The Ultimate Guide to Backpacking Costa Rica

Located in Central America, Costa Rica is one of the most popular destinations for both tourists and backpackers alike. The country itself is sandwiched between Nicaragua to the north and Panama to the south. This makes it a prime excursion stop for backpackers attempting to travel the wider region. 

Costa Rica itself is rich in Latin American culture and is now one of our favourite places. The locals were also super welcoming which we felt made a massive difference to our experience. 

This travel guide will outline everything you need to know about backpacking Costa Rica. It will include why to visit; when to visit; where to go in Costa Rica and how to get around amongst other important information. 

Disclaimer: Some of the links included on our website may contain affiliate links. We may receive some commission from purchases made via these but it will NOT affect the price you pay. This is to allow this site to stay online and ensure that readers use, what we believe, are the best products possible whilst travelling.

Why you should backpack Costa Rica 

There are an endless number of reasons why you should backpack Costa Rica.

Firstly, if you’re at all worried about the stigma of Central America being unsafe, don’t be. Costa Rica is known to be one of the safest countries in Latin America!

Even if a bit outdated, Costa Rica’s transport system is very affordable and will take you anywhere you need. However, you may need to catch more than one bus on some occasions depending on your destination. 

As Costa Rica is incredibly popular with backpackers, it is a perfect place to meet like-minded travellers. We’ve experienced numerous instances in Costa Rica where people have met and decided to travel together for many months. The country is also quite small in comparison to others which makes it an ideal destination to travel around. This makes travelling time between destinations very manageable.

However, whether you’re looking to relax on the beach; scuba dive; surf; party hard or just spot wildlife, Costa Rica has a bit of everything you could possibly want. You’d be silly to miss out on Costa Rica on your travels. 

When to backpack Costa Rica

When to backpack Costa Rica depends entirely on what you’re looking for. If you’re looking for cloudless skies and hot weather then there is no better time to visit than between December and April. This period is when the rainfall is at its lowest so you can make the most of the beautiful beaches.

Naturally, however, the better weather attracts bigger crowds from all over the world. This also means a large uptick in prices compared to other months so accommodation and food will be more expensive than normal! Having said that, food is still quite affordable depending on where you eat. March and April are particularly popular with spring breakers so it may not be the best time to visit if crowds aren’t your thing.

Alternatively, if you love wildlife, there is no better time to visit than between May and November. Whilst this period does have increased amounts of rainfall, it’s made up by the fact that there’s more wildlife about. However, the major benefit of this period is that the accommodation and activity prices decrease so you can do and see more of this beautiful country. September to November is especially rainy so if you don’t want to get soaked, avoid this period. 

Overall, we’d recommend visiting in May or June as this provides the best combination of lower prices, fewer people and moderate weather.

Should you backpack Costa Rica alone? 

Yes, absolutely!

We met heaps of solo travellers during our trip around Costa Rica and everyone was having an absolutely great time. Everyone we spoke to said the main reason they enjoyed backpacking alone was the freedom to do what they want when they want. In addition, it made them more sociable and allowed them to meet other people easily.

It’s also worth noting that hostels are a great place to meet people as they’re always busy and organise multiple group excursions. You will definitely not struggle to make friends no matter whether you’re on your own or in a group. However, it goes without saying that you should definitely take extra safety precautions when solo travelling. Whilst it’s by no means overrun by crime, it’s not the safest place on earth either.

You should still be particularly cautious when transporting your belongings as petty theft can be quite common. We’d highly recommend purchasing an Apple AirTag or the Samsung SmartTag to keep a track of your bags throughout your travels. We used them during our whole trip. It gave us peace of mind knowing we can track our luggage at all times. 

What to pack for backpacking Costa Rica

We have written a whole guide for what to pack for Panama which will be pretty similar, but here are a few things you should definitely pack!

