What to bring to Costa Rica
Packing Essentials
What you pack will depend on when and where you are travelling and the types of activities included in your itinerary. The following should act as a useful checklist of essential items:
Clothes
- Waterproof day pack for excursions and landings
- Money belt – ensure that it is discreet and comfortable to wear
- Sunglasses and sun hat
- Comfortable walking shoes and sandals
- Wet landing shoes – A pair of reef shoes, velcro sandals or old walking shoes that you are prepared to throw away are all ideal. These are essential for wet landings. Please note that bare feet or flip flops are not permitted for safety reasons.
- Long-sleeved top and full-length trousers – protection against mosquitoes at dawn and dusk and the sun throughout the day
- Lightweight and light-coloured clothing
- Spray Jacket – For Zodiac cruises and transfers. Sea or weather conditions (choppy water or cool mornings/evenings) make it necessary to wear a waterproof spray jacket.
- Warm clothing (depending on itinerary and time of year)
- Swimsuit
First Aid
- Basic first-aid kit – band-aids/bandages, anti-diarrhoea remedy, paracetamol/aspirin, re-hydration remedy, antiseptic cream/powder, sterile dressing
- Sea sickness medication
- Personal medication – we recommend carrying this in your hand luggage at all times
- Moisturiser for wind and/or sunburn
- Waterproof sunscreen and lip balm
- Mosquito spray and insect repellent
Documents
- Passport – ensure that it is valid, in good condition with empty pages available
- Photocopy of passport
- Travel insurance – ensure that it will be valid for the entire journey
- Vaccination certificate
- Photographs of the contents of your luggage, particularly special/expensive items such as cameras, laptops and tablets etc
- Passport photos for identification passes and certain overseas visas
- Airline tickets and itinerary
- Foreign currency and/or debit/credit cards
- Debit/credit card cancellation phone numbers
- Emergency contact numbers
Other
- Binoculars for wildlife viewing from ship and in national parks
- Camera with spare battery and memory cards
- Dry bag or plastic bag for camera
- Laptop for image processing and other data use
- USB stick to share photos with fellow travellers
- Padlock with security or smart code
- International power adaptor
- Voltage converter
- Power board for charging multiple devices
- Small torch
- External hard drive for storing downloaded images
- Spare pair of prescription glasses or contact lenses
- Ear plugs (especially if you are sharing a cabin)
Refillable water bottles are available upon request if you forget to bring one, just remember to fill it up for onshore excursions!
We hope you enjoy a true Aurora experience of a lifetime and we can’t wait to have you join us.
Pre-Departure Guide: Central America
Read what to know before you go to Central America.
Health & Safety
Learn about our enhanced health and safety measures.