Essentials to Pack for Costa Rica Tours
-Part II of a two part series.
The following are suggested essentials to pack for your vacation in Costa Rica. Though most items are available in Costa Rica you’ll find that:
- They are more expensive to purchase locally.
- Packaging is in Spanish.
- Brands are often different.
- The person who helps you with your essential purchase is not fluent in English
- You may have to wait or go out of your way to find the item.
All in all, it a big inconvenience and a possible cause of stress to leave home without them. The goal of a stress-free vacation is never guaranteed. And at Blue River Resort & Hot Springs Hotel our staff will assist in identifying the best locations for local purchases. There are small general stores; however Liberia, Guanacaste, which is the nearest large city, is 70 minutes away.
Documents to Take Along
Make photocopies of all the documents listed below; keep a copy on a cloud based facility as well as hard copies in your person.
- Passport & other travel related documents.
- Drivers License
- Health Insurance Card and Doctors Prescriptions.
- PADI Certification
Medical
Don’t forget to take all medical prescriptions needed beyond the duration of your Costa Rica tours, just in case. In addition, all travelers with medical complications requiring specialized equipment such as pacemakers, hearing aids, insulin injectors, and oxygen generators, etc. should do the following:
a) Contact your personal physicians for specific travel advice and precautions. If necessary inform the airline or travel agent.
b) Call the Costa Rican Embassy for details about carrying your medication and or equipment into the country and their recommended emergency procedures should a complication arise on holiday.
Costa Rica has a very good reputation for providing extensive medical services to many overseas patients. Costa Rican health facilities are numerous and state of the art treatment is less expensive here than in many other places worldwide.
Your Travel Kit
Take along personal essentials, found at most neighborhood pharmacies or supermarkets. A few pointers to keep in mind:
– In Costa Rica it is unlikely that to access ‘The Morning After Pill’ – for contraception.
– Though personal hygiene products are readily available it is likely that your particular brand may not be stocked.
– A waterproof knapsack is handy for keeping equipment dry on walks, hikes, and outings to the beach.
Here is the standard check-list:
- A small ‘First Aid Kit’ for minor personal injuries.
- Butterfly Closures- they are useful to close deep cuts (if not in the Kit).
- Medical Gauze Tape
- Prescription Medication (and a supply for a few extra days in a separate container)
- Vitamins and daily mineral supplements
- Contact-Lens, solutions and kits.
- Eye Drops
- Hearing Aid Batteries (and a few extras)
- Sunburn Cream or Lotion.
- Neosporin (to prevent infection of small cuts, scrapes, and bites)
- Sterile Gauze and cotton.
- Sterile Wipe Pads with Alcohol
- Medical Alert Bracelets and brief health precautions in your wallet.
- Tampons
- Insect Bite Cream
- Aspirin or pain reliever
- Allergy Pills or Anti-histamine tablets/ liquid
- Infant & Baby Formula (if required)
- Anti-Fungal Cream
- Motion Sickness tablets
- Hair Care Products
- Makeup Essentials
- Scissors
- Nail File- Stainless Steel
- Thermometer
- Sewing Kit (Small)
- Waterproof lighter
- New Toothbrush (with a re-closeable case)
- Toothpaste
- Dental Floss
- Special Facial Soap (If required)
- Deodorant/ Antiperspirant
- A Clean Washcloth sealed in a Zip-Loc Bag
- LED Flashlight (Small)
- Tweezers
- Super Glue- emergency repairs of equipment
- Q-Tips
- Sun Screen (at least SPF 20 & waterproof)
- Whatever you take for the Cold & Flu (Easier than finding it in a crunch)
- A Swimmer’s Mesh Bag to store wet clothes.
- Batteries
- Lip balm
- Razor and shave cream
- Curling iron
- TSA approved travel containers
- Wine bottle opener
If you are a certified SCUBA Diver (PADI for example) or plan on doing anything requiring proof of certification – remember to bring along with you.
Pura Vida
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