Costa Rica Travel Advisory: What Travelers Need to Know in 2026

The United States Department of State issues travel advisories for every country in the world using a four-level system. Level 1 (Exercise Normal Precautions) is the safest rating, indicating conditions are relatively safe for travel. Level 2 (Exercise Increased Caution) means there are elevated risks that travelers should be aware of. Level 3 (Reconsider Travel) indicates significant safety concerns. Level 4 (Do Not Travel) is reserved for countries with active conflict or extreme danger.

Other governments issue their own advisories through similar agencies — the UK's Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO), Canada's Global Affairs, and Australia's DFAT (Smartraveller) among them. Advisory levels between agencies don't always align precisely because each government assesses risk differently, but significant divergence can itself be a signal worth noting.

It's important to understand that travel advisories reflect a general country-level assessment and do not always distinguish between safe tourist zones and genuinely dangerous areas within the same country. Reading the full advisory text, not just the headline level, provides much more nuanced information about which areas and which types of activity pose elevated risk.

As of early 2026, the US State Department maintains a Level 2 (Exercise Increased Caution) advisory for Costa Rica due to crime. This is a common advisory level for popular tourist destinations in Latin America and does not indicate that Costa Rica is unusually dangerous relative to other tourist destinations worldwide. The advisory specifically notes that crime, including violent crime, can occur in any part of the country, with the most significant concerns concentrated in specific urban neighborhoods and border areas.

The State Department advisory highlights that the most significant risks for US citizens are petty crime (theft, pickpocketing, vehicle break-ins), with violent crime against tourists being relatively rare but not unheard of. Armed robbery has occurred in some tourist areas, particularly when travelers are in isolated locations or appear to be carrying expensive equipment.

Importantly, the advisory notes specific areas of elevated concern, including certain neighborhoods in San José, border regions with Panama and Nicaragua, and coastal areas near drug trafficking routes. The vast majority of popular tourist destinations — including Arenal, Monteverde, Tamarindo, Manuel Antonio, and the Osa Peninsula — are not subject to specific elevated warnings within the overall Level 2 designation.

Within Costa Rica, certain areas carry elevated risk compared to the main tourist zones. The Limón province on the Caribbean coast, including Limón city itself, has a higher crime rate than most tourist areas and requires extra caution, particularly at night. Travelers transiting through Limón city (as opposed to the tourist enclave of Cahuita or Puerto Viejo further south) should exercise vigilance.

San José's urban core contains neighborhoods (barrios) that are not recommended for tourists at any time, including parts of La Carpio, Los Cuadros, and the area around the Coca-Cola bus terminal at night. Most hotels in San José are located in the safer neighborhoods of Sabana, Barrio Amon, Escazú, and the Eastern Suburbs, where risks are much lower.

The border zones with both Nicaragua (in the northern Guanacaste and Alajuela provinces) and Panama (in the south near Paso Canoas) have increased presence of organized crime and drug trafficking activity. Most tourists have no reason to visit these border zones, but travelers crossing overland should use official, well-monitored border crossings and ideally cross during daylight hours.

The most common safety issue affecting tourists in Costa Rica is theft. Vehicle break-ins targeting rental cars — particularly identifiable by their license plates (rental cars in Costa Rica have plates beginning with 'L') — are the single most frequently reported crime. Never leave valuables, bags, cameras, passports, or electronics visible in a parked car, even for a few minutes. Use hotel safes for passports and extra cash.

Bag snatching and pickpocketing occur in crowded public spaces including markets, bus terminals, tourist beaches, and popular parks. Keep bags on your lap or front in crowds, avoid displaying expensive cameras and phones unnecessarily, and be aware of distracting tactics sometimes used by teams of thieves.

Scams targeting tourists include taxi drivers claiming their meter is broken and overcharging, unofficial 'tour guides' at popular sites who collect fees for non-existent services, and online accommodation scams. Use official orange taxis with working meters in San José, book tours through licensed, reviewed operators, and verify accommodations through reputable booking platforms.

Health advisories for Costa Rica are typically routine rather than urgent for most travelers. No mandatory vaccinations are required for entry (for travelers from most countries), but the CDC recommends hepatitis A, hepatitis B, typhoid, and ensuring routine vaccinations are up to date before visiting. Yellow fever vaccination is required only for travelers arriving from countries with risk of yellow fever transmission.

Dengue fever is present in Costa Rica, particularly in lowland areas during the rainy season, and cases have increased in recent years. Use insect repellent (DEET 20–35% or picaridin), wear long sleeves at dawn and dusk, and stay in accommodations with air conditioning or mosquito nets in lowland tropical areas. There is currently no vaccine widely available for dengue, though a vaccine (Dengvaxia) exists for those with prior documented dengue infection.

Zika virus risk is classified as low but present in some regions. Pregnant travelers or those planning pregnancy should consult their doctor before travel and follow CDC guidance. Chikungunya has also been reported in Costa Rica. Standard mosquito bite prevention measures protect against all three of these mosquito-borne illnesses simultaneously.

Travel advisories can change due to political events, natural disasters, disease outbreaks, or shifts in crime patterns. The best way to stay informed is to enroll in the State Department's Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP) before your trip, which registers your travel with the nearest US Embassy and ensures you receive automatic alerts about advisory changes, emergencies, and safety updates affecting your destination.

If an advisory is elevated while you are already in Costa Rica, stay calm and assess the specific nature of the change. A blanket level increase due to general crime trends requires different action than a specific alert about a particular region or event. Contact your hotel for local guidance, monitor the Embassy's social media and website, and follow instructions from local authorities if an emergency situation develops.

Travel insurance with trip cancellation and interruption coverage can provide financial protection if you need to alter or cancel your plans due to an advisory change that meets the policy's conditions. Most standard travel insurance policies require an advisory upgrade to Level 3 or 4 for coverage to apply, so read your policy terms carefully.

The overwhelming majority of the millions of tourists who visit Costa Rica each year do so without experiencing any crime or safety incident. A few practical precautions dramatically reduce your risk. Keep a color photocopy of your passport and a digital scan in your email rather than carrying the original outside your hotel. Use ATMs inside banks or shopping centers rather than standalone street ATMs, particularly at night.

Share your itinerary with someone at home before you travel. Use your hotel or accommodation's safe for passports, extra cash, and electronics when not in use. Avoid displaying expensive jewelry, cameras, or phones unnecessarily in public. Dress down and blend in — tourist areas across Costa Rica are casual and no one needs to signal wealth through appearance.

In case of emergency, the Costa Rica 911 system is operational and connects to police (Fuerza Publica), fire (Bomberos), and emergency medical services (Cruz Roja / Red Cross). Tourist Police (Policia Turistica) operate in major tourist destinations and are trained to assist visitors in English and Spanish. Most major hotels have 24-hour security and can assist in contacting authorities or arranging medical care.