Costa Rica

Latest update: 20 November 2023 - Authors: Mieke Croughs, Ula Maniewski-Kelner

This page contains the main health risks for travellers and general recommendations. Travel conditions are different for everyone and each patient's health condition varies. Discuss your trip during a travel consultation with your doctor or in a travel clinic, preferably six to eight weeks before departure.

Check the current security situation on the federal government website.

Important health risks

The malaria risk is low in the provinces of Limón, Heredia, Alajuela and Puntarenas. We recommend the use of mosquito-repellent measures from dusk till morning.

There is no malaria risk in San José and the remaining parts of the country.

In case of fever during or after your journey, get tested for malaria as soon as possible.

Insects can transmit diseases such as dengue, chikungunya, zika, leishmaniasis and Chagas disease.

Protect yourself against insects.

Ticks can transmit diseases.

You may experience altitude sickness in areas above 2500 metres.

Read these tips before you leave.

Vaccinations

Hepatitis A vaccination is recommended for all travellers.

Discuss with your doctor whether one of the following vaccinations is recommended for you:

Yellow fever

Exceptionally mandatory for some travellers

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There is no risk of yellow fever in this country. Vaccination is not necessary if you are travelling from Belgium.

Vaccination is exceptionally compulsory if you have been in a country where yellow fever may occur in the past six days (see map). This does not apply to stopovers in an airport or for travellers coming from Argentina, Panama or Tobago.
This vaccination must be administered at least ten days prior to arrival by an official yellow fever vaccination centre and must be registered in an International Certificate of Vaccination and Prophylaxis.