Planning a trip to Costa Rica? Asking yourself, “what do I pack for a perfect Costa Rica trip?” And if you’re visiting multiple cities or regions of the country, you’ll need to be ready for the many micro-climates this beautiful country has to offer. On my trip, we visited the Arenal region (rainforest, humid, hot), Guanacaste region (beach, dry, hotter), and Jaco (beach, humid, hottest). Here’s my advice on your Costa Rica packing list, including what I wish I packed before I went on my trip! Disclaimer: This is from a woman’s perspective, so a couple items may be femme-specific.

Shoes

First, here is my most important packing advice. It’s probably top of mind for you, the same it was for me when I was doing my research. These are my top three shoes that you NEED to pack for Costa Rica. Bonus, I suggest comfortable sandals or “pool slides” like those rubber Birkenstocks (*cough* my Target dupes have lasted me years *cough*). Comfy sandals are nice for long car rides and relaxing at your hotel (or maybe a spa day that you schedule for yourself).

To visit Fortuna Waterfall, kayaking, and other water adventures, you will want to pack water shoes or water sneakers. They’ll be comfortable to walk over rocks while being ready to jump in the water for a swim, and still dry off before getting back into your car.

Tevas are perfect beach shoes or hiking sandals that can handle getting wet, though they’ll need to dry overnight. I actually preferred wearing Tevas over casual walking sneakers when I was walking in town for lunch. I suggest skipping packing a pair of sneakers to save you some space. Before you purchase Tevas, consider the foot-bed. A lot of people like the foam bottom Tevas, but you are buying these for comfort AND durability. I highly recommend buying the Tevas with a sneaker-like rubber foot bed, as pictured below (Hurricane II). Tip: Buy Tevas in Earth tones colors because they’re easy to match and will look really cute in whatever landscape you’re in!

If you plan on hiking in denser vegetation like you would in the cloud forests of Monteverde, you want to protect yourself from the landscape and the critters on the ground. For this, I recommend over the ankle hiking boots. Also, waterproof hiking boots are essential for the wet environments. Hiking boots are a good investment because there’s plenty of adventure travel around the world you’ll want to use them! I personally bought Skechers because they were an affordable option, but anything that fits comfortable is your best option. (Tip: Half-size up to allow for your feet to swell!)

Shirts and Pants

Costa Rica has different micro-climates all over, and depending on the season, each of these weather patterns in these micro-climates vary throughout the year. Keeping that in mind, you want to bring comfortable shirts and tops.

For beach days and hiking days in the sun, be sure to have some sun protection with a long flowy SPF shirt. I personally love linen wear tops and bottoms for the beach and it’s cute enough to continue wearing at your hotel restaurant or walking down the streets to shop and stroll.

For kayaking, paddle boarding, and other water adventures, I highly recommend wearing a rash guard. If you usually like to wear bikini swim bottoms, you might even consider wearing activewear shorts instead to be comfortable as you get up and down from your kayak or surfboard. And, always pack an extra outfit to change into when you’re doing water activities so you can be comfortable afterward.

Depending on your altitude, you might catch cooler temperatures. You can even get extreme winds on many places on the Costa Rican coast. It helps to have a loose sweatshirt or crochet beach-style sweater that’ll make you feel cozy during an patio dinner.

For hiking in the cloud forest, you want to be prepared for rain. It’s a good idea to bring water resistant pants and a waterproof jacket.

Swimwear

Bring a lot of and any swimwear you feel comfortable in! If you plan on laying out in the sun to get a tan, wearing a string bikini is the best. If you plan on doing some more adventurous water activities, I suggest swimwear that feels like activewear. Search for swim tops that are in the shape of sports bras and swim bottoms that have full coverage. That way, you’re comfortable coming in and out of a kayak or hopping up from your surfboard.

Bonus tip! If you’re going to Fortuna Waterfall, bring a bathing suit that’s dark in color and that you wouldn’t mind getting dirty. The rocks can be muddy and if you’re like me, you’re probably going to want to pose like The Little Mermaid for a picture. I made the mistake of wearing a light pink bikini that still has a mud stain!

Accessories

Visiting Costa Rica, you probably set up a lot of adventures for yourself. You want to be prepared with the right accessories. Bring a small to medium hiking backpack that will fit all your essentials every time you’re ready to go on these adventures.

If you want to bring your phone along to your water activities, bring a waterproof pouch or waterproof phone case. (Be sure to test at home first!)

Pack all your sun gear, a couple pair of sunglasses and a couple different hats, like a baseball cap, bucket hat, or floppy sun hat.

You’ll need the right socks for your hiking boots. Socks should not be cotton whatsoever. The material should be poly-blends that are moisture wicking.

If you want to go out at night, don’t bring any expensive jewelry. Instead, wear cheap fashion jewelry and statement jewelry that will liven up any outfit.

Toiletries (Including Medications)

I am a carry-on queen. I have never (willingly) checked my luggage. Being mindful of packing your toiletries is a really important way to save space. Obviously, with a carry-on bag, you don’t have the luxury of packing full-sized products anyway. So, with a carry-on, you want to make sure everything you bring is travel sized, or smaller. Ulta, Sephora, and Target are great options for finding travel sized or trial sized versions of your favorite skin care products.

Aside from your regular skincare routine, make sure to bring body and face sunscreen, bar soap (one less liquid to worry about), shampoo & conditioner, and hand sanitizing wipes. When you get to Costa Rica (or even at the airport when you land), I highly suggest buying a bottle (or two) of spray sunscreen and bug spray. Spray bottles are the easiest way to reapply when you’re enjoying (and protecting yourself from) the outdoors.

Medications! Grocery stores and pharmacies in Costa Rica have everything you need really, but there’s a few medications you want to pack to prevent having to search for it later. For general aches and pains, pack Tylenol or Advil. My essential item for dealing with the motion sickness of driving up and down mountains, Dramamine (non-drowsy). It was the first time I’ve ever needed this, and luckily my nurse roommate brought with her. I was on the verge of getting sick, and I took Dramamine and felt so much better. Bonus tip: It also helps hangovers. To help getting to sleep, I suggest packing melatonin gummies or tablets. Vacation is very tiring, but it’s also very exciting. Your body holds in that energy even when you’re ready to go to sleep. It helps to be prepared for the rest our body needs.

Bonus! Snacks

If you plan on visiting multiple regions of Costa Rica, it’s likely you will be on the road. Keeping that in mind, it’s a good idea to save space in your luggage for protein snacks. My go-tos are chocolate Clif bars and cashews.

That’s all, folks! I hope this packing guide will be helpful on your trip to Costa Rica! If you have questions, or think something’s missing, feel free to drop a comment!