Planning your first — or fifth — trip to Costa Rica? Before you pack your bags, read this. These are the real Costa Rica do's and don'ts that locals wish every traveler knew before landing.
If you're getting ready to visit Costa Rica, you're in for an extraordinary adventure. This small Central American country packs in rainforests, volcanoes, pristine beaches, incredible wildlife, and some of the warmest people you'll ever meet. But like any destination, knowing what to do — and what NOT to do — can make the difference between a trip of a lifetime and a frustrating experience.
We've put together this complete guide to the do's and don'ts of Costa Rica, based on real local knowledge and years of helping travelers explore this incredible country. Whether you're a backpacker on a shoestring budget, a family with kids, or a solo traveler, these tips apply to you.
Let's dive in.
✅ DO: Plan ahead — especially for high season
Costa Rica is not the kind of destination you can easily "wing it," particularly if you're visiting between December and April (high/dry season) or during Christmas, New Year's, and Easter Week (Semana Santa).
Popular hotels, private shuttles, and must-do tours book up fast — sometimes months in advance. If you're dreaming of staying at a specific eco-lodge in Manuel Antonio or doing white-water rafting on the Río Pacuare, don't wait.
Tips for smart planning:
- Book accommodation, tours, and transportation at least 2–3 months in advance for dry season travel
- For Christmas, New Year's, and Semana Santa, book 3–6 months ahead — vacation rentals in popular areas can sell out a year in advance
- Make a rough itinerary of your "must-sees," so you don't miss out on anything
- Always ask about cancellation policies when booking tours, hotels, or shuttles — things can change
Even in the rainy season (May–November), some destinations stay quite busy. The Caribbean coast (Puerto Viejo, Tortuguero) actually has its best weather in September and October when the Pacific side is at its rainiest — a great insider tip to keep in mind.
❌ DON'T: Confuse Costa Rica with other Countries
This might seem obvious, but it causes real headaches every year: do not book your flight to San José, California (airport code: SJC). The airport you want is Juan Santamaría International Airport in San José, Costa Rica (airport code: SJO). Triple-check before you hit purchase.
While you're at it, Costa Rica is not Mexico. It's not Puerto Rico. It's not an island, and it's not a U.S. territory. Latin America is incredibly diverse, and Costa Rican culture, food, dialect, and traditions are unique. Showing up and making references that conflate Costa Rica with other countries is one of the fastest ways to make a bad impression with locals. Do a little homework before you go — even a quick read-through of the basics goes a long way.
✅ DO: Embrace the "Pura Vida" Lifestyle
You will hear "Pura Vida" within five minutes of arriving in Costa Rica — and you'll keep hearing it for your entire trip. It literally means "pure life," but its meaning goes much deeper than that. It's used as a greeting, a farewell, a thank-you, a response to "how are you?" and a general expression of happiness and gratitude for life.
More importantly, it's a philosophy. Costa Ricans (called Ticos) live at a slower, more intentional pace. They take time to enjoy meals, linger in conversation, and appreciate the small things. If you travel here expecting everything to move at the same pace as home, you'll spend your trip frustrated.
How to embrace Pura Vida on your trip:
- Slow down and be patient — with traffic, with service, with everything
- Smile and greet people warmly (a simple "Hola, buenos días" goes a long way)
- Leave room in your itinerary for spontaneity and unexpected adventures
- Sit with your coffee, watch the hummingbirds, and just be present
❌ DON'T: Expect everything to run on a strict schedule
Related to Pura Vida — time in Costa Rica flows differently. Buses may be late. Your tour guide might arrive 20 minutes after the stated meeting time. A "quick" lunch could take an hour. This isn't disorganization; it's cultural.
Local insider tip: Always build extra buffer time into your daily plans. If you have a shuttle to catch, a flight to make, or a connection to hit, account for delays. Stressing over a late tour guide is a surefire way to miss the real magic of being here.
✅ DO: Learn a few words in Spanish
While many Ticos in tourist areas speak English — often very good English — making even a small effort in Spanish will earn you immediate goodwill. Costa Ricans genuinely appreciate it when visitors try to meet them on their turf.
Essential phrases to know:
- Hola — Hello
- Buenos días / buenas tardes / buenas noches — Good morning / afternoon / evening
- Gracias — Thank you
- Por favor — Please
- ¿Cuánto cuesta? — How much does it cost?
