Rio Celeste is a wonder of nature hidden in the northern part of the country within the Volcan Tenorio National Park close to the towns Guatuso and Bijagua in the province Alajuela. The neighbor town Fortuna gets tons of tourists visiting the nearby Arenal volcano. Rio Celeste, however, is in a rural area and visited by few tourists.
Rio Celeste is no ordinary river. Clear water runs races through the forest and then two rivers meet and sulfur and calcium carbonate mix to create a single bright, shocking turquoise river which then feeds several hot springs and a large waterfall. To get to the waterfall you’ll have to hike about an hour and a half through the national park Read more
If you visit the beach in Costa Rica, it is not uncommon to see foreign retirees spending their time sunbathing or taking a stroll around town. What makes Costa Rica retirement so popular? What are the laws regarding retirees entering the country? Should you buy or rent? Will you have access to proper health care?
The laws about entering the country are quite simple. The US and many other countries are granted 90 days stay in the country without getting a visa. If this is the case, all you need to do is travel to a neighboring nation and get your passport stamped, after which you are free to stay for another 90 days. Visitors from certain countries Read more
Jaco is famous as Costa Rica’s wildest party beach. The beach at Jaco isn’t great for swimming – it’s too rough. The waves are big, and have called to surfers all around the world for years. Nearby Playa Hermosa has some of the best waves in the country for surfing, and a black sand beach. There is now an annual surf tournament at Playa Hermosa. When the surfers are done for the day, the party begins at night. If you’re looking for young partying surfers and backpackers, foreigners and Costa Ricans coming down from the city, then Jaco is where you want to be. Lots of celebrities choose Jaco as a vacation spot. You never know who you might Read more
Costa Rica is famous for its beautiful beaches, Playa Hermosa Costa Rica is no exception. When planning your vacation to Playa Hermosa it’s important to know that there are two beaches by the name Playa Hermosa. One Playa Hermosa is in Guanacaste, the other is in Puntarenas. They are equal in beauty but the appeal of each one is quite different. Which one should you go to?
Playa Hermosa Guanacaste is a gray-yellow sand beach, perfect for walking, fishing, beginner surfing and water skiing. Accommodations are easy to find and there are lots of options ranging in prices and quality. One popular hotel for the locals is Condovac. If you live in Costa Rica you can purchase Read more
Some of the main questions for those considering living in Costa Rica are: Will I be able to find my favorite foods? Can I feel safe drinking the water? Where should I go if I get sick? The answers are simple and will probably put to rest any doubts about living in Costa Rica.
Will I be able to find my favorite foods?
When it comes to finding your favorite foods here in Costa Rica, it really depends on where you live. Stores like Pricesmart and Hipermas, located in the Central Valley, are very similar to Costco or Sam’s Club and sell bulk items. Other local supermarkets like MaxiBodega, Jumbo and MegaSuper, offer many popular foreign foods and goods. You
Real estate investment in Costa Rica is quite a project, but by keeping a couple of helpful tips in mind you can successfully venture jump through all the hoops and end up purchasing your own little plot of land in paradise.
In recent years more and more fradulent real estate dealings and investment scams. Therefore, it is important to keep your wits about you and don’t give anyone the benefit of the doubt. Many foreigners come to Costa Rica expecting things to run just as smoothly as they do in the States when it comes to business dealings, and sadly, that’s just not they way it is down here.
So, how can you protect yourself from being subject to a Read more
If you are white, and especially if you have blond hair, there is very little you can do to not stand out as a foreigner in Costa Rica. However, there are a number of things you can do that will make you seem more Costa Rican and not call attention to the already obvious fact that you aren’t a Tico.
When you greet a person, touch your cheek to theirs and kiss the air. Main mistake made by foreigners: actually kissing the cheek. To remember:Men kiss women, women kiss women, but men do not kiss men.
At smaller parties and gatherings greet everyone this way and do the same when saying goodbye. Main mistake made by foreigners: Only greeting the
The amount of time I could spend talking about the things you should or shouldn’t do when thinking of relocating are endless. I have been trying to shorten my list to include a few essential do’s and don’t’s for those considering making the move to Costa Rica. Here is what I have come up with.
DO take your time in deciding where you want your home in Costa Rica to be. (Or if you want to stay here permanently at all… this is not something to rush into.)
DON’T buy the first piece of land or first house you see.
DO Rent a place in that area before you buy!
DON’T expect things to be the same as they are
Planning a vacation to Costa Rica? I strongly recommend going with a villa or vacation home rental as opposed to a hotel or an all inclusive and here’s why:
Vacation Villas offer a more private vacation experience.
Villas accomodate larger groups and families better than hotels.
When split among a group a villa rental is a more economic option than multiple hotel rooms.
If you get a villa rental with a pool, you don’t have to share it!
With a villa or vacation rental you can do your own cooking in the kitchen. (Some vacation villa rentals offer an all-inclusive package, for those who don’t like to cook.)
Vacation villa rentals are more secure since no one is entering into
Most of what we do in a bed is sleep. Yet we all know how hard it can be to find the right kind of mattress. Though mattresses are cheap in Costa Rica it is not going to be any easier finding a bed here than it is in the United States.
For example when you buy a bed here in Costa Rica you will find that it comes covered in plastic that they use to ship the mattress. I would recommend not removing the plastic from the bed after you purchase it. The reason is when you buy a frame in the United States normally there are metal cross bars that hold your bed up. In Costa Rica instead Read more
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