Photo of the Bandidos Motorcycle Club members with their Harley Davidson MotorcyclesThe Costa Rica Star previously published an article about a company that produces custom made choppers and hot rods in Costa Rica. It all started with the Bandidos Motorcycle Club from Texas opening a chapter in Costa Rica in 2004. These days, there are the Gitanos, Coyotes and other two-wheeled syndicates whose...

Photo of the Marlin del Rey catamaran in Playas del Coco Guanacaste Costa RicaThe high tourist season is just starting to warm up in Costa Rica, and Marlin del Rey Catamaran Sailing tours on the Gold Coast is already feeling the heat. As one of the leading day-cruise providers in Guanacaste, Marlin del Rey operates three majestic sailing ships: The eponymous Marlin del Rey in Tamarindo, the New M...

Alleged greenwashing by Infinito Gold Just days before Christmas, eight Canadian organizations are increasing their pressure on Infinito Gold and urging the mining firm to drop its peculiar billion dollar lawsuit against the Republic of Costa Rica. One public petition has already gathered more than 300,000 signatures, and this letter is now calling on the Canadian government to release certain...

Source: Marina PapagayoIn 2008, just ten days before Christmas, one of Costa Rica's premier marinas inaugurated its operations against the backdrop of one of the worst financial crises in history. It was a day full of guarded hope for the principals of Marina Papagayo, located on the peninsula of the same name in the province of Guanacaste. Five years later, the marina looks back at its many acco...

Source: Wikimedia Commons As part of the ongoing love affair between Ticos and junk food, the significant expansion of quick-service restaurants (QSR) vastly overcame similar efforts by casual-dining and full-service restaurants franchises in Costa Rica during 2013. It's no longer major brands such as McDonald's and KFC seeking profits in Costa Rica, even smaller players such as Nathan's Famou...

Source: Flickr Commons In Costa Rica, Christmas and the end of the year holidays bring a lot of cheer to residents and visitors. One of the most expected events of the holiday season is called Toros a la Tica, which some people wrongly characterize as bullfights, but in reality they fall somewhere in between the Running of the Bulls in Pamplona and the North American rodeos. Ostensibly, these ...

El Pejibaye Home Page A new online news media site in Costa Rica recently reported on a lawsuit that compensated a truck driver who suffered a road traffic accident after staring at the ample cleavage of an attractive Tica while driving in Heredia. Another news item explained the commercial warehouse shopping district in Golfito is planning a “Blacker Friday” in response to a successful Black ...

Santa Clause reading a letter from a child somewhere in the worldDespite Santa Claus not being a major figure in the folkloric Christmas traditions of Costa Rica, a few children are still taking time to address letters to his magical residence and massive toy workshop in the North Pole. According to a recent news article by Fernanda Matarrita of online news daily CRHoy.com, the main post office i...

A widely held assumption about the use of pesticides in the agricultural industry in Costa Rica puts our country at the top of lists that rank nations by how much they use agrochemical pesticides. At 51.2 kg of pesticide used per hectare of farmland, hospitals in Costa Rica should be filled with patients languishing from poisoning and cancer. Somehow, this is not the case. How come? The two mos...

Emily Shea gets ready for Christmas in Costa Rica An expat mother of two from Maryland became a blogging sensation in 2013 thanks to her honest ad incisive observations of life in Costa Rica. Emily Shea is the author behind the popular Travel Mother blog, which features sharp writing about her travels to Nicaragua, Norway and Costa Rica. Her post “The Dark Side of Paradise: Nine Reasons Why You...

Source: Overseas Radio Network This Week in Costa Rica, a podcast/radio program produced 52 times a year by a Canadian expatriate, is looking forward to bringing more reliable, useful and entertaining information to listeners in 2014. This radio program, which is also available as a podcast, is currently an exclusive feature of the Overseas Radio Network, the online radio station created by ex...

Delicious breakfast with an amazing ocean view of the Gulf of Papagayo, at Hotel ChantelHotel Chantel, an ocean view boutique hotel in Guanacaste that offers the best 360-degree panoramic view of Playas del Coco, is pleased to announce the inauguration of its scenic rooftop restaurant. This new restaurant will be for the exclusive enjoyment of Hotel Chantel's guests; however, the hotel management...

Source: Twitter The loyal fans of Liga Deportiva Alajuelense (LDA) got an early Christmas present this Sunday, December 22nd as they dethroned the reigning champ Club Sport Herediano (CSH), a First Division football team in Costa Rica that is owned by an expat businessman from the United States. The match, which was scoreless during the first 90 minutes and in overtime, was decided in the end ...

