Costa Rica: Rainforest, Volcanoes & Keeping Kosher in the Jungle

Part of the Extreme Kosher: Adventurer's Guide to Exotic Destinations series.

Costa Rica wants to kill you with kindness. The people are warm, the scenery is insane, and the "pura vida" attitude is so contagious you'll consider buying a hammock and never going home. Howler monkeys scream at dawn. Toucans land on your breakfast table. Waterfalls appear around every bend in the road.

And then lunchtime hits and you realize: there is not a single kosher restaurant in this entire country.

Welcome to Costa Rica. Let's figure this out.

Let's get the hard truth out early. As of this writing, Costa Rica has zero certified kosher restaurants. None. The Chabad in San José hosts Shabbos meals and can sometimes arrange weekday food with advance notice, but if you're spending a week between Arenal, Monteverde, and Manuel Antonio — and you should — you're feeding yourself.

What to bring from home:

• Canned fish (tuna, salmon, sardines). Bring more than you think.
• Vacuum-sealed deli and cheese if you're flying direct.
• Shelf-stable meals (the kind that heat with a water-activated packet — they're a game-changer in a rainforest lodge).
• Protein bars. An embarrassing quantity of protein bars.
• Instant oatmeal, instant soup, coffee.
• A portable electric burner and a dedicated small pot.

What you can source locally: Costa Rica's tropical produce is extraordinary. Pineapples, mangoes, papayas, bananas, and watermelons are widely available and generally don't require insect checking beyond a standard wash (consult your rav about local varieties). Avocados are abundant and cheap.

Rice and dried beans are sold everywhere. With your travel burner, a pot of rice with canned tuna and sliced avocado becomes a legitimate meal. Add hot sauce — Costa Ricans put Lizano salsa on everything, and the standard version has a reliable ingredient list, though you should verify the specific hechsher situation with your posek.

Fresh vegetables like lettuce, broccoli, and herbs? That's where it gets complicated. The tropical climate means bugs thrive. If you're strict about bedikas tolaim, stick to peelable vegetables — carrots, cucumbers, peppers — or bring a lightbox. See our water and bug-checking guide for more.

This is where planning gets serious.

Costa Rica is roughly UTC-6, and sunset times don't vary as dramatically as in northern latitudes. You'll generally see candle lighting between 5:00 and 5:30 PM year-round. That's the good news.

The bad news: Costa Rica runs on "Tico time." Tours that are supposed to end at 3 PM end at 4. Transfers that were quoted as 90 minutes take three hours on mountain roads. If you're spending Shabbos outside San José — and the best scenery is far from San José — you need iron-clad Friday plans.

Practical Shabbos playbook:

1. Thursday is your travel day. Get to your Shabbos location by Thursday night. Never plan a Friday morning transfer in Costa Rica. Ever.
2. Book a place with a kitchenette. Airbnb is your friend. Many eco-lodges and rental homes have basic cooking facilities. Cook your Shabbos meals Thursday night or early Friday.
3. Hot water urns. Bring a small one or confirm your lodge has an electric kettle. Hot coffee and soup on Shabbos morning makes everything better.
4. Candles. Bring your own. You won't find Shabbos candles at the Monteverde general store. Tea lights work in a pinch — pack them in a ziplock.
5. Minyan. Forget it outside San José. Daven alone, bring a siddur, and make peace with it. The views during Shacharis on a Costa Rican mountaintop will help.

Shabbos in San José with Chabad

Chabad of Costa Rica operates in Escazú, a suburb of San José. Rabbi Hershel Spalter and his family host Shabbos meals regularly, and the community draws a mix of Israeli expats, local Jews, and travelers. Contact them at least two weeks ahead. They can also help with mikvah arrangements.

If you're planning a two-week trip, consider bookending it: fly into San José, spend Shabbos with Chabad, explore the country Sunday through Thursday, return to San José for the second Shabbos, fly home Sunday.

Arenal Volcano & Hot Springs (2–3 days)

The Arenal area is Costa Rica's adventure capital. Zip-lining through cloud forest canopy, hiking lava trails, and soaking in volcanic hot springs. Book a cabin with a kitchen near La Fortuna. The Tabacón hot springs are stunning but expensive — the free river hot springs at the base of the volcano are just as good.

Pack your food. The nearest anything kosher-adjacent is a supermarket in La Fortuna where you can buy rice, eggs, and produce.

Monteverde Cloud Forest (2 days)

Hanging bridges, night tours with a naturalist guide, and some of the most biodiverse forest on earth. The road to Monteverde is famously terrible — unpaved, steep, and slow. Budget extra time.

Accommodations range from backpacker hostels to upscale lodges. Aim for something with a kitchen. The town of Santa Elena has small grocery stores.

Manuel Antonio (2–3 days)

The Pacific coast. White sand, warm water, monkeys stealing your stuff on the beach. Manuel Antonio National Park is small but packed with wildlife. The town has good vacation rentals with kitchens.

Pro tip: Capuchin monkeys will open your bag and take your food. This is not a joke. They've evolved specifically to outsmart tourists. Keep your kosher snack stash zipped and guarded.

Costa Rica's tap water is safe to drink in most areas, which is unusual for Central America. San José, Arenal, and Manuel Antonio all have potable municipal water. In rural areas or along the Caribbean coast, stick to bottled or filtered water. Check our water guide for filter recommendations.

If you're doing a long-haul connection through Miami or Houston, consider stocking up on kosher supplies at the airport or having them shipped to your San José hotel.

• Currency: Costa Rican colón, but US dollars are widely accepted in tourist areas.
• Safety: Generally very safe for tourists. Petty theft happens — don't leave valuables on the beach. The roads are the real danger; mountain driving is intense.
• Language: Spanish. English is spoken in tourist zones but not reliably in rural areas. Learn basic Spanish phrases. "No como carne" (I don't eat meat) and "solo frutas y vegetales" (only fruits and vegetables) will come in handy.
• SIM cards: Buy a Kolbi SIM at the airport for cheap data. You'll need it for zmanim apps and GPS.