If you're planning to visit Costa Rica, you'll likely find people here warm and friendly -- including the criminals. However, please bear in mind that most places in Costa Rica are safer than many places in the U.S. This doesn't mean that you shouldn't be realistic..
Here are the latest crime statistics, compiled for 2010 by the Organismo De Investigacion Judicial (OIJ) and reported by the Tico Times, a popular English-language newspaper in Costa Rica. The OIJ reports that the number of registered crimes dropped from 68,708 to 65,482.
Homicides decreased from 11.95 to 11.62 per 100,000 residents. The Times reports that there were 486 homicides last year, down from 12.95 homicides per 100,000 in 2008.
Reported assaults decreased by 5 percent, and home invasions were down by 4 percent. Other forms of violent crime such as sexual assault were also down, according to the OIJ.
In these days of economic bipolar disorder, one disturbing trend, while not common, has been occurring.
During the past two years, 8 foreign nationals have been reported missing, according to the government website of the United Kingdom. The latest case involves a French couple who disappeared in Quepos on Costa Rica's central Pacific coast in mid-April, 2011.
The website also warns tourists about gang-related activity and strong-armed robberies that sometimes occur in broad daylight.
While all of this sounds scary, this tiny country is a relatively safe place to travel. If you'd like to see how low the crime rates really are, check out WeLoveCostaRica.com for crime statistics that were originally published in the Spanish-language newspaper, La Nacion. These statistics will show you how low crime rates really are in this beautiful little country.
Nevertheless, common sense needs to rule the day if you're travelling to Costa Rica.
Wearing expensive, trendy clothes and flashy jewelry fairly screams "Affluent tourist--criminals take note.''
If traveling on a bus, keep your passport on you, not in your luggage. If I had uno mil colones for every tourist who had their passport swiped from their luggage that was carried in the cargo hold on the bus, I'd be living in the most expensive house in Costa Rica.
Keep laptops, digital cameras, ipads, ipods and any other expensive gadgets out of sight. Period. Make sure all of them have good guarantees in case of theft. Some of us have to learn the hard way. I know I did. I kept my $350 digital camera in a room at the lodge where my husband and I did a brief stint as managers. Surely no one will snatch my camera out of this room while I'm in the bathroom for a minute. Boy was I wrong!
While you might want to take your digital camera along, I recommend leaving any other expensive gadgets home, unless you absolutely need them.
If you know where you're going to stay in Costa Rica, do a little research. While you are making reservations find out which hotels, lodges, or cabinas have secure storage areas where you can lock up your belongings. Many of them do.While theft from these places is fairly rare, there is no guarantee that it won't happen. In Puerto Viejo de Talamanca, where we ran the lodge, the employees at one establishment were fencing stolen items.
San Jose, Costa Rica's capital city is impressive and many areas are beautiful. However, I would be remiss if I didn't tell you that some of the barrios in San Jose are quite dangerous whether it's day or night. Avoid the Coca-Cola district. It's scary-looking and it is definitely dangerous.
Also be aware that pickpockets operate in some crowded areas of San Jose. It's probably best to keep wallets and passports in a front shirt pocket.
While just about all ticos are warm, kind, and friendly, it's a good idea not to trust people who seem too friendly. If they give you the feeling that they are probably too good to be true, you're probably right, and if you're not cautious, you may be setting yourself up for a robbery.
In areas frequented by tourists, there are often people who like to hang around and ask for money. I like to give out money every now and then. However, here you need to be careful, because even though these people aren't likely to rob you, they will instead hang on you like lost puppies and drive you absolutely nuts. I've encountered this many a time, usually in areas frequented by tourists.
If you decide to rent a car and drive around San Jose, keep the doors locked. As I've said before, hide the bling-bling. To be on the really safe side, take a taxi, or a bus.
If you've never traveled in a foreign country before, do some research. Look up websites and blogs, call the embassy and be sure to ask as many questions as you need. Don't worry about whether or not a question seems stupid. The question isn't stupid if it keeps you from getting in trouble. It's only stupid if you don't ask it and then you get in trouble.
