When Griffin Thall and Paul Goodman travelled to Costa Rica in 2009 after graduating from San Diego State University, they were just looking for a fun trip to celebrate their accomplishments and unwind before starting the job hunt. They never imagined that a finding in a small beach community would be the catalyst for their own successful business, one which not only generates profits, but als...

BANGKOK, Thailand - Edwin Cubillo scored three second-half goals and Costa Rica overcame a two-goal deficit to beat Paraguay 6-3 Sunday to revive its chances of reaching the second round at the Futsal World Cup. The result left the CONCACAF champion in third place in Group A with three points, trailing Ukraine by one point and just behind host Thailand on goal difference. Ukraine defeated Thail...

Fun fact, The Costa Rica Star was founded by a Canadian. 130,000 visitors from Canada entered the country this year, which makes them one of the main generators of tourism for Costa Rica. Furthermore, Canada is the second biggest foreign exchange generated by tourism in Costa Rica, with $142 million last year. Canadian airline WestJet opened direct service on Monday to Costa Rica, with se...

The loan from the Inter-American Development Bank is aimed at developing the country's power sector. As reported by the institution, $152 million will finance investments in generation, transmission and distribution of electricity, and about $98 million will go to the Reventazón hydroelectric project. "What is more, investment will be made in renewable energy projects and modernization of th...

The two phreatic eruptions that occurred in the Poás volcano on Saturday, pose no danger and there is no need to declare a state of emergency in the area. Carlos Ramirez, a geologist at the National Seismological Network, said that the two eruptions are normal behavior of the volcano. "This is something almost monthly in Poás however the eruptions usually remain in the area of the intracrat...

Lady Gaga played the "biggest show" ever staged in Costa Rica. The 'You and I' singer brought her 'Born This Way Ball' to the Estadio Nacional de Costa Rica stadium in San Jose on Saturday night and was told it was the most attended concert in the history of the Central American country. She wrote on her twitter page: "In Costa Rica tonight for stadium show. Thank you so much to everyone for...

For ten years now, the Voice of Nosara (VON) has been serving Nosara and the surrounding communities with the goal of connecting and uniting people—not just people in different towns but people of different backgrounds, nationalities and languages. At first, the newspaper was more of a newsletter, printed on letter-size paper and stapled together. But even that simple newsletter served an imp...

In the past The Costa Rica Star has published about driving tips for the roads of Costa Rica. Costa Rica is easily one of the most beautiful countries in the world, and visiting it can be a real treat. There are a ton of interesting things to do in Costa Rica, from surfing to taking in the local cuisine. No matter what you're interested in, however, you'll be checking it out surrounded by s...

In an attempt to shorten patient lists awaiting routine care, a medical center of routine births and surgery on ambulant patients has will open Monday in Desamparados. Although the center has an unwieldy name--Center for Integral Attention in Health--its aim is to attend patients faster than in regular Caja (Social Security) hospitals. To the already cumbersome name must be added that it wil...

It was all very un-Tico. A internal tribunal has fired a judge at the criminal court in Santa Cruz, Guanacaste province, for workplace harrassment of employees under her direction. A group of employees filed a number of complaints of allegedly hostile actions that resulted in a closed hearing Oct. 26 that resulted in her dismissal. The tribunal termed the judge's attitude "very grave." Despi...

A new music festival that will bring world class musicians and rising stars together on one stage has been born in the southern pacific zone of Costa Rica. The first annual Best Fest promises to be an amazing event featuring musical genres such as reggae, latin, jazz, rock, blues, and more performed by bands from Costa Rica and the United States. The Best Fest invites audiences of all ages to expe...

Notice to the readers of The Costa Rica Star: We have met with many Costa Rica based Cosmetic and general Dentists, and thought very carefully before deciding who to promote on our website. We believe that Meza Dental Care is the best choice for your Dental needs in Costa Rica, in part because they have been in business since 1995 with a focus on treating Dental tourists from the US and Ca...

President Laura Chinchilla took on the public banking system this week, drawing a sharp defense from Central Bank president Rodrigo Bolaños. She thinks Ticos are paying too high of an interest rate. Meanwhile, the Central Bank announced Wednesday that interest rates would remain unchanged at 10.25%, slightly lower than the private banks' 10.5%. The President, incensed at the public banks for...

