Tiff asked 8 years ago
I have heard that zip lines in Costa Rica are generally safe and inspected regularly, but I would like to have more information about the inspections and safety records for specific sites.
I tried to contact the Costa Rica Tourism Board (ICT) by phone, but was not able to reach anyone. I left a message, but the number I reached had a message in Spanish that was too quick for me to know for certain if I reached the right extension.
Do you know which agency conducts these inspections, and if the reports are available to the public?
Jenn and Matt Staff answered 8 years ago
Hi Tiff,
Not sure if the safety records are public but we did find this document in Spanish describing how companies have to comply to safety guidelines: http://www.visitcostarica.com/ict/paginas/leyes/pdf/DECRETO TURISMO DE AVENTURA final.pdf. It says that the Ministry of Health is the one that issues the permits.
If it makes you feel better, we haven’t heard of any serious incidents with zip lines in Costa Rica since we have lived here (3+ years). Also, our friend worked as a guide for a couple of the zip line companies near Manuel Antonio and we remember him telling us about how much training he had to do before he could actually hook people up and guide them through the tour. He also talked about how they had to inspect the cables and platforms every day before the tours started. Not sure if all companies do the same procedures though so it’s best to go with a company with a good reputation. Let us know if you find out any more info 🙂