When flying or traveling by boat within Costa Rica, a maximum of 40 lb. of checked luggage is allowed per person. Additionally, on the domestic airline SANSA, an extra 10 lb. of carry-on luggage is permitted.
It's important to note that SANSA only accepts bags not exceeding 45 linear inches. Therefore, the piece of luggage MUST adhere to the dimensions of 22” in height, 14“ in width, and 9“ in depth = 45 linear inches
Our recommendation for luggage is to bring the following three items:
Rolling bag: This is where you will pack everything before leaving your home. It should be big enough to fit the full complement of clothing for your trip, and to hold your duffel bag (try shoving it in the outside pocket). We recommend the lightest and smallest possible; make sure to take a look at the “What to Pack? Section "What should I pack?" before picking out your roller, as this will give you a good idea on what size suitcase or bag you will need. In an ideal world it would be medium to small.
Duffel: The duffel is your 40lbs bag. You will make use of it on overnight rafting trips or when you take in country flights with the goal of spending 2-4 days in a certain part of the country. You will be able to fill it up with the necessary items and leave the rest in your big bag, which will be stored until you return. Since we recommend packing your duffel in your rolling bag, look for one that won’t take up too much space.
Backpack: This is the bag you will be taking on your daily expeditions, this is going to be especially important if you have hiking planned for your trip, but will always be useful. If you are unsure how big a backpack you will need, there is advice for what to carry in your day bag in the "What should I pack?" section.
Again, it is important to think about what kind of a trip you have planned when making these choices. If you are staying in just one or two places on the beach, with very limited movement, then you can probably get away with a single bag or far less luggage.
If you are on one of our tours, or have planned your own multi destination, adventure filled vacation with flights and lots of van rides, then the three bag system described above is what our long experience has shown to work best.
While it always makes sense to travel light, you can bring more than 40 lb. of luggage. We will store your excess luggage while you are on portions of the trip that involve flights or boat trips and catch it up to you as soon as feasible after you have finished those sections. Arrangements can be made to permit more luggage per person at considerable extra cost.
**Costa Rica Expeditions does not cover extra cost for excess luggage, or any additional expense resulting from luggage limits
↑ Back to Top