15 of the Best Souvenirs From Costa Rica From Local Gift Shops
Every travel enthusiast wants to take something memorable back home. It reminds them of every beautiful memory of that place every time they see it. You are probably looking for the best souvenirs from Costa Rica if you visit.
There are many local markets where you will find souvenir shops. These shops are perfect for buying items worth remembering after you depart from Costa Rica. Moreover, souvenirs make you want to revisit this fantastic place whenever you see it. We brought a ton of souvenirs home when we visited Uvita!
Although you will find souvenirs almost everywhere in Costa Rica, San Jose, Manuel Antonio, Tamarindo, Jaco, Guanacaste, La Fortuna, Sarchi, and Poasito are the best places to buy them. There are many places in Costa Rica where you can buy local things. We will share some of the best souvenirs and where to find them.
#1: Salsa Lizano
Salsa Lizano is the best sauce in Costa Rica. It has a unique and excellent taste. From a luxury hotel to a small local restaurant, you will find this sauce everywhere in Costa Rica. But, most of the time, travelers relate its taste to English gravy.
You can take Salsa Lizano as a souvenir to make your meals even more delicious. As you will taste it a lot while enjoying the local food, it will bring you back to the sweet memories of Costa Rica.
Finding Salsa Lizano is super easy, and it is readily available at every supermarket in Costa Rica. Moreover, you can buy it as a gift for someone special to show your love to them.
#2: Hot Sauce
Hot Sauce of Costa Rica is among the souvenirs that make your food mouth-watering. The hot sauce comes in a variety of unique flavors which add taste to your every meal. Costa Rican hot sauces are not only popular in Costa Rica but are also famous around the world.
Hot sauce is your best souvenir if you are a traveler and a food lover. So, eating something with hot sauce at home will remind you of the taste of Costa Rican local food. The hot sauce comes in a wide range of brands and flavors. Also, the best one is the complete gift set of Hot Sauce, in which you will find multiple flavors.
We recommend buying Hot sauce from Chile Monoloco, a famous Natural foods shop in San Pedro, San José Province. Moreover, you can also find hot sauce in Playa Flamingo’s supermarket at a reasonable price.
#3: Sugar Cane
Sugar cane in Costa Rica is one of the major crops of various types. Therefore, if you are on tour in Costa Rica, you must try sugar cane and other products. For example, Costa Rica’s famous drink, Cacique, is made from sugar cane juice.
Also, famous sugar cane candies, Cajetas de Leche, are made in Costa Rica. This candy is typical in small towns like Poas, Vara, Blanca, and Zarcero. You can buy these sweet candies, your kids’ best souvenir gift.
If you want to take raw sugar cane, it is readily available in local markets in Costa Rica.
#4: Coffee Beans (Whole Beans)
If you are a coffee lover, you should take the best coffee in the world as a souvenir to your home country. Costa Rica produces the best coffee beans, which have an unmatchable taste. Because of the highest quality, all other countries in America, Asia, and Europe import coffee from Costa Rica.
Costa Rica coffee is readily available in local markets and grocery stores. However, we suggest you take a tour of coffee plantations. At the coffee tour, you can get fresh and highest quality coffee to take back home.
One of the best tours is of Doka Estate Coffee, and we bet it will immediately become your favorite coffee. Moreover, you can buy Doka Estate Coffee bags on this tour and take them back as a souvenir.
Apart from the best coffee, Costa Rican coffee makers are also unique in their own way. You can take these coffee makers home and treat your taste buds with the yummiest coffee in the world. Also, it is a perfect gift for your siblings and friends at home.
#5: Art from Local Artisans
Costa Rica is rich in arts, culture, and history. One of the best Costa Rican souvenirs you can take is an art piece from Local Artisans. Many items show the talented artwork of local people. You can keep it as a showpiece in the living room or gift it to someone special back in your hometown.
Handmade beautiful leather products with different kinds of patterns are also very famous in Costa Rica. For example, if you go to San Jose, the capital city, you will find leather products like handbags and purses everywhere in the central market. Moreover, you will also find wood souvenirs, handmade jewelry, animal paintings, and more made by local artisans.
#6: Delicious Chocolate
When it comes to coffee and chocolate, Costa Rica has no competition. This country produces the best Cocoa beans in the world from which dark chocolate is made. So, a bar of Costa Rican chocolate is a great souvenir to take home.
Monteverde, Puerto Viejo, and La Fortuna produce the best quality chocolate in the world. We recommend you take a local chocolate tour while visiting these cities. You will take some freshly made, tastiest chocolate bars and an interesting chocolate-making story as souvenirs.
#7: Semi-Precious Stones
You can buy a unique gift for your loved ones on a Costa Rica vacation trip. Semi-precious gemstones are a great way to show love to your family members waiting for you at home.
You can buy azurite, emerald, jade, agate, and opal at affordable prices. These stones should be on your souvenir shopping list whenever you visit Costa Rica.
You can buy these stones from any gift shop or tourist shop. So, choose the best quality stone and keep it with yourself as a perfect Costa Rican souvenir for a lifetime.
