Pack + Prep for your Tropical Vacation
To all of our guests at UP! HOUSE Costa Rica,
We are excited to have you visit this beautiful area and are so happy you have chosen to stay at UP! HOUSE Costa Rica. It is a great place in which to relax and explore. As you are preparing for your trip, we thought it might be helpful to provide some "prepping and packing" information. Our wonderful property management team at Utopía Caribe, can assist you with any questions you might have. We are all here to make this a delightful vacation for you. Pura Vida!
Sincerely, Courtney and Matt Armstrong, Owners of UP! HOUSE Costa Rica
What to know before you go:Costa Rica is ready for you! So, let’s get you ready for your trip!STEP ONE / READ ABOUT ENTRY ELIGIBILITY:
In order to enter Costa Rica, visitors must meet visa requirements. Also, be sure your passport is up-to-date. It is recommended if your passport expires within 3-6 months, that you renew the passport prior to traveling to Costa Rica. Check with your country’s state department for full details on passports and visas. Read more: https://www.visitcostarica.com/en/costa-rica/planning-your-trip/entry-requirementsSTEP TWO / LEARN ABOUT YOUR HOME COUNTRY’S RE-ENTRY POLICIES:
Currently, to re-enter the United States, U.S. residents do NOT need to show proof of a negative Covid test. Check your outbound country / home country’s State Department for up-to-date information. If you have any questions about COVID testing for re-entry to your home country, let us know!STEP THREE / CONTACT US: We work with an amazing property management / concierge team, Utopía Caribe, that will help you reserve either UP! HOUSE (sleeps 4), the MINI UP! (sleeps 2), or the whole property. They can also help you plan internal travel to UP! HOUSE Costa Rica and activities during your stay. Please contact our team HERE.
STEP FOUR / BOOK YOUR FLIGHT:
It is highly recommended to book directly through the airlines, and avoid 3rd party vendors.STEP FIVE / PURCHASE TRAVELERS INSURANCE:
You no longer need to purchase Covid insurance to travel to Costa Rica, but we still recommend you purchase regular travel insurance to insure your trip.
Transportation to UP! HOUSE COSTA RICAHOTEL UPON ARRIVAL AT SAN JOSE INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT
If your flight lands in the late afternoon, you might want to stay at a hotel before heading out to the Caribbean side. The airport hotels work well for this, especially if you just need to grab a bite and get a good night’s rest. Something to note: if you book a hotel near the airport. San Jose International Airport is in Alajuela, not in central San Jose. Most airport hotels offer airport shuttle service. We have stayed at the Courtyard by Marriott, Fairfield by Marriott, and the Hilton by Hampton - all three of these are five minutes from the SJO airport. The beautiful Costa Rica Marriott Hotel Hacienda Belen is about 15 minutes from the airport and is a nice option if you have a little more time. Sometimes, we will stay in Escazu if we have specific places we want to visit that evening. (We love the restaurant, La Divina Comida.)
FLY + DRIVE
If you are planning on renting a car, we recommend Adobe. You must make reservations ahead of time. There are car rental companies at San Jose International Airport, but they often run out of vehicles. Adobe has upfront pricing, and they are dependable, courteous, and even offer free delivery and pick up services. Please visit this link to receive our discounted rates with Adobe: https://www.adobecar.com/?ref=76
Be very clear about insurance. Costa Rica requires a certain amount of insurance for all rental cars, and your credit card may no longer cover insurance. We always buy the full insurance package. We confirm this full price ahead of time with them. It is best to have a credit card, as they will place a hold on your card for the deposit. If you use a debit card, they will withdraw $1000 for the deposit, which goes back to your account 21 days after you return the car. If you are staying in a hotel, Adobe will bring your vehicle to you! This is such a great service. Or, you can pick up your vehicle at their office, which is about 5 minutes away from the airport. You do not need a 4x4 to drive to UP! HOUSE Costa Rica, however, if you plan on driving anywhere in our area off the main road, you should rent a 4x4.
FLY + FLY
Once you fly into San Jose International Airport, you can take a commuter flight to Limón International Airport via Sansa Airlines. You will need to book this ahead of time, as the planes have limited seating. The flight is about 35 minutes. From the Limón airport, you can either have a rental car waiting for you, or our team at Utopía Caribe can arrange a car service. The drive from the Limón airport to UP! HOUSE Costa Rica is about one hour.
FLY + SHUTTLE
If you would like to take a shuttle van from San Jose or Limón to UP! HOUSE Costa Rica, we recommend Caribe Shuttle. The drive is about 5 hours, depending on weather and road conditions. This reservation should be made in advance of your travel. Our team at Utopía Caribe can help you book your shuttle.
