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Costa Rica land borders

Costa Rica to Open Land Borders on April 5

Costa Rica tourism minister announces that the land borders with Nicaragua and Panama will reopen to tourists on Monday, April 5.

Tourism minister Gustavo Segura announced today that Costa Rica would finally reopen its land borders with Nicaragua and Panama to tourists for the first time in just over a year.

This will allow travelers to pass in and out of Costa Rica by land from April 5. At this time, only Costa Rican citizens and legal residents can enter the country by land, and they need to quarantine once they do.

From April 5, all travelers will be able to enter across the land borders, and all quarantine measures for citizens and residents will be waived. 

Tourists entering the country by land from Panama or Nicaragua will still need to fill out the online health pass and buy the required Covid insurance.

Nicaragua never formally closed its borders, so it’s always been possible to leave Costa Rica into that country, just impossible to come back the same way. Panama reopened its own land border in early February.

Speaking today, Gustavo Segura stressed the importance of keeping all health protocols in order, and spoke of how many tourists want to combine their Central American vacations between various countries, especially those coming from far away.

Belize is now the only country in Central America yet to open or make an announcement regarding the opening of its land borders.

James Dyde is the editor of www.centralamerica.com. He lives in Escazu, Costa Rica.

James Dyde

James Dyde

James Dyde is a British immigrant to Costa Rica and the editor of this website. He has lived in Central America since 2000 and retains a deep love for the region. He lives in Escazu, Costa Rica.