Is Costa Rica safe for families? Everything you need to know
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Travelling as a family feels like a WHOLE different ball-game to all that previous travel we did pre-kids. These days, one of the first things I research whenever we have a destination in mind is safety. If you’re planning a trip to Costa Rica with children and you’re anything like me, there’s probably a ton of questions on your list. Is Costa Rica safe for families? Can we swim in the sea safely? Is it safe to drive in Costa Rica? And how big are the spiders, and how close to my face are they likely to be??
Costa Rica is a once-in-a-lifetime destination and is truly amazing for a family trip. But like anywhere, there’s plenty to think about in advance when it comes to safety.
So just how safe is Costa Rica for a family travel adventure? We spent several weeks travelling across Costa Rica as part of our family gap year. We drove from coast to coast and stayed in all kinds of eco lodges, chilled out beach resorts and even safari tents in the jungle. And I can honestly say it’s one of the countries we have felt the safest in, anywhere in the world.
From driving safely to how likely you are to encounter a venomous snake, we’re going to cover all things safety-related so you can plan your travel to Costa Rica with kids with complete confidence!
Table of Contents
- Safety in Costa Rica: how to travel safely
- Environmental hazards: How to enjoy Costa Rica’s nature safely
- Crime/Theft: Is Costa Rica safe for tourists?
- Riptides and currents: How to enjoy the coastline safely
- Food and drink: What to Expect
- Driving in Costa Rica: How difficult is it really?
- Taxis in Costa Rica: Tips and What to Avoid
- Car seats for young children
- Tips for a safe trip to Costa Rica with children
- So is Costa Rica safe for families?
- Planning a family vacation to Costa Rica?
Safety in Costa Rica: how to travel safely
While Costa Rica is a safe destination for family travel, there are some things that it’s helpful to know about and plan for in advance.
If you follow the basic precautions (the kind that apply when travelling to most countries in the world) then you should have a fantastic family vacation here.
One of the things we were blown away by during our time in Costa Rica was the unbelievable friendliness of the Costa Rican people. The national catchphrase – Pura Vida! – which translates as the pure (or simple) life really does seem to be something they live by. In fact, people in Costa Rica are SO friendly that you might be a bit freaked out by it at first. If you’re used to getting hassled as a tourist overseas then it can seem (to a cynical Westerner like me anyway) that people are out to scam you.
But the reality that we discovered was that people just genuinely want to help. We were approached at bus stations and on the street by people offering genuine help if they thought we looked even slightly lost. Although we opted not to take a guided tour in Manuel Antonio a guide from another group stopped us and took us to see an Eyelash Pit Viper he’d spotted (he was SO excited, even though he must see these animals frequently!).
The upshot of this is that if you look even remotely lost or in a bit of a pickle, the locals are likely to step in and help. Which is a wonderful feeling to have when you’re a stranger in a different country.
Environmental hazards: How to enjoy Costa Rica’s nature safely
In a country renowned for it’s wildlife and biodiversity, you might well be wondering what dangers in Costa Rica lurk in the undergrowth. Whilst we were all super excited to see the flora and fauna of Costa Rica I also wanted info on what to avoid!
Mosquitos
There are mosquitos in Costa Rica, and dengue fever and zika are present. They are especially active in the rainy season and in jungle areas.
As with anywhere in the world where the mozzies are around, make sure you cover up at times when they are most active (for example the evenings). If you’re going hiking through the national parks, either wear loose-fitting long trousers and tops OR use insect repellent on any exposed skin.
We LOVE the Craghoppers Nosilife range of clothes as they come with built-in mosquito repellent. They’re also lightweight and comfortable in the heat. We each had a long sleeved top and a pair of trousers on our trip and they really did seem to help keep the little biting horrors away!
I am an absolute mosquito magnet and am happy to report that I didn’t find Costa Rica anywhere near as bad for mosquitos as I expected.
Crocodiles
There are two types of crocodiles in Costa Rica – the American Crocodile and the Caiman.
American Crocodiles are big, powerful predators that can be very dangerous. But attacks in Costa Rica are very rare.
Avoid swimming in rivers, estuaries or anywhere near any kind of rivermouth where these crocs might live. We *did* swim in several rivers but only where it was clear from the locals that it was safe to do so.
If you want to view some of these very impressive reptiles, then head to the famous Crocodile Bridge over the River Tarcoles. Just North of Jaco, you can stop nearby and view huge numbers of crocs from the safety of the bridge.
Snakes
There are both venomous and non-venomous snakes in Costa Rica. And whilst they might seem a bit scary, they are also completely fascinating and amazing to see in the wild.
We saw several snakes during our stay – two species, the Yellow Rat Snakes and Eyelash Pit Vipers. The only time we ever saw snakes was within National Parks. The Eyelash Pit Vipers we saw were all pointed out by guides (or we would have missed them – they are pretty small!).
