What to Wear in Costa Rica for Any Type of Weather

Heading to Costa Rica and not confident what to pack? No matter whether you’re planning on hitting up the beach locations of Manuel Antonio, climbing as a result of the cloud forest in Monteverde, canoeing via the canals in Tortuguero, or all of the over, packing for such a assorted experience can be a obstacle.

In addition to your decided on locations in-country, you should really also take into consideration the climate when deciding what to pack. There are two key seasons in Costa Rica: soaked and dry. The damp year goes from Could to November, when there are frequent hefty rainstorms, monsoons, and hurricanes. The dry season from December to April also sees some rain, specially at significant altitudes, but is overall a lot more sunny and a great deal warmer.

With these things in intellect, here’s an epic packing listing to support you put together for your subsequent adventure in Costa Rica:

What to Don in Costa Rica: Moist Year (May–November)

I frequented Costa Rica for the duration of the rainy time, when there are storms pretty much every working day all over most of the region. It might sound unappealing to go to these kinds of an outdoorsy place all through this time, but having been geared up for the rain was a game changer and designed it all well worth it. All round, I would certainly visit Costa Rica through the rainy period all over again, as extended as I was in the same way prepared.

To pack for this time of yr, here’s what I advocate:

Clothing: carry levels

Apart from planning myself for the rain, I also experienced to consider that I would be checking out a variety of climates. From packing seaside attire for my times in Uvita and Manuel Antonio to remaining ready for chilly mountain temperature in Monteverde, I experienced my perform minimize out for me.

Bringing layers is important. Provide light-weight garments that can be layered, so you’re well prepared for instantaneous changes in weather conditions and several climates alike.

Here’s the garments I packed for one thirty day period in Costa Rica during the wet time:

With these, I had a multitude of distinct outfits to select from with no experience like I experienced way too a lot garments with me. All the things I introduced matched, so I felt place alongside one another although also getting cozy. My complete preferred factor I brought was my white linen button-down shirt, since it’s this kind of a wonderful layering piece and appears to be like fashionable above a simple outfit like the a single in the photograph over.

Footwear: much less is much more

Bringing far more than two pairs of footwear is a waste of place if you’re heading somewhere like Costa Rica. I packed my Blundstones and a pair of Tevas and that’s it. My Blundstone chelsea boots are heavier, so I wore them on the airplane and when traveling, to continue to keep my bag lighter. My Tevas are water-proof and great for climbing, specially if there’s a great deal of mud and drinking water to walk by.

If I had been to carry just one far more pair, I may possibly look at some running sneakers, just for the reason that my Tevas took a extensive time to dry and I finished up sporting moist shoes in all places. Given that the humidity is so substantial all through wet period in Costa Rica, matters acquire substantially more time to dry. This wasn’t a large offer to me, but may possibly be to somebody who just cannot stand having wet ft.

Equipment: retain it casual

I opted for the most straightforward equipment feasible. Just a pair of gold hoop earrings and easy black sunglasses have been ample to elevate my outfits just a minimal bit without having being flashy.

Due to the fact it’s not quite sunny in Costa Rica in the course of the soaked period, I didn’t see a will need for a sun hat that would take up a good deal of area in my bag. I did provide a baseball cap, just for a little bit of solar safety on the times when I went out for hikes.

Listed here are the add-ons I introduced:

Toiletries: opt for solids when achievable

I’m just one of all those tourists that endlessly worries about liquids spilling in my bag, so I opt for strong solutions mostly for that purpose. Nonetheless, solid products and solutions are also a great plastic-absolutely free alternative and occasionally even final for a longer period than liquid products. For points like moisturizers, sunscreen, and bug spray, it is more challenging to obtain them in good form, unfortunately.

