After several days of search, the body of the kayak guide, Pablo Rodríguez, was found five nautical miles from the place where he went missing in Manzanillo, Limón. A group of fishermen alerted about the presence of a body, National Coast Guard Service proceeded to recover the body which was in advanced state of decomposition but has the characteristics of the kayak guide, who was dragged by th...

The Fiscal Control Police is conducting a search this Tuesday morning in the main offices of the company Movistar, (Telefónica de Costa Rica) in Escazú as part of an investigation for fiscal fraud. Apparently the total amount under investigation is of over $2 million USD, the report was filed by Treasury authorities and caused the search of the offices of the company in Escazú, its subsidiary c...

The hydro-thermal activity at the Poas Volcano has maintained throughout the last month, and it presented an important eruption the afternoon of this Monday, January 7. These eruptions are considered as normal for this volcano, they occur as the lake dries out leaving behind mud and sediments which cause impulsive expulsions of gas. Poas Volcano National Park reopened its doors to the public...

The Ministry of Public Security acquired 50 police cars and 102 motorcycles to reinforce the work done by the Public Police Force in the entire country. The new vehicles were presented in an activity at the Children’s Museum with the participation of President Carlos Alvarado, the Minister and Vice-Minister of Security Michael Soto and Eduardo Solano, the director of the Public Police Force Dan...

Costa Rica is the perfect place to escape from the cold Canadian winter, if you have not booked your flight yet and were waiting for a good price to do so, this is the right time, you can find deals for as little as $239.99 USD ($318.80 CAD). The flights, leaving from Toronto and arriving at Liberia, Guanacaste are operated by United Airlines with a short stop in Houston and there are also some...

After two days of searching for the kayak guide that was dragged by the current in Manzanillo, Limon on Friday afternoon, the rescue teams of the Costa Rican Red Cross, members of the search and rescue team of the Fire Department, Public Police Force, and air surveillance, had no positive results. The search covered the area between the rivermouth of the Sixaola River in Gandoca, Sixaola all th...

The Government of Costa Rica joined the Governments of Argentina, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Guatemala, Guyana, Honduras, Panama, Paraguay, Peru and St. Lucia in not recognizing the start of a new government of Nicolas Maduro in Venezuela for the 2019-2025 period. The countries, part of what is known as "Grupo de Lima", consider that the electoral process that took place in Venezuela in M...

Costa Rica is known for its many beautiful beaches both in the Pacific and Atlantic coasts, however, contamination is always a concern. One of the programs that have been implemented in the country to inform tourists of beaches that are safe to swim in is the Ecological Blue Flag program, which gives beaches 3 to 5 stars to certify their commitment with sustainable development and depending on ho...

InterNations, the network for expats with local communities worldwide, carried out its annual survey at the end of 2018 to come up with the list of  the "Top 10 Most Welcoming Countries in the world". This is the fifth edition of the survey and included a total of 18,135 expats across the globe. Portugal took the first spot as the country with the friendliest attitude towards foreign residen...

The next lunar eclipse will be taking place January 20-21 and will be visible from North and South America, Europe and Africa. Costa Rica is no exception and will be witnessing this phenomenon. “Lunar eclipses occur when Earth's shadow blocks the sun's light, which otherwise reflects off the moon”, explains the specialized website Space.com. In other words, the full moon happens to be in the s...

Contrary to speculations in the press that raised from his limited participation in the main lineup of Real Madrid since Zidane’s exit as a trainer and the arrival of Thibaut Courtois, Costa Rican goalkeeper Keylor Navas renewed his contract with “Los Blancos” for another season. The contract ties Navas to Real Madrid through June 2021. Since the arrival of Santiago Solari as a head coach th...

Members of the Costa Rican Red Cross, the National Coast Guard Service and Public Force Police continued the search  throughout Saturday for the kayak guide that was dragged by the current Friday in Manzanillo, Limón, however, there were no positive results. The strong swell complicated the search. The missing man has been identified as 32 year old Pablo Rodríguez Rojas. He was in the compan...

Costa Rica signed an agreement with the conservationist organization Misión Tiburón (Mission Shark) this 2018 with the objective of consolidating and strengthening the sanctuary of hammerhead shark in the Golfo Dulce in waters of the Pacific. The Ministry of Environment and Energy stated that this type of synergies allow the use of tools and resources that speed up the control and surveillance ...

