Backpacking Costa Rica

Welcome! In this post we’ll continue our examination of scams to avoid when backpacking Costa Rica (click the following link to read Part I on scams to avoid in Costa Rica).

#1 – Beware of taxis in San Jose

This one is pretty basic.  It’s illegal to offer a taxi ride in the capitol without offering a meter, so if the driver tells you that his meter is broken find another driver.

#2 – Consider wearing your daypack on your frontside

We’ve all seen people do this, and they definitely look stupid, but it could prevent you from becoming the victim of a pickpocket.  In San Jose pickpockets are known to take things right out of your backpack while walking behind you.  Sounds like it might be hard to pull off, but if you’re walking in a remotely crowded area (like a market) where you’re not aware of people bumping into you you may not notice.

#3 – Be skeptical if you get a flat tire (if you’re not renting a car while in Costa Rica feel free to skip this one)

This is a tried and true scam that just won’t disappear.  In short, a scammer will puncture or cut your car tire while your rental car is parked outside somewhere.  When you begin driving and realize you have a flat tire, you have to pull off to the side of the road.  All of a sudden some helpful citizens appear out of nowhere to help you fix your tire.  Sounds innocent enough right?

What you won’t realize is that they are stealing stuff out of the back of your car while they are ‘helping’ you.  And in some cases this turns into a straight robbery, with them pulling weapons on you while you’re on the side of the road unable to drive.  To avoid this, you can do a few things.  One, learn how to change a tire yourself so you don’t need help.  Two, try and drive to the nearest service station or gas station if you do get a flat tire.  And if you can’t drive the car and absolutely need help, keep an eye on your valuables at all times.  (it should be noted that this scam typically occurs near tourist hot spots, and may even occur outside the rental car agency)

#4 – Don’t pick things up for people

This one is tricky, as you don’t want to ignore a grandma who needs help picking something up off the floor, but you do need to pay attention to your surroundings.  In short, this scam happens when someone drops something on the floor (like change or a dollar bill).  When you bend down to pick it up for them, they steal your wallet or something out of your bag or purse while you’re not looking.  No real tips to help you avoid this one, just be aware.

Safety Tips

Unfortunately crime is on the rise in Costa Rica, especially against foreign tourists.  Tourist hotspots like La Fortuna, Tortugeuro, Limon, San Jose, Jaco, and other highly popular spots have become focal points for criminals as they have a constant flow of tourists who are unaware of their presence.  Robberies at knife point and at gun point have become more and more common, especially in bigger cities like San Jose, so follow all the standard travel rules: don’t walk alone at night, don’t flash jewelry, cash or electronics, use ATMs and avoid money changers when possible, and stay away from drugs as much as possible.

Over 2 million tourists visit Costa Rica every year, and most escape without any problems at all.  But those of us who are backpacking are more likely to be out late at night (drunk) and spend more time in tourist hot-spots where criminals target foreigners.  Because of this we have a higher likelihood of becoming the victim of a crime.  As always, if you do get robbed do not resist; give the robber everything you have (your SLR camera is not worth your life).  And make sure to back-up your photos as much as possible; if you get robbed you’ll be glad you still have your pics!

That’s it for our list of scams to avoid when backpacking Costa Rica.  Check back later for  scams to avoid when backpacking Panama!

PHEW!  I’m back. I went through an unexpected financial crisis late December that forced me to withdraw from virtually everything and focus on not spending a dime while finding ways to make money as fast as possible.  Luckily this particular source of income did not dry up, as I thought might be happening, so I am no longer a complete stress case and can get back to helping my audience save money while traveling.

I am also heading down to Central America three weeks from tomorrow, so I am going to shift from a complete focus on Southeast Asia and broaden the scope to cover my upcoming destinations.  With that said, this is the first piece in our series of scams to avoid when backpacking Central America.  Enjoy!

Scams

#1 – Border crossing scams

As is the case with many poor countries, officials at the border may tell you there is some kind of ‘fee’ for you to cross the border (beyond any potential visa fees (which most Americans, Australians, Canadians and Europeans do not have to pay).  This is particularly true using some of the bigger bus companies (versus walking across yourself or whatever).  In most cases the fees are small, but some officials between Honduras and Nicaragua (for example) can claim fees as high as $18.

When this happens, stay calm, smile, laugh if appropriate, and tell them you know the visa fees and that there is no “processing” or “handling” fee.  If you know Spanish, use it.  If not, and you have a good memory, remember this saying: “No, yo conozco la ley, no hay tarifas.”  Which means: No, I know the law, there are not any tariffs (fees).   Good luck!

#2 – Beware of games at carnivals and festivals

I didn’t fall for this one but read about it in on the Lonely Tree forum. Wow.  The games goes like this:

They have one of those things where you throw darts at a board or throw rings around a bunch of bottles.  In this case the guy was throwing rings.  Without getting too technical with the rules, if you get a ring around every bottle, you win.  The catch: the price goes up every time you buy in.  For example, your first 10 rings are $1, your second 10 rings are $2, and so on.  Further, there are 40 bottles.

As you can see, winning this game is quite difficult.  On the other hand, if you win the prize is equal to quadruple your investment.  So, if you were spending $512 (which would be your 9th buy in), you could win $2,048 ($512 x 4).

Do not take this game lightly.  The guy who lost got down to the very last bottle but could not land it, and ended up losing thousands of dollars.  He was also an idiot, but don’t think you can just walk away without paying.  They take this game seriously, and in San Jose, where this guy lost, you could end up getting stabbed or worse if you mess around.

#3 – Beware of a guy named Erick

Ok, this is kind of a joke, but it actually is a scam.  Apparently a guy named Erick Acuña Rojas is befriending people in hostels and then stealing their money.  It goes like this:

The guy shows up and books a hostel for two nights.  He claims to be a cook and makes friends with other backpackers and staff.  After getting comfortable sharing money, and returning proper change for everything (after going out to buy groceries to make dinner that night for example), he will collect money from everyone to go buy liquor and food for the night.  And then he never comes back.  Last time he made this mistake of leaving his ID behind, so now people know his name and hostels are on alert for him.

It’s unlikely you’ll run into him, but this is a good reminder of why we should maintain a healthy level of skepticism when meeting new people.  I personally don’t trust anyone, and only share money (lending or borrowing) with people I’ve hung out with for at least four days and have plans to continue traveling with.

There are plenty more scams to be aware of in Costa Rica (not to mention the other countries in Central America), so check back later for Part II!