CR Packing Questions
 

Just wanting to finalize a few packing questions before our trip...

Visiting Peace Lodge, Arenal Paraiso & El Jardin del Eden in Tamarindo...

-We have binoculars....should we take them?
-How cool does it get in Arenal in early July?
-Should we take pants, jeans or long sleeve shirts/sweatshirts?
-Any other necessities besides bug spray, road map (I got the Berndtson one!), trail sneakers, camera/film, etc, etc?

I must know the same info...

I have such a hard time packing light... so tips from you 25lb or less packers... just what do you bring for this humid kind of place that reqr's fresh/dry clothes 2-3x day...

I'm stumped... please help...

IMO, binoculars are an absolute must. You don't need anything heavy or expensive. I have an excellent pair of Eagle Optics 8x25 that weigh 9 oz - cost was $75.

My list of absolute necessities also includes:
1. Lightweight waterproof rain jacket. I also took one lightweight sweatshirt and one lightweight Coolmax T-shirt. Combined with the rain jacket,it was more than enough.

2. Leave the jeans at home. They're heavy, uncomfortable and take forever to dry. 1 pair of zip-off nylon pants is much better.

3. Bug spray (30% DEET) and sunscreen (spf 30 or better). Note that both of these can be purchased in Costa Rica, but they're a quite a bit more expensive than what you'd pay in the U.S.

4. Small flashlight or maglight.

5. Bathing suit.

6. Lightweight hiking boots or tennis shoes plus one pair of sandals such as Tevas or, my favorite, Chacos.

7. If needed, bring your sanitary supplies from home. They are outrageously expensive in Costa Rica and the selection is very limited.

8. In that same vein, bring your own contact lens solution if needed. Again, very expensive and sometimes hard to find.

9. Sunglasses and hat. You can buy a cheap umbrella there if needed.

10. Bring your own film - very expensive in Costa Rica. I like to pack my film in a waterproof bag with a bag of silica gel, which is available at most photography supply stores.

Other items I like to bring, but don't consider necessities:

1. Immodium, Orudis and Cipro. Have never needed the first or third. The second I use for pain instead of Advil or Tylenol.

2. Travel journal.

3. Small calculator (for exchange rates).

4. Minimal first aid supplies, including Neosporin, bandaids and Itch Erase for bites.

5. Business cards to give to new friends.

6. Security/waist wallet (a necessity if you're traveling by public bus.)

7. Spanish phrase book, a guidebook, and a good map.

That's all I can think of for now. I should point out that I packed all of the above, plus the usual clothing (4-5 shirts, 2-3 shorts, socks and underwear), plus other things I'm sure I'm forgetting and my bag was 22 pounds!

TAGriffin--

I wasn't one of the ones who asked, but thanks so much for the packing list. I'm in the process of packing and it will be a great help! Of course, now you've given me some ideas of things I'll need that I hadn't thought of, so now my heavy suitcase is going to get even heavier! LOL!

I always have an extremely difficult time packing lightly. No, actually, I have never been able to pack lightly! I hope this won't sound rude, but I don't know how else to ask. As Makai said, we all hear how hot and humid it is in CR. I assume that means that we'll want to change clothes, say, after tromping throught the rainforest and before going out to eat. Even here in the summer, we often go through 2 outfits a day in hot, humid weather. Of course, we are a family of profuse perspirers (especially our teenaged son!) So, for one week in CR, that would require 14 tops and 14 bottoms! Obviously, one can do laundry, but that's not what I want to be doing on vacation. How do you get by with only 4-5 shirts and 2-3 pairs of shorts? Do you hand wash in between wearings or are you one of those fortunate people who doesn't sweat bullets in the heat? Please don't be offended by this question, but it's one that has been bugging me for the past year as I read the postings on this board from people who manage to pack so lightly. How do you manage once you get there?

On top of the above, I'm worried that each of us is going to need at least one decent outfit in case we go out to dinner at a slightly dressier place. Specifically, we'll be staying at the CR Marriott for a couple of days w/o a car, so I imagine we'll be eating dinner at the hotel. Won't we need something other than shorts and a t-shirt for dinner?

Thanks! Time for me to get back to packing!

i think you can get laundry done at any hotel you stay at...just inquire at the desk. everyone there is friendly and the staff would like the money, i'm sure.

