Sep
17
What to pack for Costa Rica, from The Costa Rica Collection: quick-drying clothes, closed-toe shoes with tread, a rain jacket, two swimsuits, high-SPF sunscreen, insect repellent, a refillable water bottle and a dry bag for boat rides. Leave the plug adapter home, because Costa Rica runs on the same outlets as the US.
If you’re wondering what to pack for Costa Rica, you probably already have four swimsuits, sunscreen and flip flops on the list. That’s great. You’ll definitely want all of that at the beach, which is the first thing that comes to mind for most people.
But that’s just one of the microclimates here. For such a small country, you might be surprised by the vast array of them, from the cloud forest reserves at Monteverde that average between 14°C and 22°C year-round to the lush rainforest where the floor holds water even in the driest months.
You want to be ready for all of it, and you also don’t want to land with a case full of things you’ll never touch. (The heels have never once come out of the case. Neither has the hair dryer.)
Depending on where your Costa Rica itinerary takes you, here’s a tried-and-true packing list that’ll have you covered whatever the week turns into: the fabrics that dry, the shoes that matter, the layer for elevation, and the pile you leave home. It’s the list we’d hand you ourselves, after more than a decade of helping guests pack for every corner of the country.
Ready to plan your dream trip to Costa Rica? Get in touch with The Costa Rica Collection and we’ll build your itinerary around eco-luxury hotels and experiences you’ll remember for a lifetime. Tell us your dates.
What should you pack for Costa Rica?
What you pack for Costa Rica is decided by humidity before anything else. You’ll feel the tropical climate first as hot, humid air at sea level, and cooler air as you climb. Here’s a Costa Rica packing list to get you started:
- Shirts: three or four quick-dry tops.
- Trousers: one pair, long and breathable, for evenings and mosquito hour.
- Shoes: hiking shoes with real tread, plus closed-toe sandals you’d wear on a river walk.
- Rain: a packable jacket or poncho, and a rain cover for your daypack.
- Sun: high-SPF sunscreen and insect repellent, in the brands you already trust.
- Bottle: a refillable one, since single-use plastics have been banned from the national parks since February 2021.
- Swimsuits: Two is plenty, so one dries while the other’s on.
- Documents: A passport valid for the period of your stay and a return or onward ticket.
- Medicine: Prescriptions in their original bottles, the painkiller you trust, contact lens solution.
- Flip flops: For the pool deck, and your everyday sneakers for the village and the beach road.
What do you need to bring to Costa Rica for the rainforest?
If you’re planning on visiting Corcovado National Park, which Corcovado Wilderness Lodge sits on the edge of, you’ll be spending real time in the rainforest. Hiking shoes are fine here. What matters is that they drain and dry overnight, because there’s nothing worse than pulling on wet socks and shoes on day one. Bring long trousers too, for walking through the jungle, so bugs and plants stay off your legs.
Binoculars are worth the space too. On a guided walk you may see a toucan overhead, or a sloth one of our naturalists finds in a tree you’d already walked past, and a small pair around your neck is half the pleasure of luxury wildlife experiences in Costa Rica.
One dry bag goes on the list if the Osa is in your week. Corcovado Wilderness Lodge is reached by boat from Sierpe or Drake Bay, which is the only way in, and the arrival finishes with a wet landing, so anything electronic wants to be sealed before you step off.
Elevation is where those microclimates reach your bag. Monteverde and San Gerardo de Dota are high enough that a fleece earns its space.
What should you pack for the beach in Costa Rica?
For the beach you need two swimsuits, a wide-brim hat, high-SPF sunscreen and one light long-sleeve layer for the middle of the day.
At Amarena Canvas Beach Hotel, our tented villas sit at the edge of the sand at Playa Hermosa, and the things you’d normally haul down are already there when you arrive. Breakfast and a welcome drink come with the stay. Towels, shade and a plunge pool are steps from the bed. Children are welcome. Pack the swimsuit and let us carry the rest of it.
What should you pack for Costa Rica in the rainy season?
In the rainy season you add a rain jacket or poncho, a rain cover for your daypack and a second pair of shoes, and the rest of the list holds.
On the Pacific side, December to March is the dry season, April is a transition month, and May to October is the rainy season.
What should you leave at home?
What you leave at home is anything the humidity will ruin or make pointless. Jeans top the list, because they take forever to dry down here, and every one of us who moved to Costa Rica packed a pair that now lives in a drawer. The heels aren’t coming out at the beach. And a hair dryer is too hot to be much use in this climate, so leave that too, since our rooms have one anyway.
When it comes to luggage, a hard shell is fine if that’s what you own. You might prefer something soft if you’re on boats or transferring out to Corcovado Wilderness Lodge.
Can you buy sunscreen and repellent in Costa Rica?
You can buy sunscreen in Costa Rica easily, in the beach towns and in San José, and the same goes for insect repellent, batteries and most toiletries. Your usual brand is often hard to find, so bring the one you already trust and top up here.
Start planning your Costa Rica trip
Ready to plan your dream Costa Rica trip? Now that you know what you’re packing, the only thing left is to book the stay. Get in touch and we’ll help you find the Costa Rica Collection hotel or the itinerary that’s right for you, so you come home with memories that last a lifetime.
Start planning your trip today.
Frequently Asked Questions
What should you pack for 7 days in Costa Rica?
You can pack 7 days in Costa Rica into a carry-on and one small daypack: four quick-dry tops, two pairs of shorts, one pair of long trousers, two swimsuits, one pair of hiking shoes, sandals and a rain jacket.
What should a woman wear in Costa Rica?
A woman can wear light dresses, shorts, quick-dry tops and sandals almost everywhere in Costa Rica. Keep it casual and you’re dressed right for the whole trip. A long-sleeve layer and long trousers help at dusk when mosquitoes are out, and a swimsuit under your clothes saves a change on a beach day. Add one outfit you feel good in for dinner.
Do you need travel insurance and a return ticket?
Travel insurance is worth buying for a trip to Costa Rica, especially one with boats, rivers and remote lodges in it, so check that your policy covers your activities and medical evacuation. Carry a passport valid for the period of your stay and a return or onward ticket, which Costa Rica asks for at entry.
