Visas & entry
For tourism, passport holders from the US, Canada, UK and most EU countries are generally visa-exempt for stays of up to 180 days; an onward/return ticket and proof of funds may be requested. Rules and permitted stay lengths can change, so verify with Costa Rican immigration or your embassy before flying.
Getting in
- Juan Santamaría International Airport, Alajuela/San José: The main international gateway and the sensible default for Arenal, Monteverde, the Central Valley, Manuel Antonio, the Caribbean and domestic flights to Tortuguero or Osa. It is in Alajuela, not central San José; use an airport hotel after a late arrival rather than starting a mountain drive at night.
- Daniel Oduber Quirós International Airport, Liberia: The efficient gateway for Guanacaste, Papagayo, Tamarindo, Nosara and the northwestern Pacific. Use it for a beach-first trip; it is less useful than SJO for the Caribbean, central Pacific and southern Costa Rica.
- Peñas Blancas border crossing, Nicaragua: The principal overland entry from Nicaragua, used by budget and Central America overlanders. Expect queues, paperwork, heat and an onward transfer; it is not a time-saving substitute for flying unless you are already travelling overland.
- Paso Canoas border crossing, Panama: The main overland crossing from Panama, useful for travellers continuing along the Pan-American route. It is functional rather than pleasant, and onward transport to San José or Pacific destinations takes time.
Getting around
There is no useful tourist rail network: trains are commuter services around Greater San José only. Rental cars give the most freedom for Arenal, Guanacaste and the Pacific, but driving is slower than maps suggest—mountain roads, trucks, rain and poor night visibility make short distances long days. Shared shuttles are the low-stress alternative between major visitor bases; public buses are cheap but slower and awkward for multi-stop itineraries. Take a domestic flight when it saves a full day to Tortuguero or Osa, not merely to avoid a three-hour drive to Arenal.
Money
The currency is the Costa Rican colón (CRC/₡), but hotels, tours, rental cars and many beach-town restaurants often quote in US dollars. Cards are widely accepted in towns and tourist areas, though carry colones and small cash for sodas, local buses, tips and rural purchases. Service is usually included in restaurant bills; round up or add about 5–10% only for notably good service.
Daily budget · Costa Rican colón (CRC, ₡); USD is routinely quoted for hotels, tours, rental cars and many beach-town restaurants.
- Value
- US$60–90 (about ₡27,000–41,000), assuming two people share a room and excluding international flights.
- Mid-range
- US$120–220 (about ₡55,000–100,000): a good three-star or boutique room, shared rental car or shuttles, proper meals and regular guided activities.
- High-end
- US$300–600+ (about ₡137,000–275,000+): upscale eco-lodges or resorts, private transfers or domestic flights, premium tours and restaurant dining.
- Costa Rica is not a bargain Central American destination. Guanacaste resorts, Nosara, Santa Teresa, Manuel Antonio and the Osa Peninsula are the quickest places to blow through a budget.
- These are per-person figures based on two people sharing accommodation; solo travelers pay markedly more, especially for rooms, cars and private transfers.
- Arenal hot springs, guided wildlife outings, rafting, zip-lines, national-park fees and domestic flights can add up fast. In remote Tortuguero and Osa, packages may be better value than assembling transport, lodging and meals separately.
- Eat at sodas, use public buses or shared shuttles, and keep the itinerary to two or three bases to control costs. Constant one-night moves turn a modest trip into an expensive transport exercise.
- Christmas/New Year, Semana Santa and the core dry season push up lodging, rental-car and domestic-flight prices; May–June and November usually offer the most sensible value.
Eating well
- Use sodas for the best-value local meals; tourist strips and resort zones are markedly more expensive.
- Lunch is the practical time to order a casado; gallo pinto is the default breakfast move.
- Costa Rica’s strongest regional food contrast is the southern Caribbean: make room for local coconut-based dishes rather than eating generic international beach food.
- Do not assume every beach town is cheap: Nosara, Santa Teresa, Papagayo, Tamarindo and other tourism-heavy areas can cost more than San José.
- Coffee is worth seeking out in the Central Valley, but buy beans from a good roaster or estate rather than treating every souvenir bag as equal.
Book before you land
Corcovado National Park entry and any Sirena-sector guided hike or overnight arrangement · Manuel Antonio National Park timed-entry ticket, especially December–April, holidays and weekends · Poás Volcano National Park timed entry · Domestic flights to Drake Bay, Puerto Jiménez, Tortuguero, Nosara or Cóbano during peak season · Tortuguero regulated night turtle tours in the July–October nesting period
- Do not plan the country as one neat loop. In 7–10 nights, choose two or three bases; adding every headline stop means paying for transfers rather than experiencing places.
- Do not drive mountain or rural roads after dark if you can avoid it. Rain, fog, potholes, unmarked hazards and slow trucks make night driving disproportionately tiring.