FLY + PRIVATE CAR
You can book a private car service directly through our team at Utopía Caribe.
FLY + WHITE WATER RAFT
This is one of our favorite options. Exploradores will pick you up at your hotel in San Jose and drive you to their base camp. From there, you raft on the incredible Pacuare River, one of the top 5 white water rafting rivers in the world. Breakfast, lunch, transportation and secure locker storage for you luggage are all included. At the end of the day, they will drive you to UP! HOUSE Costa Rica. This adventure usually starts around 5:30am (pickup) and ends around 5:30pm (dropoff). Contact our team at Utopía Caribe for details.
FLY + BUS
You can take a public bus to Puerto Viejo de Talamanca from San Jose OR from Limón. The service is called MEPE. Visit their site for terminal locations, schedules, and fares. BE SURE YOU ARE TAKING THE BUS TO PUERTO VIEJO DE TALAMANCA (NOT PUERTO VIEJO DE SARAPIQUI).
Let’s get technical, technical! First, let’s talk “phones.”
Most cell providers have international plans that will work great for your travel. Check in with your carrier to see what they offer. UP! HOUSE Costa Rica has dedicated symmetrical fiber optic internet, so you can connect to our WiFi when you are at the house. You can use WiFi to text and call your friends and family back home. We recommend using an international plan on your current phone. Most phone companies offer international service these days. This is the best way to go.
If yours does not, you might want to consider digging around for an old smart phone that is unlocked. Once you arrive in Costa Rica, you can go to a Kolbi, MoviStar, or Claro store and buy a SIM card. They are very inexpensive. The clerk will register your passport number in the system and activate the card for your phone. We do not recommend buying a SIM card in a convenience store, because it is nearly impossible to activate on your own. There is a Kolbi booth at baggage claim in the SJO Airport. Or, you might want to hop over to CITY MALL (just a few minutes from SJO) and visit the Movistar store. If you wait till you arrive in Puerto Viejo de Talamanca to get your SIM card, visit the ELECTRO OFFICE in the center of town, and they can assist you.
Now, let’s install some APPS:
Before you leave, we highly recommend downloading the following apps to your phone: WHATSAPP, GOOGLE MAPS, and WAZE. Google Maps and Waze are the best mapping apps, in our opinion, if you plan on renting a car. Some people bring a GPS with them, but since the roads are constantly changing, any outdated GPS might give you problems. Waze will show you real time traffic issues and will regularly update the arrival time to your destination. Google Maps is very helpful because you can input your trip before driving (when you have Wifi) and actually use the app even without any cell service or WiFi. (It just won’t be able to update traffic issues and arrival times.) WhatsApp allows you to make audio calls, video calls and send texts anywhere in the world at no charge, as long as you are connected to WiFi. IMPORTANT NOTE - WhatsApp is one of the most common ways to communicate with people within Costa Rica. If you use a SIM card from a local provider, most plans cover unlimited data when using WhatsApp and Waze.
Protect your tech:
We recommend bringing a dry bag or some sort of protection for your phone and/or camera. Avid photographers might also want to think about protecting their expensive gear from humidity by storing it in a dry case, or packing silica packets. We do not have any issues with our iPhone cameras in regards to humidity, but we do like to store it in a small dry bag if headed out for an activity for the day.
Movies, TV, and airline apps:
Don’t forget to install your airline’s app before you depart. Also, if you know you are going to watch movies during your stay, download your favorites before you leave. We have ChromeCast at UP! HOUSE Costa Rica, so be sure your media apps are downloaded on your phone before you leave. Some media apps are geo-locked, but we have good success in Costa Rica with Netflix, DisneyPlus, and YouTube. You can also stream your music to our bluetooth speakers at UP! HOUSE Costa Rica, so put some good jams on your phone.
Get packin’Pack light:
If you are on a short trip, you might want to pack light. The weather is pretty much 80 degrees all the time, so clothes should not take up too much space. Plus, these days, many airlines charge you to check a bag - so many travelers avoid this cost by putting everything in their carry-on bag. If you think you need to check a bag, be sure you pay for it ahead of time. Some discount airlines increase the price if you are paying at the airport.
