Backpacking Costa Rica

This post is a little bittersweet to work on for a couple of reasons. Firstly, I was backpacking Costa Rica when the pandemic shut down the world, so I had to cut my time there short and fly back to the US a lot earlier than planned. Secondly, my brand new phone stopped working for no apparent reason when I got home and I ended up losing all my photos from this trip. As hard as it’s been to think about because of those negatives, I had a really amazing time in Costa Rica and I’m finally going to share all the details (minus personal photos sadly haha).

When I went to Nicaragua back in 2014 on my very first backpacking trip, I met and talked to a ton of travelers, as you do when you’re staying in hostels. It seemed like everyone I met was in Nicaragua as part of a larger trip, like at least 90% of the people were spending months traveling through Central America from Mexico to Colombia. I, on the other hand, had 2 weeks solely in Nica. I was completely fascinated by their plans, and it’s something I never forgot as the years went by. I realized that I wanted to do it too.

Fast forward to the end of 2019: I had quit my job to make my dream of traveling long term a reality. I went to India, France, Belgium, Holland, England, Scotland, Northern Ireland. I had plans to see all of California from a camper van, to spend the summer in Italy, to connect to my roots in Poland & Slovakia, to safari in Africa. And I had about 6 weeks free to plan another solo trip before all that began.

Backpacking Costa Rica– Planning My Trip

I was overwhelmed with possibilities. I had time and money and a very long bucket list. How should I spend those 6 weeks? I thought back to my time in Nicaragua and all those travelers who had inspired me years ago. I decided I would follow that long held desire to backpack Central America, and I booked a ticket to San Jose.

My original plan was to spend 3 weeks in Costa Rica and 2 weeks in Panama. As you know, that didn’t happen, but I did get a solid 17 days in Costa Rica and had the whole 3 weeks planned out. So I wanted to share that info in the hopes that it will help people trying to plan trips in the future.

When you go backpacking, flexibility and spontaneity are 2 benefits. Keep that in mind as you read about my trip–you can change anything you want. For example, if you want beach days but prefer a different beach town than the one I went to, swap places in and out. You also don’t really need to book things too far ahead of time, unless you’re visiting during a holiday, so you can always use this as inspiration but make your actual reservations as you go.

When planning my route, I stayed pretty close to the “gringo trail” because I’m a solo female, and I also wanted convenience. If you want to get off the beaten path a bit more, there are so many other options than what I’ll share here. You can just use this as inspiration to fuel your daydreams. So let’s get into it!

Backpacking Costa Rica– Route for 3 Weeks

San Jose: 2 days

I landed in the capital city and spent 2 nights chillin and gettin organized. Since I was traveling long term, I could afford a few slow days here and there, and that’s kind of what ended up happening in San Jose. I was wanting some rest before really getting into backpacking Costa Rica, and I had some admin stuff I needed to get done. That being said I don’t have many recommendations for San Jose. You don’t need to spend much time here if you aren’t drawn to any of the activities on offer. I will say that joining a walking tour of a city is never a bad idea!

La Fortuna: 2 days

This town called my name because it looked so picturesque sitting there at the base of an active volcano. I knew I’d be able to get out into nature and soak in some hot springs–I was sold. With only 2 days here, I didn’t have time for all this area has to offer, but I did join a tour from my hostel to do a volcano hike that ended at a local hot spring. The hike ended up being more of a nature walk, but I really enjoyed getting to learn about the different plants and animals of the rainforest (and see suspension bridges).

There are many ways to experience the hot springs in La Fortuna, so do some research to find the best option for you. Because I was on a budget and was only here 2 days, the tour ended up being the most convenient option for me. It was so nice relaxing in the warm water with new friends, drink in hand, mud on face. The rest of my time in La Fortuna was spent chilling at the hostel, reading, taking a cooking class, getting food/coffee/craft beer at El Chante Verde, and shopping for souvenirs.

