In short:
To make your trip to Costa Rica a success, avoid driving after sunset, pushing back your national park reservations, riding on the beaches and canceling your stay because of the rainy season.
- Night driving: Night falls between 5:15 p.m. and 6:00 p.m. all year round. The MOPT applies a fine of CRC 94,000 (~157 USD) for driving without lights on between 6:00 p.m. and 6:00 a.m.
- Reservations required: Manuel Antonio National Park limits its gauge to 2,000 visitors per day via SINAC’s official online portal.
- Green season: From May to November, the Pacific slope is going through its rainy season according to LICT, but the Caribbean coast enjoys an ideal dry period in September and October.
- Road regulations: The circulation of vehicles on the beaches is strictly prohibited throughout the national territory.
What not to do during a trip to Costa Rica: frequent pitfalls
A first trip to Costa Rica requires rigorous planning to avoid heavy administrative fines and logistical disappointments. From driving on secondary roads to managing tickets for protected areas, several official rules strictly regulate the stay of foreign travelers.
Road and environmental checks are frequent. The Dirección General de Migración y Extranjería (DGME) authorizes a tourist stay up to 180 days for citizens exempt from visa (Group 1), provided they present proof of minimum financial resources of 100 USD per month or fraction of month stay. Your national driving license remains valid for the same 180 days.
1. Cancel your stay during the rainy season for fear of the climate
The green season does not mean it rains all day without interruption throughout the country. According to the Instituto Costarricense de Turismo (ICT), the dry season on the Pacific slope extends from December to April, while the rainy season stalls from May to November. However, the Caribbean coast presents an inverted climatic dynamic with a very favorable sunshine in September and October.
During the rainy season on the Pacific coast, the mornings remain generally sunny, with the showers occurring mainly at the end of the afternoon. Traveling during this period allows you to observe a denser vegetation and to avoid overcrowding of major tourist sites.
2. Drive on the national roads after dark
Driving at night in Costa Rica is a significant security and financial risk for uninformed drivers. Due to the country’s proximity to the equator, the sun sets very early and at stable hours all year round, between 5:15 p.m. in December and 6:00 p.m. in July according to the Instituto Meteorológico Nacional.
The Ministerio de Obras Públicas y Transportes (MOPT) imposes the obligation to light its dipped beams between 6:00 p.m. and 6:00 a.m. Non-compliance with this rule entails a fine of 94,000 CRC (~157 USD). The secondary road network often suffers from a lack of lighting and signage, accentuating the danger. The International Transport Forum (ITF) also indicates that driving alcohol is involved in 25% of fatal traffic accidents in the country. The administrative sanction applies from a alcoholic level of 0.51 g/l to 0.75 g/l, with criminal proceedings starting from 0.76 g/l.
3. Show up at the entrance to national parks without a ticket booked online
Access to the emblematic national parks is no longer made by a spontaneous buying window on site. The Sistema Nacional de Áreas de Conservación (Sinac) imposes a mandatory reservation in advance on its official portal for high traffic sites such as Manuel Antonio National Park or Poás Volcano National Park.
To preserve ecosystems, SINAC sets a maximum admission gauge of 2,000 visitors per day for Manuel Antonio National Park. Entry for a non-resident adult costs $15 at Arenal Volcano National Park as at Rincón de la Vieja National Park. Presenting yourself without a valid access document issued by SINAC guarantees a refusal of systematic entry.
4. Ignore the highway code and roll on the sand of the beaches
Driving by motorized on Costa Rican beaches is strictly prohibited by administrative law throughout the territory. The MOPT tolerates a single exception: the rare cases where the passage through the beach represents the only land access route linking two designated localities.
Speed rules are also closely monitored by the road authorities. The maximum authorized speed is 40 km/h in urban areas and falls to 25 km/h near schools and hospitals. The MOPT sanctions an overrun of the authorized speed of 20 km/h or more by a fine of 237,150 CRC (~475 USD). The use of a hand-held mobile phone while driving is punishable by a fine of 280,000 CRC (~467 USD).
