Packing for Costa Rica is not too difficult. The most important thing to know is that it depends on where and when you are visiting. There around 27 different micro-climates so don’t just throw your tank tops and flip flops in your bag, read our packing list for Costa Rica to find out exactly what you need to bring!
This Costa Rica packing list will help you decide what to bring for different destinations and times of year. You will also find out the travel gear we always bring us when we travel around Costa Rica!
*You can also get our free packing checklist at the bottom of this post!*
The Essential Items in Our Costa Rica Packing List
Clothes
Costa Rica doesn’t have a strict dress code and casual is best for pretty much the entire country. At the beach, your wardrobe will consist mostly of shorts, tank tops and flip flops. In the city, we recommend closed toed shoes, long pants and a sweater. If you’re visiting high elevation areas (Monteverde, San Jose/Central Valley), then long pants and a jacket is necessary.
For women, there is not real dress code. You can perfectly wear tank tops and show your shoulders. It is not common for locals to wear leggings as daily wear though, so you might get some looks wearing them in the city. Guys, I don’t recommend wearing board shorts in the city because it is more formal there. Jeans are better.
Our recommendations: We always recommend clothes that dry fast (like Nike Dri-fit clothes) and wick away moisture, especially if you’re visiting the beach or rainforest. Additionally, most laundromats don’t normally use dryers so you will want clothes that dry fast.
Shoes
Flip flops work fine for most of the country except the city. If you’re doing any activities, hiking shoes/sandals, sneakers or hiking boots are necessary. Whenever we travel around Costa Rica, I normally bring one pair of flip flops and one pair of sneakers/hiking shoes or closed toed hiking sandals depending on what we’re doing.
Yeison usually brings a pair of flip flops and his Nike sneakers or closed toed hiking sandals. If we’re know we’re doing some long hikes, he wears his KEEN hiking shoes. I usually bring a pair of flip flops and my KEEN hiking sandals. For hikes, I have a pair of Salomon hiking shoes.
Our recommendations: We love hiking sandals. They are amazing for all sorts of outdoor activities and you can go from land to water easily. They dry fast, don’t smell, your feet can breathe and are much more comfortable than stuffy shoes.
Also, if you’re hiking in the jungle, you don’t want to be walking in soggy socks and shoes which take forever to dry. We love our KEEN hiking sandals and you can read our in-depth guide to what are the best shoes for Costa Rica.
Mosquito Repellent
You need to bring mosquito repellent for Costa Rica. The coasts are the worst places for mosquitoes and there are a few serious diseases you can catch like dengue fever. There are also other little bugs that bite like gnats. Mosquitoes are not found in elevations above around 1500 meters (4900 feet) but they are everywhere else.
Our recommendations: You can find mosquito repellent in the supermarkets but we recommend bringing your own as it is very expensive here and they don’t have a ton of natural options. We’ve been using Bullfrog Mosquito Coast and Sunscreen which is DEET free with SPF 30 and it really works for us. You can read about our favorite mosquito repellent products and more information in this Costa Rica mosquitoes post.
Sunscreen
Sunscreen is also a must and bring at least SPF 30. Costa Rica is only 8-12 degrees from the equator so even if you’re going to the cloud forest or visiting during rainy season, you will still need sunscreen.
Our recommendations: I have found the ones with zinc oxide are the best. If you are going to be going in the ocean, we encourage you to buy mineral sunscreen that is reef safe. We love Raw Elements which has been named the best sunscreen (and the safest for you and the ocean). Kiss My Face is my favorite for my face. You can read our recommendations for our favorite Costa Rica suncreen in this post. If you can, bring sunscreen since it’s expensive here with not many natural options. Don’t forget chapstick with SPF or after sun gel!
Toiletries and Medications
You can find all toiletries in Costa Rica like shampoo, conditioner, lotion, toothbrush, mouth wash, toothpaste and floss. There are a few items that I do recommend to bring though. These are tampons for women (small grocery stores don’t have them), face wash (very expensive), a medical kit, hair detangler spray, hand sanitizer, a packet of tissues and face wipes.
