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Is Costa Rica safe to travel?

Updated October 2026

Our summary of the country advice published by the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Viaggiare Sicuri) on 21 September 2026.

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Safety

• Crime is rising — Bag-snatching, armed robbery, scams, break-ins at homes and hotels, thefts from cars and assaults have all grown markedly in recent years, in the capital and in the tourist spots alike. Around 1,500 cases of assault, theft or violence against international tourists were recorded in 2025, many of them Italians. Limit how much money, jewellery and electronics you show, carry no documents you do not strictly need, choose guarded accommodation over private homes such as Airbnb-type lets, and avoid isolated areas and public transport after dark.
• Homicides — Murders have risen sharply, foreigners included: the rate is 16.7 per 100,000 inhabitants, against 0.6 in Italy. The ministry advises extra attention in the areas where the Judicial Investigation Organisation (OIJ) says the largest number of homicides is concentrated: the central canton of San José, the district of Limón and the cantons of Puntarenas, Alajuelita, Alajuela, Desamparados and Matina. The authorities link this to widespread drug addiction, drug trafficking and organised crime.
• Critical districts — In a communiqué of 13 February 2024 the security ministry named the districts where crime against foreign tourists rose sharply in 2023: Jacó, Quepos, Cahuita, Cóbano, Bahía Ballena, La Fortuna, Sámara and Tamarindo. A particularly high number of robberies of people and thefts from vehicles is recorded there. Particular attention is also advised in the tourist towns of Jacó, Nicoya, Cahuita and Cóbano.
• San José — Take care in the centre of San José, especially in the evening and at night, and around the notorious "La Coca Cola" bus terminal: bag-snatching and assaults on tourists are numerous. Be cautious with very cheap small hotels with poor security, particularly in the central neighbourhoods, where whole zones have a high level of petty crime and are frequented, above all at night, by drug dealers. The areas near the University of Costa Rica are advised against because of frequent brawls.
• Isolated areas, Nicaraguan border — Avoid isolated areas, in particular the zones bordering Nicaragua, where foreigners have been kidnapped for extortion in the past. Isolated beach spots are also to be avoided because of theft and attacks by common criminals.
• Shorelines, above all at night — Travelling along the shorelines is advised against, even by car and above all at night, particularly on the Pacific coast at Tamarindo, Montezuma and Jacó and on the Atlantic side between Limón, Cahuita and Manzanillo. Some foreigners have been killed there for extortion in the past, and thefts of unattended cars and of items left inside them are frequent even in broad daylight.
• National parks — Armed attacks on Italian tourists have been reported inside the national parks. Visit them in a group and only with authorised guides.
• Sexual assaults on women — Sexual assaults on women tourists have risen significantly in recent years. The problem is found across the country, particularly in the Caribbean coast resorts (Puerto Viejo de Talamanca, Limón) and the Pacific ones (Santa Teresa, Montezuma). The Costa Rican authorities advise women, above all those travelling alone, to stay alert at all times, especially in the evening and at night.
• Storms, quakes and volcanoes — In the rainy season, roughly June to November, tropical storms can leave roads impassable through flooding or landslides, which can compromise access to airports and land borders; the advice during a storm is not to drive. Three major faults meet under the country, so tremors above magnitude 4 or 5 are frequent and there is volcanic activity, including several dormant but active volcanoes around the Valle Central where San José sits. Sports and activities along rivers are best avoided during the rainy season.
• Beaches and currents — Only a handful of the country's 640 beaches have professional lifeguards and safety staff: Bahía Ballena, Manuel Antonio, Tamarindo and Ventanas on the Pacific, Playa Negra and Manzanillo on the Atlantic. Sea currents are very strong on many beaches, so take particular care and do not stray too far from the shore. Areas near swamps, river mouths and rivers are best avoided too, as crocodiles and other dangerous animals may be present.

Before you rely on this

This is our summary of advice written by the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs for Italian travellers, published on 21 September 2026. We summarise in good faith, but we cannot guarantee it is accurate, current or complete, and we take no responsibility for decisions made on the basis of it. Rules change without notice and are applied by officials at the border, not by websites. Always read the original source and the travel advice your own government publishes for Costa Rica before you travel. Where a guide's profile shows “Licence verified”, we found that licence in the official public register; otherwise GuideMeet has no way of checking whether an individual guide meets any standard mentioned here — ask them directly.

Source: Viaggiare Sicuri — Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, updated 21 September 2026. Last checked by GuideMeet on 7 October 2026.