• Backpack (our personal favourite is this Osprey 70L)
• Not too many clothes (laundry is very affordable and you will appreciate a lighter bag)
• Bug spray with DEET
• Travel plug adaptor (US socket type)
• Mosquito net (we didn’t have one and definitely wished we did)
• Head torch 
• A lightweight jumper or fleece (it gets cold in some highland areas!) 
• A lightweight raincoat 
• Underwater phone case
• Money belt 
• Sun cream (is readily available in Costa Rica but is more expensive)
• Tampons (very hard to find in Costa Rica) 
• Padlocks for hostel lockers 

Backpacking Costa Rica Itinerary 

2-week Costa Rica Itinerary

If you only have two weeks to visit, we’d highly recommend concentrating your time on the country’s pacific coast. The reason being is that the pacific coast has a range of chilled surfer towns and some amazing beaches!

As a result of having limited time, we’d recommend skipping out the capital, San Jose, altogether. That said, it may be worth spending one night here to get your bearings. The reason being tis that there isn’t really anything to do in San Jose and parts of the city aren’t particularly safe. It is advised not to go out on your own after dark whilst you’re here. Costa Rica Backpackers is a great place to stay for a night as it’s really sociable. There is even the popular Craic Irish Pub opposite to relax after a long day travelling.

After one night, jump on the bus to Quepos where you can get a taste of Costa Rica’s beautiful beaches and visit the famous Manuel Antonio National Park. Make sure to check out our Manuel Antonio Travel Guide for everything you need to know about the popular tourist destination. 

After a few days here, take the bus from Quepos up the pacific coast to Jaco. Jaco is backpacker HQ as the majority come here to surf, party and meet other like-minded people. The bus is incredibly easy to get. Simply hop on the Jaco-signed bus from Quepos Bus Station and jump off at your stop. 

Like all places, your time here will depend on how much you enjoy the place. If you enjoy the surfing, chilling and drinking vibe then I’m sure you’ll end up staying here for a while. 

From Jaco, you can get a boat over to Montezuma which only takes one hour. This will give you some time to enjoy the beautiful Costa Rican weather and go whale/dolphin watching.

Once you arrive in Montezuma, it’s just a small journey to your next destination of Santa Teresa. Santa Teresa is a beautiful seaside town with an amazing beach. If you’ve ever been fortunate enough to experience tropical island life before, Santa Teresa really gives off an island atmosphere despite its geographical location. 

Whilst you could easily spend the rest of your time in Santa Teresa, you really shouldn’t be visiting Costa Rica without taking a trip to Tamarindo.

Tamarindo, or Tama-gringo for the locals, is a little more built up than other areas in Costa Rica. Thus, it is a little more expensive but it is possible to explore on a budget if you wish. For example, booking your accommodation and transport well in advance and eating local food are the best ways to enjoy Tamarindo on a backpacker’s budget. 

From Tamarindo, you have the option to venture onto Nicaragua or go back to San Jose for an onward flight. Alternatively, if you’re looking to visit Panama after your time backpacking Costa Rica, we’d recommend starting in Tamarindo and completing this itinerary backwards. It’s really easy to get to the Panamanian border from Manuel Antonio. 

1-month backpacking Costa Rica itinerary

If like us, you’re able to have a full month exploring Costa Rica, there is so much you can see.

For example, on the Caribbean coast, there are locations like Tortuguero or Puerto Viejo de Talamanca which are great spots if you like wildlife or more beaches!

La Fortuna and Monteverde are two other great places you should visit if you have the time. The former is the gateway to the Arenal Volcano and the latter is situated in Costa Rica’s cloud forest. 

The route you take will depend on your entry and exit points but most people we met tended to work clockwise starting on the Caribbean coast and working up the Pacific coast before ending up in Tamarindo

Top Backpacking spots in Costa Rica

• Jaco
• Tamarindo
• Monteverde 
• La Fortuna 
• Puerto Viejo de Talamanca 
• Manuel Antonio 
• Santa Teresa

How to get around Costa Rica 

Renting a Car

We wouldn’t personally recommend renting a car or an SUV for backpacking Costa Rica mainly for safety reasons. If you’re a foreigner, there is a high possibility that you could have your car or belongings stolen.