If you’re taking any medicines, write down a list of them and keep it with you at all times. Try to include the active ingredients in each medicine or find the Spanish name.
For basic medicines, you can find mostly all OTC at the pharmacy. We do recommend bringing allergy medicine like Claritin and Sudafed as those are very expensive in Costa Rica. You can buy anti-nausea medicine at the pharmacy.
Rain Jacket
A rain jacket is an essential item if you’re visiting in rainy season (end of April to beginning of December). And you want to get a waterproof one, trust me! A poncho can work too but get a good quality one, not those dollar store ones that you throw away after one use.
You may also want to bring your rain jacket if you’re visiting Dominical, Uvita, Bijagua, Monteverde, Osa Peninsula during dry season. We’ve run into intense rain in those areas in February and April. Also remember the Caribbean follows a different weather pattern and it can rain all year long on that coast. We recommend a rain jacket for the Caribbean (Tortuguero and Puerto Viejo), especially if you’re visiting in June or November, the rainiest months.
Our recommendations: We love our The North Face Venture Jackets (I’m from Washington state so I have lots of experience with rain jackets). Look for a jacket with ventilation to let air flow through as it will get humid.
Day Bag
For day trips, sight seeing and tours, bring a day backpack. If you’re not planning on doing long hikes, you can get away with a 20-25 L backpack to hold all the essentials: snacks, water, towel, change of clothes, camera, etc.
Our recommendations: We recommend at least 30 L waterproof backpacks if you have camera gear. I have a 20 L Osprey, a 25 L REI, a 30 L Aqua Quest and Yeison has a 40 L REI. I don’t recommend those sling drawstring gym bags since they’re flimsy. In rainy season, you must bring a waterproof backpack. If you don’t have a waterproof backpack, you can get a rain cover or use waterproof spray.
Insulated Water Bottle
I never leave home without my insulated water bottle. With such high temperatures and humidity on the coasts, it’s the best feeling in the world to take a long sip of fresh cold water in the heat. It also helps to reduce the amount of plastic water bottles and you’ll save money on buying water. You can drink tap water in most places in Costa Rica or bring a water filter if you have a sensitive stomach.
We both have 40 ounce Hydro Flasks and it keeps our water nice and cold for up to 24 hours.
Micro Fiber Towel
Our second favorite item we never leave without. A micro fiber towel is awesome for wiping sweat off, using as a fan to cool off or to wrap your stuff in if it starts raining. We have several, a couple from REI and a couple of Shandali we bought online.
Sunglasses and Hat
Two more essential items for Costa Rica. I do recommend bringing 2 pairs of sunglasses. One cheap pair so that you won’t cry if it gets lost in the ocean which has happened to us and our friends many times. A hat or visor is also essential.
Sarong
Ladies, do not forget your sarong if you’re visiting the beach! You can also buy them in souvenir shops here for around $10-20. I love mine. It’s so useful as a towel, beach cover up or even as a blanket for those long cold bus rides. Sometimes I use them to cover my legs at night to protect against mosquitoes when I’m sitting outside.
Cameras and Technology
If you want to capture all those awesome adventures, an action cam is the best. GoPro is great since it’s waterproof and a household name, however we love our Sony Action Cam. It’s waterproof and comes with a watch with a screen so you can see what you’re filming.
If you’re a photographer, bring a wide angle for landscape shots and a telephoto lens (at least 300) for birds and wildlife. A tripod is a must for wildlife.
Our recommendations: Make sure to bring the correct accessories for your action camera to attach it to helmets, surf boards, etc. Most tour companies will have the part that attaches to the helmet but you need to bring the other part. Bring plenty of SD cards as it is very difficult to find Class 10 SD cards outside the city. Also bring a surge protector since budget hotels don’t have that many sockets. Costa Rica’s power is 110 Volts, the same as US.
Flashlights or Head Lamps
I always bring a flashlight with me when we travel around Costa Rica. It can be common for the electricity to go out during rainy season. It is also helpful if you’re walking at night since many streets are not brightly lit and there aren’t sidewalks.