- Pura vida — The catch-all Costa Rican phrase for everything good
- Con permiso — Excuse me (when passing by someone)
- La cuenta, por favor — The bill, please
Even if your pronunciation is rough, locals will smile and help you. Don't be shy — they love the effort.
❌ DON'T: Underestimate Costa Rican Roads
Costa Rica has modern highways connecting major cities, but once you head off the beaten path — toward Monteverde, the Nicoya Peninsula, the Osa Peninsula, or anywhere in the mountains — the roads can get rough. Very rough. Think unpaved gravel tracks, river crossings, massive potholes, and zero streetlights at night.
Road rules to live by:
- Rent a 4x4 SUV if you're going anywhere beyond the main tourist corridors — it's not optional, it's necessary
- Never drive at night on mountain roads or unfamiliar routes — visibility is poor and hazards are hard to see
- Download offline maps (Google Maps offline or Maps.me) before you go — cell signal disappears in many areas
- Don't take "shortcuts" suggested by GPS — what looks like a faster route on the map can be an impassable mud track in real life
- If your rental is fully loaded with people and luggage, know that Costa Rican cars have smaller engines and can struggle on steep hills
✅ DO: Eat at sodas and support local
businesses
One of the best things you can do in Costa Rica — for your wallet, your taste buds, and the local economy — is eat at a soda. These are small, family-run traditional restaurants, often open-air, serving authentic Costa Rican home cooking at very reasonable prices.
For around $5–8 USD, you'll get a generous casado — a plate of rice, black beans, fresh salad, fried plantains, and your choice of grilled chicken, fish, beef, or vegetables. It's simple, filling, fresh, and delicious. This is what Ticos eat every day.
Beyond sodas, try to stay at local eco-lodges, book tours with local guides, and buy handmade crafts directly from artisans. Every colón you spend locally has a direct positive impact on the communities that make Costa Rica so special.
❌ DON'T: Feed or Disturb Wildlife
Costa Rica is home to some of the most spectacular wildlife on the planet — howler monkeys, scarlet macaws, sloths, toucans, sea turtles, jaguars, and more. The temptation to get close — or to offer a monkey a piece of fruit — can be overwhelming. Resist it.
Here's why feeding wildlife is harmful:
- Animals that become dependent on human food lose the ability to forage naturally
- They can become aggressive, putting both visitors and the animals themselves at risk
- Human food is often harmful or even toxic to wild animals
- Feeding wildlife is illegal in many protected areas and can result in fines
The same goes for touching, chasing, or cornering animals for photos. Keep a respectful distance. Use binoculars. Hire a naturalist guide — they have trained eyes and telescopes that will get you closer to wildlife (safely) than you'd ever manage on your own.
✅ DO: Book at least one guided nature walk
Speaking of guides — if there's one thing worth every penny in Costa Rica, it's a guided nature walk. What looks like an empty trail to untrained eyes is absolutely teeming with life when you're with a local naturalist.
Your guide will spot a sloth perfectly camouflaged 30 feet up in a cecropia tree, point out a poison dart frog on a leaf you've already walked past, and explain the entire ecosystem connecting a strangler fig to a three-toed sloth to a harpy eagle. It's transformative.
Some of the best places for guided walks include Manuel Antonio National Park, Monteverde's Curi Cancha Reserve, Cahuita National Park, and pretty much any rainforest trail in La Fortuna or the Osa Peninsula. Guided walks are especially worthwhile for families — kids are fascinated, and the experience can genuinely change how they see the natural world.
❌ DON'T: Leave trash behind or take natural souvenirs
Costa Rica has invested enormously in protecting its environment — roughly 26% of the country is protected national park land, one of the highest percentages in the world. Ticos take enormous pride in this, and so should you as a visitor.
What this means practically:
- Pack out everything you pack in — don't leave trash on trails, beaches, or in nature reserves
- Don't take shells, plants, rocks, or any natural materials from their environment — customs will confiscate them anyway, and removing them disrupts ecosystems
- Stay on marked trails — going off-path damages fragile vegetation and can be genuinely dangerous
- If you see litter on a trail or beach, picking it up is a small act of Pura Vida that means a lot
The Costa Rican motto is "take only pictures, leave only footprints" — live by it.
✅ DO: Be prepared for all kinds of weather
Costa Rica has 26 distinct microclimates, which means the weather varies enormously depending on
where you are and what time of year it is. You can go from a hot Pacific beach to a cold cloud forest in the same day.