These are the toiletries that I introduced for one particular thirty day period in Costa Rica:

What to Wear in Costa Rica: Dry Year (December–April)

The weather conditions throughout the dry period is a great deal warmer in a lot of parts of Costa Rica, as there’s extra sunshine and considerably less rain to crack the heat. I generally read Costa Ricans connect with this time “summer,” even while it starts off in December (when it’s wintertime north of the equator).

As far as what to wear all through dry period, the packing record I advise is comparable to the damp time, but with a number of variations that will assistance prepare you for the heat and sunshine.

Apparel: uncomplicated, breezy, and comfy

Through the dry time, preserving awesome is the identify of the sport, as temperatures soar. Convey dresses that are ethereal, dry immediately, and are comfortable over all else. Go for materials like cotton or linen, which are a lot more breathable. To make it less difficult to develop outfits that you actually want to put on, make certain anything follows the very same color plan, more or a lot less. That way you can mix and match and not feel like you’re sporting the identical outfit each day.

Here’s what I counsel for what to use in Costa Rica throughout the dry season:

Footwear, extras, and toiletries

I really do not see substantially require for variation in footwear, components, and toiletries from moist time to dry year. If I ended up heading to Costa Rica through dry season, I would deliver the identical footwear I brought for damp year. For equipment, I could add a floppy sunlight hat to protect my encounter from the severe rays on the beach front. My toiletries would remain the exact, but I would provide an anti-chafing adhere (my thick-thighed sisters know the drill) and higher SPF sunscreen for my facial area.

Backpack vs. Rolling Baggage

Generally talking, for any desired destination the most essential variable when selecting irrespective of whether to provide a backpack or rolling luggage is your decided on mode of transportation. If you are renting a car or only viewing a person place for the entirety of your journey, a rolling suitcase may make feeling for you. Having said that, if you’re scheduling on working with community transportation and will be shifting all over a large amount that way, a backpack is unquestionably the way to go.

Backpacks & working day packs

For me, it was a video game changer to discover backpacks that could unzip like a suitcase. I used to dread possessing to fish out garments goods from my top-loading backpack, which manufactured being organized considerably a lot more of a trouble. I propose this Osprey 70L pack for more time journeys, which zips open up the way a suitcase would and arrives with a water-proof deal with to guard it from the rain.

Getting a day pack is important in Costa Rica, as there is so much to do outside. I put in extremely tiny time in my accommodations all through my month there, leaving early in the morning and returning in the evening. So I introduced all the things I needed for the working day with me in my day pack. I have this one from Everlane, which I appreciate this 1 from REI is just as lovable and a bit scaled-down.

(If you want to uncover the fantastic just one for you, really don’t miss out on out on this full information to picking a journey backpack.)

Rolling luggage

If you hire a car and are not nervous about lugging your baggage close to, working with a suitcase may possibly be really worth it. Especially if you go for a hard shell suitcase, it is easier to keep your points structured and risk-free from finding smashed in transit.

If you’re examining a bag, I propose this hard-shell rolling suitcase from REI. It’s long lasting and has anti-microbial technological innovation that inhibits the advancement of microorganisms, which is a huge moreover considering how humid the temperature is in Costa Rica.

If you only want to bring a carry-on, this tough-shell suitcase is just a smaller edition.

Retaining your issues structured

Whether you provide a backpack or a suitcase, packing cubes are a should if you want to maintain your points structured. I specifically like cleanse/dirty packing cubes and sets like this a person, which have various compartments.

Right before I utilised packing cubes, it was always a struggle to continue to keep my bag structured, which can be aggravating when you are traveling from place to location speedily. Now that I use them, I simply cannot think about traveling with out them. Immediately after all, how are you likely to make your mind up what to dress in if you can not see any of the merchandise in your bag?

Pin me for afterwards:

From what to have on in Costa Rica to what bag to put every little thing in, I hope this guide will help you get ready for an remarkable trip.

What other items would you include to your record?

Get each individual new article delivered by way of email (3x posts for every week, no spam, at any time. Browse our privateness policy in this article.)