The Costa Rica Star has published extensively about the 2012 La Ruta de los Conquistadores mountain bike race. TURRIALBA, Costa Rica — It was the Attack of the Ticos as soon as stage 2 rolled off the start line at La Ruta de los Conquistadores on Friday in Tres Rios. Costa Rica’s Dennis Porras soloed to victory in the 49-mile stage, which included ascending nearly 10,000 feet up a volcano, i...

Although United Nations High Commission on Refugees representative in Costa Rica, Roberto Mignone recognizes this country as "exceptional" in treatment of refugees from other countries, it turns down half of all such applications. Those rejected, however, can apply for another immigration status. Of 18,478 seeking refugee status in the past decade, Immigration has rejected 9,066. according to l...

Granted, National Liberation Party doesn't win all the elections, but its races for presidential nomination are always spirited. The run up to the 2014 elections keeps up the tradition, with San Jose Mayor Johnny Araya taking a commanding lead in the latest poll. Ex-President Jose Maria Figueres, according to the Unimer poll, is tied for second with Former Minister of the Presidency Rodrigo Ari...

Anyone who sees the entrance to San Jose’s new Chinatown will be impressed by the huge arch at its entrance. Isabel Yung, President of the local Chinese Colony in Costa Rica, stated, “Anyone who passes under the arch with be filled with good luck.” She also said, “Prosperity is something very important for our culture and the new arch reflects the prosperity of San Jose.” The huge arch is f...

In the recent past The Costa Rica Star has published about this tough and technical mountain bike race. UNIVERSIDAD PARA LA PAZ, Costa Rica — If it’s possible to be effusive and understated at the same time, American mountain biker Pua Mata was so after stage one of La Ruta de los Conquistadores on Thursday. “It was awesome. It was hard. It was good,” Mata said of the punishing race that ush...

Let's Xplore Costa Rica Tours & Transfers is located in the heart of Tamarindo on the Pacific North West. Denise Hazell & Paul Bobadilla, as your hosts have been long time locals of the area and very well travelled throughout Costa Rica and beyond. Denise is a Canadian transplant from Southern Ontario, Canada who started traveling to Costa Rica in 1989 (and just kept coming back) and has lived he...

Recently The Costa Rica Star updated our Facebook page with a status update about small tremors in the Central Valley. Costa Ricans are on alert, which was declared by the National Committee of Emergency due to the seismic activity in the central region. The western province of Guanacaste and the Great Metropolitan Area are the most active regions and authorities are asking residents a conti...

With all of the news about the health crisis in the United States and other countries around the world, people are becoming more aware about the dangers of consuming excess sugar, chemicals and other harmful food additives. Eating clean and simple foods at home is a good way to avoid encountering these dining pitfalls, however sometimes it is nice to enjoy a meal outside of the home. The p...

The key to winning backing for environmental action from finance ministers is to present a solid economic case to back your argument, according to a former Costa Rican Environment and Energy Carlos Manuel Rodriguez, pushed hard for support from the Costa Rican treasury during his tenure with many positive results including the development of renewable energy and huge reforestation. “We f...

Costa Rica, among most other Latin American countries, celebrates the deceased on November 2nd every year. This day has several names, including Día de Todos Santos (All Saints Day), Día de Todos Almas (All Souls Day) and the more common Día De Los Muertos (Day of the Dead). Although this holiday is celebrated more in other Latin American countries, Costa Ricans remember the deceased by visitin...

Ever thought of writing a complaint to the police after being held up waiting for them to clear up a traffic accident? In a rare occurrence, Public Works and Traffic Minister Pedro Castro did just that Tuesday. A collision between a semi-trailer rig and a truck at 8:50 a.m. Tuesday left one person dead and snarled traffic on the San Jose-Santa Ana road in front of the Pequeño Mundo discount...

The mega concert by singer Lady Gaga in Costa Rica has provoked discussion on the profitability of such ventures. The many different forms of business models that exist for performances of this type by internationally renowned artists in markets such as Costa Rica, demonstrate that the cost benefit analysis of this activity is not easy. The risks become clear when you add up the number of ca...

Costa Rica's Ombudsman, (known in Spanish as the Defensoria de La Habitantes) Ofelia Taitelbaum is suspicious of the objectivity of a Chinese study of the local petroleum refinery RECOPE. She feels that the company, KBC, charged with conducting the marketing study, and HQCBC, tasked with a feasibility study, just may be more than a little friendly with the Chinese state petroleum giant, CNPC. ...

Costa Rica has, for years, been a top vacation destination for honeymooners, families, backpackers and those who just need a break. There's a special vibration that resonates throughout this Central American country that most can attribute to the Pura Vida or “pure life” attitude that the locals infuse into just about everything they do. Not only to fit in, but to make a trip to this country a spe...

