Sputnik, the original tiny satellite The offices of President Laura Chinchilla announced this week that the nation would launch its first satellite in 2016. Asked what the mini-satellite was good for, Carlos Alvarado, chief of the Central American Aeronautics and Space Association said candidly that "it will show we can do it." Actually, weighing in at less than 10 kilos (about 25 lbs) there's...

The Technical Road Management Unit (UTGV -Unidad Técnica de Gestión Vial) of Nicoya’s municipality invested 24% of their 2013 budget in road maintenance and construction projects in the canton, while 76% of the budget was used for administrative and operating expenses. Those numbers were detailed in the regular municipal budget for the 2013 period in the communication routes section, where the ...

Gonzalo Pizarro Barrantes is one of the few Santa Cruz cowboys who still lives in the fields. Although he doesn’t work on a ranch, he is used to riding a horse at 84 years old. On a daily basis, it’s common to see him riding his horse in the middle of the city, shopping or having a drink at one of the popular bars in the area. For many years, before the folkloric city was full of cement, when t...

Just 30 minutes from the Daniel Oduber International Airport and 217 kilometers northeast of San José, the Gulf of Papagayo Tourism Pole (PTGP) offers white sandy beaches and lush tropical settings, with a wide variety of activities for nature-loving tourists. “The bay is rich in marine species due to the abundance of plankton in its waters, which develops in the mangroves in the area,” said Ja...

Horseback Riding in Guanacaste Costa Rica as part of an Agrotourism experienceOwners and operators of hospitality and recreational businesses in Costa Rica are keeping a close eye on the growth of rural tourism across Costa Rica, also known as Agrotourism. In recent years, the Central Valley and adjacent rural areas have dominated this specialty tourism segment while Guanacaste has mostly catered...

Olive Ridley Sea Turtle The Ostional Wildlife Refuge, located in Guanacaste, is the only place in Costa Rica (and perhaps in the world) where sea turtle eggs can be legally harvested by the community. This is authorized by Public Law 7064 of 1987, specifically article 55, which establishes a collection quota and allows the sale of eggs laid by Lepidochelys olivacea. Although this law creates a...

Piper auritum (root beer plant) in Guanacaste As medical tourism continues to grow in certain regions of Costa Rica such as Guanacaste and the Central Valley, many visitors are beginning to take an interest in herbal medicine and holistic treatments. Medical tourism in Costa Rica is mostly focused on conventional medicine and surgical procedures, but more patients are seeking yoga and herbal r...

The Triple Crown surf competition returned for the third consecutive year, to choose the coast’s best surfer. The first day was January 11th in the waves of Playa Barrigona. Funds raised will be donated to a housing project to help build a home for a low-income family in the Nosara area. This year, the Nosara Surf Association took charge of the event’s organization along with help from Nosara T...

The 23rd National Sports Games (Juegos Deportivos Nacionales), which were to be held January 5-15, had their dates changed to March 1-16 for the cantons of Guanacaste and the southern Zona Sur. In Nicoya, the games will take place March 2-6, which will allow for changes to the internal structure of the sports complex (Polideportivo), the facility for the water sports competitions. In addition t...

Laura Chinchilla posing with recipient of mortgage debt forgiveness in GuanacasteIn a surprise visit by President Laura Chinchilla to communities in the Carrillo and Liberia cantons of Guanacaste, more than $288,000 of mortgage debt was forgiven for 60 low-income families. President Chinchilla had previously announced that Guanacaste was going to be her first stop in Costa Rica after the holiday ...

Source: Flickr CC After decades of languishing in relative obscurity, the province of Guanacaste has become one of the most important regions of Costa Rica. Until the late 20th century, it was known as the “forgotten province.” These days, however, Guanacaste is known for being home to Costa Rica's Gold Coast and for being a land of promise. Why is it called Guanacaste? This province is nam...

Barco del Amor Macrobiotic SodaAfter sitting empty in the maritime zone of Garza Beach for about five years, Barco del Amor reopened in December, this time as a macrobiotic store and soda. Rachel Fregosi, a French woman who has been a resident of Costa Rica for 18 years now, was selling macrobiotic products in the streets and wanted to find a permanent location for her business. She noticed th...

Even though the latest engineer report presented by the Playas de Nosara ASADA’s (Administrative Associations of Rural Water and Sanitation Systems) affirmed the water infrastructure level can last 20 years with maintenance, the ASADA finds itself with a new question: how can they continue providing water service if growth exceeds the yearly 5% used in the study? According to ASADA Vocal Olivie...

