The ULTIMATE Costa Rica travel guide for 2026

A lush, jungle paradise with an abundance of wildlife, adventure activities and nature experiences, Costa Rica is a unique and diverse destination. Whether you’re spotting sloths in the rugged rainforest, sipping coco-locos on the beach or sending your pulse rate up with a spot of ziplining, Costa Rica has something for everyone. To help you #TravelWell, here’s my ultimate guide to visiting Costa Rica in 2026.

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Where is Costa Rica?

Located in Central America with coastlines on the Carribean and Pacific, Costa Rica is bordered by Nicaragua and Panama. It has a population of around 5 million with the capital and largest city, San José, being home to 2 million. Accounting for nearly 6% of the world’s biodiversity, Costa Rica is one of the 20 countries with the highest biodiversity in the world and roughly a quarter of its area is protected jungle. A pioneer of ecotourism, Costa Rica covers an area of around 51,100 km2 or 19,700 sq mi.

How to get to Costa Rica

To get to Costa Rica I flew to Los Angeles and caught a connecting flight from LAX to SJO (San José, Costa Rica), arriving at Juan Santamaría International Airport.. The flight time from LAX to SJO is around five and a half hours.

Pro Tip: There are a number of airports that can easily be confused for San José, Costa Rica. When booking flights, be absolutely certain your booking is correct by looking for the ‘SJO’ airport code.

If you’re coming from Australia, like me, there are daily flights to Los Angeles and one great tip is to break your flights up the way I did. I flew from Brisbane to Los Angeles, arriving at around 6am and checking into the heraton Gateway Los Angeles Hotel.

On arrival at the hotel, I paid a little extra to upgrade, giving me immediate room access and club lounge access too. It was money well spent as I maximised my time at the hotel and didn’t need to spend any money on food, thanks to the club lounge. The hotel also operates a free shuttle to and from the airport.

I spent the whole day catching up on sleep, resting and getting over any tiredness I may have had. That way, when I caught my flight the next day, I was fresh and ready to go. This is a great way to ensure you arrive at your destination having already overcome most of the jet lag. Though, of course, if you are flying from somewhere closer or just want to get to Costa Rica as soon as possible, you can arrange to catch your next flight right away or simply book connecting flights.

Pro Tip: If you’re catching a connecting flight in Los Angeles, you must collect your luggage at LAX, go through customs/border control then give your bags back to the airline/airport staff. There should be signs to follow and if you’re unsure, ask the on-ground staff for help.

Is it safe to visit Costa Rica?

This trip was my first time visiting Central America so I had no idea what it would be like, and one question that kept coming up was, ‘is it safe?’ When I checked the Smart Traveller website before departing there was a warning to exercise a high degree of caution, which was slightly unnerving. That advice still stands in 2026, with the current warning pointing to violent crime, so it pays to keep your wits about you.

The one place I felt I needed to be extremely cautious was San José. As the capital city, there are a lot of people trying to survive, which can make tourists the perfect target for opportunistic crimes like pickpocketing.

On my first day in San José, the walking tour guide advised I shouldn’t wear any jewellery, just as a precaution and to make myself less of a target. I kept my day bag to the front of my body at all times and made sure it was securely zipped up.

I wrapped my camera tightly around my wrist using the strap and didn’t carry my passport or any other valuables with me. I stayed diligent in crowded areas and had no issues whatsoever.

If you’re catching any kind of public transport or transiting through a public bus station, for example, you absolutely must keep your bags with you at all times and watch them very closely. These areas are where pickpockets and thieves thrive. Watch your luggage at all times and ensure it is put under the bus and securely locked away before taking your seat.

Use your hotel safe to store your passport, cash and any other valuables like laptops, watches, jewellery and so on. I would recommend catching Uber around, rather than walking long distances between destinations in San José, especially at night. I would also recommend you don’t get rip-roaring drunk and toddle off down a back alley late at night by yourself.

All of this may sound a bit scary but it doesn’t need to be. I had a great time in Costa Rica and didn’t have any problems with safety, and I believe that’s because I was so diligent and took every precaution possible. Don’t give anyone the opportunity to steal anything from you and you should be fine. Once I was outside of San José, I was able to relax a lot more but still kept an eye on my belongings and followed the same basic safety practices, and I had no issues.