Costa Rica's Call Center (CCC) is a state of the art telemarketing outsourcing call center located in the capital city of San Jose, Costa Rica in Central America. Our bilingual call centers primary objective is to personally fulfill your need of key BPO call center telemarketing services. The main focus of every BPO outsourcing campaign will always be to personally educated and enhance the skills ...

CONCACAF champion Costa Rica surrendered a goal two minutes before halftime and lost 3-1 to host Thailand on Thursday in its opening match at the Futsal World Cup. Suphawut Thueanklang scored one goal and set up another to lead Thailand, which claimed the early Group A lead over Urkaine and Paraguay, which drew 3-3 in an earlier match. Thueanklang fed Keattiyot Chalaemkhet to put Thailand ah...

The President of the Republic of Costa Rica, Laura Chinchilla, will be one of the thousands who will be at the Lady Gaga concert offered this Saturday at the National Stadium. The information was confirmed this afternoon by Viva Don Stockwell, representative of the production company for the concert RPMTV. Stockwell said the president will be in the area of the Presidential box. Chinchil...

Judicial police found in 2010 that an employee at the Alajuela Criminal Court was allegedly informing a "friend" of the status of an investigation for his alleged involvement with a car theft ring known as Los Gallos. But it has taken two years to reach a point of her dismissal, although she appears to have been transfered to a less sensitive section of the court, according to a report in the n...

Bertilio Quiros, 72, died at a farm in San Isidro de El General in the southern part of the country, trampled under the hooves of his own oxen in an accident unique even in the days when oxen were common farm animals here. Quiros used the team every working day to gather up and haul sugar cane. Apparently, he slipped and fell Tuesday, the slow moving and docile, but weighty beasts continuing to...

In the past The Costa Rica Star has reported numerous times on Coco's Island Costa Rica. There are few places left where you can predictably encounter tiger sharks without luring them in with bait, and to the surprise of many, Costa Rica's Cocos Island is now one of them. Cocos, a national park 340 miles off the Central American nation's Pacific coast, is best-known for its large schools...

From November 1st to November 3rd 2012, The Costa Rica Star will be receiving press releases about local businesses here in Costa Rica. If you own or manage a local business and would like us to publish an article about it in our press release section, please read carefully below, normally this service costs $100 USD per press release. However, we are giving away free press releases to those of yo...

Both Costa Rica and Botswana stand above their regional neighbors in the 2012 Prosperity Index. One reason for this lies in the strength of their institutions, which have undoubtedly benefited from advantageous historical moments where political leaders have made difficult choices to commit to developing democratic institutions. As their neighboring countries seek their own paths to prosperity,...

In the past The Costa Rica Star has published many articles about Volcano Brewing Company. Costa Rica is well known for its beautiful beaches, lush, wildlife-filled jungles, and ideal climate, not to mention low cost of living, bargain real estate, and low-cost medical care. “There was only one problem with Costa Rica,” says California native Joe Walsh. “No pale ale.” So he solved the problem...

Update: thank you Danny Haelewaters, the original author of this article, for allowing us to publish it. In the past The Costa Rica Star has published numerous articles about Sea Turtles in Costa Rica. Costa Rica - It has been named the promised land of biodiversity, Mother of Ecotourism, and it also harbors one of the most important nesting sites for sea turtles. Five of the world’s seven s...

Turkish Transportation Minister Binali Yildirim expressed hope that Turkey would soon sign an air transportation agreement with Costa Rica which had been on the agenda for the last ten years. Prior to his meeting with Costa Rica's Minister of Foreign Relations Jose Enrique Castillo, Yildirim said that he previously attended Caribbean countries' economic cooperation meeting, and all Caribbean co...

Who says that Costa Ricans don't have imagination? The Universidad Americana's 19th edition of their Expotec and their Senior Adult Science Fair drew hundreds of all sorts of useful scientific applications. Expotec 2012 was open to kids kindergarten through high school who proudly demonstrated 350 samples of ingenuity from 1,200 students. The Expotec fair was shown in Cedes de Don Bosco ...

Air pollution in Costa Rica’s capital San Jose has exceeded the standard level set by the World Health Organization (WHO) and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, a study said Tuesday. The concentration of atmospheric particulate matter, or PM2.5, in the air reaches as high as 31 micrograms per cubic meter (31mcg/m3), while international norms say there should be no more than 10mcg/m3, acc...