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We just got back from a surf trip to Costa Rica, where we found fun waves, interesting lineups, and good coffee. But I want to tell you what to pack on a surf trip to Costa Rica… and most tropical surf trips, actually. Heading to this beautiful country for a surf trip is such a cool experience and one I highly recommend, but first, you need to know what to pack.
So, let’s get into it!
Related:
How to Pack Your Surfboards for Travelling Safely
Top 5 Books for Surfing Inspiration
The Bags
The best bags to take are not many, so for me it’s short and sweet: backpack and a board bag.
My backpack is ridiculously good—I found it in Indonesia for not much, and it’s lasted me for ages, fitting just enough things for me to live with. The key things to look for in a good travel backpack will have to be another conversation, but just know that the best way to travel is without carry-on (unless, of course, it’s surfboards).
The surfboard bag you take will depend on the number of boards you’re keen to bring. For us, we pack five, so the board bag is pretty big, as you could imagine. Also take into consideration whether you’re flying or bussing in, and how much travel you’ll be doing by car.
One last thing on the bag front: take soft roof racks for your board bag. A lot of taxis or transfers may not have room (especially if there are a lot of people), so we’ve saved ourselves a lot of hassle by bringing our soft roof racks and just putting the boards on the roof.
What to Pack
I’m going to break this into two sections: surf gear and… the rest of the stuff.
Surf Gear
(This all goes in the board bag – ps. I’ve linked to my favourite brands for each product)
- Surfboard suited to your ability
- Leash
- Fins, fin key, & wax comb (take them off – more on this process soon)
- 2 or more blocks of warm/tropical wax
- Beach towel (great for extra padding)
- Surf suit & swimmers (or board shorts for the guys)
- Quick surfboard repair kit (you don’t want to be spending money on this while you’re there, so if you have one, throw it in the bag!)
I believe that’s all you need for the surf gear side of things. Here’s a post on how best to pack your surfboard bag for travelling so your boards arrive in one piece – How to Pack Your Surfboards for Travelling Safely.
Travel Stuff – Clothes, Documents, Shoes, etc.
Alright, you ready for this list? It’s kinda long but covers everything you’ll need on a surf trip to Costa Rica. Also, this is written by a girl, so make your own adjustments. It’s based on a one-week stay, but I’d use the same setup for longer trips too.
Clothes:
- T-shirts
- Pants
- PJs
- Underwear
- Travel outfit (you know, comfy clothes)
- Dress outfit (something nice for dinners)
- Hoodie (yes, it’s hot there—yes, you should still pack one for buses, planes, and taxis)
- Hat & sunglasses (seriously a must)
- Jandals (thongs, flip flops—same thing)
- Closed shoes (runners, dress shoes, or similar—good for travel, dinners, or even a run when the surf is onshore)
- Socks
Toiletries:
- Toothbrush & toothpaste
- Face washer
- Hairbrush
- Deodorant (definitely!)
- Suncream & zinc (take more than you think—there aren’t great options in Costa Rica)
- Lip balm
- Aloe vera (for when you inevitably get sunburnt)
- Any other personal items you need (you can buy most things in Costa Rica, just not easily)
Tech:
- Phone
- Computer (if needed for work)
- Kindle (if you don’t have one, get one!)
- Headphones
- If you’re filming: GoPro, drone, camera
- Chargers for all of the above
Documentation:
- Passport
- Driver’s license
- Entry & exit ticket (you must have an exit ticket to enter Costa Rica—key thing to note)
- A bit of US cash (just in case)
- Yellow fever vaccination proof (if you have it—they asked us for it)
A safe place to keep all of these is very important.
Extras:
- Journal
- Bracelet-making stuff (great for passing time)
- Extra lip balm
And I think that’s about it. If you’re wondering how I fit all this into my backpack, I don’t blame you! Here’s a post on how I do it – LINK.
Also, it’s best to take a handbag or side bag where you can keep your documents for easy access, plus essentials like your phone and lip balm while travelling.
Summary
So, that’s my rough list of what to pack for a Costa Rica surf trip. There are some really cool spots to check out and surf—it’s an amazing country.
We absolutely loved our time there and will definitely try to head back. Some unique differences compared to other surf destinations would be the heat, the crowds and localism, as well as being able to get spare gear if needed (depending on where you stay, but main areas have surf shops).
But talking about the actual surf will have to wait—this post is already long enough!
I hope this helped you feel more prepared for your Costa Rican surf trip and got you even more pumped for the adventure. There’s a lot more I could dive into about our experience, so if you have any questions, drop a comment and let me know!