Anti Theft Travel Belt
I don’t find this necessary but some of my friends have brought one down for extra security. It will be handy if you’re traveling solo and spending a lot of time in San Jose. One of my friends uses this one.
Battery Pack
And because the electricity may go out (especially in rainy season), I always have a fully charged battery pack with me. Super useful when we were staying in rural areas.
Waterproof Phone Case
These phone cases are super useful. You can wear it around your neck and use it during water activities like tubing, ziplining or horseback riding. And because they’re waterproof, they’re great for taking pictures at the beach and protecting your phone from sand and salt water.
This is also really nice alternative if you don’t have a waterproof camera and don’t want to spend $400 on a GoPro. We love our Aqua Quest waterproof phone cases, we’ve gotten some great photos while white water tubing with it!
Accessories and Extras
Here are some other items that will be useful.
- Adapter – Costa Rica uses the same voltage as US and Canada.
- Ziplock bags to protect your electronics.
- Laundry bag.
- Phone holder for GPS.
- Spanish dictionary or guide. Download our survival Spanish pocket guide. Though English is widely spoken since Costa Rica is a touristic country, it is still helpful to know some phrases and words in Spanish.
- Packing organizer. Soo helpful for staying organized. Read our review on the PACK here and get 20% off!
- Costa Rica waterproof map – though not absolutely necessary to have a physical map (Waze is the best GPS app), it is a good idea if you don’t plan to get a sim card.
Rainy Season Packing List
Generally around beginning of May – end of November. This is the time of thunderstorms, rainstorms and very windy days (coincides with hurricane season in the Atlantic). Rainiest months are September and October.
Remember, the Caribbean side can rain all year long, November and June are the rainiest months in Tortuguero and Puerto Viejo but it tends to rain more on this coast.
It is very important you come prepared since Costa Rica weather can be fairly unpredictable. It can go from a hot sunny morning to a thunderstorm in a matter of minutes.
The same packing list for Costa Rica in dry season but if you’re coming in rainy season, add these to your list:
- Rain jacket/poncho.
- Waterproof backpack or rain cover/waterproof spray. This is a must!
- Sweater/jacket.
- Long pants and long sleeve shirt
- Travel hair dryer – Hostels, cheap/budget hotels don’t have hair dryers in the room. So ladies, if you’re visiting a cold area (Monteverde, mountainous areas, etc.), a travel hair dryer is a useful thing to bring.
If you are doing activities, bring the appropriate clothing such as:
- Hiking clothing.
- Hiking shoes. Waterproof preferable. There are waterproof sprays for shoes available too.
- Socks.
We have a complete Costa Rica rainy season packing list with more information.
OK so by now, you might be wondering what specific items to bring for your destinations. Read the section below to find out!
Packing List for Costa Rica: Different Destinations and Activities
Arenal and La Fortuna
This area gets pretty hot during dry season with temperatures in the high 80s and 90s F (29 – 34C). If you are staying around Lake Arenal or Nuevo Arenal, it is cooler. In La Fortuna, it gets hot and you can wear shorts, tshirts and flip flops.
Hiking: If you’re hiking the national park, running shoes or hiking shoes will be fine. In rainy season, I recommend a pair of waterproof hiking shoes or hiking sandals.
We prefer to wear hiking pants and I have a pair of Omni-Shield Columbia pants that are water repellent and dry super fast. My favorite pants for rainy season hikes! But you can also wear shorts in rainy and dry season.
Ziplining: Closed toed shoes is a must. No flip flops!
Other activities such as horseback riding, canyoning and white water rafting require closed toed shoes. Closed toed hiking sandals work amazing or water shoes for rafting.
Monteverde
Monteverde sits around 1500 meters in elevation so it is a lot colder up there. Dry season temperatures are around mid 80s F (29 C) and at night, it gets down to the 60s F(16 C). Rainy season is much colder. You need to bring a jacket and long pants for Monteverde.
