Costa Rica Travel Tips: What to Know Before You Go

The Costa Rica travel tips that matter most come down to a short list: bring a passport valid for your whole stay and proof you’ll leave, carry some colones for small purchases, book a 4×4 only if your route needs one, plan around the rainy season instead of fearing it, and add 23% to most restaurant prices for tax and service. Get those right and the rest of the trip gets much easier.

This guide is for first-time visitors and anyone who wants a quick refresher before booking. It covers entry rules, money, getting around, weather, health and safety, local customs and packing, plus the mistakes first-timers make most often.

Topic	What to know
Entry	Passport valid for your whole stay, onward or return ticket, stay of up to 180 days set by the officer
Departure tax	$29, usually included in your airfare
Currency	Costa Rican colón; roughly ₡450–₡460 per $1. US dollars are widely accepted in tourist areas
Restaurant bills	13% tax plus 10% service usually added; check if menu prices include them
Power	120V, 60Hz, US-style plugs (types A and B)
Language	Spanish; English is common in tourism businesses
Seasons	Dry season about December–April; rainy (green) season about May–November
Emergency number	911
Tap water	Safe to drink in most of the country

Before you go

Costa Rica Entry Requirements and Travel Documents

Most visitors from the US, Canada, the UK and the European Union don’t need a visa for a tourist trip. What you do need:

• A valid passport. It must be valid for at least the length of your stay. Airlines sometimes apply stricter rules, so check with yours if your passport expires within a few months of travel.
• Proof of onward travel. A return flight or a ticket out of the country by air, bus or cruise. Airlines check this at check-in and can refuse to board you without it. See our guide to Costa Rica’s onward ticket rules if you’re flying one-way.
• Length of stay. The immigration officer stamps the number of days you can stay, up to 180. It isn’t always the maximum, so check your stamp before you leave the booth.
• Possible proof of funds. Officers can ask to see that you can support yourself during your stay. A bank card or statement is usually enough. It’s rarely requested, but have it handy.

The $29 departure tax is included in most airline tickets. If yours isn’t, you pay at the airport before check-in. Travelers carrying $10,000 or more in cash, or the equivalent in other currencies, must declare it on arrival.

Travel insurance isn’t required for tourists, but it’s worth having. Private hospitals expect payment up front, and an evacuation from a remote area costs a lot. Our guide to Costa Rica travel insurance explains what to look for.

Money

Money in Costa Rica: Colones, Dollars and Cards

Costa Rica’s currency is the colón (₡). At roughly ₡450–₡460 per US dollar, a ₡10,000 bill is worth about $22. US dollars are accepted at most hotels, tour companies and restaurants in tourist areas, but you’ll often get change in colones at a store’s own exchange rate.

• Use cards for big expenses. Visa and Mastercard work at most hotels, restaurants, supermarkets and tour companies. Tap-to-pay is common. American Express is accepted less often.
• Carry colones for small purchases. Buses, sodas (small family restaurants), street vendors, park parking and rural shops often take only cash, and colones are easiest.
• Get cash from bank ATMs. Machines at banks such as BCR, Banco Nacional and BAC are the most reliable. Many give colones or dollars. Expect a local fee on top of your own bank’s charges, and use ATMs inside banks or malls during the day.
• Skip airport exchange counters. Rates are poor. Withdraw from an ATM or pay in dollars until you reach town.
• Tell your bank you’re traveling so it doesn’t block your card on the first charge.

Costa Rica is one of the more expensive countries in Central America. A plate of the day at a soda, called a casado (rice, beans, salad, plantains and a protein), runs about ₡2,500–₡5,000, while a meal at a tourist-area restaurant costs close to US prices. For more, read our guides to the best currency to bring to Costa Rica and tipping in Costa Rica.

Transportation

Getting Around Costa Rica

Distances look short on a map, but mountain roads, trucks and weather slow everyone down. San José to La Fortuna is about 3 to 3.5 hours by car, and San José to Manuel Antonio about 3 hours. Plan on shorter driving days than you would at home.

Rental car

Driving gives you the most freedom, and Waze works well across the country. You don’t need a 4×4 for main highways or most popular towns, but you’ll want one for places like Monteverde’s back roads, parts of the Nicoya Peninsula and the Osa Peninsula, especially in the rainy season. Mandatory liability insurance is added at the counter and often isn’t in the price you see online. Read our guides to car rental insurance and driving in Costa Rica before you book.

Shuttles and buses

Shared tourist shuttles run between the main destinations and pick you up at your hotel. They cost more than buses but save time and hassle. Public buses are cheap and cover most of the country, but routes from San José leave from different terminals, and schedules change. Our Costa Rica bus guide lists the terminals and main routes.

