Costa Rica is a very peaceful country populated by friendly people and blessed with a very low crime rate.

By exercising common sense you will have a worry-free time during your stay here. Here are a few tips to stay on the safe side:

• Keep your valuables (including your passport) locked in the safety box in your hotel
• Don’t carry a lot of cash with you and avoid counting your money in public
• Don’t walk alone at night, whether in the city or on the beach, and especially not down lonely alleys
• Don’t get drunk with strangers
• Change your money only in banks, not with money changers on the street
• Don’t trust strangers with your belongings
• When hanging out at the beach, always keep an eye on your belongings
• Always lock your car
• Don’t leave your valuables in your car
• When in large cities like Alajuela, Limón, Puntarenas and San José, park your car in paid parking lots and not on the street