However, renting a car can also be extremely expensive in terms of fees and car reliability may not be the best. Having said that, if you’ve rented a car in Costa Rica at all, we’d love to hear about your experiences! 

Taxis

As you can imagine, taxis are the most expensive way around the country but they allow you to get to your destination quicker. 

In some of the more densely populated parts of the country, like San Jose and Liberia, Uber is available. However, make sure to be extra cautious when taking an Uber as it’s a contentious thing in Costa Rica.

Firstly, Uber severely undercuts the prices charged by local taxi drivers which has prompted a lot of anger. Secondly, Uber is technically operating illegally in Costa Rica as there’s no precedent in Costa Rican law for tech-based taxi services. However, the government turn a blind eye to this rideshare activity so the company is essentially operating in a grey area.

Overall, Uber is available should you wish to use it. We’d recommend having a Costa Rican sim card as drivers may not accept international numbers. 

Alternatively, the only licensed taxis in Costa Rica are those that are completely red with a yellow triangle on the side. The triangle should clearly outline where the taxi’s operating area is, as exemplified by the picture above. These taxis are readily available in most regions and are a great way of getting around with your baggage. We’d recommend using these for short distances as constant use can burn a hole in your savings very quickly. 

Public Buses

This is the main mode of transport we used to get around Costa Rica. The primary reason for this was the fact it was the cheapest way to get around the country AND it had a great network of stops. For example, our longest journey was seven hours and it cost us £4 each!!

As travelling in buses took so long, we ended up writing off our travel days in terms of planned activities. This was because they could be long, and tiring and transfers were always stressful. We were also fortunate to have the time to do this, which definitely helped us enjoy each place more as a result. 

We’d highly recommend looking up bus times on the internet as they’re surprisingly readily available. If you have any concerns then just ask at your accommodation as staff are always happy to help! 

Shuttle Buses 

However, when buses weren’t feasible, due to bad timings, availability or multiple changeovers, our next option was to book a shuttle bus.

These shuttles are readily available from the majority of popular destinations across the country and are super easy to access. Simply search your route and numerous companies will appear. You can then compare and contrast each one according to timing, cost and drop-off point to find the one most suitable for you. 

Naturally, these shuttles will cost more than buses but they’re an extremely handy resource. The only downside was there are significantly fewer seats which can make it a bit of a cramped journey!

There are two different types of shuttle buses; private and public. Understandably, private buses will cost more but it will be just those in your party for the journey. Public shuttles are a mix of complete strangers with your own assigned seats and can have numerous drop-off points along the route.

In comparison to the public bus, shuttles were a little bit comfier, sometimes not by much, and generally had air-con. Admittedly some worked better than others but it could be a blessing depending on where you were. The journey was also likely to be smoother than a public bus and you tended to be dropped off right outside your next accommodation. 

Top Tip: Make sure to book at least two days in advance to secure a seat and a cheaper price. 

Ferry

Whilst by no means the primary method of transport, we did end up taking a ferry boat on multiple occasions.

For example, we took a ferry as part of our shuttle package from Monteverde to La Fortuna and from Tortuguero to Limon. You can also take the boat from Jaco to Santa Teresa if both these locations are in your plans and you don’t want to do a horseshoe on land.

The enjoyment of the journey depends entirely on the weather conditions so we’d recommend always having a raincoat and some travel sickness pills on you.

You may not truly understand until you get there but some Costa Rican journeys aren’t the smoothest!

Top Things to do in Costa Rica

We have full bucket list for Costa Rica, but here are some things you absolutely must do when backpacking Costa Rica!

Learn to surf 

Costa Rica is known for its amazing surfing spots. With warm waters and consistent waves, both experts and beginners flock to the beaches every year. If surfing is what you are after there are two main surf spots we would recommend. 

The first spot we’d recommend is Tamarindo, home to the world-famous Witches Rock. Tamarindo has several surf camps where you can easily spend a few days learning from professionals.

