Your Safety in Costa Rica
Posted in Costa Rica on Oct 23rd, 2008
I notice that people in forums frequently ask about their safety in Costa Rica. I’ve been going to CR for over twenty years so let me give you the low down. The first thing to do for your safety in Costa Rica is to get out of San Jose. Its a large city, with a lot of immigrants and a security headache. As soon as I’m out of San Jose I start to feel Costa Rica’s calming energy.
Costa Rica abolished its army in 1948. They have not had a war since that time. That means that for sixty years the Costa Ricans have not had to suffer from war or guerrilla insurgency. Costa Rica is not a major center in the drug trade. The drug trade exists but it is small and low key. Costa Rica has not had the drug related violence that has plagued places like Colombia and Mexico. Costa Rica is a place that has not known death squads, secret police, car bombs and kidnappings. Costa Ricans have know peace for sixty years and their culture reflects it.
I’ve traveled all over the world and the Costa Ricans are among my favorite people. There is a lot of beauty here and a lot of peace. I think there are few places on Earth where people are still this nice and unassuming. I’m not saying everyone here is an angel but you really have to dig to find the douche bags. As a tourist what you really have to worry about are thieves. Costa Ricans are hard-working and law-abiding in general but the few bad apples they have will target tourists and their belongings. Do not leave anything in your car. Put valuables in your hotel room in a safe or a good hiding place. I recommend taking some large plastic zip lock bags and a roll of duct tape. Put your passport, credit cards, etc in the bag and tape it to the bottom of a table or inside a closet wall. Be sure to use a generous amount of tape if you are somewhere with moist air. This may be a bit much but I like to err on the side of caution.
Use common sense. Don’t go off with strangers. Be extra-careful after dark. If you’re going to be exploring an area ask the locals or other tourists about what the security situation is like. I don’t care where you are in this world; if there are humans around you need to be a little wary. Just remember that millions of tourists visit Costa Rica every year and almost all of them have a great time and go home without incident. Its not like we don’t have muggings and robberies in the United States.
There are some spots in Costa Rica where you will really learn to let go of worry like Montezuma. It took a few days to get rid of my North American paranoia but after a few days I really settled into the laid back atmosphere. Life in the states is so fast and hurried. Its good to slow down sometimes.
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