Before packing
Entry requirements
A valid passport is required from citizens from different countries to enter the country. Make sure that your passport will not expire within 3 months from the day you are planning to enter the country.
You will be permitted to stay for up to 30 or 90 days without a VISA.
Some countries that do not require a VISA to enter Costa Rica:
Austria, Australia, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, France, Finland, Germany, Holland,
Hungary, Italy, Israel, Japan, Jamaica, Liechtenstein, Mexico, New Zealand, Norway,
Portugal, Puerto Rico, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, South Africa, Trinidad & Tobago,
United States of America (USA).
For further information please contact the Costa Rican Embassy or Consulate in your country. Or check the Minister of Foreign Affairs web page where you will find more information on visa requirements and addresses for our representations around the world: www.rree.go.cr.
Booking your flight There are several airlines that have daily flights to San José de Costa Rica, the capital of the country. The capital is used as a base for the beginning of your trips around the countryside and the beach areas.
Another International Airport is located in the city of Liberia, at the Province of Guanacaste, near the most popular beach destinations on the Northern Pacific Coast.
The following airlines serve San José, Costa Rica from different cities across North America, Europe and South America:
Grupo Taca
- New York, Boston,
- Chicago, Miami,
- San Francisco, L.A.
- Houston, New Orleans,
- Toronto
- Central & South American cities
Delta Airlines
- Atlanta
* San Jose and Liberia Airports
- New York (JFK)
* San Jose and Liberia Airports
Continental Airlines
- Houston
- Newark
* San Jose and Liberia Airports
US Airways
- Charlotte
* San Jose and Liberia Airports
- Philadelphia
- Phoenix
American Airlines
- Miami
- Dallas
- Los Angeles
* San Jose and Liberia Airports
- Fort Lauderdale
Frontier Airlines
Spirit Airlines
Air Canada
Cheapoair
- Best airline fare deals anywhere on the web!
What to pack?
# 1 rule: Pack light!
Some suggestions of items you should pack before:
- Cotton shirts (one easy to dry long sleeve shirt)
- One or two easy to dry long pants
- Shorts (to keep your legs breezy on hot areas)
- A casual dress for the ladies/teen girls
- Socks (easy to dry)
- A light sweater/rain jacket (you will need it for the highland areas)
- One or two bathing suites
- Pocket Poncho or Umbrella (for the rainy season)
- Hiking shoes or tennis shoes, sandals
- Sunglasses
- Hats
- Sunscreen lotion
- Aloe Lotion (relieves the itching of burned skin or mosquito bites)
- Insect repellent (but preferably buy a local one when you arrive in CR)
- Camera and enough film (film is a bit more expensive here!)
- Binoculars (optional) we recommend: www.eagleoptics.com
- A small flashlight (in some areas you will need to walk from your room to some other place and light might not be good enough)
- Business cards and address book (you will make friends on the way)
- Travel Dairy
- If traveling with kids, download a list of items to keep them busy on the way!
- Click here to download our suggested reading list
Please note:
For domestic flights and boat transfers the usually weight allowed per person is 25-30 pounds. Excess luggage can be left at your base hotel in San Jose in the case you return there after one destination.
Most of the hotels/lodges offer laundry services at affordable prices.
We recommend for outdoor clothing, luggage and more:
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