Is Ponce Safe? Crime Rates & Safety Report

Traveling to Ponce can be an amazing cultural and outdoor experience, but you need to remain safe by following these tips:

1. Always Keep Your Belongings with you. Ensuring your belongings are always within sight and of you will prevent theft headaches. Never leave your items unattended, as anyone can simply walk by and scoop them up instantly. These thefts occur regularly, even in a restaurant or store in broad daylight, so keep your bags within eyesight and arm’s reach.
2. Be Careful Swimming. Riptides can sweep out unsuspecting tourists to see and be deadly. Also, the sea contains poisonous and potentially deadly creatures like sharks and jellyfish. Always read the beach warning signs for that day and notify the lifeguard of any issues. If you are caught in a riptide, swim parallel to get out of it so you can safely return to shore.
3. Be Cautious in the Rainforest. If you plan to hike or camp in the rainforest, always contact the local ranger’s office so they understand where you will be and which days you will go missing. Also, bring the proper gear, plenty of water, and strong shoes with good traction, and cover your arms and legs to protect you from poisonous plants and insects. It’s best to go with an experienced guide, but if you plan to go alone, take these precautions and be prepared.
4. Keep Objects Out of Sight. If you rent a car while visiting, never leave belongings, even a jacket, in plain sight. Car break-ins and thefts are a regular occurrence in Ponce, so an opportunistic criminal will justify breaking your windows to scoop up even the most seemingly inexpensive article of clothing. It’s not worth losing anything or going through the insurance hassle following a break-in, so just throw everything in the trunk.
5. Seek Well-Lit Areas. Never travel into dark, poorly lit side streets or back alleys, even in a group. This is just asking for a mugging or worse. Staying in the more populated, well-lit areas in the evening and late at night will help maximize your safety.
6. Stay Out of the Abandoned City Areas. Unfortunately, large city sections have been abandoned due to a series of intense earthquakes that have crippled buildings and infrastructure and resulted in a declining population. As a result, these areas are poorly lit and teamed with drug and gang activity. Therefore, don’t visit these city sections at night, and there’s no reason to visit them during the day as they’re just large swaths of abandoned construction.
7. Stick to the Outdoor Attractions During the Day. The safest time of the day to visit Ponce’s cultural attractions is during the late morning to late afternoon. This is when most people are visiting, and the police presence is at its highest. While pickpocketing and other petty thefts may still occur, it’s rare to have violent crimes. However, after the sun goes down, criminals target unsuspecting tourists who aren’t with a group.
8. Try To Blend In. They’re you aren’t able to look like a local; attempt to look like someone who has confidence in where they’re walking and what they are doing for the day. Also, looking at what locals wear is always helpful, so you can not scream, “tourist.” This will remove unwanted attention. For instance, if everyone is wearing jeans and the tourists are wearing shorts, then try to wear jeans as much as possible.
9. Understand Local Laws. Although Puerto Rico is part of the United States, some laws may differ slightly between states and municipalities. For instance, drinking on the streets in certain sections of the city can result in a fine or even overnight in jail. Just because locals or other tourists are doing it doesn’t mean it’s legal.
10. Watch Your Drink at Bars. Drugging of tourists to rob them later or sexually assault female visitors occurs, so it’s critical to cover your drink when at a bar or a nightclub or bring it with you to the restroom. Also, if a bartender offers you a free drink and you don’t see them make it before you, decline it. You never know what they are adding to the mix.