(and a few notes on what we didn’t need)

I’m thorough by nature in most of what I do. Work – definitely! The kids – to stay on top of everything they need and do weekly – I have to be! And it’s the same when I pack for our trips. I’m methodical. I want to cover all eventualities – even though I know they have pharmacies out there too. Being thorough just makes me feel ready to travel and the prep for Costa Rica was most certainly thorough.

Perhaps too thorough in some respects.

One thing I will say though, is that by the time we were heading home, the packing list had been thoroughly tested. Jungle treks, kayaking, white-water rafting, volcano hikes, changes in the weather and everything in between – we were definitely prepared.

So, I thought it’d b useful to share what actually earned its place in our cases, what we wished we’d brought, and what I’d leave at home next time.

The essentials

Long trousers, ideally with cuffed bottoms, for jungle treks and night-time adventures. We loving referred to these as our “jungle pants” and they easily did more work than almost anything else we packed. Providing protection from insects and the undergrowth, the cuffed ankle keeps everything exactly where it should be. We didn’t buy anything fancy or expensive, just a solid pair with zip pockets will do the trick. Ours were purchased from Decathalon but these are very similar in style and price.

A lightweight but heavy-duty rain coat. Costa Rica’s rain doesn’t do polite drizzle. You want something that folds down small enough to carry everywhere – we had the the pack-a-mac style that fold into a small zip bag – but that can actually stand up to a proper tropical downpour. Again, ours were a Decathlon purchase but these are a good alternative.

Walking boots. Non-negotiable for the jungle terrain and the volcano hiking we did – trainers just don’t cut it once you’re on uneven, often wet, ground. We did invest in our boots and went with an Adidas set each. However, I strongly believe you don’t have go with the most expensive pair, just ensure they are water resistant and comfortable – Nortiv8 are a good mid-range choice.

A solid medical kit. With how remote some of our stops were (Tortuguero especially), having the basics covered ourselves mattered more than it would on a typical trip. You can get a solid kit online and I then added a few important pharmacy purchases just in case.

Insect repellent. Essential, and worth packing more than you think you’ll need – we took six bottles of this and only bought one home with us. It’ll do nicely for the next jungle adventure.

SPF 50. Between the coast and the altitude in places like Monteverde, the sun is stronger than it feels. We wore it daily, without fail – whatever brand you go for, it’s a must.

A cap or sun hat. Paired with the SPF, this did a lot of the heavy lifting on the brighter days.

A waterproof phone case with a neck strap. Genuinely one of the best decisions we made – kayaking to Isla Chora, white-water rafting on the Río Balsa, exploring the canals in Tortuguero and our whale spotting in Sámara – there were so many moments we’d have missed capturing otherwise, and so many chances to drop a phone in the water. We took these.

Binoculars. With the wildlife spotting Costa Rica offers, these got used constantly – sloths, birds, the odd distant monkey, whales and turtles you’d otherwise have missed entirely. We did spend a bit on these as we wanted a good set.

What we could have done with

A small torch. Between night walks and the occasional power dip at more remote lodges, this is one gap we noticed more than once. Many tours provide them for safety but there were occasions when our phone torches just didn’t cut it.

Motion sickness tablets. The winding roads between regions (Monteverde to Sámara especially) caught a couple of us out. Worth packing even if you don’t normally need them – no one in our family every suffers in the car but out there, at altitude, it was different.

How I’d pack differently next time

In honesty, less everyday clothing. Cautious me packed far too much ‘conventional’ clothing and we ended up barely touching half of it – between the activity-heavy days and doing laundry at a couple of the stops, we simply didn’t need it.

On the kids and screens: we let both of ours bring a phone/tablet, half-expecting a fight over them at some point. In reality, we were so busy every single day that they barely came out of the bags. If anywhere, our time at the beach and pool in Sámara saw my teenager get her phone out more often but it really was minimal in the grand scheme of the entire holiday. If you’re weighing up whether to bring one for your own trip, my honest experience is that a well-packed itinerary does most of the work for you.

Keep planning your trip:

• The Costa Rica Itinerary That Actually Works: Caribbean to Pacific
• Self-Driving Costa Rica: What You Need to Know
• Costa Rica: What We’d Do Differently
• Tortuguero National Park: Sloths, Turtles, and a Rainforest That Never Goes Quiet
• La Fortuna, Costa Rica: Frogs After Dark, ATVs Through the Jungle, a Volcano Hike and Hot Springs to Finish
• Costa Rica’s Monteverde: Zip Lines, Chocolate, and a Cloud Forest at 4,500 Feet
• Playa Sámara, Costa Rica’s Pacific Coast: Where we Chose to Slow Things Down

Keep exploring:

• 5 Top Winter Sun Destinations – My Top Picks to Beat the End of Summer Blues
• Family Adventure Holidays: Where Rainforest, Wildlife and a Bit of Adrenaline Actually Work With the Kids
• Is Saint Lucia the Perfect Winter Sun Choice for Half Term?
• Borneo: Where I Finally Saw a Wild Orangutan
• Phnom Penh, Angkor Wat, and the Best Green Mango Salad I’ve Ever Eaten