A Costa Rican kayak guide is missing after he was dragged along with two tourists in Manzanillo, Limón. The two tourists, a woman native of England and an Austrian man, were dragged close to 1.5 miles from the coast by a big wave. They managed to stay afloat and a group of locals spotted them and helped them out of the water with the use of a small boat. The kayak guide however was not found...

“We want people to feel safe, that they can go out of their homes and enjoy without fear and danger”, commented President of Costa Rica, Carlos Alvarado. The President along with the Minister of Public Security talked about the operations they have been carrying out, among them, 21 police visits during the Christmas time in the most conflict neighborhoods of the country. According to Soto, b...

Officers of the Costa Rican Border Police detained a man this Friday, January 4 in the area of Puerto Jiménez, Golfito, Puntarenas, during a routine operation carried out in the area. Authorities approached the man of last name Mohns and realized he had an irregular migratory condition. As they coordinated actions with the United States authorities, they realized that the man had two pending a...

On Thursday, January 3, a bank security guard heroically intervened and prevented a robbery in Coronado, San José, Costa Rica; he managed to shoot and kill three men on his own. The guard saw the moment one of the men attacked a woman who had just gotten out of a car and was walking towards the bank to make a deposit. Judiciary Investigative Police (OIJ) confirmed that the men had targeted t...

Britt Coffee continues to grow in and out of Costa Rica, this time with the Britt Café & Bakery division that already has six locations in the country and expects to open at least three more in 2019. “We have plans for 2019 to open three more coffee shops in the Great Metropolitan Area (GAM). For the second semester of 2019 we expect to have the first opening of an international franchise”, sai...

A plane crash, several tourist murders, robberies and a rafting accident, are just part of the tragic events involving tourists that stained Costa Rica’s reputation as a safe tourism destination last year and that forced authorities in the country to evaluate security and procedures to protect visitors. After all, tourism is the country’s main economic activity. Gianfranco Pescosolido, an Itali...

Palmares in Alajuela, prepares like every year for its traditional festivities, two whole weeks of music, parades, dancing, sporting events and plenty of other entertainment. Palmares “a town to make friends”, offers activities for the entire family, if you have been part of the end of the year events in Costa Rica, this is just a continuation of these. The activities this year kick off on ...

A security guard of a shopping center in Coronado, San José, Costa Rica shot and killed three men as they attempted to rob a couple that was going to make a bank deposit. According to the Ministry of Public Security the suspects arrived on a motorcycle to the Paseo Nuevo shopping center in Vásquez de Coronado, their target was a couple that was carrying cash to make a deposit at the BAC bank br...

A thirteen year old girl of US nationality died tragically after being struck by a falling tree branch at La Paz Waterfall Gardens in Varablanca, Heredia. The young girl, was transferred in grave condition by air ambulance to the Mexico Hospital in San José, however, she passed away hours later as a result of the head injury she presented. Apparently, the accident occurred when a tree fell a...

International Living published their 2019 Global Retirement Index, which scores the world´s top 25 retirement destinations across 13 categories, including, including cost of living, governance, retiree benefits, climate and healthcare, among many other aspects that are important for those looking for a place to retire. ¨This yearly Index examines safe, good-value destinations beyond the U.S. or...

According to data by the Costa Rican Red Cross, the number of violent deaths increased by 68 this year, closing with 1,428 total deaths for 2018. Violent deaths include traffic accidents, water accidents, fires etc. In total, the Red Cross handled 382,000 emergencies in 2018, averaging 1,046 a day. Water accidents took the lives of 149 people this year, 33 more than in 2017. When it comes to...

Over the years Costa Rica has become one of the main expat havens in Latin America, the country possesses specific characteristics that make it attractive for foreigners who are looking for a peaceful place to live where they can enjoy the tropical weather and the benefits of living surrounded by raw nature while at the same time enjoying a comfortable life with access to modern-day amenities. ...

The third edition of the Ocaso Underground Music Festival will take on the beach town of Tamarindo as of this Wednesday, January 2, 2019 and will extend through January 7, to start off the New Year with plenty of rhythm. Ocaso brings together an impressive lineup of house and techno artists, an electric music festival with international and national talent for adults 18 and up. “Ocaso has qu...

An operation carried out by Costa Rican authorities of the Ministry of Public Security during the last day of 2018 managed a  substantial 990 kilograms Seizure of cocaine. Authorities received the alert of a suspicious vessel in the South Pacific of Costa Rica, southwest of the Panama boarder. The Costa Rican Coast Guard Service with the assistance of the United States Coast Guard Service, air ...