To be safe, particularly when you’re out on hikes, make sure you stick to the trails. Keep an eye on kids to make sure they’re not wandering off through the undergrowth! Wear proper footwear and be extra cautious if you’re hiking (or on a guided tour) at night.
There’s a useful visual guide to the venomous snakes of Costa Rica on the University of Costa Rica website.
And if you want to see some of the snakes of Costa Rica up-close and personal (in a safe environment!) then consider visiting the Jaguar Rescue Centre on the Caribbean Coast. They have excellent guided tours that are highly educational and will give you the chance to learn more about the wildlife of Costa Rica.
Spiders
We saw PLENTY of great big spiders on our travels around Costa Rica. However, if you’re a bit of an arachnophobiac then never fear! Whilst you *can* see lots of spiders in Costa Rica, we only ever saw them when we were actively out and about looking for them. On night walks and with guides on hikes – tarantulas aplenty. But I’m pleased to report that we didn’t see a single one in any of the rooms or accommodation we stayed in.
There are a few species in particular that you should be very wary of. Costa Rica is home to the Brazilian Wandering Spider which has a nasty bite that needs medical attention. The chances of stumbling across one of these are thankfully pretty low.
The chunky wolf spiders that you may see in Costa Rica also have a nasty bite that can be quite painful, but usually not harmful enough to need a trip to the hospital.
Ants
This wasn’t something I’d really worried about before our trip. Of all the dangers in Costa Rica I’d considered, ants were not one of them!
But there are a LOT of ants in Costa Rica and they are something that you may well see in your hotel room. We found them completely fascinating to watch in their colonies. However they can give you a bite, especially if you inadvertently sit or stand on an anthill. These can be painful but are likely to be relatively mild.
The Bullet Ants in Costa Rica are definitely one to avoid though. These are black and much bigger than the other ant species in Costa Rica. Their bite can be really painful! We saw several on our travels but fortunately avoided any nips.
Crime/Theft: Is Costa Rica safe for tourists?
Of course there is crime in Costa Rica, as there is anywhere in the world.
Crime levels have actually increased in Costa Rica over the last couple of years. This appears to be linked to increased cartel activity in the country. However, this crime is not directed at tourists and Costa Rica remains a safe destination for family travel.
There are some obvious things to be aware of (which are probably applicable to travel pretty much anywhere in the world).
- Don’t leave anything on view in your car if you’ve rented one (and definitely no valuables!). In tourist areas it’s not uncommon for rental cars to be broken in to. There are very few official, secure car parks in Costa Rica so make sure your car is locked up with nothing left on display.
- Don’t take valuables to the beach – leave them in the safe at your hotel. If you do take phones/cash/cameras etc out with you make sure you’re not leaving them unattended at any time.
- Be aware of the US dollar exchange rate. Many places will accept US dollars and may give you change in Costa Rican Colones, so to avoid being scammed out of your change it’s helpful to at least have an idea of the current exchange rate.
Whilst we didn’t experience any real crime or incidents that made us feel unsafe, we were ripped off by taxi/rickshaw drivers on a couple of occasions. Not the worst thing in the world but very annoying – and that feeling of getting scammed is not nice!
Riptides and currents: How to enjoy the coastline safely
Costa Rica has both a Pacific and Caribbean Coast. One of the things we loved about Costa Rica was getting the chance to experience the beaches of both!
Whilst our boys happily spent hours swimming in the ocean, you do need to be very careful with strong waves and riptides on both coasts. We had this completely mistaken idea that the Caribbean Coast would be calm, gentle waves lapping at the white sand beaches. You know, that absolutely stereotypical image you have of the Caribbean, right? But we were so wrong.
Whilst there ARE spectacular beaches with aquamarine, calm waters in reality a lot of both coasts get some really big, crashing surf. The shoreline is much more dramatic than you might think!
Keep a close eye on kids in the water and be aware of local conditions before you go in. There are very few beaches with lifeguards in Costa Rica so you are very much responsible for your own safety in the water. There were a couple of occasions when the riptide was so much stronger than we expected that all of us struggled to keep on our feet.
Food and drink: What to Expect
The food in Costa Rica was one aspect of travelling the country with kids that we found pretty easy. There were plenty of eateries of all different kinds and the food hygiene seemed to be quite high. We certainly didn’t have any problems with stomach bugs at all during our stay.
The traditional Costa Rican diet consists of quite simple food such as rice, beans and plantains. Our boys happily ate it all with no complaints! We ate a lot of fresh fruit and vegetables during our stay – it’s always a good idea to wash these before eating. We did find that some of the fruit from the little stores needed a bit of a scrub.