If you already surf, there are plenty of surf rental shacks along the beach with a range of boards to choose from. 

Top Tip: Make sure to haggle the price as renters are known to overcharge. If you’re confident and stubborn, you’ll end up getting a good deal. Five to seven dollars a day is considered a good deal, just make sure to check what time they pack up. 

Alternatively, if you’re travelling along the Caribbean coast, make sure to stop off at Puerto Viejo de Talamanca. Whilst Playa Cocles is located just around the headland from the town itself, it’s easily accessible by foot or bike. Whilst this was one of the first beaches we visited in, it ended up being one of the best to surf at given how big the waves were. 

Zipline 

If you are a thrill-seeker like Alex, Costa Rica is definitely the place to cross ziplining off your bucket list!

There are several locations around the country where you can zipline. However, we couldn’t recommend the Extremo Zipline Tour in Monteverde enough. Situated in the cloud forest, this activity is an absolute must-do if you’re wanting to try something different. You’ll be able to cross 14 different cables with some at a staggering 150 metres! You will even get the opportunity to go on a superman-style ride and rappel 100 feet on the famous Tarzan swing! 

Having visited ourselves, I can assure you each and every rope is incredibly safe. Instructors are stationed at the start and end of each rope to buckle and unbuckle you for safety. 

Overall, it was by far one of our most enjoyable activities in Costa Rica and we couldn’t recommend it enough!

Cloud Forest Tour 

If maybe ziplining is not your thing, taking a Hanging Bridges Tour is another great activity. This tour will take you around the rainforest canopy around the Arenal Volcano and its amazing ecosystem.

Each bridge is completely unique and you may get the chance to see sloths, monkeys and frogs. The route is suitable for all abilities and ages due to its predominantly flat terrain and you’ll be able to view the rainforest from a completely different angle. 

See monkeys and sloths in the rainforest 

One of the main reasons I wanted to visit Central America, and Costa Rica specifically, was due to its vast amount of wildlife and it didn’t disappoint!

We saw our first ever wild sloth in the Tortuguero National Park and several others throughout our trip. Tortuguero is particularly a great place to see all kinds of wildlife, as is the Manuel Antonio National Park where you’ll see monkeys up close and personal.

While you may get lucky and see sloths up in the trees yourself, they can be hard to spot! For your best chances, book a sloth-watching tour in La Fortuna where an expert can help spot them for you!

Unfortunately, we did see a lot of people not respecting the wildlife in Costa Rica. If you do visit, please do not touch the animals, it’s actually illegal to do so! Make sure to never shine your torches directly at animals or have your camera flash on, it can really disturb the animals. After all, people are going into THEIR habitat after all. 

Canoe Tour 

We did a kayaking tour in Tortuguero National Park and had the best time learning about the culture, wildlife and plants while rowing down the river. Definitely a highlight of our trip to Tortuguero.

As we’ve outlined in our Visitors Guide to Tortuguero, Costa Rica, going on a native canoe tour is an absolute must. Admittedly the 6am wake-up call was tough but it was really worth it all. We saw tons of animals and constantly heard howler monkeys in the trees. The fact that we saw a family of caimans nestled in the mangrove was really cool to see. 

We, unfortunately, missed out on the Manuel Antonio Mangrove Kayaking Tour but we’ve heard nothing but great things. If you get around to doing it, please let us know what you think!

Natural Hot Springs

There are some incredible hot springs in Costa Rica but our favourite is located in the small northwestern town of La Fortuna. Situated at the foot of the Arenal Volcano, tourists flock from all over the globe to experience this natural wonder. The beautiful spa-like water is heated geothermally from the Earth’s interior.

If you’re just looking for the best way to experience the hot springs then check out the Tabacon Hot Springs. To one side of the road is a ramp taking you a short distance to the hot springs. Be careful when you step in as it’ll be slippy and the water is surprisingly strong. Head through the underpass and you’ll be greeted by a tonne of natural pools. It really is an amazing experience. 

