Urgent travel advisory warns of 'break-ins and armed robberies at Airbnbs'

Known for its rainforest and white sand beaches, as well as its diversity of bird life, Costa Rica has, in recent years, seen both an increase in tourist numbers and several airline route expansions to the Caribbean island nation.

A recent trends report from travel booking system Skyscanner identified the Costa Rican city of Limón on the Caribbean Coast as the year's most popular destination, while airlines such as JetBlue and American Airlines both recently launched new routes to the country from additional U.S. cities.

With the capital of San José just a two-and-a-half-hour flight from Miami, the United States continues to be Costa Rica's largest source of tourism year after year — Americans made up 1.5 of the 2.6 million international arrivals who came to the country in 2024.

"Property crimes, financial crimes, and robberies": U.S. Embassy in Costa Rica

While the official State Department travel advisory for Costa Rica has long remained at level two's "exercise increased caution," the U.S. Embassy issued a recent travel advisory warning of a spike in "property crimes, financial crimes, and robberies that have impacted foreigners."

"Criminal gangs have targeted foreign residents and travelers, forcing them to withdraw large sums of cash from ATMs or to make bank transfers," the travel warning reads further. "Tourists have reported break-ins and armed robberies at Airbnbs and other rental properties."

Related: US government warns travelers 'stopping is not allowed'

As Costa Rica has long been considered one of the safest countries in Latin America, past advisories have focused primarily on petty crime such as pickpocketing. But the increase in break-ins at hotels and short-term rental companies has now been recorded for the last several years.

In July 2025, Costa Rica's The Tico Times reported a 40-year-old Canadian tourist was killed during a break-in to his rental home in the popular beach town of Tamarindo.

And although not treated as suspicious by authorities, the mysterious death of the son of former Yankees star Brett Gardner due to carbon monoxide inhalation in March 2025, reported by CNN, led to a string of cancellations amid tourists traveling to the Manuel Antonio resort town in the ensuing months.

For those traveling to Costa Rica, the State Department advises taking basic security practices, especially at rental properties, such as checking for functioning cameras and forming a plan on how to reach out for help in an emergency.

"Minimize your online presence and do not share information on social media"

"Research your Airbnb, rental, or hotel in advance," the suggestions shared by the embassy read further.

"[...] Conduct a risk assessment of your property. "Ensure the property has strong security measures, and keep doors and windows locked. Avoid properties with reviews that mention security incidents."

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Travelers are also advised to minimize their social media presence to avoid inadvertently sharing the location of one's rental property both locally and with anyone back home.

If a vacationer becomes the victim of an attack, the official recommendation to preserve life is to avoid resisting and cooperate with the attacker's demands.

Related: Airlines cancel all flights to country as US threats intensify