Taxis and Uber

Official taxis are red with a yellow triangle on the door. Airport taxis are orange. Ask the driver to use the meter, called the maría, or agree on a price before you get in. Uber operates in the Central Valley and many tourist areas and is popular with visitors.

Domestic flights

Short flights on small planes connect San José with beach and rainforest towns in under an hour, cutting out long drives to places like Tortuguero, Drake Bay and the southern Caribbean. Baggage limits are strict. See our guide to Costa Rica domestic flights.

Weather

When to Go: Dry Season vs. Green Season

Costa Rica has two seasons. The dry season runs roughly December through April and is the busiest and most expensive time to visit. The rainy season, which locals and the tourism industry call the green season, runs roughly May through November.

• Rain usually comes in the afternoon. Mornings are often clear in the green season, so plan tours and hikes early.
• September and October are the wettest months on most of the Pacific side, and some rural roads become hard to drive.
• The Caribbean coast follows a different pattern. September and October are often among its drier months.
• Guanacaste is the driest region, which makes the northern Pacific beaches a solid choice in the shoulder months.

Our guide to the best time to visit Costa Rica by region breaks it down month by month.

Health and safety

Costa Rica Safety and Health Tips

Costa Rica is one of the safer countries in the region for travelers, but petty theft is common. The main risks are opportunistic, and simple habits prevent most problems.

• Never leave anything in a parked car, even in the trunk, at beaches, trailheads and viewpoints. Rental cars are easy targets.
• Don’t leave bags on the beach while you swim.
• Keep your bag on your lap on buses, not in the overhead rack.
• Use taxis or Uber at night in San José and larger towns instead of walking.
• Respect the ocean. Rip currents are strong on many Pacific beaches, and most beaches have no lifeguards. Swim near others, and if a current pulls you out, swim parallel to shore. Our beach safety guide explains how to spot them.
• Book adventure tours with established operators. For zip-lining, rafting and canyoning, the cheapest option isn’t the place to save money.

Tap water is safe to drink in most of the country, including San José and most tourist towns. In some remote areas, bottled or filtered water is the safer choice; our guide to Costa Rica drinking water covers where. Mosquito-borne illnesses such as dengue occur, so use insect repellent, especially in lowland and coastal areas. No vaccines are required for most travelers, though Costa Rica requires proof of yellow fever vaccination from visitors arriving from certain countries in South America and Africa.

For more, read our full guide to staying safe in Costa Rica.

Culture

Local Customs Worth Knowing

• Pura vida. It means “pure life,” and Costa Ricans (Ticos) use it as hello, goodbye, thanks and “all good.”
• Tico time. Social plans often start late. Tours, shuttles and flights usually run on schedule, so don’t assume you have extra time.
• Greet first. Say “buenos días” or “buenas” before asking a question in a shop or on the street. A few words of Spanish go a long way outside tourist areas.
• Addresses use landmarks. Directions like “200 meters north of the church” are normal. Use GPS pins and Waze instead.
• Toilet paper goes in the bin in many homes, hotels and restaurants, because older plumbing and septic systems clog easily. Follow the sign if there is one.
• Coffee is a point of pride. Many homes and sodas still brew it in a chorreador, a wooden stand that holds a cloth filter, and a bag of local beans makes a good souvenir.

Packing

What to Pack for Costa Rica

Pack light. Domestic flights and shuttles have luggage limits, and you’ll likely change hotels several times. Bring:

• A lightweight rain jacket, in any season
• Quick-dry clothes and a warm layer for Monteverde, Poás and other high areas, where nights get cool
• Closed-toe shoes or sandals with grip for muddy trails, plus water shoes for rivers and waterfalls
• Insect repellent and reef-safe sunscreen; both cost more in Costa Rica
• A dry bag for boat trips and rain
• Binoculars if wildlife is a priority
• Copies of your passport and your onward ticket

US-style plugs work, so most North American travelers don’t need an adapter. Visitors from Europe and the UK need one. For a full checklist, see what to pack for your Costa Rica vacation.

Common mistakes

Common Costa Rica Travel Mistakes to Avoid

• Packing too much into one trip. Two or three bases in a week or 10 days is plenty. Every move eats half a day.
• Trusting a rental car quote that looks too cheap. The mandatory insurance can double it at the counter.
• Driving at night. Roads are often unlit, narrow and shared with pedestrians and animals. Plan to arrive before dark, around 6 p.m. most of the year.
• Showing up at popular parks without a ticket. Parks such as Manuel Antonio sell entry online in advance and limit daily visitors. Manuel Antonio is closed on Tuesdays.
• Arriving without an onward ticket. Airlines can refuse to board you.
• Forgetting the extra 23% on restaurant bills when you budget.
• Booking a hotel only on price. Location matters more than in most countries because roads are slow. Our guide to Airbnb vs. hotels in Costa Rica helps you choose.

FAQ

Costa Rica Travel Tips FAQ