The ultimate Costa Rica packing list - The most important things for your luggage.

Costa Rica's beautiful beaches and tropical forests are waiting for you. We have for your Costa Rica trip the perfect packing list together.

Travel documents

1. Valid passport (check the validity and renew it if necessary)
2. Copy of passport (save digitally or keep separately from original)
3. Visa if necessary (not required with German or European passport)
4. Insurance policy Health insurance abroad (online)
5. Vaccination card (check if you need to refresh your vaccinations)
6. Flight ticket (printout or e-ticket)
7. Travel credit card
8. Cash
9. List of emergency contacts and allergies, if applicable.
10. Optional: Driver's license & international driver's license
11. Optional: Diving license
12. Optional: Waterproof document bag

Electronics

1. Mobile phone with charger
2. Travel Plug Adapter Type A & B/Travel Adapters Worldwide*
3. Headphones
4. Powerbank* or Solar charger*
5. Flashlight*/Headlamp* (if available)
6. Optional: Camera with charger
7. Optional: Drone for aerial photography
8. Optional: Rain cover for your camera/smartphone
9. Optional: Laptop/ tablet/ e-reader/ Kindle with charger
10. Optional: Multiple socket

Toilet bag

1. Toothbrush*
2. Toothpaste*
3. Dental floss*
4. Deodorant*
5. Hairbrush*
6. Shaver*
7. Nail care
8. Sunscreen*
9. Shampoo*/conditioner/Shower gel/soap* (in Costa Rica these items cost more compared to Germany).
10. Lip protection
11. Tweezers*
12. Hygiene articles
13. Microfiber towel*
14. Optional: Face lotion
15. Optional: Make-Up
16. Optional: Contact lenses

First Aid Kit

1. Hand sanitizer or wipes
2. Mosquito repellent (e.g. Nobite, Autan, with ingredient DEET or similar)
3. Painkillers (e.g. ibuprofen, aspirin)
4. Diarrhoea medication (e.g. Imodium Akut, charcoal tablets)
5. Wound cream (e.g. Bepanthen)
6. Plasters and blister plasters
7. If necessary, tablets against seasickness/travel sickness (e.g. Superpep)

Personal comfort:

1. Backpack 25-40L (Pay attention to hand luggage dimensions: 55x40x20 cm for the plane)
2. Dry Bag
3. Sunglasses
4. Earplugs*/earplugs
5. Books/Magazines
6. Headgear/Cap
7. Sleep mask*
8. Microfiber towel*
9. Travel pillow* (for flight and longer trips)
10. Optional: Card games, board games

Environmentally conscious travel

With these little things you can actively help to avoid plastic in Costa Rica and simply do your part to protect the environment:

1. Reusable Silicone tubes* filled with your shampoo, conditioner, shower gel
2. Reusable bottle* (preferably stainless steel for hot and cold)
3. Optional: Reusable cup (preferably stainless steel for hot and cold)
4. Optional: Stainless steel outdoor cutlery (knife, spoon, fork, chopsticks, Straw)

Climate in Costa Rica: Packing list for every travel season

Surrounded by the Pacific Ocean and the Caribbean Sea, Costa Rica is located in the tropical to subtropical climate zone, so there are no seasons like in Germany. Instead, a distinction is made between rainy and dry seasons. The climate is warm all year round and temperatures do not often fall below 15°C even in the rainy season. However, Costa Rica also has different climatic zones due to the altitudes. Keep this in mind when planning a trip to the mountains.

Dry season in Costa Rica

In principle, Costa Rica is suitable for traveling all year round. The dry season provides pleasant, sunny temperatures up to 30 °C degrees and brings many advantages. Due to the dry air, there are fewer insects in the areas. Visibility underwater becomes clearer as the sea is less agitated. Diving or snorkeling during this time you will certainly get your money's worth.

In particular, the climate by the sea, also Tierra cliente called, always humid all year round. That means hot and humid. The temperatures on the Caribbean coast are around 25 °C and 27 °C degrees all year round, while it does not cool down below 20 °C degrees at night. Pleasant temperatures all year round. Those of you who want to experience the most hours of sunshine should travel between March and April and avoid July. In contrast, the Pacific coast is known to be even warmer. Here, the thermometer sometimes rises above 40 °C degrees.

The higher you go, the colder it gets. In the Tierra templada, the temperate climate zone, temperatures are around 14 °C and 18 °C degrees at altitudes of up to 2,300 meters.

In the mountains of Costa Rica, the Tierra fríaTemperatures up to the altitude of 3,300 m vary throughout the year between 10 °C and 14 °C degrees. For this reason, it is recommended to take one or two thick sweaters with you, which you can put on in case of emergency. It is also recommended to wear sturdy shoes when exploring Costa Rica's mountains.

Dry season packing list: clothes and shoes

1. Underwear
2. Socks
3. Pajamas/sleepwear
4. Swimwear and towel
5. Long, light pants/jeans
6. Shorts/Skirts
7. T-shirts/tops (some should cover the shoulders)
8. Thin longsleeve/thick sweater
9. Beach dress/beach outfit
10. Light jacket
11. Thin rain jacket
12. Waterproof shoes
13. Sturdy shoes: sneakers, hiking boots, etc.
14. Sandals/FlipFlops
15. Trekking equipment

Rainy season in Costa Rica

The rainy season is from May to November, with small, drier periods between May and July, so this time is still suitable for travel. The temperatures in the rainy season also often do not fall below 15 °C degrees. Therefore, only small items are listed here, which you can take with you to Costa Rica in addition to the above list. Since the air during the rainy season in Costa Rica is especially humid and muggy, insects in particular like to cavort at this time of year. Here it is important to remember to pack a good anti-insect/mosquito spray.

During the rainy season, sustained rainfall lasting several days may occur around the summer-autumn turn, resulting in flooded rivers and roads. Otherwise, the often waterfall-like rains outside the summer-autumn turn begin at midday and usually last a few hours.

Why is it still worth traveling during the rainy season? Quite simply. The rainy season inspires especially with blooming nature, lush green, dense foliage and plants, which shine in the most diverse colors.

Packing List Rainy Season: Extras

1. Umbrella/Poncho*
2. Rain cover for your backpack

Recommended vaccinations

There are no compulsory vaccinations for direct entry from Germany.

In addition to the standard vaccinations according to the RKI, travel vaccinations against hepatitis B, typhoid and rabies are recommended for long-term stays.

Be sure to get your standard immunizations according to the Vaccination calendar of the Robert Koch Institute are up to date.

Conclusion

As is well known, less is more and this also applies to a trip to Costa Rica. The important documents, such as the passport, must of course not be missing. On a round trip with many stops it is simply easier to travel with light luggage and many things are easier to pack. In addition, with a light suitcase on the outbound flight, there is also more space for travel souvenirs. Don't forget to take a comfortable backpack for your excursions, as well as your swimming gear to keep you warm. endless white beaches of Costa Rica to experience.

Download packing list PDF

Here you can download the Costa Rica Packing List conveniently as PDF.

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