Screen grab from Our Name is Costa Rica Disillusionment by young voters in Costa Rica may shift the political tide in the coming presidential and legislative elections. The voter demographic from 18 to 29 years old has the power to sway who will be elected to lead Costa Rica at the Executive Branch level. Young voters can also decide the majority rule at the national Legislative Assembly; as e...

Source: soulshelpingsoles.org Going shoeless in Costa Rica used to be a childhood rite of passage in rural areas. Children would spend a lot of time barefoot, especially out in the country. By the time they joined the first grade of elementary school, they would also start wearing shoes. In Guanacaste, however, not all families are able to purchase shoes for their young children. Public sch...

Church in Belen de Nosarita, NicoyaThe community of Belen de Nosarita in the canton of Nicoya is in shock over the murder of Ingrid Hernandez Mayorga, age 38, by her romantic partner at around 5 a.m. on January 10th. The police are searching for the only suspect, last name Castro, about 40 years old, who witnesses say fled into the mountains, an area he knows well. The two were a couple alt...

Many expatriates who visit household kitchens in Costa Rica are often surprised by the number of items that Ticos do not refrigerate. Bunches of onions colorfully hang from rafters, tomatoes and avocados are stored in baskets, fruits are placed on plates or in bowls, green onions are grown in glasses of water, and eggs never seem to be refrigerated. Do these items need to go in the fridge as soon ...

During the new year, the fiestas season continues in Nosara from January 22 to 27, then in Nicoya from February 4 to 10, transmitting live on Channel 7 on February 8. Garza also plans to host fiestas in February, although the exact dates have yet to be defined. The Nosara Integral Development Association has scheduled a lineup of all the traditional activities, starting on Wednesday, January 22...

In the province of Guanacaste, the expatriate and seasonal population is growing faster than anywhere else in Costa Rica. Thousands of foreigners from the United States, Canada, Europe, and other regions of the world have chosen Guanacaste as their home away from home, and they are increasingly turning to social media to share their experiences and stay up-to-date on matters pertaining to their ne...

The demand for organically produced food has been growing in Samara and Nosara, as well as nationally and internationally. Weekly organic markets are now hosted, and both towns also have organic stores and restaurants that tout offering organic food options. As the demand for organic products grows, however, so have concerns about suppliers, with occasional accusations cropping up that some sel...

Triathletes in Costa Rica are cordially invited to register for the first date of the 2014 TRIA Cup, which this year will take place at some of the most beautiful beaches in the province of Guanacaste. There are two available categories for triathletes to register in: Sport and Olympic. Playa Carrillo will be the site of the first Tria Cup event in late January. The Sport (also known as “Sprint...

UPDATE: The purpose of publishing this article is to prove how misinformation online can cause problems, it's always best to consult with a lawyer in matters of immigration and residency. The content in this article below is not accurate, and should create conversation on the topic. The Costa Rica Star recently published an article about getting your permanent residency in Costa Rica to avoid the...

Hummus, kebab, falafel and other typical Middle Eastern foods have arrived in Samara, thanks to Israeli Elias Nassif and Italian David Rubini. In mid-December, Falafel Cafe opened its doors in the Natural Center, where Samara Organics was previously located. This small cafe offers fast food for those who are passing through or want something light. Orders can be for carryout or to dine in th...

Sign posted in Playa Garza announcing condo developmentFor years now, people in the maritime land zone of Costa Rica’s coasts have continued with their lives under the constant awareness that their time there could be limited, since Costa Rica’s constitutional court ruled that evictions must be carried out. The presidential moratorium granted to those in the maritime zone is in effect until Octob...

The Minister of Health, Daisy Corrales, has issued an order to temporarily close public pools that fail to fulfill the requirements established by the Regulation on Management of Public Pools (Executive Decree Nº 26671-S Reglamento Sobre Manejo de Piscinas Publicas) if changes aren’t made soon. In the canton of Nicoya, health authorities spent the last six months carrying out a general inspecti...

Vehicle received by the Samara Police from the Ministry of SecurityOn December 10, the Samara police received a 2008 Mazda pickup from the Ministry of Security to use in patrolling the district’s neighborhoods. The patrol unit has new tires, air conditioning and is in “optimal condition,” according to Samara Police Chief Jorge Luis Jimenez Gonzalez. The Public Force in San Jose recently receiv...

Recycling Center employees in Nosara Costa RicaBeginning in September of 2013, the Institute for Social Assistance (Instituto Mixto de Ayuda Social - IMAS) was giving 1 million colones ($2,000) every month to the Recycling Center in Nosara to provide a salary of 100,000 colones ($200) to all of its ten female employees. This subsidy was cut off completely in the month of December, and now the wom...

