Two things decide what you should pack for Costa Rica, and neither is the weather forecast. The first is that the country has three climates and you will probably visit two of them. The second is that laundry is cheap and everywhere, which means the right answer is almost always less.
The three climates
Hot and dry. Guanacaste at 86.9 nautical miles in the dry season. Sun, dust, glare.
Hot and wet. The Osa at 83.5 nautical miles, the Caribbean, most of the Pacific in the green season. Humid enough that things do not dry overnight.
Cool and wet. The cloud forest and the high volcanoes, fifteen to eighteen degrees and often in cloud.
A trip that includes a beach and a cloud forest needs two wardrobes, and that is the single most common packing mistake — arriving in Monteverde with beachwear.
What genuinely earns its place
Shoes you accept will get ruined. Trails are muddy in any season.
A light waterproof layer, useful all year and essential in the green months. We fly year-round. In the rainy season the pilot in command decides; if weather stops a flight, it is rescheduled at no cost.
One warm layer, only if you are going to the highlands. Not a coat.
Reef-safe sunscreen, which is expensive locally and which several protected areas expect.
Insect repellent, mostly for dusk.
A dry bag if you are going anywhere by boat, which includes most of the Osa and Tortuguero.
Binoculars if you own them. The wildlife guides carry scopes, but having your own changes the walk.
What to leave
Most of your clothes. Laundry is cheap, fast and available almost everywhere, including small lodges.
Heavy hiking boots, unless you are doing serious multi-day walking. Trail runners drain better and dry faster in this humidity.
A hairdryer, a travel iron, and anything else the hotel has.
And formal clothes. Almost nowhere in the country requires them.
The constraint people discover late
Small aircraft have real baggage limits, and they are about volume as much as weight. The allowance is calculated by weight when you quote in the app; tell us if you carry bulky gear. What fits depends on the aircraft serving your field rather than on a published allowance. The specific aircraft is assigned on confirmation, based on passenger count, baggage and the destination field.
This matters most to people carrying sports equipment — boards, dive gear, golf clubs, rod tubes — and it is worth asking with the actual dimensions before you book rather than at the aircraft.
Soft bags travel better than hard cases, which is the one piece of luggage advice that is specific to this kind of flying and almost never mentioned.
What to bring for the wildlife, specifically
Neutral colours rather than bright ones, long sleeves for dusk, and a head torch if you are doing a night walk. None of it is expensive and all of it changes what you see.
Leave the drone at home unless you have checked: protected areas and many lodges do not allow them, and a confiscated drone is a bad first morning.
The seasonal difference
In the dry months you can pack lighter and expect things to dry. In the green months, add the waterproof, add a second pair of shoes, and accept that nothing dries fully.
Frequently asked
How much should I pack?
Less than you think. Laundry is cheap and everywhere, including small lodges.
What is the most common packing mistake?
Packing for one climate. A trip with a beach and a cloud forest needs two wardrobes.
Boots or trail runners?
Trail runners, unless you are doing serious multi-day walking. They drain and dry faster in the humidity.
Do I need a warm layer?
Only for the highlands, and only one. Fifteen to eighteen degrees, not cold.
What about baggage on small aircraft?
Limits are about volume as much as weight and depend on the aircraft serving your field. Ask with real dimensions before booking.
Hard case or soft bag?
Soft bags, which fit these aircraft far better. It is the luggage advice specific to this kind of flying.
Plan it with us
The allowance is calculated by weight when you quote in the app; tell us if you carry bulky gear.