car security

Seems like petty theft from cars is a bit of an issue.we plan to hire a begin 4wd for our trip but I note the advice of park in a secure lot and remove all belongings....so if we are driving to cahuita from San Jose and we want lunch...how do we find a secure park and what is the issue if bags..no obvious valuables are left in the car as I guess there is no hidden boot in a bego.....bags will be visible.. .

Cover your bags with a blanket and park where your car is visible to you. When you get to your destination, most hotels have secure parking. Everywhere else, you are on your own. You will just have to find a place that has plenty of foot traffic or find someone to watch it for you. Leave your valuables in your room and just bring what you will need for the day with you both in your car and on your person.

Most lunch stops on route will actually have car park security (a dodgy looking guy in a fluorescent waistcoat)- which shows how prevalent theft from cars is. In smaller places these guys aren't official and "work" for the coins you give them when you go back to your car. In larger places they are official but still like tips. The Supreme Court in CR ruled that outlets are responsible for vehicles in their car parks but in practice this ruling is of little use to tourists as you would need to file a denuncia to get them to pay. In places like Tamarindo the whole thing has become a protection scam run by the Colombians- you pay them as you park with the undercurrent threat that something WILL happen to your car if you DON'T pay!
Leave nothing at all on show, take smaller valuables with you, lock everything, and if you can sit somewhere that you can still see the car then its worthwhile. If you see the car park guy give him a nod and a point as you get out of your car- this tells him you are going to tip him so he'll pay special attention to your car. Give him 500c (90 cents US) on your return and he'll stop the traffic for you when you pull out (if he's not too drunk!).

Stop at a popular place along the way for lunch that has a big parking lot and a security guard/parking attendant, which almost all the cafes along this route have one. As well as just about everywhere else in CR. The smaller rural towns and mountains towns and small seaside villages is really not even a issue. The petty theft/crime issues tend to be in San Jose and Jaco areas, more than anything...

Tip the guard as you exit the vehicle. This also is good for when parking in small cities, usually off the main parks in a town is a street or two of parking with a public guard, directing traffic and helping locals back up and get out of tight spots, give him 500 Colones with a nice smile and he will keep an extra eye on it, as thats their job.
Do keep belongings kurt of sight and not obvious. I rent cars in CR all the time, and I put my Passports under the floor mat...or take with me.

I am making this drive Saturday from SJO to Cahuita. I like to stop just south of the bus stop in Guapiles on the left, is a great cafe. But there are many places, pick one with a crowded lot and tourist shuttle vans, you can't go wrong.

Get a GPS or have a SIM with data for Google Map or even better WAZE is great in CR, to get you through San Jose to Rt 32, avoiding traffic too, as it can be very confusing driving anywhere around the Capital...

I can't believe a Alamo rental small SUV is $16 day, with GPS and full Insurance is $50 more, and $50 for a oneway drop in Pt Viejo, is $122 all in for 24 hours. A shuttle for two is $60PP...

Thanks,
because we are doing a lot of driving with luggage from place to place (including a small backpack of medical supplies that will have to be in the car all the time).... I am now considering not getting a Bego 4wd because you can see directly into the back. A Corolla or similar has the luggage hidden and this might be better.
Am I right in thinkin that even though it is May when we go most of driving is on roads suitable for AWD vehicle
SJO, Cahuita and beaches south, St Elena or Monteverde Arenal area and perhaps Guanacaste, All the popular destinations .
If I want an ecolodge that is remote I assume I could arrange special transport.....
what are your thoughts (and thanks heaps for your knowledge)

4WD is rarely actually required but higher ground clearance can be very useful on rough roads. SUV's often have a cover that comes across to hide rear contents. Many many people explore CR in cars with all their luggage etc, and those who are careful and aware of the risks have few problems. Just keep your guard up and you'll be fine...

mary, how long will you have for travel? How many in your party and what are the ages, you might NOT need a car. Can use the money saved from renting to shuttles, taxis and private drivers. Just a thought.

What's your over all route?

Are you guys interested in rafting a river? The Pacuare River is fantastic, full day though.
Have you heard of Tortuguero, it's worth a few nights, that is if you like nice jungle, no cars, wildlife etc. Could be your ecolodge place. http://www.tortuguerovillage.com/

Santa Elana and Monteverde are a bit overrated, need about 3-4 days to make it worth while, IMO.

I don't think you need to be that concerned. 95% of the roads are paved/surfaced.

I sure would not bother going all the way to Monteverde, its overrated and very touristy, nothing to see, little wildlife to the eye.

You don't need car for the caribe side, and insert Tortuguero long before Monteverde. Why do you need a car at the beach?

You could head to Arenal area with a oneway car rental, drop in La Fortuna, or, take a shuttle, then take a shuttle transfer to La Pavona for boats to Tortuguero. Otherwise, you would leave the car in secure parking at La Pavona and get a boat anyway.

Then boat from Tortuguero after 2-3 days 3 hours to Moin, and taxi hire from there to Cahuita. In Cahuita, you can bus to taxi hire anywhere on the coast, to Pt Viejo and Manzanillo..

Then if you don't feel like rafting the Rio Paquare, one of the most gorgeous thrilling fun things to do the region, take a bus or shuttle back to SJ...

Don't over read the safety/security issues, its really more a heads up to issues when in more urban areas...if they want your stuff, then can easily break in a trunk lid lock on a sedan...

Get the Bego, great little can do awd...

I lean toward the "don't need a car" side. I lived in Costa Rica for two years and traveled there five times before I lived there. I almost always had a car. But, a dozen years later I look back and think of how much more I would have seen if not tied to a car and being concerned about the car/what's in the car.
Getting comfortable with travel in the region includes figuring out what you really need to bring with you. It is likely to be a lot less than you think. For example, my most recent trip was eight days from Panajachel, Guatemala to Estelí, Nicaragua to Managua to San Jose and then two days in Guatemala City. I put everything I needed in an ordinary daypack and was fine. And never had luggage or vehicle to worry about.

thanks for all the advice.
We are going to get the car because we need the flexibility (one is a photographer and we are constantly stopping) as well as because we are an older couple we don't have to flog around with luggage and can decide to travel at our own pace.
Have ended up with the Bego and will use bike chains etc to make theft more "unappealing" as the luggage area is exposed.

Well, it took me 15 years in Central America to get comfortable without a car but I' only 70 :-). Seriously, I have seen so much more because I didn't have a car. Met lots of interesting people.

Note that I have no clue what a Bego is.

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