The master penthouse suite at Hotel Chantel, in Playas del Coco, GuanacasteHotel Chantel, the premier ocean-view boutique hotel located in one of the prettiest beaches of Guanacaste, recently announced a promotion for couples who want to spend a special Valentine's Day weekend in Costa Rica. Guests who book a room during this Valentine's weekend for 2 nights will receive the 3rd night for free. ...

Guanacaste Community FundWhile the Costa Rica-USA Foundation (CRUSA) has been funding national environmental and educational projects for 18 years, its newest initiative, the Guanacaste Community Fund, will focus exclusively on Guanacaste-based societal improvements. The Fund’s executive director, Steve Mack, appointed by CRUSA’s Governing Board of Directors in August, said he has already dis...

Painting by Willy Flores Starting in late January, the lovable city of San Jose will welcome more dogs than usual. These dogs, however, are not part of the million stray and community dogs that roam Costa Rica; these canines are an important part of the body of work of Willy Flores, and they are currently on display at the Sophia Wanamaker art gallery of the Centro Cultural in San Pedro. Mr...

In the past the Costa Rica Star has published about organic coffee and coffee cupping tours in Costa Rica. The U.S. coffee chain, Starbucks, continues its expansion in Costa Rica with a fourth store location opening in March. The new store will be Plaza Freses, in Curridabat, on the east side of San José. No opening date has been set as of yet, though the company is already hiring staff and ...

Expotur Costa Rica Travel Mart 2014 The 29th edition of Expotur will take place from May 14th to May 16th, 2014. This event, which is organized by the Costa Rican Association of Tourism Professionals (Spanish acronym: ACOPROT), will bring together more than 300 tourism and hospitality businesses from across the country and the region for three days of industry insight and networking at the Wyn...

If this doesn’t make all of you avid saltwater anglers scurry to get on the next plane to Costa Rica, we don’t know what will! Los Sueños Marina, reputedly the finest marina on the Pacific coast south of the US border (Cabo San Lucas in Mexico and Viña del Mar in Chile might beg to differ, but who cares), is hosting the First Annual Los Sueños Signature Triple Crown tournament. There are three ...

Reception area of the Hotel Tamarindo Diria in Guanacaste, Costa Rica The Guanacaste province is the leading region in Costa Rica in terms of clean energy projects. That leadership is being sustained thanks to both public utility projects and private business initiatives. In Santa Cruz, the elegant Tamarindo Diria Hotel recently announced its completion of a water heating project entirely powe...

Training for the EXPHORE barista challenge The 2014 Expo Hoteles y Restaurantes (EXPHORE) is scheduled to take place at the Pedregal Events Center in San Antonio de Belen, province of Heredia, from Tuesday, May 6th to Thursday, May 8th. EXPHORE is the most prominent trade show for the hospitality and gastronomy industry sectors in Costa Rica, and this year it will feature special competitions ...

Street view of the Paradizio condo development in Playas del Coco, Guanacaste, Costa Rica For sales and general inquiries about Paradizio Condos please visit the official website: www.ParadizioCostaRica.com Condominium developers in Costa Rica are rushing to meet the growing demand for a luxurious exurban lifestyle filled with amenities and convenience. Such are the intentions of Oxbow Commu...

Construction workers on the build site of Croc's Casino Resort in Jaco Beach Jaco, Costa Rica – Croc's Casino Resort, the first Las Vegas-style luxury hotel, condominium and casino undergoing development in Costa Rica, recently took account of its immediate and potential future benefits to the local community of Jaco in the canton of Garabito and beyond. To this effect, developer Rory Hascall...

Carlos Ceciliano Lugo, Food and Beverage Manager for Croc's Casino Resort in Jaco Beach Costa RicaAccording to the great Irish playwright George Bernard Shaw, there is no love sincerer than the love of food. In Costa Rica, food is a fresh, yet mostly utilitarian experience. This is something that Carlos Ceciliano, the new Food and Beverage Manager at Croc’s Casino Resort in Jaco Beach, is sworn t...

Pez Vela Marina in Quepos Costa Rica The Costa Rica Star recently reported on the legacy of superb sportfishing captains in Costa Rica. Anyone who has visited Quepos before 2008 would agree that the town was considered the dirty armpit of Manuel Antonio–we all have them and we all need them, but certainly don’t flaunt them. Go to Quepos to do your shopping and banking, and then get out–espe...

Volunteers from The Monkey Farm: Daniel Blanco Jaime, Bonnie Gwathmey, Vicki Conley, Uyku Tulumu and Tomi-Pekka Astikainen The Monkey Farm in Playa Ocotal, just five minutes from Playas del Coco, is having an Open House Sunday, January 5th from noon until 5:00. The Monkey Farm is a non-profit organic, sustainable farm and future wildlife rescue center, run entirely by volunteers from all over...

