Is Costa Rica Safe? My Take as a Solo Female Traveler

If you’re considering traveling to Costa Rica on your own, you’re in for a world of natural beauty, friendly people, and adventure around every corner. From the dense jungles of the country’s interior to the idyllic beaches on both coasts, you’re in for a treat no matter where you go.

Is Costa Rica safe, though? I mean, it is in Central America, after all, which has a complicated reputation.

There are a lot of opinions about what qualifies a country as “safe” or not, which I feel severely underqualified to determine. However, the feeling of safety often comes from within, and how well we prepare ourselves to travel in a particular place.

That said, these are my safety tips for solo travelers making their way through Costa Rica, with special consideration for my fellow ladies who are heading there alone:

Costa Rica Safety Tips

Leave your expensive jewelry at home.

This tip goes for almost anywhere you travel and certainly applies to Costa Rica. Wearing flashy jewelry can make you an easy target for petty theft or pickpocketing. Since these are two of the most common crimes against tourists here, it’s important to avoid making yourself a target.

This isn’t to say that you can’t or shouldn’t wear any jewelry at all while in Costa Rica. Just keep in mind that the flashier it is, the more attention you may get from petty thieves, especially in big cities like San José.

Lock your valuables in a safe place.

I realized quickly that not every hotel, hostel, or Airbnb in Costa Rica has a safe for your valuables. In order to ensure that you’ll have somewhere to lock up your things, you can do one of two things. First, you can ask your potential accommodation before booking if there are safes in every room. Or, you can take matters into your own hands and travel with a portable safe, which is basically just a theft-proof bag that you can attach to a fixed object.

I went with the latter, and brought my portable safe from Pacsafe with me. This thing was a lifesaver. Having my computer, passport, cards, and extra cash stowed away inside it really helped me have peace of mind while I was out and about during the day. It’s small enough to fit easily into your backpack or suitcase, and can easily attach to a fixture in your hotel room.

Only bring small amounts of cash with you when you go out.

Since my bank charges me per international cash withdrawal, I tend to withdraw large amounts at a time. However, I don’t carry all that cash with me…