Thousands of Costa Ricans have gathered for the highlight of the year, Fiestas Palmares 2011. Throughout the year there are several state fairs and festivals but none compare to Fiestas Palmares. The two-week long festival celebrates Costa Rican culture, tradition and customs through music, food and other activities.
Now half-way through, the festival has been a success and will probably continue to be so. In the coming days there are a variety of activities to please every taste. Every afternoon at 1:00pm starts Tarde de Arte y Cultura (an afternoon of art and culture), with the showing of an art exhibition and at 5:00pm a cultural activity. For example, January 18 will showcase a local Cimarrona while on Read more
Nighttime falls and the sky lights up with red streaks spewing from the mouth of the volcano. On a clear night the view of Volcan Arenal is pretty spectacular. The surrounding town is La Fortuna, in the province of Alajuela. For a lot of people Alajuela conjures up an image of a hot city and the international airport. But Alajuela is lot more than that.
Three volcanoes sit on Alajuela’s borders. Tenorio and Arenal sit on the border with Guanacaste, Poas sits on the Heredia border. Surrounded by these volcanoes the northern plains become more rural with small towns scattered along the main roads. Such towns include Grecia and Atenas, both preferred by expats due to elevation and climate. Read more
Some people come to Costa Rica to experience the culture, the people, the different landscapes, the rainforest, and so on. Others come to Costa Rica to relax. Plain and simple, no running around, no driving from one end of the country to the other. Just plain laying-on-the-beach relaxation. If that’s what you’re seeking, you’ve found it. Hotel Barcelo Playa Tambor Costa Rica is a five-star all-inclusive resort specialized in relaxation.
Book a vacation with Tambor and they’ll take care of everything from airport pick-up to drop-off. A driver will take you to Puntarenas where you’ll take a luxurious yacht across the Gulf of Nicoya to the resort located on the tip of the Nicoya Peninsula. Once Read more
The first time you laid eyes on it you knew, it was love at first sight. You bought it, built your dream house and lived happily ever after. Sadly, buying property is not as easy as it sounds. You may have found land in the perfect spot but before you buy here’s a few things to consider.
Budget. You might be in love, but can you afford to commit? Prices vary greatly in Costa Rica. In areas like Santa Ana in San Jose the price of land is exorbitant at $300 a square meter. In the mountains of Guanacaste land is much cheaper, at around $1.80 a square meter. Areas close to the beach or with high concentrations Read more
When a country exports coffee, sometimes all that’s left for the locals is the worst in the crop. That’s not the case in Costa Rica. If you live in Costa Rica you can still get the good stuff and good prices. What’s the best? What are the prices? That’s all up to you but here’s some of the local brands.
Most supermarkets carry the big Costa Rican name brands: Cafe 1820, Cafe Rey, Volio, Cafe Montaña, Yodito and Cafe Maravilloso. Most of these coffees cost around $3 per ½ kilo at the supermarket. Some supermarkets carry the whole bean coffee which can be a better deal. You can buy a 4-kilo bag of Cafe Montaña whole bean for $8. Read more
The land of opportunity. In the past the United States has been synonymous with prosperity and opportunities for all. That is no longer the case. While jobs are scarce in the States, Costa Rica has plenty of work for those with certain skills.
Call Centers. In the central valley, hundreds of people go to work everyday as customer service representatives for large American companies. Native English speakers are usually preferred for high level managerial positions, sometimes even working from home and setting your own schedule. Jobs are available for part-time work and full-time work with pay usually starting at around $900 USD per month, (which is a really high-paying job for the average Costa Rican). If you have Read more
Heredia is known as La ciudad de las Flores. Why? There’s two stories. One is that all of Heredia’s women are as beautiful as flowers. The other story is that due to its nearly perfect climate, flowers are always in full bloom. Personally, I believe both may be true.
The city of Heredia (usually referred to by locals as Heredia Centro), is the capital of the province by the same name. Heredia Centro is one of Costa Rica’s larger cities, similar to San Jose in size but more laid-back. The center of town is of course Parque Central, which is surrounded by old colonial buildings now used as government offices, as well as restaurants and shops. A short Read more
Black Friday has come and gone and with it began the dreaded holiday season. If scrambling at the last minute to try to find the perfect gift for everyone on your list is the last thing you want to do then this article is for you. Find the best local and designer stores in the country, shop online or send packages to your friends and family back home. It’s all easier than you think.
Multiplaza Escazu is located on the road to Santa Ana in San Jose. Here you’ll find your favorite designers like Bisou Bisou, Carolina Herrera, Kenneth Cole, Givenchy, Hugo Boss and Salvatore Ferragamo. Amongst the many other shops there’s Del Rio leather shop, the Apple Read more
It’s that time of the year again. Starting Monday November 15, 2010 you can purchase your 2011 Marchamo. If you are new to Costa Rica you might be asking yourself, What is a marchamo? It’s the annual vehicular circulation permit issued by the INS (Instituto Nacional de Seguros). What are the requirements?
Current RTV (vehicle inspection). Your vehicle inspection is due between January and October depending on the last number of your license plate. License plates ending in 1 get inspected in January, those ending in 2 February and so on. Vehicles older than 5 years need to be inspected annually and those newer than 5 years are only inspected biannually. Public transportation vehicles still have time
Playa Conchal is probably Costa Rica’s most exotic beach. The sand shines with the blinding glow of millions of crushed sea shells that cover this 4-kilometer beach stretch. The water is blue and clear, ideal for snorkeling and swimming in the warm water. Playa Conchal is closest to the town of Brasilito where you’ll find small lodges, restaurants, supermarkets and everything else you would need for a lovely day trip to the beach.
If you’re looking for more than a simple day trip to the beach, you’ll probably want to stay at Reserva Conchal, the only community located on the beach. Reserva Conchal is an exclusive luxury community where you can settle down at one of their condos or Read more
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