You can also drink the tap water in most of Costa Rica (the exception being in remote, rural areas and parts of the Caribbean Coast). We did however play it fairly safe and stuck to bottled water for the majority of the time. Many places we stayed had water filters or coolers where we could fill up our reusable bottles.
Driving in Costa Rica: How difficult is it really?
Whilst there may be some tricky road conditions to navigate in Costa Rica, if you’re sticking to the heavily travelled tourist routes you’ll find the driving pretty straightforward. The main highways are paved and the signage is fairly good. Outside of San Jose you won’t find the roads too busy either.
Within San Jose the traffic can become really congested and a bit fraught. For this reason we opted to get the bus out of San Jose when we arrived and rented a car from Quepos instead.
What I would say though is to make sure you plan your trip in advance. If you’re travelling to somewhere a bit off the beaten track, speak to locals (or the staff in your accommodation) about what to expect. There are river crossings in parts of Costa Rica to navigate (particularly on the Nicoya Peninsula) so if you’re not comfortable with the idea of this (like me!) then plan your route in advance.
For the full lowdown on driving in Costa Rica, check out our guide here.
Taxis in Costa Rica: Tips and What to Avoid
Within San Jose and some of the bigger towns in Costa Rica you will be able to get an Uber without too much difficulty. However, be aware that there are very few bigger Uber cars in Costa Rica so if you need to fit more than four in you may have a long wait.
Ubers are safe and reliable to use. As with anywhere in the world, using Uber cars is incredibly convenient and means that you know the fare in advance. So there is much less bargaining to be had or opportunities to get scammed! We used Ubers in San Jose, Tamarindo, Manuel Antonio and La Fortuna. We found that they weren’t available anywhere on the Caribbean Coast that we visited, or anywhere else slightly off the beaten track.
To be honest, wherever we could use Uber we opted for this. I just find them so much easier and safer, particularly when travelling as a family with kids.
There are also local taxis available across the country. And in places without Uber these are sometimes your only option. Local taxis are red with a yellow triangle on the side and a light on the roof. These have a meter and they SHOULD always use this.
If you need to take a taxi, try to pick one up from an official line or get your accommodation to book a trusted one. We used local taxis on several occasions and had absolutely no issues – the drivers were lovely, the cars felt well-maintained and safe and we paid the price on the meter. But as with anywhere in the world, take care to use official taxis only and always make sure they are going to charge you the meter price before you set off.
Car seats for young children
Don’t arrive in Costa Rica expecting to find quality car seats in taxis or available through car rental companies. Whilst some may be available, they could be wildly different in quality and safety levels to whatever standard you are used to at home.
If you do have young children you would be better off bringing a car seat with you. When you’re flying with young children most airlines will allow you to check these in for no additional charge. Whilst they ARE bulky to carry around with you it does mean you’ll have complete peace of mind.
If you’re planning to travel to Costa Rica with kids then I would absolutely recommend hiring a car. A trip to Costa Rica with children will be way easier with your own wheels. Plus the cost of shared/private shuttles and taxis can really mount up for a family.
Tips for a safe trip to Costa Rica with children
- Talk to kids about the wildlife in Costa Rica and the need to show respect by not touching animals or getting too close. We also had to have a long chat with our boys about not venturing off trails and rummaging in the undergrowth for sticks like they would do at home!
- Pack plenty of mosquito repellent as this can be expensive in Costa Rica
- Always use either Uber or registered taxis
- Be grateful for the little geckos that you’ll find in your room – these guys are doing a great job at chomping up mosquitoes and other insects that might have found their way in!
- If you’re staying in decent, air-conditioned accommodation this will keep the majority of the creepy crawlies out of your room
- Check out reviews for tour companies you plan to book with, especially if you’re heading out on a boat (and at night, like we did on the bioluminescence tour)
You can check out the up-to-date travel advisories for Costa Rica from the US and from the UK.
So is Costa Rica safe for families?
The answer to this is a resounding YES. Whilst – like anywhere – there are some dangers and annoyances to think about, these should absolutely NOT put you off visiting this magical place.
The wildlife might be everywhere but we had pretty much zero close encounters with spiders, snakes and the like unless we were out hunting them down in the jungle. This even includes our stay in the safari tents at Rafiki Lodge (where I was CONVINCED we’d be waking up to giant insects and arachnids far too close for comfort. Fortunately I was completely wrong on this!).
Our Costa Rica with Kids Travel Guide has a whole heap more info on travelling this wonderful country as a family. Before you book any travel to Costa Rica with kids make sure you download the guide!
Planning a family vacation to Costa Rica?
If you’re planning to travel to Costa Rica with kids then check out some of our other posts for more inspiration, advice and travel tips. You can also download our COMPLETELY FREE Costa Rica Travel with Kids Guide right here to help you plan the perfect trip!