Expect to run into spring showers even during the hottest months of March and April. Waterproof equipment and clothing is a must for rainy months of September, October and November. Beginning of December can still be pretty rainy as well.
Hiking the cloud forest reserves: Bring a rain jacket and wear closed toed hiking shoes. If you go early in the morning in dry season, you may not need a rain jacket. But always be prepared for rain! Some of the reserves have rain boots for rent.
Osa Peninsula (Corcovado National Park, Puerto Jimenez, Drake Bay) and South Pacific (Uvita, Dominical, Ojochal)
This area is very humid. Hiking shoes are a must for the national park. Trails are well laid out in Corcovado National Park but if you’re doing the walk from Leona to Sirena station, you will have to cross some rivers and walk on the beach. Some hotels have boots for rent or you can buy boots in Puerto Jimenez.
If you are visiting in rainy season, I recommend good waterproof hiking shoes. If you are bringing camera equipment, you need waterproof gear since this area is SO humid and rains hard. Bring 100% waterproof backpacks and ziploc bags.
Must bring items: A micro-fiber towel, a hat, a flashlight, good pair of hiking shoes, lots of mosquito repellent, insulated water bottle, quick dry clothes (like Nike dri-fit), waterproof backpack and an open attitude. You will run into lots of bugs and be hot and sweaty!
Jaco and Manuel Antonio
Both of these places are hot and fairly humid so bring all your beach clothes, sunscreen, mosquito repellent, sunglasses, a hat and swimsuit.
Guanacaste (Coco, Tamarindo, Conchal, Samara) and Nicoya Peninsula
This area is extremely hot and dry and follows the typical tropical season pattern. You must bring tons of at least SPF 30 sunscreen, mosquito repellent, sunglasses, hat and after sun gel. Protect yourself from the sun! An insulated water bottle will be super useful so you can always have cold water.
In dry season, the Nicoya Peninsula, particularly Santa Teresa is extremely dusty. If you plan to rent an ATV, make sure to bring something to cover your face like Buff Headwear because the dust is incredibly bad there.
Rio Celeste
The Tenorio Volcano National Park where Rio Celeste is rains often so bring a rain jacket, even in dry season. When we visited in April, it poured almost all 3 days we were there.
A waterproof backpack is highly recommended (especially for photographers) and hiking sandals or waterproof hiking shoes is also recommended. The national park has rain boots for rent.
Tortuguero and Puerto Viejo
Since this area can rain almost all year long, be prepared for rain. The dry season month is October but believe me, bring your rain jacket still. It’s pretty humid on the Caribbean side as well so fast drying clothes is recommended. If you plan to hike in the national park, you can rent boots as it can get muddy.
A battery pack is highly recommended as Puerto Viejo can get very stormy and the power can go out frequently. You will be fine with hiking sandals or sneakers.
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We hope these tips were helpful!
Want to save this post for later? Click here to get our FREE packing checklist with an abridged version of the notes below so you can print it out and refer back to it while you’re preparing for your trip!
Read other Costa Rica travel tips below!
Best places in Costa Rica for 1st time travelers
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Alexandra says
June 3, 2019 at 6:53 AMHi. Thank you for the incredibly helpful blog. The checklist is wonderful. I was wondering if you had a plain list as the colors are not printing for me. The gray boxes are coming out black so I can’t see the items. Thanks again.
Sammi says
June 3, 2019 at 7:09 AMHi Alexandra, I don’t have it in black and white but you can select that option when you print (grayscale).
MAURIECE HOOKS says
August 26, 2018 at 5:54 PMHi, i will be in Manuel Antonio next week and am a first timer to the country. Any reccomendations of what to bring along with me on this trip?
Sammi says
August 26, 2018 at 8:11 PMHi Mauriece, you can read our tips for what to bring to Costa Rica during rainy season here: Rainy season packing list Costa Rica
Jessee says
July 9, 2018 at 6:40 PMHi there! So glad I stumbled across your site, it has been super helpful. 🙂 Quick question, if that’s ok – I see that Costa Rica uses the same voltage and plugs as US and Canada from your response to another reader’s comment, and this may be a dumb question, but am wondering if this applies to the whole country, or just a particular region?
