57 Best Shopping in Costa Rica

Expat artist Barry Biesanz creates unique, world-class items from Costa Rican hardwoods, which are turned (a form of woodworking) on-site. Local artisans also ply their trade here. It's difficult to find, so take a taxi or call for directions from your hotel.

Stop in at this unique artisan shop, a picturesque wood cottage embellished with monumental carvings by local wood sculptor Macedonio Quesada, the creator of the House of the Dreamer. Though Macedonio died years ago, his sons Miguel and Hermes continue the tradition, carving interesting, often comical little statues out of coffee roots, which they sell for only $10 to $25.

In the nicest of the many stores south of town, you can wander through the workshops and see the artisans in action. Despite the name, offerings extend well beyond oxcarts, and Chaverrí is a good place to buy wooden crafts of all kinds. Chaverrí also runs a restaurant next door, Las Carretas, which serves a variety of local food all day until 6 pm and has a good lunch buffet.

A nonprofit association assembles the works of 220 artisans from Costa Rica’s eight original indigenous communities in this attractively arranged setting on the pedestrian mall south of the Museo Nacional. While the place bills itself as “part museum,” all works are for sale at prices fair to the creators and fair to you. (The name translates as “fair deal” in Costa Rica's indigenous Boruca language.) You'll find a good selection of ceramics, jewelry, weavings, and paintings here.

Grecia’s covered weekend farmers’ market is one of Costa Rica’s liveliest and best. It runs Friday afternoon and evening until 9—fairy lights sparkle during the evening hours—and starts up again at 5 the next morning, winding down around noon. Fresh produce is yours for the buying and, if you time it right, homemade tortillas and cinnamon rolls too. While either day is fun to attend, there's a better selection of produce on Friday.

You'll find a well-rounded selection of ceramics, wood, and leather at Artesanía Zurquí.

Some 100 souvenir vendors congregate in the so-called "National Street of Artisanry and Painting," a block-long covered walkway on the west side of the Plaza de la Democracia. As you approach, the whole affair looks like a string of metal shacks, and the setup here doesn't live up to the grand name. Some of the sellers do offer bargains on hammocks, wood carvings, and clothing; others sell trinkets probably made in China. Look carefully.

Large glazed pots with ornate decorations that range from traditional patterns to modern motifs are the specialties here. Flowerpots and lamps are also common works here, and the staff will happily show you the production process, from raw clay to art.

Stop into this atelier for a unique, elevated gift or keepsake that you will not see in the big souvenir shops: jewelry, art, T-shirts, chocolate, honey, spices, and soaps, all handmade in Costa Rica by local artisans. You can even watch the jewelry being made, and a portion of the proceeds goes to reforestation efforts.

Delicate coconut carvings and sophisticated, one-of-a-kind jewelry made with polished amber, turquoise, and orange spondylus shells are the specialty of Carlos, a skilled local artisan. You'll find him in his workshop, 9 to 7:30 daily, on Sámara's main street into town. Carlos and his wife, Simon, also make lovely papier-mâché globe lamps, along with a range of coconut-oil soaps and lotions.

Named for the tropical hardwood of the cocobolo tree, this large shop is jam-packed with wooden handicrafts hanging from the ceiling, walls, and shelves. It's much of what you find in other stores, but with more tasteful items and a richer variety. In addition to wood carvings, they sell clothing, hammocks, jewelry, and locally made crafts.

The best place to buy local coffee is where 800 farmers bring their raw coffee beans to be roasted and packed into jute bags at the first carbon-neutral coffee producer in the world. You can buy three dozen different coffee beverages and export-quality coffee at the café shop for about $10 per pound (about half the price you'll pay at the airport). Choose between light or dark roast and en grano (whole bean) or molido (ground). A variety of tours are offered (from $35), covering everything from processing to tasting to the cooperative's innovative recycling. Check out the website for details of tours or email to make reservations.

This artisans' cooperative is made up of 45 people, mostly women, who sell locally made crafts. The prices are higher than they are at most other places, but the high quality and the knowledge that you are contributing to the livelihood of the community justifies paying a bit more. The attached restaurant serves typical Costa Rican dishes.

Although the strip mall doesn't provide the most picturesque setting, inside you'll find lovely souvenirs and other Costa Rican--made items that you won’t see at the typical tourist traps. The store features handmade leather purses, beautiful and affordable jewelry, totes, art, scarves, and home goods.

Small by U.S. standards, this farmers' market has a handful of vendors selling fresh produce and meats in the community center building. Open Sunday 6 am to noon. 

Puerto Viejo's Saturday-morning farmers' market is a good place to stock up on fresh fruits and veggies for that weekend beach picnic. It takes place in a building just south of the bus stop.

It's a tad out of the way, but just up the street from the Hotel Aranjuez is the city's best Saturday morning farmers' market. Stock up on organic fruits and veggies and take in the local scene. For something tropical, try some coconut water—you'll get a coconut whacked in half by a machete, and you can sip the water through a straw. Things get underway at 7 am and wind down at 12:30.

For locally grown coffee and reasonably priced artisan crafts, this place offers the best shopping in Jacó. They serve marvelous iced coffees, natural iced teas, and fresh-roasted coffee. Be sure to try a sample of their chocolate, pineapple licorice, and "Fruity Monkey Poop" (actually just candied nuts).

The small gift shop at the Hotel Grano de Oro has an impressive selection of carvings and jewelry on hand.

Standouts among the books, jewelry, T-shirts, and Costa Rican coffee on display here are photographs by local nature specialists Michael and Patricia Fogden. This is a great place to emulate their efforts: you can capture an image of a hummingbird in action as hundreds flutter around the feeders. No flash photography is allowed.

Ensconced inside Barrio Escalante's trendy Kalú restaurant, the equally trendy Kiosco proffers a good selection of locally made woodwork, fabrics, and ceramics.

You can get any souvenir you could possibly want at this lively emporium. There's also a restaurant, a coffee tour, and the occasional folklore show. Last-minute shoppers can stop in on their way to nearby Liberia airport. It's open 8 to 6 daily, except Good Friday.