Before you travel
Health preparation for Costa Rica
Costa Rica attracts travellers wanting rainforest lodges, volcano hikes and wildlife-watching, often involving more rural and remote travel than a typical beach holiday.
Healthcare access is generally good in main tourist areas but more limited in remote rainforest regions.
Final vaccine and medicine recommendations always depend on your medical history, previous vaccinations, current travel health guidance, trip duration and planned activities. This page is general information, not a personal clinical recommendation — book a consultation so our pharmacist can assess your individual trip.
Personalised recommendations
Vaccines commonly discussed
No single list applies to everyone. Recommendations depend on your route, trip length, activities, health and previous vaccinations.
View the South America & the Caribbean regional travel-health guide
Hepatitis A&B CombinedMost travellers
Commonly recommended
£85 per dose (adult & junior)
TyphoidSome travellers
Considered depending on itinerary
£38 per dose
RabiesSome travellers
Considered for rainforest travel, wildlife trips or longer stays
£74 per dose / £222 for a full course
DTPAll travellers
Booster if it's been over 10 years
£38 per dose
Mosquito-borne illness
Malaria risk and bite prevention
Very low risk in most of the country and low risk in Limón Province outside Puerto Limón, with bite avoidance advised. Antimalarial tablets are not usually recommended.
Risk can differ within a country and can change over time. A consultation assesses your exact itinerary and whether antimalarial medicine should be considered.
Read the malaria prevention guideBeyond vaccination
Practical advice for your trip
- Mosquito bite prevention for dengue and Zika
- Food and water hygiene, particularly in rural areas
- Animal bite avoidance around wildlife encounters
- Access to healthcare can be limited in remote rainforest regions
Food, water and traveller's diarrhoea
Follow careful food and water hygiene where standards are uncertain. Vaccination does not replace these everyday precautions.
Climate planning
December to April is the main dry season.
Entry requirements
UK passport holders can generally visit visa-free for short tourist stays; check current rules.
Yellow fever
No yellow fever vaccination is needed for travel from the UK. A certificate is only required from travellers aged 9 months and over arriving from a yellow fever risk country; airport transit alone is exempt.
Entry and certificate rules can change. Check the latest official foreign travel advice on GOV.UK before departure, and see TravelHealthPro for country-specific health guidance. Yellow Fever vaccination is not currently administered at this clinic; where a requirement is relevant, the pharmacist can discuss your itinerary and explain that an authorised Yellow Fever Vaccination Centre may be needed.
Common questions
Costa Rica travel health FAQs
This depends on how remote your itinerary is and your planned activities — your pharmacist will assess whether it's appropriate based on your full route.
If you feel seriously unwell
- If you are seriously unwell abroad, seek local emergency medical care immediately.
- If you are seriously unwell after returning to the UK, call 999 or go to A&E — always mention any recent travel.
- For urgent but non-emergency advice in the UK, call NHS 111 or contact your GP.