

____ One smart, casual outfit for Welcome & Farewell Dinners.

____ T-shirts (6 - 7).

____ Shorts (3 - 4 pairs).

____ Underwear & socks for 9 days.

____ Sneakers and beach sandals (hiking boots not necessary).

____ Long-sleeved shirts (2 - 3) for evenings / sun protection.

____ Lightweight long pants (1 - 2 pair).

____ Lightweight poncho for rain.

____ Jacket or sweatshirt for cool nights.

____ Swimsuits / beach towel / sun hat.

____ Sunscreen / lip balm / sunglasses.

____ Moist towelettes.

____ Ziploc plastic bags. Small for documents & large for wet items.

____ Day-pack or fanny pack.

____ Anti-diarrhea medicine just in case.

____ Insect repellent / anti-itch ointment.

____ Personal toiletries.

____ Binoculars / Camera & film / memory cards.

____ Pocket calculator for money exchange.

____ A good book for the plane and the beach.

____ Optional: Your own snorkel mask if you want to be sure of a perfect fit.

MONEY MATTERS

The monetary unit is the colon (CRC), pronounced as “co-lone.” Bills come in denominations of 50, 100, 500, 1000 and 5000 colones. Coins are 50 centimos, and 1, 2, 5, 10, and 20 colones. On May 17, 2007, the interbank exchange rate was 537 colones to the US dollar. Exchange money only at banks or at your hotel. It is easier at the hotel, but sometimes the cash drawer is low. Never exchange currency with someone on the street. You will get the best exchange rate by withdrawing money from ATMs, which will be available in all but the smallest villages. Credit cards are widely accepted throughout the country.

Taxes and Tipping—A 10 percent service charge is automatically added to restaurant bills, plus another 10 percent tax. Tipping above the automatic charge is at your discretion. Taxi drivers appreciate (but do not expect) tips. Guides and drivers do expect tips. We will present a collective tip to both during our Farewell Dinner.

RESERVATIONS

To reserve a place on this tour, click on the “Reservations” link above. Type in the information requested in each field, print the form, then sign and mail it to Toto Tours with your $500 deposit check. You also have the option to pay for your tour deposit with a Visa or MasterCard. The remaining balance is due 80 days prior to departure (by December 5, 2007). Tour registration is not complete until we have received both the signed reservation form and your deposit check or credit card authorization.
Toto Tours does not accept credit cards as a form of payment except for the amount of the tour deposit ($500 maximum can be charged per tour). An installment plan is possible. Our mailing address is: Toto Tours, 1326 W. Albion Avenue, Chicago, Illinois 60626-4753. Make checks payable to: Toto Tours, Ltd.

LIABILITIES / DISCLAIMERS

Making a reservation with a deposit shall be deemed to be consent to these conditions: Toto Tours does not accept responsibility in whole or in part for any delay, loss, accidents, personal injury, sickness, medical expenses, or property damage occasioned by fault of any person from whatever cause. All participants are required to sign a standard liability form.
     We strongly encourage you purchase Travel Insurance to cover all aspects of your travel in Costa Rica! We will provide the necessary forms upon receipt of your deposit, or you can apply online by following the link at the bottom of this page. You can also book your travel insurance with a phone call to Toto Tours.
     The tour operators reserve the right to accept or decline any person as a member of the tour at any time and to make whatever changes become necessary with or without notice. Guaranteed departure with a minimum of ten participants.
     Toto Tours is not responsible for airline cancellation or change penalties incurred by individual tour participants for air tickets purchased prior to notification that the tour is a confirmed departure.

THE TOTO SPIRIT

Toto Tours provides Adventure Travel Experiences as differentiated from tours in the traditional sense. Adventure Travel allows (even encourages) you to be an active participant. Adventurers can be identified by certain traits. They are:

fun-loving optimists who have a sense of humor and accentuate the positive;
good natured realists who are willing to accept situations as they exist;
undaunted by the unexpected, like occasional delays or bad weather;
willing to forego some of the amenities we normally take for granted;
eager to try new things & test limits;
punctual;
not whiners!

Come with us to this tropical paradise, so close to home yet so far away from anything you’ve ever experienced before. If you have any questions, please call toll-free: 800-565-1241.

THE BOTTOM LINE
(tour prices per person)

Price: $2,495 double occupancy

Private Room: $600 extra, if available. (Not required. Toto Tours can match you with a roommate if you are traveling alone and prefer to share a room.)

Deposit: $500 (Due at time of registration for the tour. May be paid with a credit card.)

Remaining Balance: $1,995 double / $2,595 single
(Assumes $500 deposit has already been made)

Remaining Balance Due: December 5, 2007
(Full payment required with reservation form if enrolling after this date.)

Included: Eight nights accommodations; all ground transfers within Costa Rica; fully guided and escorted tour; all guided excursions except those listed as “optional”; meals and activities as listed in the itinerary.

Not Included: Round-trip air transportation to/from Liberia, Costa Rica; meals and other items not specifically covered in the itinerary; Costa Rican departure tax ($24, paid at the airport upon departure); insurance; alcoholic beverages; soft drinks; bottled water; laundry; telephone calls; faxes; or any other expenses of a personal nature. Tips to drivers / guides are not included.

TRAVEL INSURANCE

We recommend you purchase travel insurance with AIG Travel Guard to cover for unforseen events prior to and during your trip. Please follow the link below or call us for more information.