December 29, 2013 Jaco, Costa Rica -- Slightly Stoopid, the Ocean Beach/San Diego, CA group led by multi-instrumentalists and founding members, Miles Doughty and Kyle McDonald, will headline Jungle Jam IV January 16-19, 2014 in Jaco, Costa Rica. Slightly Stoopid will be joined by special guest Don Carlos of Black Uhuru. Featuring four days of continuous music, this year’s party in the jungle...

Photo of the Marlin del Rey catamaran in Playas del Coco Guanacaste Costa RicaThe high tourist season is just starting to warm up in Costa Rica, and Marlin del Rey Catamaran Sailing tours on the Gold Coast is already feeling the heat. As one of the leading day-cruise providers in Guanacaste, Marlin del Rey operates three majestic sailing ships: The eponymous Marlin del Rey in Tamarindo, the New M...

Source: Overseas Radio Network This Week in Costa Rica, a podcast/radio program produced 52 times a year by a Canadian expatriate, is looking forward to bringing more reliable, useful and entertaining information to listeners in 2014. This radio program, which is also available as a podcast, is currently an exclusive feature of the Overseas Radio Network, the online radio station created by ex...

Update: Portions of this article have been removed on behalf of a party involved, due to being inaccurate. The remainder of the article will stay intact as the original. Witnessing a monkey electrocuted by un-insulated power lines or transformers is a very disturbing, yet an all too common sight in Playa del Coco and surrounding beach communities. As many well know, the Coco area is a natural ...

Artist rendering of a master bathroom in the Croc's Casino Resort condominium development in Jaco beach Costa RicaOver the last few months, Jaco Beach has become Costa Rica's busiest real estate market, and there is a very strong demand for condos. For the most part, supply is adequate thanks to a few development projects, but buyers are looking for more than just condos for sale in Jaco Beach...

Happy clients at Sunset Surf Camp in DominicalWhat happens when a sustainability-oriented surf camp and an NGO whose goal is to “build, support, and activate an alliance of businesses financially committed to creating a healthy planet” join forces? Boom! Sunset Surf Camp and One Percent For The Planet have come together and agreed on promoting some of today’s most vital values: living a healt...

BBQ with friends and family on the rooftop patio lounge at Hotel ChantelSundays are now the best days to enjoy the Gold Coast of Costa Rica. At Hotel Chantel in Playas del Coco, every Sunday is Funday, which means that visitors get to take a dip, relax by the pool and spend the afternoon enjoying a BBQ in the company of friends and family while delighting in the best beach view in Guanacaste. ...

Mari Brenes exploring Guanacaste at Arenal Volcano Contact Mari Brenes at Palm Real Estate by calling (506) 8352-9923 or send an email to [email protected], her team is available to answer all of your questions about buying or renting condos in Guanacaste Costa Rica. North American and European house hunters who are setting their sights on the United States housing market are findin...

As tourism continues to grow in Costa Rica, more than ever, travelers are seeking to combine elements of adventure, culture, and active engagement for a meaningful adventure that goes beyond a typical vacation. Chill Expeditions, an Eco-tour company with nearly 20 years of experience operating in Costa Rica, seeks to connect visitors with engaging, meaningful experiences that leave them with an-in...

Jaco Beach, Costa Rica. December 3, 2013 – The first-ever resort lifestyle residential project to bring the standards of quality in Las Vegas to Costa Rica is only a year away from completion. A newly-released video report on the progress of Croc's Casino Resort in Jaco Beach features developer Rory Hascall explaining his vision in detail, and it also brings to mind the new opening date: Decem...

Now in its fourth year, the magic and wonder of previous incarnations of Envision Festival have driven anticipation for the transformational excursion on the beaches and in the jungles of Costa Rica each February. With a new location and a much higher profile for the annual blending of conscious music, visionary art, and spiritual enlightenment, this year's lineup has been the subject of much ...

The south Caribbean Coast of Costa Rica somehow seems almost greener, more lush and a more “tropical rainforest experience” than its highly-popular sunny cousin, the Pacific Coast. Maybe it is the abundant rain, brought in by the trade winds, which keeps the jungle thick and vibrant right to the shoreline. Maybe it is the bright aqua, crystal-clear Caribbean Sea that sparkles like a precious je...

There is no better way to relax – especially recently arrived on vacation – than with a massage. It really is amazing what 60 or 90 minutes of a professional therapist making your muscles and body unwind will do to produce feelings of bliss and well-being. Massage therapy benefits you by relaxing tight muscles, increasing circulation, releasing toxins, easing stress, and benefiting your whole b...

You don’t have to be a sportfishing fanatic to get genuine pleasure from a day or two of fishing. Many of the men and women who contact Americana Sportfishing to enjoy Costa Rica’s world-class saltwater sportfishing are first- and second-time anglers who want to combine a long-awaited vacation in a tropical paradise with a day or two out on the ocean, seeking more excitement and involvement than s...

