www.CostaRicaTicas.com

Is it okay to walk around San Jose during the day? I know its best to cab it at night. Any areas to avoid?

Yes, it's ok during the day, but ALWAYS cab at night. Stay to the usual places (HDR, ZB, IDEM, NF, your hotel, casinos) and you shouldn't have a problem. I wouldn't try and see how far you can walk from the gulch by yourself.

I walked from the Best Western Downtown to the DR once, during the day. It was an interesting jaunt, but I would never try that at night.

Keroseneflat

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Sunset House: Cayman Islands Resort

There are very few places that you can not walk around safely, albeit pickpockets, during the day conversely there are very few places that you can walk safely at night. Anytime you are alone your level of danger increases. During the day try to always have a wingman at night always take a taxi.

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Pura Vida
Only Irish coffee provides in a single glass all four
essential food groups:
alcohol, caffeine, sugar and fat.
Alex Levine

Guys, I am sure others will object to my writing this, but I feel that the dangers of walking around San Jose are greatly exaggerated. (Qualification: I am 6'3", 220 lbs. Ticos are small. They are passive opportunists. They don't like confrontation. If you are walking around drunk, or you are vulnerable, they will take advantage. They are not aggressive like US thugs).

I rarely use a cab, day or night, I have walked all over that city. There are some areas I know to avoid, but the so called dangers of walking past Morazon Park are greatly exaggerated. I can not even count the number of times I have walked past (not through) the park from Sportsmans/Hotel Castillio to the Del Rey at night. At least 50 times, probably more. Never not once, have I felt threatened. My wingman does the same, we have never had a problem. By Costa Rican standards, these places may be considered dangerous, but by US city standards they are not, not even close in my opinion.

About the worst place I have seen is right outside the Del Rey where all those crack head freaks hang out. By far the most hassles I have had are right outside the doors of the Del Rey. BY FAR!!!

I will say there is a band of transvestite pick pockets that hang out in Morazon park at night that made the mistake of approaching me a couple times. You just need to get aggressive with them and they back right off. I give a look like I am going to kill em, like I am their worst phucking nightmare, and they crawl right back in their holes. Most times, if you don't make eye contact, they will not approach.

Plus I have noticed that the police are frequently there at night,

One thing you have to consider is that Costa Rica does not have a history of crime like we do in the US. What happens is that when there is a crime, it is over reported. Once a year a Gingo is murdered for his phone and it makes national news. Meanwhile there have been 80 Ch*ldren shot in Chicago this year and nobody pays any attention. By comparison, Chicago is a much more dangerous city, hands down!!!! There is no "gangsta" element like we have in the states. You will rarely if ever see an imposing looking "thug" types like you ALWAYS see in the states. They just don't have those types here, at least I have not seen them.

That said, DO NOT WALK AROUND DRUNK. DO NOT WALK AROUND DRUNK. DO NOT WALK AROUND DRUNK. Those A-holes out in front of the Del Rey have a network of thugs that they call up on their cell phones if they spot an easy target. If you are vulnerable, they will take advantage of you make no mistake about it!

That said, in my humble opinion, if you take the same precausions as you would take walking around a big city in the US you should be fine.

Not only do I not object but I actually agree with you. You've got 20 lbs and one inch (in terms of HEIGHT at least ) over me, but I think that is only part of it. My qualifications, aside from never never walking around drunk (which I also agree completely with you about), is in knowing how to carry yourself on the street. Aside from that "don't Phuck with me" look that you mentioned, I also don't let anyone get too close to me, walk with a purposeful stride, glance around including over my shoulder if I sense someone coming up from behind (if just to let them know I know they're there), among several other things. It also helps to know the city, your way around, which places are safe, which places to put up your extra guard and which places to avoid altogether. The only real problem I might have with your post is that nfirsttime CR visitors reading might think this means they can put down their guard or that it is completely safe. I think it probably is a good idea to err on the side of caution and take cabs until one has a better sense of how things are on their own.

I am a Chicagoan. I agree that San Jose does not seem very intimidating compared to the westside or southside ghettos of Chicago where murder is a daily occurence and just "part of life." I speak from example. I was robbed at gunpoint on the westside of Chicago even though I was with a very large black high school buddy of mine. I don't see this crap going on in San Jose! The San Jose criminals seems more like "scavengers" instead of the "big cats on the prowl" in the US cities.

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I will travel the world over to find a better latina! Gringas have flat asses..