Summary of rules, tariffs and administrative sanctions in Costa Rica
To prepare your budget and avoid traffic tickets, this table summarizes the official amounts set by government agencies (Sinac, MOPT, DGME).
| Element or offense | referring organization | Official rule or amount |
|---|---|---|
| Entrance Arenal National Park (non-resident adult) | Sinac | 15 USD |
| Entrance Rincón de la Vieja National Park (non-resident adult) | Sinac | 15 USD |
| Daily gauge Manuel Antonio National Park | Sinac | 2,000 visitors per day |
| Driving without headlights on (6:00 p.m. – 6:00 a.m.) | mopt | Fine of 94,000 CRC (~157 USD) |
| Phone use in hand while driving | mopt | Fine of 280,000 CRC (~467 USD) |
| Speed exceed 20 km/h or more | mopt | Fine of 237,150 CRC (~475 USD) |
| Speed limit in school or hospital zone | mopt | 25 km/h |
| Minimum financial proof for tourist stay | dgme | 100 USD per month of stay |
How to plan your trips without committing dimpers
The key to a successful trip lies in the anticipation of land travel times. Even if the kilometric distances seem small, the mountainous relief and the condition of the secondary tracks considerably lengthen the duration of the routes.
Organize your steps to reach your destination before 5:00 p.m. This allows you to do your installation at the hotel in the daylight and to avoid night driving on unlit roads. For national park visits, buy your tickets on the SINAC website several weeks before your departure, particularly during the high attendance period from December to April.
frequently asked questions
What is the penalty for driving without lighthouses at night in Costa Rica?
The Ministerio de Obras Públicas Y Transportes (MOPT) applies a fine of CRC 94,000 (~157 USD) for any driving without lights between 6:00 p.m. and 6:00 a.m. Lighthouses are mandatory as soon as the sun goes down over the entire road network.
Can you buy your entry ticket at the national parks on site?
No, for very busy national parks such as Manuel Antonio or Poás, SINAC imposes a preliminary purchase online. Manuel Antonio park applies a strict gauge limited to 2,000 visitors per day to protect the environment.
Is it possible to travel to Costa Rica during the rainy season?
Yes, the green season from May to November offers beautiful sunny mornings on the Pacific coast. In addition, the Caribbean coast experiences its peak in sunshine in September and October, offering an excellent climatic alternative according to LICT.
{“@context”:”https://schema.org”,”@graph”:[{“@type”:”Article”,”headline”:”Les 4 erreurs fatales à éviter lors d’un premier voyage au Costa Rica”,”description”:”Évitez les pièges de conduite, les erreurs de réservation et les idées reçues sur la météo pour réussir votre premier séjour au Costa Rica.”,”datePublished”:”2026-07-31″,”dateModified”:”2026-07-31″,”inLanguage”:”fr”,”keywords”:”erreurs, voyage, costa, rica, eviter, mistakes”},{“@type”:”FAQPage”,”mainEntity”:[{“@type”:”Question”,”name”:”Quelle est la sanction pour conduite sans phares la nuit au Costa Rica ?”,”acceptedAnswer”:{“@type”:”Answer”,”text”:”Le Ministerio de Obras Públicas y Transportes (MOPT) applique une amende de 94 000 CRC (~157 USD) pour toute conduite sans feux allumés entre 18 h 00 et 6 h 00. L’allumage des phares est obligatoire dès le coucher du soleil sur l’ensemble du réseau routier.”}},{“@type”:”Question”,”name”:”Peut-on acheter son billet d’entrée aux parcs nationaux sur place ?”,”acceptedAnswer”:{“@type”:”Answer”,”text”:”Non, pour les parcs nationaux très fréquentés comme Manuel Antonio ou Poás, le SINAC impose un achat préalable en ligne. Le parc Manuel Antonio applique notamment une jauge stricte limitée à 2 000 visiteurs par jour pour protéger l’environnement.”}},{“@type”:”Question”,”name”:”Est-il possible de voyager au Costa Rica pendant la saison des pluies ?”,”acceptedAnswer”:{“@type”:”Answer”,”text”:”Oui, la saison verte de mai à novembre offre de belles matinées ensoleillées sur la côte pacifique. De plus, la côte caraïbe connaît son pic d’ensoleillement en septembre et octobre, offrant une excellente alternative climatique selon l’ICT.”}}]}]}