Sammi says
July 9, 2018 at 9:36 PMHi Jessee, it is 110 V throughout the whole country 🙂
Sammi says
June 20, 2018 at 11:12 AMHi, yes you will definitely need your rain jacket but it is best to bring a rain jacket shell, you don’t need a rain jacket that has fleece lining or anything like that. We like our North Face Venture Rain Jackets, they are light and have zipper shell pockets that you can open to let air flow through for ventilation so it doesn’t get super hot and humid.
NW says
June 19, 2018 at 7:22 PMHi. I’ll be in Costa Rica next week (June 25). I’m not sure I should take my rain jacket or not. I heard it’s too hot to wear it. Can anyone help me with this?
Jane B Bonner says
June 9, 2018 at 6:28 PMHi, I am planning a Girl’s trip the second week in July for 7 days. We are flying into LIR and renting a car. We are staying in Flamingo closer to Potrero. What are some fun things to do and visit while we are there including nice places to eat. We will be celebrating my birthday as well. No ziplining. Thanks.
Sammi says
June 10, 2018 at 1:43 PMHi Jane, here is our guide to Flamingo: Flamingo beach Costa Rica Have fun!
Sammi says
May 9, 2017 at 4:10 PMHi Yassie, I wrote tips for what to wear in our post on Buena Vista you can read here: Buena Vista combo tour.
I have never done the beach/pool crawl but I would assume you’d need a swimsuit, shorts, a shirt and flip flops 🙂
yassie says
May 9, 2017 at 1:47 PMHello, I am going with friends to Liberia May 18th and we will be staying in Tamarindo and doing the Buena Vista Combo Tour . We are trying to figure out what we should bring and wear. Also do have any information how the Beach and Pool Crawl is and what to wear/bring?
Thank you
Sammi says
April 25, 2017 at 12:02 PMYou can check the rainy season details here in this post: Costa Rica weather.
It will be the transition month from dry to rainy so do come prepared for rain. You can read this post for our favorite mosquito repellent: Best mosquito repellent
Missy says
April 23, 2017 at 6:07 PMHi Sammi- I am so glad I found your blog. It has been so helpful. We will be down May 7. We are visiting Grecia, Arenal Observatory Lodge, and Jaco. We are planning hiking, waterfalls, and beach. I am confused what to bring for Grecia and Arenal area besides a rain jacket and boots! Will it be a bit chilly for shorts or too hot for pants and long sleeves? I am trying to keep out bags to a minimum. What do you recommend?
Missy
Sammi says
April 23, 2017 at 8:40 PMIf you get cold, it’s recommended to bring a sweater or jacket and long pants for night, it does cool down in Grecia and Arenal at night time especially if it rains. In Jaco, you won’t be cold at all, it’s very hot and humid there. But when you’re out during the day, it will still be pretty hot in all those places. It has been raining in the Central Valley so I do recommend bringing long pants and a sweater.
Missy says
April 24, 2017 at 3:06 PMThanks! That is more helpful that you can imagine. I was feeling like I needed to pack so much and I am trying to keep it down to a carry-on. I love Mytanfeet!
Sammi says
April 25, 2017 at 10:08 AMYou’re very welcome! Glad it’s helpful 🙂
Kelly says
April 9, 2017 at 9:31 PMGoing to Arenal this June and am not sure what to wear on the hikes. Do I need hiking pants or can I wear leggings and do I need a specific type of shoe or do my regular gym shoes work out?
Sammi says
April 10, 2017 at 9:19 AMIt depends which hike you’re doing, but for the most part you can wear shorts (it’s hot over there right now since April is the hottest month) or leggings. The hardest hike is Cerro Chato so if you’re doing that one, you can wear shorts or leggings and closed toed hiking shoes. Your regular running shoes will work too but for more traction and support, hiking shoes are better. But if you’re going to Arenal Volcano National Park, you don’t really need hiking shoes since the trail is well laid out and you won’t be walking through mud.