11 must-know tips for visiting Costa Rica

Here are a few essential, know-before-you-go tips for visiting Costa Rica:

• The official language of Costa Rica is Spanish and locals are all too happy to help you learn a little Spanish as you go.
• Be sure to learn a few key phrases in Spanish before you depart for your trip. Knowing how to say hello, goodbye and thank you goes a long way. While I didn’t run into any language issues, I did have Google Translate on my phone with the Spanish language downloaded and ready to go, just in case I needed to use it or wanted to learn a few words as I went. It was really helpful.
• The local currency is the Costa Rican colón (colones for plural) and I found US dollars were also widely accepted. When I went to pay for things, the staff would always ask if I’d like to pay in US dollars or colones.
• It’s a good idea to have a currency conversion app on your phone so you can quickly and easily understand the conversion rate if you aren’t experienced with it. I use XE Currency as it’s easy, free and works offline.
• Costa Rica has come a long way on this front, and in 2026 cards and contactless are accepted almost everywhere you would expect, from restaurants and tour operators to supermarkets. That said, it still pays to carry some cash for small local vendors, rural spots and tips, and ATMs can be a little harder to find than they are in Australia, so don’t rely solely on your cards.

• Costa Rica has a tipping culture, especially for tour operators and hospitality workers, so make sure you have some spare colones or US dollars on you to tip at bars and restaurants. Worth knowing that most restaurants already add a 10 percent service charge to the bill by law, so anything on top of that is for service that goes above and beyond. If you aren’t familiar with tipping, downloading a free app like Tip Calculator may be useful.
• As an Australian, I wasn’t required to get a visa to enter Costa Rica, and Australians still travel visa-free for tourism in 2026.
• I was, however, required to get an Electronic System for Travel Authorisation (ESTA) to transit through the United States while going through LAX, which is still the case in 2026. Be sure to look into all visa requirements for Costa Rica and the USA prior to your departure. Australians can find up-to-date visa information on the Smart Traveller website here.
• Australians should also be sure to check the Smart Traveller website here for up-to-date travel advice, including visa and safety information.
• Make sure you’re prepared for tropical rain. This means packing a reusable poncho or rain jacket, waterproof shoes or hiking boots and sufficient waterproof gear that you can protect your cameras and valuables from a sudden deluge if needed.
• When it comes to packing I recommend skipping the fancy outfits and going for activewear and outdoor or adventure gear instead. Keep reading for more packing tips below.

Read: 23 Things you need to know before you travel to Costa Rica.

Pro tip: Transiting through Los Angeles, LAX airport to get to Costa Rica? You’ll still need an ESTA to pass through the United States.

The best time to visit Costa Rica

I visited in November and found the weather to be hot and humid, experiencing a mix of sunny and very rainy days. Typically, Costa Rica has a tropical climate all year round with only two seasons, summer and winter. The summer or dry season runs from December to April and the winter or rainy season from May to November. My visit coincided with the rainy season but it didn’t dampen my spirits, so if the only time of year you can visit is during the green season, don’t worry, you’ll still have a great time.

I experienced daily downpours followed by high humidity and would highly recommend that when the weather is good, you get out and do as much as you can while you can. Just make sure you pack plenty of wet weather gear as you should always be prepared for rain, and an umbrella won’t cut it.

How to get around in Costa Rica

In San José and some spots with a larger population, like La Fortuna, Uber was available and offered an affordable, reliable way to get around. It still operates the same way in 2026, sitting in a bit of a legal grey area but widely used by locals and travellers, and these days DiDi is a solid second app to have installed in case one has no drivers nearby. Uber wasn’t available in all the spots I visited, which wasn’t a problem for me as my Intrepid tour leader sorted out alternative transport.

If you are using Uber, just make sure you download the app and set up your account before you depart home. Also, make sure you set your payment type to be via the app, not cash, to avoid getting ripped off. One thing to note, when I caught Uber the drivers would always ask me to sit in the front with them, so don’t be weirded out if this happens to you too.

Pro Tip: There are no street addresses in Costa Rica, which throws a lot of first-timers. Use a free offline maps app to favourite the places you want to visit so you can navigate to them easily or show your driver if needed. Google Maps now handles Costa Rica well offline, and maps.me is still a good backup.

Is Costa Rica a budget-friendly destination?

I had imagined Costa Rica would be quite a cheap, budget-friendly destination but discovered it was more expensive than I thought. There are loads of adventure activities to do and I found food and drink prices to be on par with Australian prices. Costs have only crept up since, and with the colón staying strong against the dollar Costa Rica is pricier than most of Central America in 2026, so budget more than you think you need.

How much wildlife do you actually see in Costa Rica?

Spotting wildlife was high up on my list of Costa Rica must-dos but I was a bit unsure how much I’d actually see. Turns out spotting wildlife is pretty easy and I saw far more animals than I ever thought I would. The spots I found offered the most rewarding animal spotting were Manuel Antonio, Tortuguero and Monteverde.