Alternatively, if you wish to experience the hot springs as part of your stay in La Fortuna, definitely check out the Tabacon Thermal Resort & Spa. Here you can still relax in the 38C water but also have the opportunity to enjoy the amazing facilities at the Tabacon Hotel. Having spoken to numerous people who stayed there, they had nothing but praise for the resort and would highly recommend staying there.    

Both of the above can be accessed via a short taxi journey from La Fortuna itself and costs roughly 4,000CRC. 

Turtle Hatching 

If you’re organised enough to visit Tortuguero between the months of March and October then you should definitely partake in the turtle releasing program.

Again, if you love wildlife, there is nothing cooler than watching freshly hatched turtles scamper into the sea.

In Tortuguero, you can volunteer and protect the turtles from poachers, birds and jaguars. We were gutted not to be able to take part so if you’re lucky enough, please let us know how you get on!

How much does it cost to backpack Costa Rica? 

Like most countries, backpacking in Costa Rica can be as cheap or as expensive as you make it.

Every place in Costa Rica we visited had different price points depending on how touristy that area was. For example, Tamarindo seemed to be more expensive than other areas due to it being a popular destination. However, it’s still possible to enjoy such destinations on a budget if you know where to look and employ money-saving tips. 

In comparison to other Central American countries, Costa Rica is known to be one of the more expensive places to visit. Nonetheless, if you’re an experienced traveller there are ways of getting around this. 

During our one month in Costa Rica, we spent roughly £3.5k between us. Whilst it does seem a lot, we did visit both coasts and nearly everywhere that was worth exploring. Understandably, we also had a few nights where we stayed in hotels rather than hostels and enjoyed that extra beer.

7 Money-saving tips for Costa Rica: 

1. Staying in Hostels 

Whilst backpacking Costa Rica, accommodation was by far what we spent the most of our budget on.

Whilst you can sometimes find affordable guesthouses on booking.com, such as Green Macaw, the main way to keep your costs as low as possible is to stay in hostels.

Thankfully, due to Costa Rica being a popular backpacking destination, most of the hostels are very modern and a great place to meet people. 

2. Eating at Sodas 

While a lot of the Instagram-worthy brunch cafes and restaurants are tempting, eating at these places every day will really eat into your budget. Luckily the local food in Costa Rica is amazing and very affordable!

The best places to find local food are at places called “Sodas”. These traditionally are hole-in-the-wall style food places serving fresh local food and run by super-friendly families. 

3. Public buses 

Naturally, moving around from place to place will cause the costs to add up, especially if you’re wanting to see as much of the country as possible.

However, we found that taking public buses is the most affordable and practical method of getting around. Again, whilst it is possible to take taxis and shuttles directly to your accommodation or destination, public buses allow you to go across the country for only a couple of dollars.

If you’re planning to use buses, we’d recommend setting aside a whole day for travelling to accommodate Costa Rica’s Pura Vida schedule. 

4. Haggling 

Haggling, or bartering, is common in Costa Rican culture and is a great way to not only save money but also stop yourself from getting scammed.

A lot of locals will see every tourist as rich ‘gringos’ on holiday and will attempt to overcharge you at markets and for taxi rides. Make sure you’re firm with any offer and always vastly lowball with your initial offer as the price will always increase from there. 

5. Happy Hours 

If you are planning on enjoying a party during your trip, happy hours will be your best friend. While alcohol isn’t necessarily expensive in Costa Rica, if you are planning on drinking a lot of mojitos, it can end up setting you back a lot.

We’d recommend doing some research beforehand to know if and when bars in the local area put on happy hours. It is definitely worth asking at your accommodation/hostel or other travellers as they’ll be able to give you some honest feedback about the local establishments.

From our own experience, bars generally had happy hours every evening so it’s just about finding which place you like the most.

Cooking 

Whilst cooking can be a pain to do, it is absolutely worth doing if you’re on a budget or you’re travelling for a long period.

