The ONLY Costa Rica Packing List You Need + FREE Checklist

Costa Rica! Your travel reservations are complete and your itinerary is finalized. You are finally packing for that dream vacation that you had always longed for.

From watching sloths in the wild to walking on hanging bridges, from hiking in tropical forests to experiencing beach sunsets with a chilled cerveza, it is all going to happen.

But how do you get started for the trip? What are the right things to pack for Costa Rica?

We have got you covered. In this post, we bring to you an exhaustive Costa Rica packing list with all the items that you must bring, from the essentials to the little knick-knacks.

With this article, we hope not just to prepare you with packing for Costa Rica, but actually help you during the process of packing too. That is why, at the end of this article, we have included a Costa Rica Packing FREE Checklist that you can refer to while packing.

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Luggage

Needless to say, the most important thing for any packing list is the luggage itself. Apart from your main luggage, we recommend bringing a daypack and a dry bag for your Costa Rica trip.

Suitcase or Backpack

Depending on your style of travel, choose a backpack or a suitcase.

Packing Cubes

Since the time we started using them, packing cubes have been a game changer. They help compartmentalize things, resulting in more efficient packing.

Check out this complete travel bag organizer set of 8 packing cubes. They also come in various color options.

Waterproof Daypack

Carry a daypack for your daily tours and outdoor adventures.

We use our daypacks for carrying our valuables (wallets, keys), spare chargers, raincoats, insect repellents and water bottles. Since it can rain anytime in Costa Rica, it is best to use waterproof backpacks as your daypack.

Check out this waterproof backpack that you can use as daypack. There are several color options to choose from. It is a lightweight option, easy to fold and fits into a pouch.

This 26L one from Thule is a pricier option, but it comes from one of the most trusted brands.

Dry Bag

There are no dearth of water activities in Costa Rica. Whether you are surfing the waves or soaking in the hot springs or hiking to the stunning waterfalls or kayaking in the lakes or rafting in the rivers, there is a very good chance you will get wet.

So, a dry bag is an absolute essential on your Costa Rica packing list to securely store your belongings during all the water adventures.

Here is a highly rated dry bag that you can use for all kinds of water activities in Costa Rica, like kayaking, surfing and swimming.

It is a roll-top variant which helps keep things secure inside, and comes in various color options and also in different sizes, ranging from 5L to 55L.

In our experience, a 10L should suffice for essentials, but get a 20L one if you plan to put bigger things inside, like a camera. For our water adventures, we have one 10L dry bag and 20L dry bag for the two of us, and use either or both, depending on the things we need to carry.

Documents

These are obvious items that you will need for any international trip. But we still included it in the packing list so that this serves as an exhaustive checklist for your Costa Rica trip.

Passport

Passport with at least 90 days validity at the time of entering Costa Rica.

Visa

Citizens of US, Canada, UK and EU are exempt from visa for Costa Rica. Review this list to check if citizens of your country need Costa Rica tourist visa. If you do need Costa Rica tourist visa but are in possession of a valid visa issued by US, Canada or EU, then you are exempt from the visa requirement.

Driving License

If you are planning to rent a car in Costa Rica, do not forget to carry your driving license. You will need it all the time.

Air Tickets

Not just the tickets for your trip to Costa Rica, make sure you have your ticket ready for the onward journey from Costa Rica within 90 days of arriving in the country. For citizens of some countries, like India, that limit is 30 days, not 90.

Travel Insurance

Purchase travel insurance as you would want to be protected against any unwanted mishaps.

We always use travel insurance from Heymondo or SafetyWing for our travels.

SafetyWing is great for nomad insurance, and comes with optional add-ons like coverage for electronics theft and adventure activities.

Heymondo has policies for short vacations as well as longer trips of more than 90 days duration. If you take multiple trips a year, you can also consider their annual multi-trip plans.

Clothes

A vacation in Costa Rica is all about immersing yourself in nature and going with the flow. You can keep the same theme for picking the clothes for your trip: outdoors-friendly, casual and comfortable.