Monteverde: 2 days

I put Monteverde on my backpacking Costa Rica list because of its cloud forest, an extremely rare habitat on Earth. However, with such limited time and a small budget, I didn’t end up going into the cloud forest. The tour seemed too similar to the nature walk I had just taken in La Fortuna. So many people I talked to recommended zip lining at Monteverde Extremo Park, so I signed myself up for that instead. It was such an adrenaline filled day, really got me out of my comfort zone, and was a highlight of my whole trip. I don’t regret my decision at all, but I should have stayed one more day to also see the cloud forest.

Tamarindo: 8 days

I have wanted to do a surf and yoga retreat for years, and when I realized I’d be backpacking Costa Rica during my birthday I decided I would make it happen (on a budget). I booked an extended stay at a hostel connected to a surf shop, in a town with lots of yoga studios and healthy cafes. I signed up for 3 surf lessons and bought a 6-class yoga pass. I spent my birthday week chilling at the beach, treating my body well.

Costa Rica has soooooo many options when it comes to choosing a beach. Tamarindo is a popular tourist spot and might not be the right option for all travelers, but it was perfect for what I wanted. Getting out of my comfort zone physically on this trip was so good for me, and I wrote about some of the lessons I learned here.

Manuel Antonio: 3 days

I planned to spend 3 days here, but this is when things with the pandemic were getting really serious (talks of border closings). I only ended up staying like a day and a half. I put Manuel Antonio on my route because I wanted to see sloths haha. Manuel Antonio National Park is home to lots of wildlife as well as beautiful beaches and rainforest trails. I didn’t end up doing anything here because the park is closed on Mondays. I arrived Sunday evening and ended up flying back to America early Tuesday morning. 🙁 I’ll have to go back!

Puerto Viejo: 3 days

My final stop in Costa Rica was going to be Puerto Viejo, a beach town on the Caribbean coast (Tamarindo is on the Pacific coast). I picked it because I wanted more beach time and it’s close to where I would cross the border into Panama for the next leg of my trip. I had hopes of seeing sea turtles and visiting the Manzanillo Wildlife Refuge.

Where I stayed While Backpacking Costa Rica

As a solo female traveler on a budget, I opted to stay in hostels during my time in Costa Rica. I love staying in hostels as a solo traveler because they help to keep costs down and usually offer tours and opportunities to socialize. I had come to Costa Rica after a whirlwind trip to the UK and Europe, so I admit I was wanting more me-time and didn’t go out of my way to meet people. I was definitely more introverted on this trip, but hostels work for that too! Here’s where I stayed (everything booked through HostelWorld):

San Jose: TripOn Open House

I liked this hostel but didn’t get up to much in San Jose, so it’s hard to feel connected to it at all. I think they had the basics down really well in terms of convenience and amenities. It was also walking distance to some cute food spots.

La Fortuna: Howler Monkey Hostel

This spot was definitely the most special of my trip–that true homey backpacker feel. I loved my time at Howler Monkey and highly recommend it for those who want the traditional hostel experience. This is where I socialized the most–the communal feel made it so easy to connect with the other guests. Plus the guy who runs the hostel is there, so you feel like you are all having a sleepover at someone’s house in a way. I also really appreciated all the tours on offer and the cooking class he held. Take me back!

Monteverde: Hostel Cattleya

I had a great stay at Hostel Cattleya. I booked a double room and it was still so cheap. I liked being a bit more isolated in my room, but then the food area was communal and everyone sitting down to eat would make an effort to talk to each other. It was a nice balance. They also offered tons of tours which made planning my days easy and were walking distance to so many food spots too.

Tamarindo: Blue Trailz Hostel and Surf Camp

This is where I spent the bulk of my time while backpacking Costa Rica. Like I mentioned before, I always wanted to do a surf and yoga retreat, but when I looked into booking a package it was always way out of my budget. This is where Blue Trailz Hostel came in handy. The hostel is connected to a surf shop and is super close to the beginner surf spots, so I booked an extended stay (8 nights) and 3 surf lessons. Tamarindo has tons of yoga studios in walking distance and healthy food options, so I had a DIY wellness retreat on a budget!