Four Seasons Resort Costa Rica at Peninsula Papagayo in GuanacasteGuanacaste, Costa Rica. November 25, 2013 – At the International Association of Golf Tourism Operators (IAGTO) Awards ceremony for 2014, Costa Rica was distinguished as Golf Destination of the Year – Latin America & the Caribbean. Daniel Kung, president of ARA Tours, a special tourism operator in Costa Rica that focuses on g...

NAMU Travel Group San Jose, Costa Rica. November 25, 2013 – The top two online tourism and travel operators in Costa Rica are welcoming the high tourist season and expanding their operations accordingly. These two enterprises, The NAMU Travel Group and AnywhereCostaRica.com, have grown tremendously over the last few years and are ready to embrace the burgeoning recovery of the global tourism i...

Source: Witch's Rock Surf Camp Guanacaste, Costa Rica. November 25, 2013 – An instructor from the prestigious Witch's Rock Surf Camp in Playa Tamarindo is the first professional surfer to win a tournament in the brand-new Guanacaste Surfing Circuit. As proudly reported by Witch's Rock Surf Camp, Isaac Vega shone during the final heats of Day 2 under clear skies and less than moderate swells. ...

Steven Farrell, owner/general manager of Finca Luna Nueva Lodge in San Isidro de Peñas Blancas, and a member of the Slow Food Convivium of San Jose, Costa Rica will celebrate and host the third “Slow Food in the Rainforest” Terra Madre Day luncheon on December 8, 2013. The festivities will begin at 10:30 a.m. in Casa Luna where the participants can enjoy coffee, tea, juice, or chocolate tea (...

Thatched-roof pavilions in jungle gardens, hidden courtyards reflecting pools and temple carvings, covered open-air walkways, wide verandas and smooth wooden decks, living spaces that invite the landscape inside … these are all elements of the world-wide architectural phenomenon known as “Bali Style.” The mere mention of Bali evokes thoughts of tropical paradise. Bali is more than a small Indon...

Best Fest is a 3 day (February 7th - 9th, 2014) grassroots music festival nestled between pristine jungle and one of the most beautiful beaches in Costa Rica, Playa Ballena. The organizers routinely say that their location is one of the headliners of the festival and for good reason. The epic venue is located on a 2000 acre farm, just south of Uvita, and is a one of a kind environment where w...

La Gran Vista, located just outside San Isidro de General in South Pacific Costa Rica, is an Environmental Conservation Project where students, volunteers, and visitors can learn how a tropical organic farm functions. We are an Educational Institute where individuals can learn how to milk a cow, harvest a mango tree, or use medicinal herbs. La Gran Vista gives everyone an opportunity to learn ab...

Playa Hermosa, Guanacaste - Come Join us this Saturday, November 16 at 10:30 AM to celebrate the raising of The Ecological Blue Flag on Playa Hermosa and to enjoy lunch and dancing during our Zumba Beach Party! Meet us on the Beach, right in the middle between the two beach entrances. You will hear the music and smell the food, so you can’t miss it. Everyone is invited. After we raise the flag...

Nine British companies will take part in the VI Summit of the American Police Summit (Ameripol), scheduled to take place in San José, Costa Rica, from November 11-13, at the Hotel Real Intercontinental. On November 12 and 13, British companies will have the opportunity to exhibit their vast range of security-related products and services at the venue. Organised by the UK Trade and Investment (U...

Costa Rican artist Juan Carlos ValverdeShowing an interest in arts as a child, Costa Rican artist Juan Carlos Valverde spent many of his childhood afternoons canvassing red-dirt roads for materials like clay and Poró wood to create all types of figures and shapes, spending days crafting small cars and other toys. In his early adult life he came to realize that studying visual arts was his drivin...

Related news: Bill Gates buys 6% stake in FCC through his investment funds. Madrid/London, November 6th, 2013 - FCC, the Citizens Services Group, has been chosen to reform the Juan Santamaria International Airport in Alajuela, 18 kilometers from San José (Costa Rica). FCC will construct a hangar at the country's main aeronautical facility worth 25 million euros, with a completion period of eigh...

Turn left at the White Anchor heading into Playas del Coco, follow Peacock signs up to Hotel Chantel Guanacaste, Costa Rica – October 28th, 2013 – Hotel Chantel, an ocean-view boutique hotel located in the relaxing beach community of Playas del Coco in Costa Rica, is proud of its acquisition by a new owner and a fresh management team. From November 1st to November 15th, lucky guests at Hotel Ch...

Upon entering the hotel, the first thing one feels is peace and harmony with nature. We are welcomed right away by Marvin Seas, the hotel’s concierge, who cordially shows us the facilities and accompanies us during the tour. In Hotel Punta Islita, no detail is left to chance. Located in the Peninsula of Nicoya, in the community of Islita, this five-star hotel is the first hotel in Central Ameri...