Okay, so you've decided on Costa Rica for your next vacation.
Your accommodation is booked, you've got your flight tickets, and the buzz around everything you're going to experience is starting to set in.
There's just one thing. The packing.
This is perhaps the most arduous task when it comes to going on vacation. Not least because you haven't experienced where you're going to, so you have no idea what exactly you're going to need!
There's the obvious, of course. Clothes, tick. Sunscreen, tick. A ticket for the flight, tick. But what else should you be packing?
The last thing you want to be doing is rushing off to a store and spending money on something you could have just brought from home, so the best thing is to get prepared now and make sure you've got all the essentials for a perfect Costa Rican trip.
And that's what we're here for! Below, you'll find all the essentials you haven't thought about and why you need to pack them:
Rash Guard Shirt
Costa Rica has 800 miles of coastline and six major inland lakes, so you're probably going to try out some water sports at some point. In Lake Arenal, the company volcano.cr offers everything from water skiing and wakeboarding to tubing. But if you're going to partake, you need more than swimwear. A rash guard shirt is essential to ensure the ride remains comfortable, smooth and rash-free.
Rain Coat
Staying with a water theme, the number of tourists who travel to Costa Rica but don't bring raincoats is pretty high, despite the fact that there are approximately 148 rainy days in the year! Even if you're not visiting during the Costa Rica wet season, make sure you're prepared for downpours so that you can enjoy the wonders of this country in any weather.
Insect Protection
This is another essential that people only end up buying once they're in the country and experience their first bite! Because Costa Rica can be wet and humid, the insects do revel in the climate, with mosquitoes being the worst culprits for nasty bites. Make sure you're prepared immediately with a strong insect repellent so that you can travel the country or eat in an open-air restaurant in peace.
Alarm Clock
Okay, this is a bit of a weird one, but hear us out! For some strange reason, most of the hotels in Costa Rica don't actually have alarm clocks, and not all of them offer wake-up calls. This might seem like a non-issue, but if you forget to charge your phone, you can easily find yourself sleeping in and missing out on pre-booked activities. One way to avoid this, however, is investing in a small, compact alarm clock that can save you from missing one second of the fun.
Medical Kit
In the last 30 years, Costa Rica has doubled its forest cover, with 50% of Costa Rica now made up of rainforests. During your vacation, you're likely going to be hiking, exploring and undertaking a number of activities out in the wild, so it's a good idea to have your own portable medical kit just in case anything goes wrong - even if it's just minor things like cuts, scrapes or insect stings. Hopefully, nothing will go wrong, and your vacation will go off without a hitch, but as with any adventure, it's always best to be prepared.