I’d chill at the surf hostel relaxing in hammocks and reading, I’d eat acai bowls, I’d go to my surf lesson with people from the hostel, I’d chill at the beach, I’d watch sunsets, I’d eat more healthy food, I’d go to yoga, I’d get lots of sleep. I did that for 8 days, changing up the order but always doing a combination of those things. Because I was trying to be healthy during my time in Tamarindo, I didn’t go out at all, but the hostel did organize bar hopping and stuff like that each night if you wanted more of a party scene. I thought the facilities were nice too– I especially loved the powerful air conditioning. The surf instructor was great and I really learned a lot during my week there.

Manuel Antonio: Millenium Hostels

This was my least favorite hostel of my trip, but I think that’s because my anxiety about COVID was becoming unbearable at this point. I felt suffocated–the room seemed too small and uncomfortable and I was always so hot and could never cool down. That being said, the communal areas of the property were very cute, and it’s located right at the entrance of the national park (that I never got to visit). I’m not sure if I’d stay here again (purely because of the air conditioning) but I do think it’s a good option to at least check out.

Puerto Viejo: Pagalu Hostel

I never made it to Puerto Viejo, but this is where I planned on staying during my time there. I can’t comment but it has amazing reviews!

Packing Tips for Backpacking Costa Rica

When you are backpacking, you literally have to carry everything around on your back and you’re usually moving about frequently. You’ll want to pack as efficiently as possible, so I recommend bringing things that are versatile that can be mixed and matched. Costa Rica is super laid back so bring swimsuits, beach attire, and maybe one nice option for going out to dinner or doing something fancier. Clothes that are quick dry will be most convenient.

I also recommend bringing a rash guard, especially if you’ll be surfing or snorkeling. Bring a rain jacket, too, because you’ll most likely be spending time at a rainforest. If you’re spending any time in a city you may want to pack jeans and close toed shoes. If you’re visiting a high elevation area, it will be colder so bring long sleeve pants and tops. If you plan on doing any hiking, bring appropriate hiking shoes, but otherwise you will live in flip flops or sandals.

Don’t forget bug spray and lots of sunscreen! I also like traveling with a quick dry towel to use everyday when I shower that will be dry by time I have to pack up and move to the next stop. If you’re staying in hostels, ear plugs are a good idea. For the ladies out there, I’d say leave (most of) your make up at home.

These are just my general tips and not a comprehensive list, so really think about the trip you have planned and pack accordingly.

What Did Backpacking Costa Rica Cost?

I was definitely traveling on a budget during this trip but not a shoe string budget by any means. I still went to restaurants, signed up for tours, and booked private transfers, for example. There are ways you can backpack Costa Rica for a lot less money (less than $50 a day is usually what backpackers strive for) and of course there are ways to spend a lot more. Here’s what I personally spent on my trip!

• Flight to Costa Rica from Chicago: $287
• Travel insurance: $162
• SIM card: $26
• Visa fees: $0
• Food (including coffee, alcohol, all groceries): $341.23
• Transport (public buses, boats, Ubers, transfers): $108.19
• Activities (surf, yoga, ziplining, etc. and other random things like laundry and souvenirs): $368.01
• Accommodation (not including Puerto Viejo which would have been $35.28): $273.47
• Flight home (original flight booked): $334
• Total without flights and insurance = $1,116.90 or $65.70 per day

Backpacking Costa Rica: COVID Update

It’s been so hard to travel lately because of COVID-19 (obviously), but Costa Rica is currently welcoming travelers from all US states and DO NOT require a COVID test to enter. You do have to fill out a health pass form and have travel insurance covering COVID. These are some of the loosest requirements out there right now and makes visiting Costa Rica super doable. This information can change at any time, however, so always do your own research.

I hope you got inspired to plan your own trip! Costa Rica is seriously such a beautiful country with so much biodiversity. I highly recommend visiting if you safely can 🙂