Guides
Costa Rica Planning Guides
Practical, opinionated planning resources for a Costa Rica trip.
Start here
- Where should you go? Use the Pura Vida Matcher for a personalised shortlist.
- When should you go? The month-by-month guide covers rain, crowds and prices.
- How much will it cost? The cost calculator builds a realistic daily budget.
On the ground
- Getting around: rental cars, shuttles, internal flights and the roads nobody warns you about.
- Food: what to order, and why sodas are the best value in the country.
- Packing: region-aware lists for rainforest, cloud forest and both coasts.
Doing it well
- Sustainable travel: wildlife ethics, water use and supporting local businesses.
- How our ratings work: exactly what the Pura Vida Index is and is not.