Dana says
March 14, 2017 at 8:22 AMHello! We will be staying at the Dreams resort in Guanacaste region next week. I had a question on what to wear while touring the rain forest and national parks in that region. Would you recommend wearing long pants and long sleeves? I was thinking of wearing light long pants and a tank top.
Enjoy your blog! Thank you!
Sammi says
March 14, 2017 at 8:37 AMHi Dana, light long pants and a tank top will be perfect. It’s dry season right now and the rain forest is actually pretty hot (if you’re going to the Arenal area) so you won’t need long sleeves. If you’re going to Monteverde, I recommend bringing a jacket as it gets cold at night.
Dana says
March 19, 2017 at 9:21 PMThank you!
Kathy says
March 8, 2017 at 11:06 PMAre mosquitos worse during specific times of the day (e.g. dusk, evening) along the Pacific coast in late June? I notice from videos I’ve seen that some resorts have mosquito netting surrounding the beds and wonder if we’ll need to wear bug repellent 24 hours a day.
Sammi says
March 9, 2017 at 8:53 AMHi Kathy, yes sunset rolls around, the bugs are worse. There are these little gnats at the beach that come out during sunset too that bite hard. Mosquitoes are worse in rainy season so bring plenty of repellent! We have actually only been to 1 hotel that had mosquito netting because we were staying in the middle of the jungle in the Osa Peninsula, you don’t really need mosquito netting in normal hotels.
tammy C Gamble says
April 25, 2017 at 10:40 AMWe will be in Arenal May 31 thru June 2 then to Tamarindo, will it be rainy season then?
What is the best non DEET repelant.
Sammi says
December 26, 2016 at 2:27 PMHi Linda! We use the High Sierra carry on backpack one and it’s awesome! We wrote a review for it here: High Sierra carry on backpack
Linda says
December 26, 2016 at 2:22 PMNeed to know what wheeling backpack you use….thanks!
Yancy says
September 22, 2016 at 2:51 PMClothing and shoes can get musty smelling if you can’t wash items during your trip. I recommend bringing a few dryer sheets. You can separate your dirty from your clean and keep your clean clothes smelling fresh while traveling home. This can save you from having to do extra laundry upon your return home. I have done this a few times and it works great. Just bring 1 or 2 drawstring bags to place your dirty clothes in.
Sammi says
September 23, 2016 at 8:05 AMThat’s a great idea! Thanks Yancy!
Sammi says
August 1, 2016 at 4:20 PMHi Deena, there’s no vaccination against malaria, there are only pills that can help treat it if you get infected and you must start taking them a certain number of weeks before your trip and after – it’s best to ask your doctor about it. However, malaria pills aren’t really needed here and I recommend reading this post for more info about diseases/vaccinations: Vaccinations for Costa Rica.
As for preventing diseases from mosquitoes, we recommend using plenty of repellent. Here are our picks: Best mosquito repellent
DEENA GREENSPAN says
August 1, 2016 at 11:48 AMDO you think we sh ould get pills to take against malaria or the other virus you mentioned? i guess we can take them while there then stop when we get home or maybe just get a vaccination?
we will be arriving in 1 week
Sammi says
June 7, 2016 at 3:23 PMYou’re very welcome! Don’t forget to check out our packing list for rainy season since it’s well under way right now 🙂 Rainy season packing list Costa Rica
Makenzie says
June 7, 2016 at 1:12 PMThanks so much! I leave in a week for Costa Rica and this list was so helpful!
Barbara says
May 17, 2016 at 9:41 AMI would also recommend a printed list of all medications and your home contact information, and HAVE IT LAMINATED! It costs only a dollar or little more at an office supply store! I will have mine and my husband’s on a 4 x 6 card. We are senior citizens and I am violently allergic to wasp, bee, and fire ant stings, so this is mandatory for me. I make business card-size versions for us to carry in our wallets – not just our own, but we carry one for our spouse, too. As an RN/paramedic, I can’t stress enough how important these are. They can be lifesavers in an emergency. I would recommend them done in both English and Spanish for travel to costa Rica!
