Broadly safe for most visitors, with only routine travel precautions needed. Public health and infrastructure are well developed.
Regional breakdown
San José sees the bulk of reported incidents. Pickpocketing and bag snatching are common around the Coca-Cola bus terminal, the Mercado Central and the city centre after dark. Car break-ins happen in tourist car parks, including those near the National Museum and the airport hotels in Alajuela. The Caribbean coast around Puerto Viejo and Limón has a different risk profile. Drug-linked violence touches port areas, and isolated beach paths have seen muggings. Most travellers pass through without trouble, but walking alone at night between towns is a common flashpoint. On the Pacific side, Tamarindo, Jacó and Manuel Antonio National Park are the busiest tourist hubs. Drink spiking and beach theft are the main complaints. Rip currents along the Guanacaste and Puntarenas coasts cause several drownings each year, with Playa Hermosa and Playa Cocles among those flagged by local lifeguards. Remote border areas near Nicaragua and Panama see less foot traffic and fewer consular resources.
Recent advisory changes
The official advisory guidance reissued its Costa Rica advisory on 2 April 2026. It stays at Level 2, Exercise Increased Caution, with crime as the headline reason. The notice points to armed robbery, homicide and sexual assault affecting tourists, alongside earthquakes, volcanic activity and rip currents. Medical facilities outside San José are flagged as limited. The official advisory guidance last refreshed its Costa Rica page on 10 December 2025. The update covered dual nationals returning to the UK rather than any new safety warning. The official advisory guidance does not assign a colour-coded level for Costa Rica and gives no advise-against-travel zones. It tells visitors to watch out for petty crime in tourist areas. Take care on the roads and check weather warnings during the May to November rainy season.
What travellers should know
Travel insurance should cover medical evacuation. Private clinics in San José are good but expensive, and care thins out quickly in rural Guanacaste, the Osa Peninsula and the Caribbean coast. Bring any prescription medicines with a copy of the prescription, since pharmacy stock varies outside the capital. Use licensed red taxis with yellow triangles, or app-based rides in San José. Keep bags off the floor in restaurants and never leave valuables in a parked car, even briefly. At the beach, ask locally about rip currents before swimming and stick to patrolled stretches where possible. Carry a copy of your passport rather than the original, and watch out for ATM skimming in tourist towns. Driving at night on rural roads is harder than it looks, with unlit curves, livestock and heavy rain in season. Check the OVSICORI bulletins for activity at Poás, Turrialba and Rincón de la Vieja before hiking nearby.