Within a short span of a few days in Costa Rica, you may be visiting hot and humid beach towns and mountain villages at higher altitudes with cool climate. So, it is important to pack according to the climatic zones you are going to visit.

Quick-Dry Tops/T-shirts

With so many rainforest and cloud forest areas spread across the country, typical Costa Rica itineraries include a lot of hiking. It could be in the national parks or in the private reserves, and the hikes could vary greatly in length and difficulty.

For hiking in humid weather, quick-dry tops/t–shirts are your best friends.

Quick tips:

• Let 1 or 2 of your quick-dry t-shirts be long sleeved.
• Use neutral colors for jungle hikes when you are in the lookout for wildlife.

Check this ultra-soft quick-drying t-shirt for men from Under Armour. The material is moisture wicking and comes with anti-odor technology.

For full-sleeve hiking top option for women, check this quick-dry lightweight one with UV protection from BALEAF.

And for short sleeved options, check this combo of 5-pack colorful tees of soft breathable moisture wicking material.

For all of the products recommended, you can choose from various color and size options.

Quick-Dry Pants

With the same logic, pack a couple of quick-dry pants. We recommend full length pants for hiking in the forests. They protect your legs from unwanted bruises in case your knees brush past some thorns or shrubs or rocks.

Check out these options for quick dry convertible hiking pants, for men and for women.

Quick-Dry Shorts

For hiking to waterfalls or in national parks where the forest is not too dense, like Arenal Volcano National Park, quick-dry shorts should work. We also like to use such shorts for walking on beach trails.

Check this moisture wicking lightweight shorts for men with UV protection, ideal for outdoor activities.

For women, in addition to shorts, I also like to pack a skort (for women), that offers the flexibility of shorts and lends the style of skirt.

Casual Shirts & Pants (For Men)

You are likely to be spending only a day or two in and around the capital city San Jose. For those days, dress up a bit with casual shirts and pants, and you will be ready for any occasion, whether a walking tour of the city or fine-dining at a mirador restaurant or for pub hopping.

Summer Dresses (For Women)

Pack a couple of your pretty summer dresses. They will serve you well for both hanging out in the beach towns as well as during your stay in the city.

Swimwear

Pack all your nice and colorful swimsuits. You will need them at the beach, in the hot springs, at the waterfalls and in the hotel swimming pools.

Check out these colorful swimsuits of varying styles, and add them to your Costa Rica packing list.

Sarong/ Beach Cover-up

Bring a sarong or a beach cover-up that will help you get ready swiftly from a swim in the ocean to a lunch by the beach.

Check out these options below for sarongs and beach coverups.

Footwear

From scaling mountains to diving in the ocean, there are plenty of things to do in Costa Rica. So, it is important to bring appropriate footwear based on the activities that you are going to sign up for.

Hiking Boots/ Sneakers

Sneakers or walking shoes should suffice for hiking in the nature reserves. But if you are going to hike on technical trails, or will be walking for long periods at a stretch, like Cerro Chirripo, definitely use proper hiking boots instead of sneakers.

To be prepared for rains anytime during your hike, we suggest getting waterproof hiking shoes.

If your trip is planned for the months between May and November, take note of these 15 essential items to include in your Costa Rica packing list for rainy season.

Hiking Sandals

Costa Rica is blessed with miles of coastlines, Pacific to the west and Caribbean to the east. While there are several beaches that are easily accessible, there are many others that can be reached only by hiking. For such hikes in the beach town areas, pack hiking sandals.

Get waterproof hiking sandals which will also be useful for some waterfall hikes la La Leona.

Get 5% discount with our coupon code paradise when you book your La Leona waterfall hike.

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Related reading:

• Drake Bay Beach Hike
• 5 Beautiful Beaches near Playas del Coco

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Flip-flops

This is a no brainer. Beach days need the freedom of flip-flops!

Water Shoes

To protect your feet against rocks and pebbles on riverbeds and seabeds, wear water shoes while swimming in the natural swimming holes.

We like the socks style water shoes, like these ones by Speedo.

Weather Gear

Raincoat/ Rain Poncho

Wherever you go, whichever time of the year, bring a rain poncho. This is our best Costa Rica packing tip. Seriously!