XTERRA World Tour arrives in GuanacasteCosta Rica is one of the latest additions to the XTERRA World Tour. The XTERRA off-road triathlon races, which got their start in the Hawaiian island of Maui in the mid-1990s, have seen great expansion around the world in recent years. It was only a matter of time before the XTERRA World Tour landed in Costa Rica, and it will do so in March 2014 at Playa Conc...

Catching a jump into the air while kiteboarding in Costa RicaThe high tourist season in Costa Rica coincides with Guanacaste's warmest and windiest months, which also happen to be the best time for kiteboarding (also known as kitesurfing). This adventuresome activity is quickly gaining interest among tourists and residents of Guanacaste, a province that has the best wind, beach and ocean conditio...

The 32nd edition of the annual Culture Week event is taking place now in Santa Cruz, province of Guanacaste. The event started on January 4th at the Carlos Rodriguez amphitheater, located in the Bernabela Ramos Park. This week-long celebration of local culture and tradition is believed to be the oldest continuous cultural event in Costa Rica. Culture Week in Santa Cruz is made possible by the C...

Canadian airlines West Jet offers service to LIR in GuanacasteShould there be a serious emergency at the Daniel Oduber Quiros International Airport (LIR) in Liberia, the province of Guanacaste would be ill-prepared to save lives. Such was the assessment recently made by journalist Carlos Eduardo Vargas of national newspaper La Nacion in Costa Rica. This theoretic evaluation was based on an estima...

Bar and restaurant administrator: Pedro Chavarria CamachoOn December 1, three hooded men held up Vista Verde Bar and Restaurant in Samara and got away with about 1.2 million colones ($2400) as well as seven liters of various types of liquor. Pedro Chavarria Camacho, the bar’s administrator, related that the bar was busy that night but the thieves must have hidden nearby, waiting for the place ...

Photo of Marco Campos in GuanacasteMarco Campos, age 49, has formed part of the communities of Nosara and Samara for the past 12 years, and his efforts to help these and other communities develop has not gone unnoticed. In December in San Jose, the Universal Peace Federation (UPF) recognized him for his work to benefit the province of Guanacaste and the country. UPF, founded in 2005, is a glo...

Three dates. Three fabulous beaches. Three communities. The third year of the Triple Crown of Surf Nosara promises triple benefits: entertainment, sport and philanthropy. Last year, all three dates of the triple crown were held at Guiones beach, but this year the tournaments are again scheduled for three very distinct locations, each with distinct challenges for the surfers. The Triple Crown...

Gamesa, Spanish engineering company, to bring wind energy production to GuanacasteGamesa, a Spanish engineering firm that specializes in wind turbine technology, will build a new wind farm in Guanacaste that could be generating electricity by 2015. With this latest announcement, Guanacaste is cementing its position as Costa Rica's leading region in terms of clean and renewable energy projects. ...

Enjoy online food delivery services in Liberia and Tamarindo GuanacasteOne of the keys to business success in Costa Rica is to offer home delivery of goods and services. This is known as “servicio express,” and it is very popular with food, beverages, medications, and groceries. Two new online food delivery services in Costa Rica are making it easier for people in Guanacaste to browse menus and o...

Families enjoying Playas del Coco Beach in Guanacaste Costa RicaA 24-year old man who had been missing after being dragged into the ocean by strong currents was found by divers in Playas del Coco hours later. This is the latest report of a fatal drowning in the beaches of Guanacaste, a region that is heavily visited by swimmers, surfers and vacationers from around the world, and it serves as a re...

Tourists posing for a photo at Cavernas el Venado La Fortuna is known for three major natural attractions and a variety of adrenalin packed adventures. It starts with the picture-perfect cone shaped Arenal Volcano, continues with a 26 mile-long sapphire blue lake that contrasts magically with the surrounding vibrant green hills, and finally the volcanic hot springs are found throughout the com...

An abundance of tourists caused a series of water outages in some areas of Nosara this past holiday season. Carl Wells, a member of the American Project’s ASADA in Nosara, reported that during the the December 24-31 festivities, at least two outages were reported due to excessive usage. According to Wells, the sections with highest consumption are K, J, H, I, which are areas with the majorit...

Playa Brasilito Two foreign visitors who came to Costa Rica to enjoy the beaches of Guanacaste abruptly ended their vacations with their unexpected demises. One tourist drowned in Playa Zapotal while the other was shot and killed in Playa Brasilito. These unfortunate losses took place right at the beginning of the high tourist season, a time when Guanacaste's seasonal population increases cons...