For those readers who have decided to vacation in Maui I did not read any mention of the price differences which are great. In addition to hotel rates that are similar to vacationing in NY City the current cost for a gallon of milk in Maui is $8.00. Restaurants and bars and night clubs and similarly priced. In Costa Rica one can still vacation for a reasonable price and visit beaches, mountains, volcanos, rain forrests and many other vacation destinations for a fraction of the cost of a vacation in Maui. I usually visit one of the many sodas (mom and pop restaurants) in San Jose for lunch and pay about $3.50 including beverage and tip (usually included in the price in CR). Air flights to and from the US are still reasonable although the gas situation has started to effect those prices in an upward manner. The point is that value is also a consideration to choosing a vacation destination. As I have stated I rent an apartment which is very secure (double gated with a guard) for $395 per month including phone, tv and internet and usually my expenses in San Jose are about $650 per month total! What area of Maui can make that claim? Additionally in Maui it is necessary to have a car to visit the sights whereas in CR the bus system is excellent (inexpensive, frequent, clean and safe) and there are very few areas where there is no bus service.

I have read all the above responses to this blog and I agree with most of the sugestions. Walk with a purpose, carry a second wallet, keep taxi fare and a credit card in a safe place on your person, don’t walk alone at night in areas you are not familliar with, and most of all !Ten cuidado! Be Careful!

It’s nice if you’re a tourist, but if you want to live there, you’ll feel you’ve gone back to the stone age. I lived their for 3 years (Alajuela & SJ).

If you want a latin american country with a robust economy, a robust infrastructure, a modern banking system, great communications system (internet, cell, TV/cable) low crime, beautiful landscape, and educated people, try Chile.

True, you won’t have the beautiful rainforest, but you’ll have deserts, modern highways with modern day mapped out GPS, majestic mountains, fjords, and a justice system that isn’t perfect but works better than any other in latin america.

Honestly, the only reasons I hear from people on why they love to go down to CR is for the casinos, internet gambling setup, and prostitution places that have very young girls in their establishments.

We weren’t inclined to walk the streets of San Jose at night, but certainly felt safe in our cab and at our hotel (the LOVELY Don Carlos). Actually, the ONLY problem with theft that we had was from the police. We left a bag in a cab when we traveled to the beach. The poor cabbie tried to return it to us but was stopped at a police checkpoint. He tried to make them inventory the contents in front of him, but when they found my husband’s binoculars, they sent the cabbie out of the room. Needless to say, when my husband arrived at the police checkpoint to retrieve the bag, it was minus the binoculars. We know the cabbie didn’t take them because he almost got himself arrested arguing with the police guys insisting that there were binoculars in the bag (which of course they denied).

The bars and razor wires everywhere are certainly not welcoming, but we followed common sense rules, dressed on the shabby side (a welcome change, really), and learned to avoid the police!

The country is too beautiful to miss. Pura vida!

I have not seen much on here about hostel safety (assuming because you don’t/haven’t stayed in them) or about bus safety(getting mugged or molested because of the close quarters, I was told an awful story by an older woman,67, who lived there and was on the bus to SJ and was groped by the man next to her and nobody did anything) which would be my main mode of transport. I see taxis talked about on here a lot, would it be smarter and affordable to use them instead. I’m also wondering about trusting my stuff with the hostels I’m staying at, like leaving it there(at the front desk or a locker if provided) for day trips or should I just keep all my stuff with me all the time? might be hard on hiking trips though.

So basically, I’d like to know more about hostels, buses, and traveling alone as a young female. BTW- I won’t be changing my plans as far as going, I’m def. going just want to do it right. I’ve traveled to many foreign places before just never alone. and I’ve already been told to steer clear of Cahuita completely, I was planning on going to Rocking J’s Hostel there because of many good reviews, but I was told the area is too bad for someone alone to go(especially female, which I hate being told all the time). I would love some input from single women living or traveled there! Also, specific names of particularly good hostels and the towns they are in or really bad ones! Thank you all very much!

Crime is most assuredly on the rise, but just your head. Dress down, NEVER carry a laptop. Use taxis or park very nearby. You wife can shop with the kiddies but she too should keep hers eyes open. I would recommend shopping in the malls and not on the street and NOT in San Jose unless you are all together.

Reading this post, I am concerned. We love the idea of pursuing a unique opportunity to spend time in a foreign culture and experience a different country. However, as a husband and father, I want to be responsible and not put my family in harms way.

I would be living in a condo in Escazu, but working in San Jose. I may have to travel from time to time, leaving my family behind.

Should I be concerned? Would I be relocating my family to live in ‘a golden cage’ behind razorwire? Some of these stories take me beyond what I expected (petty street crime) when I first had the offer…..I figured Escazu would be relatively safe. Could my wife take the kids shopping without fear?

Thanks for your input.

All criminals are opportunists. Don’t give them the opportunity. When I went to Peru, they were saying the same things about Lima as I’m hearing about San Jose here, but it was non-sense if one is smart. Carry money in the front pocket, avoid completely ghetto areas, watch your surroundings, ignore people trying to talk to you in the street. Although in Lima, I was walking around our hotel and one guy started speaking with me and we actually sat down on a bench, and he ended the story with how he basically needs money, and I pulled out my 2nd wallet and opened it up and gave him the 1 bill that was in there. So there’s another tip: Carry a 2nd wallet. 3 others guys in Lima started a convo with me and another girl on the trip to Peru, and it turns out they were students at a university there and interviewing us for a social project (or maybe that was their story in order to rob us, but they certainly did not and were polite). Lock your baggages with lock and never let them out of your site… Not that difficult!

Well, maybe I’m only speaking for myself here. As a young guy who doesn’t use or seek out drugs (or alcohol), and not a young lady nor a rich businessman, I feel relatively safe. I know that when I went to Lima, or visited Moscow (where I’m originally from), I wore either a plain grey or white tshirt with some cheap-brand jeans, and 3-year old shoes I used mostly at home (in Pittsburgh) for mowing the grass in. I also took off my white Adidas rubber bracelet (sort of like those Lance Armstrong yellow ones, but white) just to not give any indication of having anything of worth. No watches. Nothing. Dress like you’re about to go in and wash a horse stable in Montana and just forget your jewelry. Flaunting wealth usually makes others angry, and it goes further with criminals looking for money.