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Hi i wil be staying at the SL in November(first timer) and i was wondering are the MP's within walking distance or do you have to take a Cab to them?

thanks

Walking distance= New Fantasy and HLH (but to be safe walk with a buddy or two, even during the day; daytime robberies even in that area have happened)

Taxi= Idem and Relax (across the street from each other).

Download the VIP map and you'll see all the MP locations relative to your hotel.

What if you don't have a buddy or two? Taking a taxi for three or four blocks would look paranoid, right?

No, it wouldn't (especially at night). I do it all the time. The taxista don't like it too much, but who gives a shit. Let them bitch under their breath. I just laugh at them and ask for my 490 colones change from 1k. The base fare is 510.

You can probably find a wing at the SL. SJ is not overly dangerous, but it's better to wing-up with somebody.

You can call me crazy, lucky, or whatever but during the daytime I walk everywhere I go, usually alone. Every morning I take a walk around town. Boyd, at the Dunn Inn, marked the boundries to the not-so-safe areas and I just stay within those boundries. You can usually find someone at the SL to walk with you to Relax and Idem. Walk with a purpose and you should be fine to NF and HLH.

At night it was pretty bad.. tons of trannies..

99 times out of 100 you'll be perfectly fine, but it's the one time I try to minimize.

I know of 2 occasions in the past couple of years that a gringo has been robbed in Barrio Amon walking alone during the late morning/early afternoon hour.

Same here. Never had a problem.

Bruce

Yes I live here and some will say that makes a difference, but I walk all over SJ all the time during the day/early evening. I seriously doubt there is any gringo who has, over the last few years, spent more time walking here than me. Yes, there is a small chance of a problem especially if you are in cargo shorts, loud shirt, flip flops, drunk, loud, flashing a camera or other things to draw unwanted attention to yourself (more than the obvious fact that you are a gringo), but in 15 years I have never had a problem (again that is not saying it can not happen) but if you walk with 'purpose' and dress to not stand out, you are much less likely to have a problem. As for walking to the Idem/Relax area (Solidad district) or even to la Mansion, I am 68 yo and I walk it several times a week normally. It is only about 8 blocks from the SL to Relax and because of the trafic and one way streets, most of the time you can walk it quicker than you can make it in a taxi. If you are a newbie, I would agree that you should look for a wingman (preferly one who is not a newbie) JMHO

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Old and retired but still bang, and bang, and bang!!!

i have walked to all those places(daytime) from DR and sl never had a problem.If you have never made the walk to relax from sl then i suggest you find someone to walk with.BB57 has told you not to stand outi would add that i do not even wear a watch.It does surprise me how many people still wear their chains etc while walking san jose in other words dont make yourself a target.

Easy daytime walk to/from NF/HLH from the SL and Amistad area...well, maybe not so easy to go back if you're not fit enough to handle the climb back up the hill.

It's also an easy walk to/from Idem and Relax in the daytime, unless you're an overgrown slug. Much of that route is part of my "citywalk" routine, going down through Parque Nacional to Ave 4.

As a 1st timer in Aug, I found a few other CRT guys to walk around with and learn the area. We walked everywhere, from SL past NF,Dunn Inn,HLH,by Muses to DR to Idem and Relax. During the day it was a nice walk learning where to go and not to. I made the walk by myself form SL to Relax several times during the day.
When I returned from 3 weeks on the coast I was only in town for 14 hrs but made the walk in the light rain/afternoon from SL to NF and Muses and DR. I felt safe ,but you can never be too safe. Just,like everyone says,walk with a purpose and don't where your Bright Hawaiin shirts and shorts..

When you guys say a nice walk to different MP's.
How many minutes or so at a regular fit pace?
I am just trying to get an idea of how far they are from the SL?
thanks

For me, the walk to HLH is two minutes at most, NF would be less since it's closer (you pass it on the way to HLH). Idem/Relax is five at most. Of course, I walk at a fast 15-minute per mile pace, even back up the hill.

HikerTom...You must fly to get to Idem/Relax in 5 minutes from SL.
I found an average paced walk to be at leat 10-15 minutes to get to Relax from SL.