I think some of you guys that think you are 8' tall and 200lb+ are fooling yourselves--as you can be had by 3/4 little wolfpack ticos in less than a minute. After 20+ years in the bar business, and growing up in Detroit, I have seen many variations of confrontations where the supposedly big guy took a fall, especially if guns, knives, or multiple aggressors are involved. For you clowns that are advising newbies that there is nothing to be really concerned with at night if you carry yourself well--you are doing them a great disservice. My most vivid recollection is in a crowd at Puntarenas for a Don Omar concert where a big tico was taken down by ONE tico grabbing him around the neck from behind, thereby cutting off his oxygen, while four other ticos stripped him of anything he had of value on him before he even hit the ground--and all of this happened in less than 30 seconds and they dispersed into the crowd. All that I can say is " Tiene cuidado"

Good post Diablo.

Guys can be 5'2" 125 lbs and walk around San Jose all day and night without incident. Because they are bad MF's? No because they have been lucky enough not to have been in the wrong place at the wrong time. Same thing for our tall, toned, bad ass guys here.

You do a serious disservice to tell newbies they can walk around San Jose at night without serious incident. 99% of the time they can. But if they run into that 1% of the time are you going to pay their hospital bill or reimburse their monetary loss? In case things really go wrong you going to pick up the final expenses or support their family for the next few years?

Guys at night take a taxi. They are relatively cheap even if he overcharges you.

_________________
Pura Vida
Only Irish coffee provides in a single glass all four
essential food groups:
alcohol, caffeine, sugar and fat.
Alex Levine

There have been reports of guys getting mugged on this board and most of the advice has been to take a taxi at night.Why risk it?(especially if you have had something to drink)And if the guy has a gun it does not matter how big you are.

It just takes one mistake (of walking at night) and your life may change or end very quickly. No matter how big, strong, or tough you are, you aren't stopping a bullet. Is it really about the $2 that you are saving or some kind of perceived pride/honor/balls?

I must be a big pu*sy because I always take a cab at night, even sometimes during the day when alone.

I respect that point of view. I am not suggesting that people should not take the proper precautions for their particular circumstances or for what makes them feel comfortable. Not everyone is 6’3”, 220. Walking in San Jose at night is not for everyone, just as walking around Chicago at night is not for everyone either. On the other hand, I feel a lot of the fear that is generated is unjustified and over the top.

The one thing I will tell you, I have come to realize that there are a lot of people out walking around at night. It is just not as bad as a lot of people will have you believe.

As far as shootings are concerned, I am sorry, but occurances are MUCH more frequent in the US. By FAR. Yet no one will tell you that you should take a taxi every where you go in Atlanta. I have to tell you, I have walked San Jose at night and I have walked Atlanta at night. I was a lot more concerned in Atlanta! Not even close.

My point it that bad things can happen you anywhere. My sister was held up at gunpoint in our store in Seattle. So? Everyone knows somebody in the states that has something bad happen to them. So? No one tells you to take a taxi everywhere in the US! Stuff happens everywhere. There is no reason to be any more (or less) paranoid than if you are in a major US city. Use the same level of common sense as you would in the states. There is no reason to go overboard because it is San Jose. Caracas, yes! Rio, Yes. Bogotá, Yes. San Jose, it is just not at that level. In general, I feel US cities are more dangerous than San Jose. That is just my opinion.

I will add however, that it is not a good idea to be walking around with valuables. Particularly expensive looking electronics or jewelry.

I am 6'4" 280 and street smart. I am still vulnerable to knives and guns. Guys who run a sixty dollar bar tab and pay 80-100 for a hooker but will not pay two bucks for a gulch taxi are not being very smart. Why take the chance? SJO is more dangerous than most think.

BKTUNA
I am never going home

I know, I know......Many of the guys here will say you shouldn't walk from the Del Rey area to the Castillo area at night, and they may be right. I must say though, I've done it hundreds of times; only once I had a bad experience and it was with a tranny who approached me in front of the INS BUILDING. He first grabbed my wrist to check out my watch and then grabbed at my front pants pocket and tore it......at that point I told him to "BACK OFF" and he did. I think like others have said....a key component to this is that you SHOULDN'T BE DRUNK [which rarely I am]. I also keep a good rapport with the trannies by talking to and joking with them, and I walk past them at a good pace, straight and confident. There does seem to be a high police presence in that area at night, as well [for what that's worth].

Zebra

I am not the guy they are looking for. They have no interest in me. I am not carrying anything and I have a bad attitude. They are looking for easy targets.

San Jose is not as tough Atlanta, Baltimore, Cleveland, Pittsburg or scores of other cities? It just isn't, not even close in fact.

There is nothing even close to the Gang Banger element in san Jose like we have EVERYWHERE in the US.

For some, taking a taxi everywhere is the right choice. I would never discourage anyone from doing that. If you are a city guy, like me, used to being in big cities at night, then San Jose is not that bad.

But to make a blanket statement that everyone should do so no matter what is just not right.

And I am not saying that there is no danger. My point is that it is not any more dangerous than what we have come to accept as a normal level of crime in US cities..