Crime

Yes, we have lots of "petty" theft -- things stolen from parked cars, things stolen by pickpockets in markets. That's the bad news. The good news, however, is we have almost no violent crime in Costa Rica (except related to drug trafficking, but even this is still less frequent, and less violent, than in Detroit or Dallas or San Francisco, so please get it into perspective).

When you hear about crime in Costa Rica in America's press, stop for a minute to remember that the rarity of the act is exactly what makes it newsworthy to the American public.

Another piece of good news: Costa Rica really doesn't suffer from the vandalism we see in American cities -- no profane graffiti, no smashed out windows of abandoned buildings, no spray-painted monuments.

Personal Safety

How safe are you in your car, or hotel, or bar or restaurant? Using the same standards for selecting where you'd drive, eat, drink, or sleep in Costa Rica as at home will assure the same level of safety you'd have in the USA, if not better. Without our expertise, there's a higher chance of you making errors about hotel selection, etc. because you aren't familiar with the "territory" (some really beautiful web site hotels are, in fact, in the middle of high crime or red light districts where "getting rolled" is pretty common). Since we live here, we really know which areas to avoid. Serendipity's selection of hotels and activities are in areas with low population density, avoiding areas where you are more likely to encounter crime.

Safety During Activities

In the wild nature sometimes comes at you in ways you probably haven't considered. The biggest dangers are surfing, ocean swimming, and driving. Picking up a pretty caterpillar or beautiful flower may result in nasty stings. So the big lesson: Ask your Serendipity guide to do the honors first.