Despite clearly demarcated rainy season and dry season periods, it can rain anytime in tropical Costa Rica. So, it is better to be prepared than regret.

Light Jacket

When you are in the city, the mornings and the evenings can get cool. So, keep a light jacket.

This will also come in handy when visiting higher altitude places like Monteverde or the mountain towns in the Talamanca range. In those places, the temperatures are usually much lower. So dress in layers with with long sleeve shirts and light jacket to keep warm.

Warm Jacket

Depending on the places you are planning to visit, you may need to bring a warm jacket too. Example, if you are planning to hike up Costa Rica’s highest peak, Cerro Chirripo, you will need a warm jacket along with several other layers.

Accessories

Now that you have packed your clothes and weather gear, do not forget the small accessories.

Microfiber Towel

For all the beach days and the wild carefree afternoons at the waterfalls, you would want to bring your own towel.

We recommend you to get a microfiber towel. It is lightweight, fast absorbent and quick dry – everything you would want in a travel towel. This one also comes with a mesh bag and you can choose from various nice color options.

Sunglasses

Bring sunglasses to protect your eyes from the sun.

Hat / Cap

A hat or a cap is useful during the long hikes on hot and humid days, or for beach days.

Toiletries & Personal Care

The toiletries bag should contain all your personal care essentials and first aid kit, but there are couple of items that you absolutely need to include in your Costa Rica packing list. Since regular objects may be pricier in Costa Rica compared to other countries (including US), it is better to pack them instead of buying here.

Insect Repellent

The most important item on that list is an insect repellent. Costa Rica is a tropical destination where crawlers and critters thrive. So, to protect your skin against insect bites, apply insect repellent on all exposed skin before venturing out in the wild.

Check out these long lasting repellents against mosquitoes and other insects, with DEET and without DEET.

Sunscreen

This is another important item on your Costa Rica packing list. Do not underestimate the tropical sun. Always apply sunscreen before going out in the sun, and reapply every few hours.

If you are going to do some ocean water activities, use a reef safe sunscreen to protect marine biodiversity.

This SPF 50 sunscreen from Reef Repair is 80 minutes water resistant, reef safe, kids friendly and biodegradable, and comes in travel friendly size, in a pack of 2. So it makes for a good family friendly sunscreen for your Costa Rica vacation.

Another 80 minute water resistant and reef safe option is the SPF 40 Sport Mineral Sunscreen from Badger.

Face Wash/ Cleanser

Face Wash or cleanser to remove all the dirt.

Moisturizer

Moisturizer to keep the skin hydrated.

Deodorant

With all the outdoor activities in the tropical weather, you may sweat a lot. Pack anti-perspirant deodorants.

Lip Balm

Lip balm to avoid chapped lips. I like to use tinted lip balms.

Dental Care Kit

Pack your dental care kit with toothbrush, toothpaste, mouthwash and dental floss.

First Aid Kit

Wherever you travel, it never harms to be armed with a first aid kit that includes all the basic essentials.

Check out this travel friendly all-purpose first aid kit. It is from Johnson & Johnson.

The box contains 160 pieces of first-aid essentials like band-aid, cleaning wipes, antibiotic cream, instant cold pack, to name a few.

Hand Sanitizer

We always carry hand sanitizers to quickly clean our hands.

Check this Purell Advanced combo pack of small travel size bottles with flip caps.

Wet Wipes

On sultry summer days by the beaches in Costa Rica, I find wet wipes so handy to quickly clean face and feel fresh immediately. They are also useful for camping trips.

Check this pack of biodegradable unscented wet wipes for face and body, good for outdoors.

Everyday Electronics

We live in a digital world. So, even when traveling, there are few electronics items that you would want to pack for Costa Rica.

Mobile Phone + Charger + Waterproof Case

Whether for taking photographs or for storing your travel tickets and itineraries, it is hard to do without mobile phone while on vacation. Remember to bring the phone charger too!

For all the water activities in Costa Rica, you would want to add to your Costa Rica packing list, a waterproof case for your phone.