We made sure that the hostels we stayed in had a kitchen to give us the option of cooking. Obviously, sometimes it’s not possible to have a kitchen depending on other conditions like price and location. However, cooking once a day or a few times a week makes a massive difference to your expenditure and is well worth considering. 

Booking activities online 

Despite hostels and local tourist centres being great place to book activities, we found that booking online provided great deals for all the possible activities.

For example, our hostel in Monteverde offered us a zip-lining trip for $60pp but we managed to find a deal online for $50pp. In addition, websites will provide you with all the information you need such as pick-up points and times as well as the length of the activity.

Conversely, whilst hostels can be reliable, we felt that some were poorly managed and it wasn’t very reassuring at times. We personally found that Viator often had the best prices and the widest range of activities available so we ended up relying upon the website heavily during our trip. 

Is it safe to backpack in Costa Rica? 

You may be wondering ‘is Costa Rica safe?’. Costa Rica is reportedly the safest country in Central America, however, there are risks in every country you visit. While some areas felt a lot safer than others we can honestly say we didn’t feel unsafe at any point during our month-long trip. Unfortunately, we did hear some horror stories so here are some tips to keep you safe.

Safety tips: 

Speak to locals and hostel owners about safe and unsafe areas

Backpackers are common in Costa Rica and the locals are some of the nicest people you could ever meet. Therefore, don’t be afraid to ask hostel workers or restaurant workers about any areas they wouldn’t visit. For example, the hostel owner in San Jose told us to avoid walking at night and to avoid a few streets no matter the time of day. 

Be careful with taxi drivers

Whatever you do, do not get into unmarked taxis! Taxi scams can be a huge problem in Central America, especially for foreigners and women. The best way to avoid getting scammed is to only use the red triangle cabs. As we’ve explained above, Uber operates in a grey space legally in Costa Rica so be especially careful when calling one as the drivers may not be what they seem. With that, it always helps travelling as a couple or a group; safety in numbers and all that. 

Try not to walk alone at night

Walking alone at night is an absolute no-no and you will even see signs advising against it. Unfortunately, the worst does happen, especially if you’re a female, albeit very rarely. We’d recommend always carrying a personal-alarm that is easily accessible should you need it.

Don’t flash around expensive items

We hate to say it but if you are walking around the streets with a wallet full of cash and the latest iPhone in hand, you’re asking to get mugged. We kept all of our valuables stored deep in our luggage, which had a tracker inside. In addition, we kept a small locked backpack to hand ensuring our passport and laptop were in our control.

Don’t engage in drugs/sex/excessive drinking 

One of the main ways you’ll run into issues while backpacking Costa Rica is while partying. Drugs are often offered out in Costa Rica and will likely get you in trouble. We’d advise against any participation, especially in a foreign country.

Alcohol can be free-flowing and very affordable, especially during happy hour, so if you’re heading to a party, make sure to let your hostel, family and friends where you’re going. Moreover, planning how you’re getting to and from the venue is a great way of being safe.

We’d also recommend always having an emergency bit of cash as well as enough cash to ensure you can get home safely.  

…

Ultimately, your trip around Costa Rica totally depends on what your priorities are and how long you’ve got. As with any country or region, it’s best to keep travelling distances to a minimum to keep your costs down. In addition, this itinerary is easily adaptable if you wanted to visit the beautiful beaches and mountains in Panama.

There you have it, our guide to backpacking Costa Rica. Outlining the best places for you to visit, how much it costs and the country’s must-do activities. However, no matter where you visit, you’re going to absolutely love Costa Rica and hopefully as much as we did! You are also bound to meet a tonne of like-minded people from all over the world as Costa Rica is a hugely popular tourist destination. 

Have you visited Costa Rica before or wish to visit? Let us know what you think in the comments below!

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Disclaimer: Some of the links included on our website may contain affiliate links. We may receive some commission from purchases made via these but it will NOT affect the price you pay. This is to allow this site to stay online and ensure that readers use, what we believe, are the best products possible whilst travelling.