msr3017

\what happens if we go over the 25 pound limit for domestic flights in costa rica?

we are preparing to jettison some stuff to be retrieved later but if it is a modest fee we might elect to risk going over.

can any costa rica vets help out some first timers?

\\\BTW, posting this using the free internet at the Don Carlos hotel, for which let me give a shout-out right now. it is a lovely place recommended by several posters on this board.

Rick_B

I'm certainly not an expert so take this advice with a grain of salt. I think that it really depends on how full the flight is. We were slightly over the 25 pound limit, but it didn't seem to matter (Nature air from Tortuguero didn't even weigh the packs, but Sansa out of San Jose did). If the flight is full, and the weight limit for the plane is exceeded, an overweight bag may have to wait until the next scheduled flight, which may be the next day. That, as far as I can tell, is the downside!

Good luck.

amlay

We flew from Puerto Jiminez to San Jose on the last day of our vacation There wre 4 of us and we had 10 bags all of which had way too much stuff The flight was full as Sansa cancelled their matching flight. Even though one of the captains commented on how much luggage we had he happily loaded all of it and didn't charge any extra He really made our day Have fun on your vacation We loved Don Carlos Ami

dfarmer

Can I remind everyone that the reasoning for the 25 lbs is not always due to space, but more due to safety! Be considerate of your fellow travelers and maintain the specified 25 lb limitation.

As for what happens -- it is truly dependent on where, when and who. As someone said there was no weighing at Tortuguero, ours was weighed. Coming out of PJ, there were people that had their luggage held for another flight. Yes, sometimes they charge you, sometimes they send it on another flight, and sometimes they let it slide.

If you are unsure as to how to accomplish this 25 lb limit - do a dry run at home and determine what is necessary and unecessary.

Use a duffle and backpack instead of heavy rolling bags. Carry only what you need - (ex.) no need to carry that huge economy size shampoo for 10 hair washings.

And there is always the option of leaving a portion of your luggage at your hotel for later retrieval.

Just food for thought.

Suzie2

I am amazed at your getting back from PJ with that much weight!

I always travel with a fabric, no frame, backpack that is really light but it took three flights back (from PJ to SJ) to finally find one that would take me and another one to take my pack-yes I did have reservations. This was the second time I had had to leave stuff behind to be transported later. This time was a worry because I was scheduled to leave the country that afternoon and wanted my stuff with me. It did arrive about 20mins after I did at the Nature Air bldg.

Other times I have seen people with lots of luggage that they don't even blink about. It is just the luck of the draw. I would rather be sure than have to leave my stuff again.

Sansa does have a modest fee for the pounds over but, it does depend on the actual airplane as to whether you can haul it on.

wgb1

When we flew out of Quepos in June, the specified weight limit was 30 lbs, not 25. Our luggage was weighed all together and we were asked how many were travelling in our group, which was 3. I suppose the total weight of our luggage was divided by three because we had one duffel that was around 40 lbs and were never questioned about it.

nkd

msr3017, Suzie2/Jessie, amlay, what on earth do you pack?

Suzie2

Not much LOL.

Actually, over the years I have accumulated a good selection of lightweight clothing. I used to be like most people and bring just about everything and found that I only used about half of what I brought.

A pair of zip off pants, a pair of shorts, a week of lightweight wicky shirts that dry quickly for handwashing. 1 or 2 3/4 sleeve shirts, a pair of light weight long pants for travel and or backup. Enough underwear/socks for a week. A small flashlight and rain gear in the form of a hooded jacket that packs into a little bag (can also be used for cool windy areas. For the beach I have 2 bathingsuits and a couple of sarongs that double as skirts, towels, and I also use them to put down on the sand to lay on. I like to have a casual sundress to get comfortable in but most people don't bother. I also have a gauze cover-up for the beach that I can also use for sun protection if I go fishing or just for walking on the beach. I wear my heavier shoes and pack a pair of light weight sandals/water shoes. Flip Flops weigh almost nothing and are handy for just slipping on at night to get to the bathroom. You could even slip in a nicer casual short/capri outfit or two to put on for dinner but CR is pretty casual in most places so don't worry about getting dressed up. It is just nice to have something that you haven't been hiking and sweating in all day to change into. The only appliance I bring for my hair is a combo hot air curler drier. I have med-longish hair and I just air dry for a little bit and then use that to shape things up and finish the drying. It takes up less room than a hair drier and curling iron. Most of the places I go to don't even have outlets to use those and it seems that most of the places that do have outlets have a hair drier.

I can pack everything I need for clothes and only weigh about 15 lbs. It is all the other stuff like shampoo, sun screen, books, cameras, batteries, binocs, etc that put on the weight. I usually have 3-4 lbs of snack food like canned nuts for my hubby. Fortunately, my pack ends up weighing less as we go along. Going to a lightweight pack that does NOT have wheels made the biggest difference for me. Those wheels are heavy. Most of the time they don't help anyway down there because you are pulling them on dirt and stones. The wheels are great for other places but not so much in CR.

Most people move around to different places so if you wear the same clothes over and over, people won't know. Most are in the same boat. Laundry can be done pretty easily in most hotels/lodges.

BTW, I always enjoy the Don Carlos. I head right for the coffee bar. First time I stayed there was about 10 years ago and they have changed things around a little for all of the weddings they have there so it has gotten even prettier in the court yard. Unfortunately, the gift shop has gotten a lot smaller.

faithie

Dfarmer is correct , it is a safety issue ....

amlay

Dear fodorites,
We were not trying to cause any safety issues or trying to get away with too much luggage
We a family of four spent 2 weeks and my 15 yr old son spent three weeks
This was our last day in Costa Rica and even though we started with the correct weight we spent the best and our last week in the Osa Penninsula where we, and all our belongings stayed wet You just don't realize how wet everthing is until you return to San Jose Anyway all our stuff weighed considerably more.
We didn't buy souvenirs until we returned to San Jose and Oscar took us shopping for a couple hours before we boarded our international flight.
My 15 yr old son spent an exciting week at a surf camp in Tamarindo so he had to bring a sleeping bag etc I explained this when booking our tickets with Nature Air He didn't seem concerned and told us it happened all the time and we would have to pay for extra luggage
Surprisingly there was no extra charge.
My son and I each weigh 125 lbs so I thought this would compensate for the overage
Hope this clears up any misunderstanding
On a side note we were really glad we booked with Natures Air as the cancelled the Sansa flight
The views on the flight were amazing Ami