On January 1st 2019, The Municipal Band of Acosta participated in the 130th edition of the Rose Parade in Pasadena, California, representing Costa Rica and Latin America since it was the only music band in this region that took part in the event. With a combination of traditional Costa Rican music and dance the band represented the country and received the cheers of the audience. “This is a ...

For the first time since 2012, Costa Rica managed to close the 2018 year with a decrease on the number of homicides. Data provided by the Judiciary Investigative Police (OIJ) this Monday, showed the total number of victims of homicide this 2018 reached 585 which is 18 less than in 2017 when the number was 603. This new number brings the homicide rate from 12.1 for every 100 thousand inhabit...

Travel Weekly online magazine, announced the winners of its 16th annual Readers Choice Awards; the awards are presented in 78 different categories ranging from hotels to tours, cruise lines and much more. Costa Rica took the first place as the best travel destination in Central and South America. This year's winners were announced at the Readers Choice Awards Gala at the Conrad New York o...

Cayuga Collection Hotel Chain recently opened another of its sustainable luxury boutique hotels in Costa Rica, Senda Monteverde. Senda joines the other 7 properties owned by Cayuga Collection in Costa Rica, Kura Design Villas in Bahia Ballena; Arenas del Mar in Manuel Antonio; Finca Rosa Blanca in Santa Barbara, Heredia; Lapa Rios in Osa Peninsula; Latitud 10 in Santa Teresa, Puntarenas; ...

The thirteenth edition of the highly expected X-Knights competition will take place in Costa Rica, March 9, 2019 , tickets are already available for purchase. The X-Knights competition is the most important freestyle event in the region, gathering renown international figures of this sport, and once again the venue is the National Stadium in La Sabana. “The best jumps, adrenaline, and t...

So far in 2018 authorities of the Ministry of Public Security have carried out forceful actions to battle drug trafficking in Costa Rica and managed to achieve a record number of cocaine seized along with the breaking down of drug dealing routes and organizations. "Thanks to the investigative and intelligence work of the Drug Control Police, from January 1, 2006 through December 27, 2018 a tota...

Are you in Costa Rica and still no plans for New Year’s Eve? Like we do every year here at The Costa Rica Star, were here to give you some options so that you start out the new year on the right foot. 2019 New Year’s Party: Cities of the World: The Wyndham San José Hotel has made it a tradition, every year they throw one of the best parties to celebrate the beginning of a new year. This time th...

The Permanent Representative of Costa Rica to the OAS, ambassador Montserrat Solano who is currently functioning as President of the Permanent Council (through Dec. 31), confirmed today that she received the request of the Secretary General, Luis Almagro, to apply the Inter-American Democratic Charter in Nicaragua’s Case. “We received the request from the Secretary General, and as it correspon...

FlightNetwork put together a list of the World’s Best Beaches for 2018 with the help of over 1200 journalists, editors, bloggers and agencies around the world who specialize in travel. Among the top 50 best beaches in the world, Manuel Antonio Beach in Quepos, Puntarenas takes position 29, while three other beaches make the Central America and Caribbean top 50 beaches, these are: Conchal in Gua...

One year ago Nature Air was the second biggest operator of domestic flights in Costa Rica, but the tragic accident that took place December 31st, 2017 where 10 American tourists and the Costa Rican pilot and copilot died, caused the suspension of the airline and later it's closure. According to data by the General Direction of Civil Aviation, as a result of the accident, the number of tourists ...

Canadian airline Sunwing, began operations between the Vancounver International Airport and the Daniel Oduber Airport in Liberia, Guanacaste, this is the third new flight of the high season that arrives to the city of Liberia, with a weekly frequency. Sunwing Airlines plans to continue offering these direct flights every Sunday through March 31, 2019, all throughout the high season in Costa Ric...

Costa Rica deplored the growing repression in Nicaragua and reminded the Government of its obligation to “respect human rights of all people as well as the undeniable need to reopen dialogue”. The situation in Nicaragua was the topic of discussion when the Permanent Council of the Organization of American States held a special meeting on Thursday, December 27, in Simón Bolívar Hall at OAS head...

The end of the year activities in San José, concluded with unfortunate violent events. In the case of the traditional horse parade “tope”, a participant created the problem when he began beating on police officers with a whip. Apparently the man, of last names Pizarro Espinoza, was drunk and had been creating some problems during the activity, when he was left behind by the parade he was approa...