Hi Jo: Believe it or not, like you, I'm a notorious over-packer! It's become sort of a family joke. On my first trip to Costa Rica, I was determined to only take a carry-on and my daypack as my purse, so I quickly had to learn to become a more conservative packer. That first trip was for 19 days, so I had to become really creative. Also, like you, I'm a sweater - or perhaps I should say a perspirer. :) I'm from the San Francisco Bay Area, so I'm not at all used to tropical weather. Here are some tips I've picked up on my last 2 trips:

I take only lightweight breathable synthetics and try to avoid cotton. Cotton is heavier and takes forever to dry. I love my Coolmax tanks that I got from LL Bean. They're easy to handwash and dry overnight.

I take a small bottle of Dr. Bronner's soap (available through Campmor and REI). I use this for soap, shampoo and laundry soap - it works great! I did a fair amount of hand washing and used hotel laundry service every 3-4 days. Which reminds me - a small clothes line that you can hang in the bathroom works great. I also pack some of those hooks with suction cups - they work great for hanging up clothes and bathing suits.

I also like to take a small travel size bottle of Febreze. On most afternoons I would give my shirt a little spritz of Febreze and I was good to go for the rest of the day.

For nicer establishments, I like to take one lightweight skirt. I top it off with one of LL Bean tanks and my Chaco sandals. In fact, I usually wear my skirt outfit on the plane for comfort. I have to say I haven't encountered too many places in my travels where shorts were not acceptable, but it was nice to have the skirt just in case and for the plane ride to and from Costa Rica.

I also like to take a couple of bandanas. I carry them in my daypack and use them as face towels when hiking. Sometimes I will soak them with water and wear them on my head - heaven!!

Which reminds me - I carry several small packets of those pre-soaked antibacterial towlettes - great relief after those sweaty hikes.

Hope this has been helpful!

Terri

Great tips Terri!! I'm trying to pack for 18 nights in a carry-on, so I can use all the advice I can get :)

Terri,

Thanks for all the great ideas!

Where do you get portable clotheslines?

The Febreeze idea is a great one. I love that stuff, but never thought about it for this purpose!

I'll have to check out Chaco sandals. Too late for this trip, but I hate Tevas--they hurt my baby toes. :-( I have a pair of Teva-like Nikes that I love, but they're wearing out and Nike's newer style isn't as comfortable.

I know I'm still going to overpack, at least for this trip, but I think I can still weed out a few things that are piled up and ready to pack. I don't think I have enough time left to lose that 20 pounds I'd planned on losing by Thursday and tank tops just aren't all that flattering with these chubby middle-aged arms, so they're out! Unfortunately, almost every summer article of clothing I own is cotton! I know it's not a great idea for CR, but I just couldn't justify buying a whole new synthetic wardrobe! Of course, I made sure the kids had what they needed, bought dh a pair of light-weight zipoff pants, but never did much about my cotton wardrobe! Oh well, I'll let you all know when I get back how much I regret that!

We'll have a car, so at least my overpacked, too-large suitcase won't be too big of a problem--other than lugging it in and out of the various hotels! If it's too awful, maybe it'll inspire me to be better next time!

Okay, time to go upstairs and at least try to weed out some of the clothes I won't need!

Thanks for your ideas. I am going to do my packing this coming weekend. I can be a light packer so I'm not SO concerned with that - but was wanting ideas on those creative things you can forget & how to best pack for the different climates. Now another question - I have a hiking backpack and my husband wants to pack in his since we hardly ever use them. Does it make much sense to use that for me or just a suitcase? I'm guessing it's probably no difference. We'll be driving everywhere - no small flights or anything.

Another wardrobe hint ....I like to take with me some clothes to wear that I don't mind leaving there.Then, I'll have room for the things I buy (like costa rican coffee). I arrive with 1 suitcase, and leave with 1 suitcase.

Jo, I got my portable clothes line from the Weston Country Store {Vermont} for $6-$7. They have a mail-order catalog. I have also seen them at Dollar Stores!

Seems obvious, but don't forget to pack non-cotton undies and socks. Nothing much worse than a carfull of smelly, wet socks!

TAGriffen, I as soon as I get off-line, I am going to add some towlettes to my luggage!

