The prison island San Lucas has a dark history as the most brutal prison in Costa Rica. The prison ran between 1873 and 1991 and housed the most notorious and dangerous criminals in Costa Rica, but is now being converted into a tourist destination. Located close to Puntarenas, the area is already a major tourist destination. The island San Lucas, 472 acres, is located three kilometers from ...

Costa Rica's national parks and preserves continue to attract attention from the world’s media. A recent story in The Australian wrapped up the appeal saying this is a park system where visitors “glimpse the seething life of the tropical rainforest” ... “simmering volcanoes and cloud forests offer otherworldly vistas and its reliable surf breaks are suited to beginners and experts alike.” T...

GET HIGH IN A CLOUD FOREST Considered Costa Rica's green jewel, the Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve is located just outside the town of Santa Elena. This conservation area covers 10,500 hectares and reaches a height of 1650 metres above sea level. It is called a cloud forest because the canopy is consistently shrouded by mist. The Monteverde attracts an increasing number of visitors each...

I've run into a few people who claim to have gone to Manuel Antonio National Park and didn't see monkeys. I don't know how that happens, in fact it's so unlikely it makes me think that perhaps they screwed up the name or didn't make into the park itself. I've heard stories of exchange students that ate little more than cereal while here—I thought you were legally obligated to eat gallo pinto b...

Costa Rica often seems like it was made specifically for adventure travelers. Where else can you spend the morning scuba diving in the ocean, the afternoon swinging from tree to tree in the rainforest, and the evening at some incredible clubs, restaurants or hotels? And, just in case that isn’t quite enough to satisfy your craving for adventure, you can always get up the next day and hike ...

You can view more pictures related to this article on the Facebook page of The Costa Rica Star. If you would like the author of this article to write a review about your hotel or business in Costa Rica using an article and HD pictures, contact us. Last Tuesday morning we found out, I had mistakenly noted 8 A.M. for the van pick up to Arenal, which was actually 2 P.M. With six hours to kill...

Workers digging a secondary drainage canal for a banana plantation in Costa Rica’s Osa canton discovered what is just the latest in series of stone spheres that raise more questions than they answer for archaeologists. Locally the stone spheres are known as Las Bolas. Over the years just over three hundred of them have been discovered across the Diqius Delta and on Isla del Cano in Costa Rica. ...

For 20 years, I’ve been fortunate to live and work in this fabulous country and I’ve assembled the following information with links to share a slice of paradise with you. CENTRAL VALLEY - The heart and soul of Costa Rica, where 70% of the population lives and works. Strikingly beautiful with a mild, spring-like climate year-round. Costa Rica’s Central Valley lies at an elevation of 3,000 to 5,...

If you miss the colorful doves that formed part of the Peace Parade in San Jose over the last few months, you'll have a chance at keeping one (or more of them) at your house when the prettiest 40 doves go on auction a week from today, on April 17th. According to national newspaper La Nacion, bidding on these doves is more than just taking home a part of Costa Rica's recent history, but also a c...

From May 7th to 13th, beautiful representatives from the United States, the Caribbean and Latin America will participate in a series of presentations and pageant events in San Jose, Aguas Zarcas, Sarchi, and tourist hotspots of our Pacific Coast. The contestants will charm audiences to promote tourism to their respective nations in competition for the crown of Reina Internacional de los Mares ...

You have seen them proudly adorning many of our historical landmarks, such as the National Museum, our Judicial Complex, the National Assembly, the Children's Museum, and our Embassy in Washington DC. In the past, you may have also seen them unceremoniously used as lawn ornaments on the homes of powerful Tico families. Our solemn, gray petrospheres never fail to attract attention, and they will so...

A dear reader named Brad recently left the following question in our Facebook profile: " about good, affordable day trips in and around the SJ. I get a lot of visitors and they are always interested in them." Hello Brad, thanks for your question. Most tourists come to Costa Rica looking for eco-adventures, surfing, fishing, or relaxing at any of our pristine beaches. Our capital city often g...

Costa Rica has become one of the top destinations for tourists and travelers seeking close contact with nature, pristine beaches, National Parks and tropical rain and cloud forests. It is well established as one of the best countries to visit for biological diversity, primary forests, coral reefs, endangered species and enchanting white sand beaches, with outstanding surfing and scuba diving. Yet ...

Although Costa Rica is a really small country (think of West Virginia), it has been one of the top ecotourism destinations in the world since the late 80’s, when bird watchers started to arrive in large numbers thanks to a book by Alexander Skutch and Gary Stiles named A Guide to the Birds of Costa Rica. Around 1.5 million foreigners visit the country on a yearly basis, and many of those are not j...

If you happen to be in Guanacaste while traveling in Costa Rica, you should definitely visit the Rincon de la Vieja National Park, one of the most ecologically diverse areas in the province. It will be the perfect opportunity for you to check Volcan Rincon de la Vieja, one of the country’s few active volcanoes. The last eruption took place on September 16, 2011, and access to the crater is stil...