What you should bring to Costa Rica depends on many factors: which area you'll be visiting, when will you be in Costa Rica, how long you are going to stay, what is the purpose of your travel, and how you like to travel: light or heavy.

Keep in mind while packing that most hotels (upscale or lowscale) offer laundry service for about 5-8$ wash & dry. Tooth paste, toothbrush, soap, condoms and all that stuff, can be bought in most supermarkets and small stores throughout Costa Rica :) So don't rush to the store, risking to miss your flight if you forgot to pack one of the above items.

Items in the list below will maybe seem obvious to you, but I know by experience that some of these are often forgotten by many travelers..

What you MUST bring with you to Costa Rica.

- Your Passport, valid for AT LEAST 6 months (otherwise you might be turned down... and yes, we've seen that happened!)
- Driver License and Legal Birth Certificate and a photocopy of each.
- Photocopy of all your other important documents such as: passport and return tickets.
- Visa credit card (HIGHLY recommended) - You can leave your American Express at Home
- ATM card and US money in small bills (1$, 5$, 10$, 20$ are VERY practical)
- Some US Traveler's check (at least some in denomination of 20$)
- The LOCAL (*long Distance) phone numbers of your Bank & Credit Card Company & Insurance company.
* (1-800 numbers do NOT work from Costa Rica)
- All the medicines you'll need during your stay and some extra just in case!
- Confirmations of reservations you’ve made for hotels, tors, transportations (and the phone numbers of the booking agencies).
- Phone numbers of people that can be contacted in case of emergency.

- You are planning to visit Mountain areas (like Monteverde): Pants & a sweater/ light jacket
- You think you might go on a horseback ride: Long pants and shoes/boots.
- You have feet size 12 and up: Bring all the footwear you need...
  (you will have a really hard time finding anything your size in Costa Rica)
- You are planning on hiking in the Cloud Forest or atop of Volcanoes: A pair of hiking boots/shoes.
- You are a lady with upcoming “periods”: Your tampons.
  (pads can be bought almost anywhere in Costa Rica, but tampons can be hard to find... mainly when you need them.. right now)
- You get motion sickness: motion sickness pills will be a must (roads twirl, swirl, curves.. a lot)

    And it's highly recommended that you...

- ...bring a Rain jacket/poncho (even in dry season tropical storms can strike)
- ...bring A small towel (ALWAYS practical: refer to "the guidebook to the Universe").
- ...bring Sunscreen / bug repellent / basic first aid kit.
- ...bring Swimming gear
- ... leave at Home expensive jewelry...

   And you shall not Forget to bring your smile and good mood with you.. leave work, problems and the snow at home!

"He who would travel happily must travel light."
Antoine de Saint-Exupery (1900 - 1944)