Sammi says
May 17, 2016 at 12:12 PMVery true and very important for those taking medications!
Barbara says
May 17, 2016 at 9:28 AMCan Epi-Pens be bought over the counter in costa Rica?
Sammi says
May 17, 2016 at 12:22 PMI am pretty sure they aren’t, I always advise people to bring one if they have severe allergies.
Alyssa @ Uneven Sidewalks says
September 27, 2015 at 11:27 PMAwesome list! It’s so good to know these things before you leave! Our favorite travel hack for Landon was the new style hybrid board shorts. Have you seen those? You can use them as regular shorts and swim trunks at the same time! It’s so awesome! We always pack a money belt too! Great tips!
Sammi says
November 24, 2015 at 9:09 AMThat sounds pretty awesome. I am sure Yeison would love that! How convenient
Dora says
May 27, 2015 at 10:26 AMMy husband and I are going to Peru the first week of June and I have found your blogs to be so helpful.Thank you so much!
Heidi Marquisette says
April 30, 2015 at 8:48 PMWhy the OTC and anti-nausea medicine? My son and I are visiting for the first time end of May, and I was wondering what this would be needed for. I have been told that the water is okay to drink, even though I will drink bottled, but want to make sure I was informed correctly. We’ll be staying in Cahuita.
Thank you for this list, this will make my packing much easier!!! 🙂
Sammi says
May 1, 2015 at 7:13 AMHi Heidi,
I recommend bringing anti-nausea medicine if you get carsick or sea sick (if you plan to go sailing/boating). Some of the roads here are pretty windy and curvy not to mention bumpy on the unpaved roads so I have to take anti-nausea medicine since I get carsick easily. One example is the route from Guanacaste to Arenal. I like stocking up on OTC medicine in the US because it’s brands I’m familiar with and it’s just much easier to know the names in English than in Spanish. Also fyi, in CR they don’t sell medicines at the supermarket, you have to go to the pharmacy. Water here is safe to drink but it’s easier to drink bottled since the minerals and stuff in the water is different so it may still give you some tummy issues.
Hope this clears things up a bit and have a great trip!
Heidi Marquisette says
May 4, 2015 at 10:57 AMThank you!!! We surprised him last night about the trip and have been talking about it all day today!! We’re very excited! Thank you for documenting life there, it really has made planning this trip much easier, and makes me feel far more prepared!! Thank you again!!!
Sammi says
May 4, 2015 at 2:51 PMHow exciting! I’m sure you guys will have a great trip here, let us know if you have any other questions!
Heidi Marquisette says
May 10, 2015 at 4:23 PMHey guys… Me again! I was wondering, friends and family are worried that our standard electric items may need an adapter to work… Can you tell me if we need to get adapters to plug our electronics in? Thanks!!!
Heidi
yeison says
May 11, 2015 at 7:05 AMHi Heidi!
If you are coming from the United States or Canada you will not need an adapter, we use exactly the same voltage and plugs 🙂
Dale says
October 28, 2013 at 3:33 AMI’m really hoping to make it to South America in the new year after doing a little more travelling her in Europe, at least now I can come back and use this list to feel a little more prepared!
Sammi says
October 28, 2013 at 8:18 AMAwesome! Hope you make your way over here and glad this list helps 🙂 Been enjoying reading your travels in Europe!
cristina says
November 14, 2015 at 7:57 PMCosta Rica is in Central America, not in South America
Mig says
October 28, 2013 at 1:05 AMThe mosquitos are bad in Costa Rica especially along the coast. Can’t stress the repellent enough. Bring some from home because it is expensive in tourist areas.
Sammi says
October 28, 2013 at 8:16 AMYes they are! Especially in Nicoya is the worst. One minute outside and 5 bites already. Annoying things!
Sammi says
October 25, 2013 at 9:23 AMYes it definitely is! Surfboards are a bit big to bring and I don’t have my own so I just rent. But for hardcore surfers, for sure!