Safety for solo women with child

Hi, I am from Costa Rica. I think there is no a special risk traveling alone with your child.

Obviously, ask first, by email or phone, about the place where you would stay before you arrive. You can ask to the hotel manager or clerk about any dangerous area in order to avoid it.

It is a good idea to travel just during the day and early in the evening, when there are people around in case you need any help.

Usually, we, ticos, are nice and people tend to give you a hand in case you need it.

Buena suerte.

You would be legally required to have a two person ATV that is considered 'road legal' and if over 500cc  a motorbike license is required.  A two seater is bigger, heavier and harder to handle...and usually over 500 cc's.
Riding one on a road here, is not for the feint of heart, especially traveling between and in towns.

Hi

Will you sta y in a hotel or in a hotel?
Playa Lagarto is nice and not touristic , in fact in the middle of nowhere. Personally i think it's not the place to be with a 11 old child. If you get a physical problem you will have to drive 2 hours to reach santa cruz ou Nicoya hospital.
There is so much nice spots to visit in CR with comodities around.

I suggest you spend some time in Costa Rica to get a feel for the country instead of relying on a forum.  It's not Canada with palm trees. My understanding is that you will be buying property in Playa Lagarta.   

Driving, for instance, is much less safe and more aggressive. If you don't mind people passing you around blind corners, tailgating you inches away in giant SUVs, driving way too fast at night, and all while you are on an unprotected ATV, then I say go for it. Nothing compares to real time spent in the country.  I'd save the ATV for back country tours.

I didn't know 2 passenger was illegal, would they really stop you for that ?
Ty

I thought Santa Cruz was 40 mins away, as for tamarindo and nosara ?

Hi,
Yes I'm buying in playa Lagarto, I know it's out of no where, I was thinking the road from village to village in that area wouldn't be crazy to drive, quieter area. I'm very familiar with drivingATVs.
Ty for your great advise !

I know Costa Rica is not the safest place to drive, I was asking more about being mugged or pity crime targets. I was thinking there wasn't lots of people on the road between those small villages. Also if I get off-road, any dangers of being mugged ?
Ty

I don't think you would have any problems with getting mugged. It isn't dangerous, but I also wouldn't put myself in a position for something to happen. Just use your common sense and you'll be fine.

Driving locally wouldn't be a problem on an ATV, I think.  But I certainly wouldn't drive to Santa Cruz or Tamarindo on one from there.

Believe me, traveling any distance  with your 'passenger' sitting on the 'carrier' at the back is not legal, comfortable or safe. You were previously worried about traffic laws ....

Hi  kholorias,
Are we talking about the same ATVs I'm talking about a 4wheeler, I have a Yamaha 350 cc and we are perfectly comfortable on it. Have you ever driven one ?
And yes I was wearied about being stopped for stupidities like this, exactly like they do here in Canada!

Yes, I have  driven our street legal Bombadier Outlanders both single and 2 seater, many kilometers on the highway and the gravel roads. Driving these on the main roads is very different from country roads...

Meant to add the info on the most recent accident that resulted in a Canadian who was airlifted back to Canada after an accident in November.
Unfortunately this is not an uncommon occurrence for tourists, but luckily he did survive although, some don't.
This is to show why it is best to travel with at least one other ATV...and realize that cellular service in many of the rural areas is not reliable.

Hi,
Ty for the article, however that man hit a tree , he wasn't hit by a car on the highway, that must happen also, since I hear the driving is so bad in Costa Rica. It happens here to were skidoos hit trees and people die.
I understand totally what you're saying, about the safety of having 2 ATVs, in my small town we also don't get cell service after were 15 mins out of town, and I don't adventure myself in the forest when I'm alone.
The drivers might be crazy in Costa Rica, but here we have to drive on ice roads and in a lot of snow storms, although most drivers are careful it's always still dangerous driving in those conditions.
We all have our challenges.
I was hoping that the road between tamarindo and nosara wouldn't be crounded. It seems like a quieter area ?
Ty

However, the second link pointed to travel on the road.

Oh yes, Ty!
Sad

Hi Julie and friends.

I think you could watch some videos showing the conditions of the roads. I am writing here the links of three of them, one about a guy traveling by bus and others about drivers going to Nosara.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QmP_JywQ5uUhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v8K9d-0RJNUhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AWkJwgdHPH8

They are just examples from home videos but you can see what you can get there.

If you like that area, excellent. You can check also, as a friend suggested, other locations. For instance, I am right now working in Esterillos Oeste, 21 km from Jacó to Parrita and Quepos. The beach is very nice, not crowded at all, very quite. There are trucks and vehicles passing over the main road, that is in great conditions, all the time but the small town is calm. The beach is just 1 km from the main road and I am in a property one and half kilometers from the beach. You can hear the waves in the night from here and there are available the basic services (internet, in my case through my ICE-Kolbi cell service), cable, electricity, excellent drinking water service from the local ASADA, a minimarket, bus service to Parrita, Quepos, Manuel Antonio, Jacó, Puntarenas and San José all the time, etc).

Here you are another video showing some aspects of Esterillos Oeste:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ID3KqXcduNk

So, you can also go to other places and compare before buying. It is very important to check the legal conditions of the property and the physical details as well, even if it is already built, such as risks about landslides because of steep hills, rivers that may cause flooding, because some of those conditions could cause to spend money in extra works like retaining walls, that are usually expensive.

I think you are making a good decision coming here to live or just having your own place to come for vacation, but, as said before, common sense is imperative. Always ask, ask and ask, before deciding, that way you will minimize any risk. I know an intelligent person like you will do that in the best way possible.

Suerte con todo. Cuidado en la carretera y disfruta tu visita.

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Playa Lagarto Eco development