Source: palmrealestatecr.com After a tepid 2012, the housing market in Costa Rica got off to an auspicious start in 2013. Construction starts picked up considerably in the first quarter, and healthy demand for commercial properties gave a major boost to the economy during most of the year. Activity in the residential market was lukewarm at the beginning of the year, but by September it had bec...

Chile, one of the most developed nations in Latin America, has a new President-elect. Former President Michelle Bachelet will once again lead the South American nation after a victory over her oponent Evelyn Matthei, also a female presidential candidate. In Costa Rica, President Laura Chinchilla will not be succeeded by a woman next year; however, she has set an important precedent for women in hi...

A tiny and pesky insect is wreaking havoc in banana plantations across Costa Rica. Producers, exporters and government officials are keeping a close eye on the widespread plague of cochineal insects that enjoy sucking on recently sprouted banana leaves before they move on to the fruit. The cochineal bugs do not actually get to the banana flesh itself; however, they leave unsightly black stains on ...

Smartphone and tablet owners in Costa Rica do not usually need encouragement to stay glued to their devices, but recent developments in terms of apps and available services are going to make the mobile experience even more enticing. Music streaming services Spotify and Rdio recently expanded into Costa Rica, and Apple has added a new category for games in the local version of the iTunes App Store....

A major pizza retail chain from Spain is looking to capture the burgeoning franchise market in Costa Rica. Telepizza has about 1,200 locations around the world and employs about 25,000 people who make, serve and deliver delicious pizza. It will not be an easy undertaking for Telepizza, however, considering the troubles that major brands such as Domino's and Pizza Hut have experienced in Costa Rica...

A joint project between a division of the Ad Astra Rocket Company in Liberia and the government-owned Petroleum Refinery of Costa Rica (Spanish acronym: RECOPE) aims to generate and store hydrogen fuel to be used by the transportation sector. This hydrogen plant was recently unveiled in Guanacaste, a province that is leading the way in clean energy projects and sustainability. According to an o...

Maykol Torres surfing in Costa RicaThe holiday season in Costa Rica brings many good things for everyone to enjoy. The weather is great across the country and there are parades, carnivals, shopping bonanzas, etc. On the Pacific coast, the surf at this time of the year is spectacular, which is why the 2014 Olympus National Surf Circuit is taking place right now in Playa Bejuco, south of Jaco Beach...

When is beer and chocolate a good combination? When it takes place as part of the holiday festivities in Costa Rica. From December 20th to 22nd, the Caribbean town of Puerto Viejo, province of Limon, will be home to the 2nd Annual Chocolate Festival to be held at the Koki Beach Park. Craft beer will be one of the highlights of this festival, which will feature the introduction of a special brew th...

Source: giorodriguez.com Mountain climbing is not usually considered to be a polluting activity, at least not when compared to auto racing. There is, however, a significant carbon footprint left by climbers who train for the ultimate summit on Earth: Mount Everest. Climber Giovanni Rodriguez from Costa Rica aims to make a difference among the mountaineering community by making the first carbon...

In Costa Rica, the traditional procrastinating philosophy of “there's always tomorrow” often gets in the way of big business. Such is the case with the leviathan National Insurance Institute (Spanish acronym: INS), which recently reported that more than 60 percent of marchamos (vehicle circulation permits in Costa Rica) for 2014 have not yet been paid. With almost 1.2 million registered vehicle...

Artist rendering of a master bathroom in the Croc's Casino Resort condominium development in Jaco beach Costa RicaOver the last few months, Jaco Beach has become Costa Rica's busiest real estate market, and there is a very strong demand for condos. For the most part, supply is adequate thanks to a few development projects, but buyers are looking for more than just condos for sale in Jaco Beach...

National park rangers and officials of the Guanacaste Conservation Area, one of Costa Rica's most active regions in terms of visits by both national and foreign visitors, recently announced the hours of operation they will observe durind the holidays and the busy high tourist season in Costa Rica. The following schedule will go into effect on Monday, December 16th, 2013 and will remain until Janua...

Lexus Dealership at Avenida Escazu Income inequality grew in Costa Rica during 2013, but not as much as in other nations. There are now about 100 individuals in Costa Rica whose net worth is more than $30 million, up from 85 a year ago; however, the super-rich in this country are less than in any other Central American nation -including Nicaragua. According to a recent article by Cesar Augus...

Source: MAG The city of Canas in the province of Guanacaste is now home to the first research station in Costa Rica that is dedicated to studying the effects of climate change on soil and regional agriculture. According to the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock Affairs (Spanish acronym: MAG), this research station is the first of its kind in Costa Rica, Central America and the Caribbean. ...