- Pacific weather is not Caribbean weather: September–October are often poor for a southern-Pacific beach trip but can be the Caribbean’s best beach window.
- Use registered guides and operators for wildlife activities. Keep distance from animals, do not feed them, and take regulated turtle or whale tours rather than improvised encounters.
- For beaches, respect currents and local flags: several Pacific and Caribbean beaches have strong rip currents, and lifeguards are not universal.
- Build buffers around domestic flights, ferries, park bookings and international departures. A road transfer that looks easy on a map can unravel in heavy rain or traffic.
Entry rules change — verify visa requirements for your passport before booking this country.
Season by season
December–February
Pacific beaches are hot and mostly sunny, roads are at their easiest and Arenal–Monteverde–Guanacaste works reliably, but this is Costa Rica's busiest and most expensive stretch.
first visitsPacific beachesArenal and Monteverdewinter-sun trips
Christmas/New Year and North American school holidays push up rates; reserve small lodges, rental cars, domestic flights and popular Manuel Antonio dates well ahead.
March–April
This is the driest and hottest Pacific period, especially in Guanacaste, where landscapes can look dusty and dry-tropical rather than lush.
beach-first holidaysdivingGuanacastestraightforward road travel
Heat is intense, crowds remain high, and Semana Santa can fill beaches, roads and hotels nationwide.
May–June
Green season begins with brighter mornings and more frequent afternoon rain; forests, waterfalls and rivers recover quickly and visitor numbers usually ease.
ArenalMonteverderaftingvalue-conscious nature trips
Schedule walks and boat trips early, as rain can erase an afternoon beach or wildlife plan and remote-road driving becomes less forgiving.
July–August
The green season remains lush, with a possible but never guaranteed Pacific rainfall break known as the veranillo; Tortuguero turtle nesting and southern-Pacific whale activity are strong.
Tortuguero turtlesUvita and Osa whaleswildlifefamily trips
School holidays keep family-oriented destinations busy, and rain is still part of the daily rhythm outside any veranillo break.
September–October
Much of the Pacific, particularly the south, is at its wettest, while the Caribbean is often at its best beach weather, making Cahuita, Puerto Viejo and Gandoca-Manzanillo the strategic choice.
Caribbean beachesAfro-Caribbean food and culturePuerto ViejoUvita whale watching
Southern-Pacific properties may reduce operations or close for maintenance; do not plan this as a dependable Guanacaste or Osa beach holiday.
November
Weather is transitional: the Pacific gradually dries while the country remains green, and late November is generally calmer and better value than the Christmas rush.
shoulder-season valuelush landscapesflexible itinerariesPacific trips before peak season
Conditions can still be unsettled, so this suits travelers who can absorb rain and occasional itinerary changes.
Events worth planning around
Semana Santa · The week before Easter, usually in March or April · Nationwide, especially Pacific beaches and major road corridors
Domestic travel surges; beaches, roads and lodging fill, so avoid it for a quiet road trip or reserve well in advance.
Christmas and New Year holiday period · Late December through early January · Nationwide, especially beach destinations
This is one of the country's most expensive, crowded periods; desirable small hotels, rental cars and domestic flights can sell out.
Envision Festival · Usually February · Uvita and the southern Pacific
It can sharply distort rooms, transport and prices around Uvita/Dominical; book early or route around the area.
Romería pilgrimage · Around August 2 · Cartago and Central Valley approaches
Large pilgrim flows complicate Central Valley transport and accommodation; avoid relying on easy movement toward Cartago that weekend.
Limón Carnival · Usually the second full week of October · Limón
Expect music, crowds and pressure on local accommodation and transport; it is worthwhile for the atmosphere, not for a quiet Caribbean stay.
What to eat
Eat in sodas rather than chasing resort dining: the everyday plate is a casado, usually rice, beans, plantain, salad and a protein, and it is often better value than tourist-facing menus. Costa Rica is not a fine-dining destination first; its food becomes more distinctive in coffee country, on the Afro-Caribbean coast and wherever very fresh fish is available.
Casado: rice, beans, plantain, salad and a choice of meat, fish or vegetarian proteinGallo pinto: the rice-and-beans staple, especially at breakfastOlla de carne: hearty beef-and-vegetable soupChifrijo: rice, beans, pork, pico de gallo and tortilla chipsFresh fish and ceviche on both coastsCosta Rican coffee, particularly from the Central Valley highlandsCaribbean coconut-based dishes, often with rice and beans
Central Valley: Highland-grown Costa Rican coffee · San José dining and market food · Traditional soda lunches and casados
Southern Caribbean: Cahuita, Puerto Viejo and Gandoca-Manzanillo: Afro-Caribbean coconut-rich cooking · Rice and beans made with coconut milk · Caribbean seafood and a stronger reggae-calypso food culture than elsewhere in the country
Pacific coast: Fresh fish, ceviche and beach-town seafood · Pacific surf-town cafés, though prices can be high for what you get