For solo female travelers, Costa Rica is one of the top destinations in the world right now.
This Central American nation is a great place for new and experienced solo female travelers alike. It makes a fantastic starting point for women who have never solo traveled before but are interested in trying it out.
It’s also an excellent destination, even if you’ve traveled extensively on your own before.
This stunning country is famous for its biodiversity and wildlife, amazing beaches on both coasts, tropical rainforests, waterfalls, volcanoes, and laidback “pura vida” lifestyle (it directly translates to “pure life” or “simple life” but means so much more.)
Here’s what makes Costa Rica such a popular destination for solo female travelers:
1. It’s Extremely Safe
One of the top reasons that Costa Rica is the perfect destination for solo female travelers is because of how safe it is.
For women traveling alone, safety is a top concern.
Costa Rica was recently ranked as the 38th safest country in the world by the 2023 Global Peace Index. This is only a few spots behind the United Kingdom and well above the United States, which is ranked 138th.
It’s by far the safest country in Latin America, making it a great entry point for solo female travelers interested in exploring this part of the world.
2. It Has A Good Tourism Infrastructure
Another reason that Costa Rica is a good choice for solo female travelers is that it’s more developed than many other countries in Central America and has a solid tourism infrastructure in place.
Booking accommodations, tours, activities, and transportation is a simple process in Costa Rica, and many people who work in tourism and hospitality speak English, so if you aren’t confident speaking Spanish, you should be able to get by without any difficulties.
This makes Costa Rica ideal for first-time solo female travelers who don’t want to worry too much about sorting out logistics.
It’s also easy to get to Costa Rica from the United States and Canada, with nonstop flights to San Jose (the capital) and Liberia (located on the Pacific Coast) from more than a dozen cities.
3. You Can Meet Other Solo Travelers
Like many destinations in Central America, Costa Rica has a thriving backpacker and solo traveler scene, so it’s easy to meet people and make friends.
One of the best ways to meet other solo travelers is by staying in hostels. Many hostels offer female-only dorm rooms, or you can opt for a private room.
Unlike in Europe, hostels in Central America typically cater to a wider range of ages than just teens and early-twenty-somethings, and many other travelers are by themselves.
Another way to meet other solo travelers is through group tours and activities.
4. It’s A Great Hub For Digital Nomads
Have you been wanting to try out the digital nomad lifestyle and work remotely? Costa Rica is also a great destination for that!
As a solo female digital nomad, you’ll find plenty of coworking spaces, coffee shops, and cafes in Costa Rica where you can get work done and meet other like-minded people.
You can stay in Costa Rica for up to 90 days as an American without a visa, but Costa Rica also recently launched a simple digital nomad visa that lets you live and work in the country for up to one year as long as you can demonstrate earnings of at least $3,000 per month.
Costa Rica is also in the Central time zone, making it a great place for remote workers who need to work on American time.