Oh - then I'm guessing some plastic bags/trach bags for wet clothes might also be helpful.

Thanks, Molly. I think I get their catalog. Too late for this trip, but I'll look into it for the future.

Well, I have the non-cotton undies, but the non-cotton socks are a problem! I've been planning on using Sclubb's plastic bag idea. Actually, I should kick myself right now b/c I just returned from the warehouse store. I should've just bought a ton of cheap white socks (cotton or not) and we could just throw them away if they got too gross!

is it really THAT bad in terms of things getting soaked & not drying overnight? we will only be in Arenal for 2 nts & 1 nt at Peace Lodge (is it bad there?) - rest of time in Tamarindo...

Sclubb,
Yes, it really is "that bad" with regards to things drying overnight. It's well worth buying at least one pair of tropical weight pants --- I'm referring to the zip off kind that are designed for humid conditions (NOT cotton) and 1 or 2 pairs of socks, which are also made to "wick" away the moisture. In my first trip to CR, I ended up leaving a pair of jeans behind (repeat after me --- DO NOT HIKE in jeans) as, uh, let's say that I wasn't about to put them in my suitcase and if I wore them anymore, others would strenuously object. On a subsequent trip, I also brought along T-shirts that I wore and purposely left behind.

I've always had better luck with quick-drying undies than quick-drying socks, for some reason - perhaps because the socks are thicker. So cheap disposable ones seems like a reasonable alternative, Jo. I have also heard people say that they only wear sock liners, but will these protect your feet?

We went to CR 3 times in August and my packing list is always about the same (I don't do laundry while on vacation and I am able to fit into one duffle bag of about 26lbs - depending on how many books I take with me ;-). This is for a 2 week trip:

1 pair of zip off (convertible) long pants and 1 pair of lightweight cargo cotton khakis
about 5 pairs of shorts
enough underwear to last 2 weeks
enough tank tops/T-shirts to last 2 weeks
a few pairs of socks
2-3 bathing suits and 1 sarong (beach wrap)
1 pair of flip flops and 1 pair of water sandals
1 hat (sun protection)
1 long sleeve top that can be worn over a T shirt (usually a zip up hoodie sweatshirt)
1 rain poncho (you can get it for a few dollars at Walmart and it folds into almost nothing)
toiletries and meds
flashlight, bug spray, sun block and sunglasses
a small Spanish/English dictionary and pharase book
books to read

On the plane, I usually wear a T shirt, capris and sneakers or hiking shoes and I have another long sleeve top to wear during the flight.
I take 2 pairs of long pants as they come in handy in cooler spots (Central Valle and Arenal) and for horse back riding.

Remember that packing into a lightweight duffle instead of a rolling suitcase will shave several pounds of our luggage.

Thanks Iza - your list was helpful. I think I will just take some plastic bags for the items that don't dry until we get to Tamarindo. I posted this elsewhere but no responses so far....how much cash does everyone plan on taking? We want to use our Amex & Visa whenever possible & have had luck doing this in all of our past travels but sounds like we may run into fewer places accepting those in CR. Cash or Travelers Checks?

Absolutely a must - binoculars!

Schlubb--In answer to your money question, I'm bringing $400 for an eight-night trip and I have no idea whether this is too much, too little, or just right! Thanks to this forum, I remembered to get clean, untorn bills! I'm planning to use Visa for whatever we can, so am hoping the cash will be mainly for tips and casual meals/snacks at places that don't take credit cards. Of course, we're going to three of the more touristy spots, and I think Visa is probably more widely accepted there. I'm praying that, if we run low, we can find an ATM that will take our card!

Thanks, everyone, for all the packing hints. I have an entire bed piled with stuff that needs to be packed. But, I think half the problem may be that, although dh and the kids pack all of their own clothes and personal items they want to bring, I'm the one pulling together all the miscellaneous stuff, like the binoculars, cameras, flashlight, plastic bags, maps, suction hooks (I bought them today!), bug spray, sunscreen, first aid stuff, snacks for the plane (no meals served), etc., etc. It never really dawned on me til I read this thread that there is a reason that I seem to have so much more stuff than the rest of the family. I'm like the family's convenience store! Anything they need on vacation, Mom has! I will have to remember this when they start giving me a hard time about my packing habits!