| 10 Travel Tips for a SAFE Costa Rica experience |
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1. Make a photocopy of your passport ( main ID page and current CR stamp page ) and carry it with you
at all times. It’s the law - you always have to carry ID in Costa Rica and the Costa Rica Tourism Board (ICT)
says a photocopy is ok for ID ( unless you have committed a crime ). Keep your passport locked up safe.
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2. Keep your hotel room locked at all times and don’t leave anything on balconies or tables near open windows.
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3. Convert your money from US dollars to Costa Rican colones at a bank; hotels, bars and restaurants take a high
percentage on exchange.
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4. Never leave anything unattended on the beach or in a rental car. If you lock your car and leave anything
in view thieves will break in. Lock valuables in the truck or hide them well. Never hide the car key around
the car.
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5. Thieves target rental cars from the time you leave the lot. Sometimes they sabotage the cars.
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6. Costa Rica is strict with speeding violations. Traffic police run radar all over the country - especially
on the weekends between San Jose and Jaco.
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7. Sex with minors is illegal and most prostitutes in the streets are under age or worse..
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8. Respect the laws and police. Immigration checks, police roadblocks and automatic weapons are common place.
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9. Drugs are everywhere and they are illegal.
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10. Use taxis at night. You will see lots of people walking but if you look like a tourist you are better
off to pay the couple bucks for a safe ride. Most street criminals at night are on drugs and take
advantage of careless people.
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