#8: Costa Rica’s National Liquor
Cacique, an alcohol-based drink, is one of the best Costa Rica souvenirs for travelers to take home with them. It is a popular drink among the local community, and you will only find it in Costa Rica. Chiliguaro tastes similar to Vodka and is made from sugar cane.
Cacique is Costa Rica’s National liquor, and everyone can afford it as you can buy a sample bottle for only USD 2. So take a bottle with you at home and enjoy the drink. Moreover, when mixed with Salsa Lizano, lime, and tomato juice, Cacique makes a drink called Chili Guaro.
We recommend you learn to make this iconic drink at home and enjoy every party. However, carry the bottles carefully on the flight home so you can not spill them on your luggage.
#9: Bamboo Clothing
After sugar cane and coffee, bamboo is the most popular product in Costa Rica. Bamboo is used in making different accessories, furniture, and clothing products.
A lot of Bamboo clothing products are famous among locals as well as tourists. Breathable bamboo shirts are trending because of their unique design, comfortable material, and long-lasting material made from organic bamboo. If you find this costume a little monotonous, you can modify it a little bit after buying it! For example, you can purchase some Patches Co. to finish off these bamboo costumes and make them even more unique and beautiful!
If you want to keep Costa Rican memories with you, buy some bamboo clothing, wear them during the tour, and take them home. Their unique feel on your body will always remind you of the best memories of Costa Rica.
Although bamboo clothing is a bit expensive, it is worth buying. You can buy it from local boutique shops in Tamarindo, La Fortuna, Jaco, and Manuel Antonio. Keep one thing in mind: avoid stretching the bamboo clothing so it can last longer.
#10: The Flag of Costa Rica
The blue, red, and white color flag of Costa Rica is quite unique in its design. It shows freedom, peace, wisdom, and happiness. Interestingly, the red stripe on the flag shows the blood of natives who died defending the country.
Take the national flag with you if you want something that reminds you of Costa Rica’s natural beauty. Keep it as a souvenir, and bring it with you next time you plan a trip to Costa Rica.
#11: Boruca Masks
Boruca Mask is one of the most popular Costa Rica Souvenirs to remember the history and rich culture of the native people. These masks are unique in their style. You must wear it with your eyes and the colorful feathers covering your forehead. Boruca mask will make you look like ancient tribal people.
Boruca is a group of people living in Costa Rica for hundreds of years. Borucans wore these masks to show their faith, bravery, and intellect. So, you can take Boruca Masks for yourself or as a gift for someone who loves history and culture. Borucan masks are readily available at any local shop in every city of Costa Rica.
#12: Gifts from the Local Craftsmen
Costa Rica is full of talented craftsmen who make valuable and beautiful crafts. In coastal areas, there is plenty of palm trees. Local craftsmen collect coconut shells and convert them into bowls. These coconut bowls are excellent gifts for a fan of natural products.
The majority of the area in Costa Rica is covered with rainforests, which makes the soil a little muddy. Local craftsmen collect this clay and mold it into different pottery items. You can take this marvelous pottery with you and keep it as a souvenir at your home.
Guaitil is a small district in San Jose province that is quite popular for its pottery and handmade crafts. So, we recommend you visit there and buy some magnificent pottery items.
#13: A Coffee Table Book
If you want to remember the beautiful places of Costa Rica, then a coffee table book is a perfect souvenir. The specialty of this book is that you will find paintings, articles about Costa Rican Culture, and short reviews of native traditions.
A coffee table book is perfect for keeping with you while visiting beautiful places in Costa Rica. You can buy the book from local souvenir shops and bookstores in the country.
#14: Clothing With Colorful Textiles
To remember the wildlife of Costa Rica, take printed clothing with colorful animal pictures and landscape designs. You will find these beautiful items on beaches and local markets as well. Take these clothes with eye-catching designs to recall the beauty of Costa Rica every minute you look at them.
Some other clothing items like bikinis, printed towels, and Pura Vida tourist shirts are also usually available. Take them home for yourself and also as a gift for someone special. All of the famous brands have these outfits with trending designs. Moreover, you can also buy these items from San Jose airport.
#15: Bath Products
Last but certainly not least is bath products! If you are out of ideas, people love to receive bath things that make bathing relaxing and refreshing! Bath products are available at every local market in different sizes and styles. So choose according to your taste and enjoy the Costa Rican beach ambiance at home.
Costa Rica is the most popular tourist country among all the Central American countries. You can do a lot of fun here and enjoy the best holiday time here. However, you must take something with you so you can’t forget the beautiful time and sweet memories of your trip.
After the trip, you can uniquely store those beautiful sights you recorded during the journey; for example, you can customize pins to freeze those spots permanently. These Custom Pins can be used not only for collecting but also for decorating your clothes or bags!
We have listed the best souvenirs for you. From the taste of Costa Rica to the scenic beauty of national parks, many other Costa Rica products will remind you of the best time you have spent in this beautiful country.