Source: Fuerza Publica San Jose, Costa Rica - December 16, 2013. This past Thursday, officers from the Directorate of Police Intelligence (DIPOL) in Costa Rica intercepted a major shipment of contraband cigarettes in the capital city of San Jose. In total, 40,000 packs of cigarettes were confiscated, and officials estimate that perpetrators stood to make up to $100,000 from this shipment -depe...

The hot days of December in Costa Rica entice children to enjoy a quick dip in the many beaches, lakes, ponds, and rivers across the country. One of the hottest regions during this time of the year is Guanacaste, and this is where three children recently passed away as they tried to escape the heat. One drowned in the Gulf of Nicoya and two others died in a pond near Sonzapote. The sad events w...

Frugal shoppers, penny-wise consumers and assorted cheapskates already know that Costa Rica is one of the most expensive countries in Latin America, which is why they need all the help they can get when it comes to saving their hard-earned colones (or dollars). The holiday season can be very tempting in terms of spending, but not for Costa Rica Gratis (Costa Rica of Free), an online network of mon...

Poas Volcano crater in Costa RicaRecent volcanic activity along with sulphuric emissions and the heavy presence of noxious gases are prompting national park rangers in Costa Rica to take precautions with regard to visitors. Volcano tourism is very popular in Costa Rica during this season, and some of the most-visited volcanoes are certainly showing off their natural beauty, but officials are cont...

If you live in Guanacaste, or just about anywhere else in Costa Rica, you may be familiar with the following situation: You have already turned off the lights in your bedroom and sleep is about to consume you when suddenly you hear TCHAK-TCHAK-TCHAK, or a permutation thereof. That would be an adult male gecko invading your bedroom; a younger female will sound more like chip-chip-chip. What should ...

BBQ with friends and family on the rooftop patio lounge at Hotel ChantelSundays are now the best days to enjoy the Gold Coast of Costa Rica. At Hotel Chantel in Playas del Coco, every Sunday is Funday, which means that visitors get to take a dip, relax by the pool and spend the afternoon enjoying a BBQ in the company of friends and family while delighting in the best beach view in Guanacaste. ...

The 2013 Adventure Racing World Championships in Costa Rica finished this week with the Thule Adventure Team from Sweden crossing the finish line in Sarapiqui, province of Heredia. This is the second championship for team Thule, the last time they took the title was in 2011 in Australia. Participating athletes and race observers agreed that this was the toughest race ever. According to the Thul...

Source: Santa Elena Project The late environmentalist Jairo Mora was certainly one of the most celebrated and important persons in Costa Rica in 2013. His commitment to the protection of sea turtles in the Caribbean coast ended up claiming his life and left many people wondering what makes the Caribbean region of Costa Rica so different from Playa Rajada and Playa Ostional in Guanacaste, two p...

Mari Brenes exploring Guanacaste at Arenal Volcano Contact Mari Brenes at Palm Real Estate by calling (506) 8352-9923 or send an email to [email protected], her team is available to answer all of your questions about buying or renting condos in Guanacaste Costa Rica. North American and European house hunters who are setting their sights on the United States housing market are findin...

Data provided by Bing search for Mashable.comAccording to Mashable, a leading British-American website covering Internet technology and social media, Costa Rica is among the top 10 most-searched travel destinations in the world. The data was provided by Bing, Microsoft's flagship search engine property, and it shines a light on how tourism and hospitality operators are taking advantage of these t...

BYD Qin. Source: Wikimedia Commons Auto dealerships in Costa Rica have been enjoying record sales over the last few years. This is evident on the crowded roads and permanent gridlock around the country, but hybrid and plug-in electric vehicles have been mostly shunned by Tico drivers. However, the launch of a new Chinese hybrid and the promise of a prototype electric car made in Costa Rica are...

Just in time for the holidays, popular tourist destinations such as Playas del Coco in Guanacaste are about to see a major influx of visitors. Although tourism and hospitality operators in Guanacaste and across Costa Rica have been working diligently over the years in making sure that their staff is fluent in English, from December 13th to January 5th they will mostly be catering to the needs of S...

Source: Wikimedia Commons A long and comprehensive research study which has been conducted for nearly two decades confirms that sharks indeed return to the place they were born in order to give birth. The paper for this research was recently published by the Molecular Ecology scientific journal and has been acknowledged by members of Mision Tiburon (Shark Mission), a non-profit dedicated to th...