What to Wear in Costa Rica for Any Type of Weather

Heading to Costa Rica and not certain what to pack? Whether or not you’re planning on hitting up the beaches of Manuel Antonio, hiking via the cloud forest in Monteverde, canoeing by way of the canals in Tortuguero, or all of the earlier mentioned, packing for this sort of a various adventure can be a obstacle.

Aside from your selected locations in-region, you should also take into consideration the weather when selecting what to pack. There are two principal seasons in Costa Rica: wet and dry. The wet season goes from May perhaps to November, when there are regular major rainstorms, monsoons, and hurricanes. The dry time from December to April also sees some rain, particularly at large altitudes, but is general far more sunny and substantially hotter.

With these things in intellect, here’s an epic packing record to enable you get ready for your upcoming experience in Costa Rica:

What to Have on in Costa Rica: Damp Year (May–November)

I visited Costa Rica throughout the wet year, when there are storms virtually just about every day during most of the state. It may possibly audio unappealing to stop by such an outdoorsy site for the duration of this time, but possessing been geared up for the rain was a recreation changer and manufactured it all truly worth it. Over-all, I would definitely take a look at Costa Rica all through the rainy period all over again, as very long as I was similarly prepared.

To pack for this time of 12 months, here’s what I recommend:

Dresses: convey layers

Moreover making ready myself for the rain, I also had to think about that I would be going to a variety of climates. From packing seashore attire for my days in Uvita and Manuel Antonio to staying completely ready for chilly mountain temperature in Monteverde, I experienced my function lower out for me.

Bringing levels is essential. Provide lightweight dresses that can be layered, so you’re prepared for instantaneous improvements in temperature and a variety of climates alike.

Here’s the clothes I packed for 1 month in Costa Rica through the wet year:

With these, I had a multitude of distinctive outfits to pick from without feeling like I had much too a great deal apparel with me. Almost everything I introduced matched, so I felt set collectively although also getting cozy. My complete favorite detail I brought was my white linen button-down shirt, mainly because it is such a excellent layering piece and appears to be like elegant around a uncomplicated outfit like the a person in the image above.

Footwear: less is more

Bringing far more than two pairs of footwear is a waste of space if you are likely 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 aircraft and when touring, to retain my bag lighter. My Tevas are water-resistant and wonderful for climbing, specially if there’s a lot of mud and drinking water to stroll via.

If I ended up to provide 1 far more pair, I may well think about some running shoes, just due to the fact my Tevas took a long time to dry and I ended up wearing wet sneakers all over the place. Because the humidity is so higher for the duration of rainy year in Costa Rica, matters just take a lot lengthier to dry. This wasn’t a major deal to me, but could be to a person who just can’t stand getting damp ft.

Components: keep it everyday

I opted for the simplest equipment possible. Just a pair of gold hoop earrings and simple black sun shades were enough to elevate my outfits just a small bit without the need of being flashy.

Because it is not quite sunny in Costa Rica all through the wet period, I did not see a need to have for a sunshine hat that would just take up a great deal of space in my bag. I did provide a baseball cap, just for a bit of sunlight protection on the days when I went out for hikes.

Below are the add-ons I introduced:

Toiletries: opt for solids every time possible

I’m a single of all those travelers that endlessly worries about liquids spilling in my bag, so I select stable merchandise typically for that reason. Nonetheless, reliable solutions are also a fantastic plastic-totally free selection and occasionally even last for a longer time than liquid products and solutions. For things like moisturizers, sunscreen, and bug spray, it’s more difficult to find them in strong sort, sadly.

These are the toiletries that I brought for just one month in Costa Rica:

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

The weather conditions throughout the dry period is considerably hotter in quite a few sections of Costa Rica, as there is additional sunshine and a lot less rain to split the heat. I frequently read Costa Ricans call this season “summer,” even though it begins in December (when it’s winter season north of the equator).

As significantly as what to dress in in the course of dry time, the packing record I recommend is comparable to the damp time, but with a couple of variations that will aid put together you for the heat and sunshine.

Clothes: effortless, breezy, and comfortable

In the course of the dry year, maintaining awesome is the title of the match, as temperatures soar. Bring clothing that are airy, dry quickly, and are relaxed above all else. Go for fabrics like cotton or linen, which are extra breathable. To make it a lot easier to generate outfits that you really want to use, make absolutely sure all the things follows the very same colour plan, more or much less. That way you can mix and match and not truly feel like you’re carrying the same outfit each and every day.

Here’s what I suggest for what to use in Costa Rica throughout the dry period:

Footwear, equipment, and toiletries

I don’t see a great deal need to have for variation in footwear, equipment, and toiletries from moist year to dry time. If I ended up heading to Costa Rica during dry season, I would carry the exact same shoes I brought for moist period. For accessories, I could insert a floppy sun hat to shield my encounter from the severe rays on the beach front. My toiletries would remain the identical, but I would bring an anti-chafing stick (my thick-thighed sisters know the drill) and higher SPF sunscreen for my confront.

Backpack vs. Rolling Baggage

Generally speaking, for any destination the most essential element when deciding regardless of whether to provide a backpack or rolling luggage is your picked method of transportation. If you are leasing a car or only browsing a single site for the entirety of your vacation, a rolling suitcase might make sense for you. However, if you are organizing on utilizing public transportation and will be moving around a good deal that way, a backpack is surely the way to go.

Backpacks & day packs

For me, it was a video game changer to discover backpacks that could unzip like a suitcase. I employed to dread owning to fish out clothes items from my major-loading backpack, which produced staying arranged a great deal extra of a trouble. I suggest this Osprey 70L pack for longer trips, which zips open up the way a suitcase would and comes with a water-resistant include to guard it from the rain.

Getting a day pack is essential in Costa Rica, as there’s so significantly to do outside. I spent very minimal time in my lodging during my month there, leaving early in the morning and returning in the evening. So I introduced all the things I wanted for the working day with me in my working day pack. I have this just one from Everlane, which I appreciate this a person from REI is just as cute and a bit lesser.

(If you want to uncover the excellent a person for you, never miss out on out on this finish information to choosing a travel backpack.)

Rolling luggage

If you rent a automobile and are not worried about lugging your bags all-around, employing a suitcase may well be worthy of it. Specially if you go for a tricky shell suitcase, it is less complicated to keep your things structured and harmless from acquiring smashed in transit.

If you are checking a bag, I recommend this challenging-shell rolling suitcase from REI. It is tough and has anti-microbial technological know-how that inhibits the expansion of micro organism, which is a big furthermore considering how humid the weather is in Costa Rica.

If you only want to provide a carry-on, this hard-shell suitcase is just a smaller sized edition.

Retaining your factors arranged

Whether you carry a backpack or a suitcase, packing cubes are a ought to if you want to continue to keep your factors arranged. I particularly like clear/soiled packing cubes and sets like this a person, which have many compartments.

Just before I utilised packing cubes, it was constantly a battle to keep my bag arranged, which can be discouraging when you are traveling from area to area rapidly. Now that I use them, I just cannot picture traveling without having them. After all, how are you going to decide what to put on if you just cannot see any of the goods in your bag?

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From what to don in Costa Rica to what bag to put every little thing in, I hope this tutorial aids you get ready for an wonderful journey.

What other items would you include to your checklist?

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