I was lucky enough to see coati, white-faced capuchin monkeys, howler monkeys, scarlet macaws, hummingbirds and a variety of toucans. I also saw three and two-toed sloths, iguanas, Jesus Christ lizards, caimans, bats, tapir, snakes, dolphins, turtles, otters and frogs, just to name a few.

If you want the ultimate wildlife hit, nothing in Costa Rica really touches the Osa Peninsula and Corcovado National Park down in the remote southwest. It’s a tiny slice of the country that holds somewhere around 2.5 percent of all the biodiversity on Earth, which is hard to get your head around until you’re standing in it. You’ve got all four of Costa Rica’s monkey species here, along with tapirs, scarlet macaws and, if the forest is feeling generous, pumas. It’s wilder and far quieter than the big name spots. You reach Drake Bay by boat from Sierpe, and you can’t enter the park without a certified guide, so the operator you pick genuinely matters. The one worth knowing about is Sukia Travel, a local Drake Bay outfit run by naturalist guides rather than a booking middleman. They keep groups small and sort the permits and logistics for you, running everything from a single day trip through to multi-day wildlife tours across Costa Rica’s Osa Peninsula.

9 foods you must try in Costa Rica

The food in Costa Rica has a wide range of influences including Spanish and Caribbean. Here are a few of the dishes you should definitely try.

• Gallo pinto: A Costa Rican staple typically served as part of a traditional breakfast, consisting of rice, beans, coriander and assorted spices.
• Tamales: A corn dough mixture filled with meat or beans, steamed in a corn husk or banana leaf
• Empanadas: Stuffed bread or pastry baked or fried and stuffed with meat, beans and/or cheese

• Patacones: Twice-fried plantain slices used almost like a tortilla chip, served with guacamole, salsa, refried beans and, possibly, meat or vegetables of your choice
• Ceviche: Raw fish cured in citrus juice like lemon or lime and seasoned with spices, onions, salt and pepper
• Tropical fruit: Noni, Jocote, Rambutan, Malay Apples, Granadilla, Star Fruit, Sour Sop, Pejibaye, Cas and so much more. Try as much as you can.

• Casado: A mixed plate consisting of rice, beans, plantains, salad, tortilla and a choice of meat or vegetables
• Tres Leches: A sponge cake soaked in three different kinds of milk; evaporated, condensed and heavy cream.
• Coffee: Make sure you try plenty of Costa Rican coffee. It’s every bit as good as you’ve heard.

Pro Tip: I tried street food and didn’t have any problems with an upset stomach. That said, it isn’t uncommon for travellers to endure a bout of ‘Montezuma’s revenge’, so be sure to pack Imodium or similar just in case.

7 of the best places to visit in Costa Rica

Deciding which places to visit in Costa Rica can be overwhelming. Here’s a look at seven places I visited and what each one offers.

• San José: The bustling capital city with plenty of history and great food. I did an Urban Adventure walking tour which took me to a few must-visit spots and gave me deeper local insight. Find San José accommodation here.
• Tortuguero: A village on the Caribbean coast offering great wildlife spotting opportunities and delicious Caribbean-influenced food. Find Tortuguero accommodation here. 
• Santa Rosa de Pocosol: A rural spot home to amazing homestay families and a chance to soak in the culture and learn how the locals live. This experience was really made possible via Intrepid Travel and the relationships they have built with locals.

• Rio Celeste: A lush, jungle landscape noted for its vibrant turquoise water, waterfalls and hiking. Find Rio Celeste accommodation here. 
• La Fortuna: A wonderland of activities including the hanging bridges, hot springs, waterfall and jaw-dropping volcano. Find La Fortuna accommodation here.
• Monteverde: Also a hub for activities like ziplining and horse trekking and home to the epic cloud forest. Find Monteverde accommodation here. 
• Manuel Antonio/Quepos: The perfect beachside spot and one of the very best places to see wildlife. Find Manuel Antonio accommodation here.

Is a group tour the best way to see Costa Rica?

For my first visit to Costa Rica, I decided to do the 15-day ‘Classic Costa Rica’ tour with Intrepid Travel. I felt the tour took me to a great range of spots, spending around two nights at each, which was the perfect length of time and wasn’t too rushed.

What I loved most about the group tour was having my tour leader, Edgar, along for the ride. His knowledge was incredible and I felt like I learned, saw and did so much more than I would have otherwise. Not only that, but doing a tour means all your transport and accommodation are taken care of for you, and when it came time for activities, some were included in the tour cost and others were organised through Edgar.

