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We recently went on a trip to Costa Rica and it was nothing short of amazing-minus the rainy weather! While planning our trip we knew that we would we experience some rain, but when they say rainy season in Costa Rica, they mean it! In Tamarindo, most of the storms were in the early morning or late night, giving us time to enjoy our day. While in San Jose, we experienced heavy afternoon storms that subsided by the evening. Whether you will be spending your time in the beach region, jungle or city like San Jose we hope these essentials we have listed will help you.
1. The main item you need to pack is repellent. Sawyer and Repel were both used on our trip. If you are looking for a repellent that has more of natural smell, Repel is great. It may also be helpful to pack a mini/travel sized spray to re-up while out on any excursions in the jungle, by volcanos, ziplining etc. If you are going to be there longer than a weekend it is good to have 2 bottles.
2. A lightweight poncho will be fine! It will be easy enough to carry around in your backpack during your excursions and will keep you dry. You can also invest in a Rain Jacket if you want to spend a few extra dollars. We all had ponchos that lasted the duration of our trip.
3. If you are going to the beach region of Costa Rica, it is best to pack at least 3 swimsuits. Especially if you will be there several days and plan on going on day trips where you will get wet (hot springs, rafting etc.) It's very humid in Costa Rica, and it make take longer than a day for some items to dry if you lay them out.
4. Waterproof backpack that will keep your belongings dry while on your day excursions. It also should be light enough to not weigh you down!
5. As for clothing, we pretty much made sure we were covered while on our excursions. Light weight long-sleeved shirts or jacket (in case you can't take the heat) can help protect against mosquito bites. If you are planning to go out for dinner or to grab a drink a simple maxi or midi dress is all you need.
6. Protection against the sun and rain. Don't forget to pack sunscreen and travel sized umbrella. If the right size, these items should be able to fit into your backpack without making it bulky.
7. And of course some cute accessories! Like we mentioned before, it can be pretty hot in Costa Rica. Pack a cute handmade fan to keep you cool--if you don't have one the flea markets sell them for about $3 USD. Cute travel themed accessories can be found in H&M. They can hold travel sized medications, copies of your passport and driver's license etc. A cute portable charger like the Pineapple Power Bank by Buqu to make sure your phone stays charged for all of the selfies and Snapchat photos!
For a free printable packing guide please click the image below!
Depending on how long you will be there, what part of Costa Rica you're staying in and what activities you have planned will ultimately determine what to pack. These are just a few items that would be helpful to pack! What other items are perfect for a vacation in Costa Rica?