Laptop + Charger

Ok, this one can be an optional item on your Costa Rica packing list. But, if you are a digital nomad or a freelancer or a long term traveler, you will want to bring your laptop and charger.

Kindle

If you like to read while swaying on a hammock under a palm tree by the beach, you will find plenty such opportunities in Costa Rica. To replace the volume and weight of physical books from your luggage, bring your Kindle.

Power Adapter

You may or may not need a power adaptor for Costa Rica vacation depending on where you are coming from.

Costa Rica uses 120V voltage and 60 Hz standard frequency. The power sockets are usually for two pin plugs. So, if you are coming from the US, for example, your cables will work normally – no need to bring a separate adaptor.

But if, like us, you are coming from a country with different power standards, you need to pay special attention. When we moved from India to Costa Rica a few years ago, we needed power adapters for everything, even for charging our phones. And now, we need to do the same whenever we are visiting home in India.

For all our international travels, we use and highly recommend having couple of universal travel adaptors that have sockets of different types (for US, Australia, Europe, India etc.), provide surge protector and also has USB outlets.

Camera Gear

Costa Rica is beautiful. You will find several photo opportunities, whether it is a stunning blue waterfall or a dramatic beach sunset or the tropical forests.

There are also serious bird photographers who come to Costa Rica to capture on camera gorgeous looking bird species. Whatever your motivation for photography is, bring the right photography gear to Costa Rica.

Camera Bag

We like to organize our cameras, lenses and all related accessories in our camera bag. Choose one that is the right fit for your equipment.

Memory Cards

Bring more memory cards than you think you may need.

Camera + Charger

Carry the camera that you are most comfortable shooting with. But we recommend keeping it light as in Costa Rica, you will be moving around or walking a lot. That is why we switched our equipment from crop sensor DSLR to mirrorless cameras. They are lightweight, compact and offer better stabilization.

Lenses

If you want to shoot animals and birds, include a telephoto lens. Choose a wider lens for landscape photography. We use 24-70 mm that suffices for landscape, macro as well as videos.

Tripod

With so many waterfalls and rivers in Costa Rica, you can get plenty of silky white shots of the waterbodies. But you will need a good tripod. We like our Peak Design Travel Tripod as it is lightweight, easy to pack and easy to carry.

Check out the options for different materials, carbon filter and aluminum. Click on the images to check current prices, offers, availability and delivery information.

Action Camera + Accessories

For all you adventurous souls, bring your action camera for capturing the memories of all the adventure activities you are going to do in Costa Rica. Whether it is zip-lining over the cloud forests or snorkeling in a marine biological reserve or white-water rafting over rapids of different grades, pack your Go Pro.

The new GoPro HERO12 Black is rugged and waterproof. So you no longer need the waterproof casing, like the very old generation GoPros. However, if you do not already have the other accessories like handler, head strap, carrying case, etc., buy the bundle pack of GoPro HERO12 Black + Accessories and save more.

If you are a video creator, you may consider getting the GoPro HERO12 Black Creator Edition. It comes with all the tools you need for a compact audio video recording set up in the outdoors.

Drone + Remote + Chargers + Batteries

Different countries have different rules and restrictions about flying a drone. Some are so strict that you would consider leaving your drone back home instead of carrying it on your vacation. But Costa Rica is not among them.

In fact, flying a drone in Costa Rica is very easy. You just need to avoid flying in the handful designated no-fly zones.

Of course, if you do use your drone for photography and videography, you can get such cool perspectives of the breathtaking topography that Costa Rica has. If you bring your drone to Costa Rica, remember to pack the important accessories like remote, batteries and chargers.

We used to use the drone and accessories of the DJI Mavic Air 2 Fly More Combo. But we lost our drone in El Salvador, and now use an old and used drone from the DJI Mini series.

For longer flight duration and better range, we recommend the DJI Air 3. But if you plan to use your drone for vacations in other countries too, DJI Mini 3 Fly More Combo is a great choice. The drone weighs only 249 g and hence does not require any separate registration.

Costa Rica Packing List: FREE Checklist

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