Sunny Stuff:
With humidity over 70%, things take a while to dry here in Costa Rica, so we recommend packing 2 swimsuits. A microfiber towel can also be handy. It is small, super absorbent, quick-drying, and can even repel sand. Keep an eye out for the environmentally friendly ones on the market made from recycled water bottles. We also have beach towels at UP! HOUSE Costa Rica, if you need to save some space. Puerto Viejo de Talamanca sits at 9 degrees above the equator - so the sun can be intense. Look for a reef-safe sunscreen that does not harm marine life. Avoid anything with oxybenzone and octinoxate, as these harsh chemicals bleach and kill coral reef. Instead, choose mineral-based sunblocks that use zinc oxide or titanium dioxide. Be good to the ocean and to your body by shopping wisely for sun protection. Don’t forget your sunglasses! Also try to pack some sort of sun hat, because you can get burned on your scalp if you are out in the sun too long.
Keep it Casual:
The style in Caribe Sur is CASUAL. You don’t need heels or ties. We just “clean up” for dinner. Meaning, we get the sand off our sandals and put on some comfy clothing (usually something we have bought from Luna May, or another boutique in town). If you plan on spending any time in San Jose, you might go for a less beach-y look. We highly recommend packing a light sweater, even if you are spending all your time in the Caribbean. And, if you visit the volcanoes during your vacation, be prepared for some cool weather up there.
Rain and Bugs:
If it rains, you will get wet. It is the RAINforest. You might want to pack a poncho or very light rain jacket. We always pack a rain hat. If you can fit a small umbrella in your bag, it might be helpful at times. We like having a DEET and Non-DEET mosquito repellent. We provide mosquito incense coils, plug-in repellents, mosquito nets, and fans at UP! HOUSE Costa Rica, so that also helps to deter bites. But, you will definitely need some sort of repellent when you are out and about. We also bring anti-itch gel and a small first aid kit of medicines. You can also buy repellents at the local stores. It is important to wear insect repellents.
Our personal packing list (per person) includes the following:FOR THE BEACH
1-2 Swimsuits
Microfiber Towel for the Beach, or you can use the provided beach towels at UP! HOUSE COSTA RICA
Reef-safe Sunscreen
Sun Hat
Sunglasses (inexpensive)
Sandals (Flip Flops / Water Sandals) and closed toe sandals if you plan on visiting waterfalls. (We like Keen!)
Sarong /Coverup
FOR THE JUNGLE
Hiking Shoes (closed toed)
2-3 Hiking Socks
Bug Repellent DEET
Bug Repellent NON-DEET
Rain Hat
Lightweight Rain Jacket or Poncho
Day Backpack
Dry Pack for wallet/phone
Small Binoculars
Water Bottle (plastic water bottles are now banned in National Parks)
FIRST AID*
Band-aids
Neosporin
Hydro-Cortisone / Bite Relief Cream
Advil / Tylenol
Aspirin
Stomach Aid
Benadryl
Non-Drowsy Allergy Medication
Cold Medicine
Ace Bandage
Thermometer
Tweezers
Prescription Medications (with Spanish translation)
*there are plenty of pharmacies nearby that can help you with anything you need, in case you cannot pack all these items
TOILETRIES
Shampoo*
Soap*
Lotion
Cornstarch Powder
Razor
Hairbrush
Hair Ties
Facial and Hair Products (try to minimize)
Toothbrush
Toothpaste / Floss
Personal Products
*UP! HOUSE provides these items, so you do not have to bring them.
CLOTHING
Light (natural colored) Tee Shirts / Tanks
1 Lightweight Long-sleeved Shirt (good to protect against bugs)
1 Light Sweater
3+ Shorts (quick dry is best)
2+ Lightweight Long Pants (quick dry is best)
3+ Beach-y Outfits
6+ Undergarments
TECHY STUFF
Phone / Camera
iPad
Wall Charger(s) and Cord(s) - always bring a backup charger!
Battery Pack Charger
Headphones
OTHER
Notebook / Journal
Pens
Book
Simple bag for shopping
Anti-Bacterial Hand Soap, Anti-Bacterial Wet Wipes
IMPORTANT STUFF
Passport (actual and scanned / photocopied)
Printed copy of travel insurance, if purchased
Downloaded and written addresses / phone numbers / Whats App numbers for all lodging in Costa Rica
Proof of COVID vaccine in English or Spanish - (beginning December 1, 2021)
Contact numbers for doctors back home and any medical info
Credit cards/Debit cards (To rent cars, your credit card must have the number printed on the card.)
Current driver’s License
Cash (1s, 5s, 10s, 20s US in good, but not brand new condition) - US cash is accepted widely, so it is good to have these bills in case you do not have colones when you arrive
Money Belt
Safe travels!