Planning Your Trip to Costa Rica: A Practical Guide

When to go, which itinerary, which vaccines, what to see: here is our practical guide and travel tips to help you prepare your trip to Costa Rica!

At a Glance: Essential Facts Before You Go to Costa Rica

• Best time to travel: Costa Rica can be visited year-round. Both the dry season and the green season have their own distinct advantages.
• Entry requirements: Passport valid for at least 6 months beyond the planned entry date for EU nationals
• Flight duration: From 11h30 (direct Paris–San José) to around 15h with a stopover. The return flight from San José to Paris takes 10h30.
• Time difference: The time difference between Costa Rica and the UK varies: –7h in summer and –6h in winter.
• Languages: Since the 16th-century Spanish colonisation, Costa Rica’s official language is Spanish.
• Population: 5.181 million inhabitants, nicknamed the Ticos
• Area: 51,100 km²
• Currency: The official currency is the Costa Rican Colón (CRC). The US dollar is, however, widely accepted in tourist areas. As of 2024, €1 is worth approximately 600 colones: we recommend checking the exchange rate before departure.
• Plug type: Types A and B, an adapter is required.
• Country code: +506 (from the UK to Costa Rica); +44 (from Costa Rica to the UK)

Climate: When to Travel to Costa Rica?

Costa Rican Climate

Costa Rica has two seasons:

• The dry season, from December to April: warm and sunny with little rainfall
• The rainy season (also called the green season), from May to November: characterised by heavy afternoon showers

Note that rainfall during the green season varies by month. July and August are relatively mild, with less rain. September and October, however, bring very heavy precipitation across the whole country, except on the Caribbean coast.

While temperatures vary little between the two seasons, altitude is the key factor in temperature variation. On the coast, temperatures range between 23°C and 40°C, while at altitude they typically sit between 15°C and 28°C.

When Is the Best Time to Go to Costa Rica?

Costa Rica can be visited year-round! Both the dry season and the rainy season offer distinct advantages. The dry season is best for beach holidays but also sees the most tourists. The rainy season offers a different side of Costa Rica: this is the ideal time to experience the country’s extraordinary biodiversity at its most lush. Full days of rain are very rare.

Planning Your Costa Rica Itinerary

Costa Rica’s Must-Sees

From the Caribbean to the Pacific, through volcanoes and cloud forests: Costa Rica is full of landscapes that simply must be seen! Here are some of the wonders not to miss in the land of Pura Vida:

• Tortuguero National Park
• The Monteverde Cloud Forest
• Rincón de la Vieja Volcano
• Arenal Volcano
• Cahuita and Puerto Viejo de Talamanca on the Caribbean coast

How Long Should You Spend in Costa Rica?

To do justice to the country’s highlights, a minimum of 10 days is recommended. The ideal length for a self-drive road trip at your own pace is 2 weeks, allowing you to explore the must-sees from the Caribbean to the Pacific.

What Budget Do You Need for Costa Rica?

The average budget for a Costa Rica trip depends on a wide range of factors and can vary significantly. First, hiring a car (the best way to explore the country) will make up a substantial part of your budget. Second, accommodation costs vary considerably depending on the type (2/3-star hotel, luxury, eco-lodge…). Finally, timing matters: the high season between December and March is noticeably more expensive than the green season.

In general, expect a daily budget of between €150 and €250, which works out to around €2,800 per person (based on two sharing) for a 2-week Costa Rica trip.

Health and Vaccines in Costa Rica

Source: France Diplomatie.

Health Risks in Costa Rica

Tap water is safe to drink throughout the country, with the exception of Tortuguero and Corcovado, and very remote areas. Extra caution is warranted during periods of heavy rainfall. If in doubt, ask your hotel or accommodation provider.

As you would expect in a tropical climate, mosquitoes are plentiful! That said, mosquito-borne diseases such as dengue are extremely rare.

Never touch wild animals — not only out of respect for biodiversity, but also to avoid the (limited but real) risk of rabies transmission.

Which Vaccines Are Required for Costa Rica?

A yellow fever vaccination certificate is required only for travellers arriving from countries where yellow fever transmission is a risk, including: Angola, Benin, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Gabon, Gambia, Guinea, Liberia, Nigeria, Sierra Leone, Sudan, Bolivia, Venezuela, Brazil, Peru, Colombia and Ecuador. French Guiana is also included. This vaccination must be administered at least 10 days before entry into Costa Rica.