The tour started and ended in San José, taking me to all the spots I listed above. I tried great food, had amazing cultural experiences, laughed a lot and made friends with my tour mates. The group was capped at around 16, small enough that everyone got to know and connect with each other. It was a diverse bunch from all over the world, with ages ranging from early 20s to early 70s.

Rooming is twin share, so as a solo traveller I shared with another person of the same gender, and a single supplement is available if you’d rather have a room to yourself. On my trip that worked out easily, with everyone sorted into comfortable pairings and a bit of flexibility along the way.

I found the Intrepid staff to be fantastic pre and post-departure, helping me with any questions I had and being really good at getting back to me in a timely way. I was able to organise my Urban Adventure easily, and anything else I had questions about during the tour, Edgar handled expertly. Visit the Intrepid Travel website’s homepage here and search for the ‘Classic Costa Rica’ tour.

What to pack for a trip to Costa Rica

Visiting Costa Rica for the first time? Here’s a look at what you need to pack for your trip:

• High-quality bug spray with DEET
• A good quality, reusable poncho or raincoat that will cover your head, entire body and shield your day bag if needed
• A waterproof bag or backpack to protect cameras during a sudden downpour
• Good quality, water-resistant hiking boots
• Activewear or outdoor/adventure appropriate clothing
• Swimmers, boardshorts, and clothes you can layer on top of those, if needed, for activities like kayaking and tubing
• Hat and sunscreen and any other sun-smart gear
• Binoculars and/or a zoom lens for getting a close-up look at wildlife

• Crocs or water-appropriate shoes for visiting waterfalls and activities like tubing
• Quick-dry clothing so you aren’t soggy all day when it rains
• Water purifying bottle or refillable bottle so you can refill at the hotel lobby
• Laundry bag so you can easily keep your laundry together at hotels
• GoPro or action camera to capture those once-in-a-lifetime moments
• Sneakers and a pair of easy-to-slip-on shoes like sandals or flip-flops
• Using either a suitcase or backpack is fine
• Be sure you have travel insurance that covers you for all the adventure activities you plan on doing.

Pro Tip: Aim to pack clothing that can dry quickly, be comfortable and appropriate for jungle treks yet is still breathable during bouts of intense heat and humidity.

Costa Rica travel FAQs

Do you need a visa to visit Costa Rica?

Most visitors, including Australians, Brits, Americans and Canadians, don’t need a visa for tourism and can stay for up to 90 days. You’ll usually need a passport valid for the length of your stay and proof of onward travel. If you’re transiting the United States on the way, like I did through LAX, you’ll also need a US ESTA. Always check Smart Traveller or your own government’s advice for the current rules before you book.

Is Costa Rica safe to visit in 2026?

Costa Rica is one of the safer countries in Central America and I never felt unsafe on my trip, but petty theft and, more recently, some violent crime are worth taking seriously. Smart Traveller currently advises a high degree of caution. Be especially switched on in San José, keep your valuables close on public transport, use your hotel safe and stick to Uber or a taxi at night, and you’ll very likely have a smooth trip.

What is the best time to visit Costa Rica?

The dry season from December to April brings the most reliable sunshine and is peak season. The green season from May to November is wetter, usually with clear mornings and afternoon downpours, but it’s lusher, quieter and cheaper. I went in November and still had a brilliant time, I just made sure I packed proper wet weather gear.

How many days do you need in Costa Rica?

You can see a lot in a week if you focus on one or two regions, but around two weeks is the sweet spot for pairing wildlife, volcanoes, cloud forest and the coast without rushing. My 15-day trip felt just right, with roughly two nights in each spot.

Is Costa Rica expensive?

More than you’d expect. Costa Rica is pricier than most of its Central American neighbours, and with the colón staying strong against the dollar in 2026, food, drink and activities land close to Australian prices. Budget more than you think you’ll need, especially for tours and park fees.

Can you use US dollars in Costa Rica?

Yes, US dollars are widely accepted alongside the local colón, and you’ll often be asked which you’d prefer to pay in. Cards and contactless now work almost everywhere too, though it’s still smart to carry some cash in colones for small vendors, rural areas and tips.

Do you need to speak Spanish in Costa Rica?

No, but a few phrases go a long way and the locals genuinely appreciate the effort. I got by comfortably with hello, goodbye and thank you, plus Google Translate downloaded for offline use just in case.

Where is the best place to see wildlife in Costa Rica?

Wildlife is surprisingly easy to spot right across the country. Manuel Antonio, Tortuguero and Monteverde are the accessible favourites and where I saw the most. For the ultimate, wildest experience, the remote Osa Peninsula and Corcovado National Park in the southwest are hard to beat, holding a huge slice of the planet’s biodiversity in one tiny corner.

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