Costa Rica Street Signs and Addresses. “ We don’t need no stinking street sign!”

I had to laugh the other day when the Wall Street Journal wrote an article on how Costa Rican's find addresses - a country where street names or addresses are fictional. Any expat will tell you, "It is a challenge, hassle, and at most time’s pure frustration to find any home, residents, or business." Costa Ricans use the infamous Landmark System (based on distances). Wall … [Read more...]

The New Jaco – Bars, Nightclubs, and Restaurants

I had not been to Jaco in a while -  with said, a while back I wrote about how wild Jaco is and how I predicted that the desire for tourist bucks will change it.  Needless to say,  I spend some time checking out the ‘new’ Jaco a few weeks ago. Those that experienced Jaco years ago had warnings about the lawless of the town. Druggies, prostitution, pickpockets etc, pretty much ran it.  I’m … [Read more...]

Costa Rica Fishing License – Fishing and Boat Fees Increase

In the past, tourist and nonresident anglers could pick whether or not they wanted a monthly ($13 USD) and/or yearly fishing license ($25 USD). Considering that most anglers come to fish once a year (about 98%) they’d pick the cheaper.  Fishermen who don't know this in advance have been known to get a little upset at having to shell out cash at the dock to get one before they set forth on a … [Read more...]

Costa Rica Weather – Dry and Rainy Seasons

[iframe: name="weather" src="http://ticotimes.com/san-jose-weather.html" height="450" width="515" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" style="border: solid; border-width: 2px; border-color: gray; padding: 0">] click on the city to view the current and forthcoming weather conditions Alajuela | Cartago | Chacarita | Dominical | La Fortuna/Aerial |  Golfito Jaco | Liberia |  Puerto Limon | … [Read more...]

Why Hurricanes Rarely Hit Costa Rica

We get asked all the time, does Costa Rica get hurricanes? Well, yes and no, meaning "yes" they do receive the tropical aftermath of one, like heavy rains  of what Tropical Storm Tomas did in November 2010 that caused sever damage and deaths. In meteorology; a tropical cyclone (or tropical disturbance, tropical depression, tropical storm, typhoon, or hurricane, depending on strength and … [Read more...]

Dominical, Costa Rica – Road, Surfing, Hospital, Festival, Development

Dominical used to be one of those Costa Rican coastal villages that was the talk of surfers and travelers that managed to disregard their GPS settings. However, that started to change in the mid 2000s when private enterprises started to promote the kick-back town as Costa Rica's newest and hottest tourist attraction. Dominical is unique because it has mountains rising behind and around it, … [Read more...]

Costa Rica Videos – Fishing & Travel

What better way to view Costa Rica than by videos. Take a small video tour on what it would be like driving to Puerto Jimenez, crossing suspension bridges (the last bridge collapsed a year ago, killing a few) catching Dorado and Blue Marlin in Golfito, Los Suenos and Quepos, shopping San Jose's famous Mercado Central, having a few Imperials in a couple of bars, driving through one of Costa … [Read more...]

Driving and Road Conditions to Puerto Jimenez Costa Rica. Highway 245

A once was quiet remote town of Puerto Jimenez has grown to become the largest town on the Osa Peninsula today. Located in the southern part of the Puntarenas province, this kick-back town is one of the main gateways to the beautiful Corcovado National Park. With said, it has become one of the hot eco destinations in Costa Rica. Many will take a plane, but those that like to see the country … [Read more...]

Costa Rica Tourism; Quest for Pura Vida & National Convention Center

Costa Rica Tourism is back on the rise after a relatively flat 2010. Costa Rica Tourism Board (ICT) reports that total number of visitors is up 7% or 45,000 more visitors in the first quarter of 2011. This is great news for tourism and there are even bigger changes on the horizon. Tourism is Costa Ricas’ number one industry and if the size and scope of many projects and initiatives on the table … [Read more...]

Taking Professional Photos in Costa Rica – Traveling

Costa Rica offers some of the most stunning imagery for photographers. On the Osa Peninsula, I've swam with sailfish, cavorted with crocodiles, and photographed monkeys, butterflies, and rare birds in the span of a single day! To capture all the incredible things you'll see on camera, you should follow a careful game plan. Here are some essential elements to consider. PLANNING Bring the … [Read more...]

Atenas, Costa Rica – Retirement and Vacation Community

In 2004 my family and I decided to make our first trip to Costa Rica as a “research” mission to see if the Central America country would be a good candidate to purchase a vacation and/or retirement home. I had met Gerardo Gonzalez-Porras back in the Florida  (part owner of Pure Life Development), and being Tico he had told many stories about  but would never embellish too much, wanting each … [Read more...]

Travelers Checks, Credit & Debit Cards, Cash, Traveling to Costa Rica

One of the questions we get asked all the time,  what is the best form of money to take, travelers checks, credit or debit cards, or cash when traveling to Costa Rica? Travelers checks are probably the worse, because in Costa Rica, many establishments don't take them anymore and when you do find one that will, some places have been known to charge a outrageous fee. Banks are still the … [Read more...]