Is Uvita safe? What we tell every guest
For guests · · 4 min read
Guests often ask us this, and it deserves a straight answer. Uvita, Dominical and Ojochal are small towns where people come to surf, watch whales and fall asleep to the sound of the forest. The trouble that does happen to visitors is nearly always the same kind, and nearly always avoidable.
What actually happens
The United States Embassy describes petty crime as common throughout Costa Rica, and theft is the form visitors meet: a bag taken from a car, a phone from a beach towel, a house entered through a door left open. Costa Rica's judicial police counted more than 6,300 tourists as victims of crime over five years, mostly thefts and car break-ins. Set against the millions of people who visit each year that is a small share, but it is not nothing.
The Embassy has also warned of break-ins at rental houses in parts of the country, which is why the habits below start with the house and not the car.
The house
Lock doors and windows when you go out and when you go to bed, including the ones upstairs and the sliding doors to the terrace. Use the safe for passports, spare cards and cash. Do not leave phones and laptops on the terrace overnight. If the house has an alarm or outdoor cameras, ask us to show you how they work.
The car and the beach
Leave the car empty, with nothing in view and nothing hidden. On the beach, take only what you are happy to leave on the sand, or take turns in the water.
Out and about
Use cash machines in daylight, at a bank or inside a supermarket. Carry a copy of your passport and leave the original at the house. After dark, drive or take a taxi instead of walking: the roads are unlit and have no pavements, and the risk there is traffic as much as anything. If someone does demand your things, hand them over. Nothing in a bag is worth an injury.
Who to call
911 works everywhere in Costa Rica. For anything that is not an emergency, call or message us first. We live here, and we usually know who to ring.
Frequently asked questions
- Is Uvita safe for families?
- Families stay here all year. The risks visitors actually meet are theft from cars and beaches, strong sun and strong surf. Lock up, leave the car empty and swim where the lifeguards are.
- Is it safe to walk at night in Uvita?
- The roads are dark and have no pavements, so we suggest driving or a taxi after dark. If you do walk, carry a light.
- What is the emergency number in Costa Rica?
- 911, for police, ambulance and fire, anywhere in the country.
Find a home for your dates.
Every house has its own calendar. Choose your dates and ask for them, or send us your dates and we will tell you what suits the group.
or use the contact form, or write to info@wildrootscr.com