Please feel free to send me questions. I'll definitely do my best to answer them. In the meantime, remember Honey, This Is Costa Rica.
Here are the latest crime statistics, compiled for 2010 by the Organismo De Investigacion Judicial (OIJ) and reported by the Tico Times, a popular English-language newspaper in Costa Rica. The OIJ reports that the number of registered crimes dropped from 68,708 to 65,482.
Homicides decreased from 11.95 to 11.62 per 100,000 residents. The Times reports that there were 486 homicides last year, down from 12.95 homicides per 100,000 in 2008.
Reported assaults decreased by 5 percent, and home invasions were down by 4 percent. Other forms of violent crime such as sexual assault were also down, according to the OIJ.
In these days of economic bipolar disorder, one disturbing trend, while not common, has been occurring.
During the past two years, 8 foreign nationals have been reported missing, according to the government website of the United Kingdom. The latest case involves a French couple who disappeared in Quepos on Costa Rica's central Pacific coast in mid-April, 2011.
The website also warns tourists about gang-related activity and strong-armed robberies that sometimes occur in broad daylight.
While all of this sounds scary, this tiny country is a relatively safe place to travel. If you'd like to see how low the crime rates really are, check out WeLoveCostaRica.com for crime statistics that were originally published in the Spanish-language newspaper, La Nacion. These statistics will show you how low crime rates really are in this beautiful little country.
Nevertheless, common sense needs to rule the day if you're travelling to Costa Rica.
Wearing expensive, trendy clothes and flashy jewelry fairly screams "Affluent tourist--criminals take note.''
If traveling on a bus, keep your passport on you, not in your luggage. If I had uno mil colones for every tourist who had their passport swiped from their luggage that was carried in the cargo hold on the bus, I'd be living in the most expensive house in Costa Rica.
Keep laptops, digital cameras, ipads, ipods and any other expensive gadgets out of sight. Period. Make sure all of them have good guarantees in case of theft. Some of us have to learn the hard way. I know I did. I kept my $350 digital camera in a room at the lodge where my husband and I did a brief stint as managers. Surely no one will snatch my camera out of this room while I'm in the bathroom for a minute. Boy was I wrong!
While you might want to take your digital camera along, I recommend leaving any other expensive gadgets home, unless you absolutely need them.
If you know where you're going to stay in Costa Rica, do a little research. While you are making reservations find out which hotels, lodges, or cabinas have secure storage areas where you can lock up your belongings. Many of them do.While theft from these places is fairly rare, there is no guarantee that it won't happen. In Puerto Viejo de Talamanca, where we ran the lodge, the employees at one establishment were fencing stolen items.
San Jose, Costa Rica's capital city is impressive and many areas are beautiful. However, I would be remiss if I didn't tell you that some of the barrios in San Jose are quite dangerous whether it's day or night. Avoid the Coca-Cola district. It's scary-looking and it is definitely dangerous.
Also be aware that pickpockets operate in some crowded areas of San Jose. It's probably best to keep wallets and passports in a front shirt pocket.
While just about all ticos are warm, kind, and friendly, it's a good idea not to trust people who seem too friendly. If they give you the feeling that they are probably too good to be true, you're probably right, and if you're not cautious, you may be setting yourself up for a robbery.
In areas frequented by tourists, there are often people who like to hang around and ask for money. I like to give out money every now and then. However, here you need to be careful, because even though these people aren't likely to rob you, they will instead hang on you like lost puppies and drive you absolutely nuts. I've encountered this many a time, usually in areas frequented by tourists.
If you decide to rent a car and drive around San Jose, keep the doors locked. As I've said before, hide the bling-bling. To be on the really safe side, take a taxi, or a bus.
If you've never traveled in a foreign country before, do some research. Look up websites and blogs, call the embassy and be sure to ask as many questions as you need. Don't worry about whether or not a question seems stupid. The question isn't stupid if it keeps you from getting in trouble. It's only stupid if you don't ask it and then you get in trouble.
Please feel free to send me questions. I'll definitely do my best to answer them. In the meantime, remember Honey, This Is Costa Rica.
