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The Government of Canada has updated its travel advisory for Costa Rica with warnings about the Zika virus and new concerns about security for visitors.

In general, Canadian travelers are urged to be careful and vigilant when visiting Costa Rica. The summary of the travel advisory states: There is no nationwide advisory in effect for Costa Rica. However, you should exercise a high degree of caution due to crime.

With regard to the risk of infection by the Zika virus, The Public Health Agency of Canada has issued a Travel Health Notice for the Zika virus infection in the Americas recommending that Canadians practice special health precautions while traveling in affected countries such as Costa Rica. Pregnant women and those considering becoming pregnant should discuss their travel plans with their health care provider to assess their risk and consider postponing travel to areas where the Zika virus is circulating in the Americas.

The security advisory has been greatly expanded, and it is preambled as follows:

Crime, in particular theft, is a problem throughout Costa Rica. To lessen your risk of becoming a victim of crime, you should stay alert and be aware of your surroundings. If you do become a victim of a crime, report it to the closest office of the Organismo de Investigación Judicial (Judicial Investigation Department) to ensure that local authorities can conduct an investigation. Plainclothes police, known locally as “OIJ,” are responsible for taking police reports and conducting investigations. It is especially important to report the loss or theft of your identification documents, both to Costa Rican authorities and to the Embassy of Canada to Costa Rica in San José, in order to protect yourself should the documents later be misused.

Other security issues in the advisory explain that passport theft is as common as pickpocketing, purse snatching, vehicle break-ins, and credit card fraud. The advisory further identifies high-risk areas such as the Coca-Cola bus terminal and market, the Red Light District of San Jose, the Caribbean towns of Puerto Viejo, Cahuita and Puerto Limon. In the Pacific Coast, the Canadian government deems various beach towns as being risky; these include: Jaco Beach, Montezuma, Tamarindo, Dominical, Santa Teresa, and others.

With regard to more serious crime, the advisory states that violent crime against foreigners, though not frequent, is a concern. Incidents of armed (gunpoint, knifepoint) robberies, carjackings and home invasions have occurred in beach areas and on the main highways in the Central Valley region, even in daylight.

On the topic of road travel, the advisory explains that Costa Rica has one of the highest traffic accident rates in the world. Traffic laws are routinely ignored. In some areas, potholes, sharp curves, lack of traffic signs, landslides and narrow or unpaved roads create dangerous road conditions. The advisory warns tourists to careful after dark, especially on rural roads, as motorists often drive without lights at night. Traveling by road during the rainy season is particularly dangerous, given the increased risk of flooding and landslides.