León is - by Central American standards - a safe and comfortable town. In the city center, there are some areas which are not safe to walk alone as a female at night. There are, however, some things to keep in mind:
It is common to see young men bike in small packs, and they sometimes find easy targets to approach, and demand wallets, phones, and other valuables. Occurrences in daytime, more likely at night. There have been instances of armed robbery, though rape is not as common.
Taxis are not usually a good option in Nicaragua. Taxi drivers in Leon will often demand more money than was originally agreed upon. Make sure that you clearly negotiate the price before entering the taxi. It is also important to clarify if the price is per group or per person. Remember to exit your taxi before paying. Do not put your luggage in the trunk of the car, as some taxi drivers will drive off with it. There have been numerous reports by the US State department as to the danger of taking taxis in Leon. (http://travel.state.gov/t...)
The farther you travel from the city center, the poorer the neighborhoods become. Once you leave the city, however, you will come upon small campesino villages. The majority of these villagers are friendly.
Groups of beggars, mostly children, congregate around popular tourist spots. Some may follow you around and some may even become verbally hostile. This behavior is usually a scare tactic.