What to pack and expect:
- Dry season (December–April): Sunny and warm on the Pacific; a great time for beach and outdoor activities
- Rainy season (May–November): Afternoons and evenings bring rain, but mornings are often beautiful; the rainforest is at its most lush and green
- Caribbean coast: Follows a different weather pattern — September and October are actually sunny there while the Pacific is at peak rain
- Always pack sunscreen, insect repellent, a light rain jacket, and a reusable water bottle
- The tap water in most of Costa Rica (including San José and major tourist destinations) is safe to drink — bring a reusable bottle and help reduce plastic waste
Don't let rain scare you away from rainy season travel. With the right expectations and gear, it's an incredible time to visit — fewer crowds, lower prices, and waterfalls at full roar.
❌ DON'T: Stay glued to one resort or skip beyond the main hotspots
Manuel Antonio, La Fortuna/Arenal, and Tamarindo are spectacular — don't skip them. But Costa Rica's magic runs much deeper than its most-Instagrammed destinations.
If you only have a week, at least try to see the country's "Big 4": a volcano, rainforest, waterfall, and beach. With proper planning, you can hit all four in a single trip.
And if you have more time — or you've been to the main spots already — explore further:
- Monteverde for cloud forest, hanging bridges, and incredible ziplining
- Osa Peninsula for raw, remote jungle and one of the most biodiverse places on Earth
- Puerto Viejo de Talamanca for Caribbean culture, reggae vibes, and Afro-Costa Rican cuisine
- Tenorio Volcano & Río Celeste for that impossibly turquoise blue waterfall
- Dominical & Uvita for laid-back surf towns and the famous whale tail beach (Marino Ballena)
Getting beyond the tourist bubble — eating at local sodas, walking through a small town, talking to a farmer at a roadside stand — is where Costa Rica really reveals itself.
✅ DO: Respect local culture and communities
Ticos are warm, generous, and deeply respectful people. They expect — and deserve — the same in return.
Cultural do's and don'ts in Costa Rica:
- Dress modestly in towns and villages — save the bikini and board shorts for the beach
- Ask permission before photographing people — it's a basic courtesy that locals deeply appreciate
- Greet people warmly — jumping straight into a transaction without a "buenos días" is considered rude
- Be patient and kind — if something goes wrong (a tour is delayed, a restaurant is slow), handle it with grace
- Respect religious and community events — Costa Rica has a strong Catholic tradition, and local festivals and processions deserve respectful observation
Costa Rica has built its international reputation on sustainability, warmth, and biodiversity. Every visitor who shows up as a respectful, engaged guest contributes to that legacy — and every visitor who doesn't makes it harder for the next one.
✅ DO: Take advantage of free and low-cost nature experiences
You don't need to spend a fortune to have an extraordinary time in Costa Rica.
Some of the country's best experiences are free or nearly free:
- Sunrise and sunset walks on virtually any beach
- Swimming in rivers and natural pools (always check current conditions with locals first)
- Birdwatching from your hotel garden or a roadside tree
- Watching sea turtle nesting (seasonal, and guided programs are often low-cost)
- Hiking public trails in national parks (entry fees are usually $5–$20)
Costa Rica's greatest gift is its nature — and nature doesn't send you a bill.
Final Thoughts: Travel like a local, leave like a guest
The best way to experience Costa Rica is simply to show up with curiosity, respect, and an open heart. Embrace the slower pace. Try the food. Learn a few words. Get off the main road. Give a few extra minutes to the howler monkey making noise outside your window at 5 AM — he was there before you, and he'll be there long after.
Keep these Costa Rica do's and don'ts in mind, and you won't just have an amazing trip. You'll leave having genuinely connected with one of the most remarkable places on Earth.
Pura Vida.
Ready to Plan Your Costa Rica Trip?
At Pura Vida Traveling, we help backpackers, families, and solo travelers find the best experiences, transportation, and tours throughout Costa Rica — straight from people who live here.
- 🚐 Need a shuttle? Book your transportation here
- 🗺️ Exploring Manuel Antonio? See our full destination guide
- 🦥 Curious about wildlife? Read our Costa Rica animals guide
- 📋 Not sure where to start? Begin your trip planning here
Have questions? Reach us on WhatsApp at +506 8826 3163 — we're locals, and we're happy to help.