It is also advisable to check that your DTP (diphtheria, tetanus, polio) and hepatitis A and B vaccinations are up to date. If in any doubt, consult your doctor.

Safety in Costa Rica

Outside San José (the capital), Jacó and the city of Limón, there are no major safety concerns. As always, take care of your personal belongings in cities.

A few safety rules to follow for a worry-free stay in Costa Rica:

• Hire car: never leave your vehicle unattended. Always park in a private car park or one monitored by security staff, easily identifiable by their yellow vests.
• On the beach: do not leave personal belongings unattended while swimming to avoid theft, but also unwanted animal attention (monkeys, raccoons, etc.)!
• Swimming: only swim in authorised and supervised areas. Some beaches have very strong and dangerous rip currents.
• Fruit trees: do not park or linger beneath fruit trees such as coconut palms: a falling coconut can cause a very nasty injury!

Documents You Need for Costa Rica

Do I Need a Visa for Costa Rica?

No advance visa application is required for Costa Rica for EU nationals. For stays of less than 3 months, a tourist visa valid for 90 days will be issued by customs on arrival.

Valid Passport

At check-in and on arrival, you must present a passport valid for at least six months beyond your planned entry date into the country.

Travel Insurance for Costa Rica

If you book your Costa Rica circuit with a credit card, you may already benefit from your bank’s built-in travel insurance. For greater peace of mind, Tierra Latina also offers travellers comprehensive repatriation and multi-risk insurance.

Regarding car hire: it is advisable to avoid full-cover policies, which often contain a large number of exclusion clauses.

Packing Your Suitcase for Costa Rica

Your Costa Rica bag must adapt to the country’s varied climate and the many activities you will be doing during your stay!

Make sure to pack light, breathable clothing suited to the heat and humidity, beachwear, and good walking shoes for hiking through the country’s magnificent national parks. Also bring a light waterproof jacket for the rainy season, and a cotton jumper and a jacket for higher-altitude regions.

Culture: Films and Books Before You Go to Costa Rica

Documentaries and Films to Watch Before Travelling to Costa Rica

• Costa Rica Naturally – Échappées Belles, France TV
• Costa Rica: Nature Awakens – Prime Video, 3-episode mini-series
• Costa Rica: The Green Jewel of Central America – documentary, available on YouTube
• Costa Rica: From the Pacific to the Atlantic – Des trains pas comme les autres, France TV

Books to Read Before Travelling to Costa Rica

• Le Guide du Routard Costa Rica 2024–2025
• Michelin Green Guide: Costa Rica
• Mamita Yunai by Carlos Luis Fallas: a landmark Costa Rican novel exposing the conditions of banana plantation workers in the early 20th century

On the Ground: Transport, Accommodation and Food

Getting Around Costa Rica

The ideal way to get around Costa Rica is by hire car, ideally a 4×4: essential for navigating the many unpaved roads (around 85% of the country’s road network). If possible, opt for a powerful 4×4, as the country is mountainous with many hills and volcanoes. A car also gives you much greater freedom to discover the extraordinary natural riches of this small country.

If you do not hold a driving licence, it is possible to travel by bus: coaches connect all the main towns and points of interest. Trains are very scarce. In short: the best way to travel in Costa Rica is by car!

Accommodation: Where to Stay in Costa Rica?

Costa Rica offers a wide variety of accommodation options across all comfort levels: boutique hotels, nature lodges, traditional fincas (agricultural estates), glamping and more.

Note: wild camping is prohibited. Sleeping in your hire car is similarly not permitted unless the vehicle has been specifically fitted out for it (camper van, roof tent…). In any case, this is not a comfortable option given the humidity, heat, insects and lack of sanitary facilities.

What to Eat in Costa Rica?

• Tropical fruits (pineapple, passion fruit, soursop and more) in every form: juice, smoothie, milkshake or fresh
• Gallo Pinto: Costa Rica’s national dish: rice and black beans, seasoned and pan-fried together
• Seafood and fresh fish along the country’s coastlines
• Salsa Lizano: a mildly spiced vegetable-and-herb sauce; the unmissable Costa Rican condiment
• Chiliguaro: a spiced cocktail; and Pilsen, the classic Costa Rican beer