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...

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...

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...

Jaco Beach resident and super kayaker Lance Clinton leaves New Year’s Day for Panama as one of 12 finalists selected worldwide to compete in the annual “winner-take-all” Los Buzos Panama Kayak Fishing World Championship 2019. Clinton, 49, a former stock broker from Seattle, was chosen by the event’s organizers as Costa Rica’s top kayak fisherman. He turned professional four years ago and is spo...

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; ...

Harper College Associate Biology Professor Craig Stettner died on Christmas day while on a family vacation in Costa Rica. Stettner had arrived in Costa Rica a few days before he was to lead a Study-Abroad Course for Harper students from January 3-13, doing field research in the Costa Rican Rainforest. Stettner had conducted this very popular course for Harper College in Palatine, Illinois, for the...

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...

2018 Will close in Costa Rica with a record amount of cocaine seized, over 26 tons so far this year. The surveillance operations of the National Coast Guard Service resulted in the interception of a vessel 81 kilometers from Quepos, Puntarenas, carrying over 500 kilograms of cocaine. Authorities received an anonymous tip and immediately took action with the assistance of the US Coast Guard Serv...

A U.S. tourist who was aboard the sailboat Panache in front of Danta beach in Flamingo, Santa Cruz, Guanacaste, received assistance from the Costa Rican National Coast Guard Service which answered an emergency call from the captain of the boat indicating that the tourist was suffering from a strong chest ache. The man, identified as Chandu Chandhari, 77 years old, was transferred to the Coast G...

The Permanent Council of the Organization of American States will hold a special meeting on Thursday, December 27, at 10:00 EST (15:00 GMT) in Simón Bolívar Hall at OAS headquarters in Washington, DC to consider the situation in Nicaragua. ¨Our country will preside over the meeting of the OAS through its Permanent Representative, Ambassador, Montserrat Solano Carboni, and will raise its voice t...

Costa Rican authorities found an important amount of cocaine abandoned close to a boat that ran aground in the area of Playa Bejuco in Parrita, Puntarenas which only had aboard some containers with fuel. An alert was received by the Public Police Force in Parrita, informing of the abandoned boat and that apparently it was transporting drugs; officers of the National Coast Guard Service and the ...

An operation carried out in the area of Crucitas in Cutris, San Carlos, (North Zone) by different police bodies such as the Border Police and Migration Police, among others, concluded with the arrest of a group of 7 people. Four of the seven people detained were transferred to the Public Ministry under charges of illegal gold mining. At the site of the arrest, officers found several tools used ...

The last few days of 2018 are here and Costa Rica begins the celebration with the famous horse parade “tope” this Wednesday, December 26. The tope takes the streets of downtown San José, so if you use the bus service take this into consideration as the bus stops change this day, and, if you don’t want to get stuck in traffic or rerouted avoid going to San José. The tope begins at noon, but the ...

Students of the University of Costa Rica (UCR) created a natural sunblock that protects marine life, contrary to regular or commercial sunblock that cause whitening of the corals which causes their death and the alteration of the marine ecosystem. Five Pharmacy students, Mariana González, Mauricio Villegas, Catalina Ayón, Kimberly Barrantes and Andrés Solano, came up with a sunblock created ...

Volcanoes in Costa Rica have certainly made headlines this year, the National University's Volcanology and Seismology Research Institute (OVSICORI) offered its annual report on the country’s volcanic activity. “Turrialba Volcano has maintained an open system activity, generating passive emissions of ash as a result of the slow but almost constant raise of a small volume of magma. Out of the 336...

Since December 2014, a fissure on the Northern side of the Irazu Volcano started to buckle the land where 84 telecommunication towers for television, radio and private communication are set. Since 2015 the National University's Volcanology and Seismology Research Institute (OVSICORI) has been monitoring the situation and carrying out measurements of the sector through the use of GPS. “Between A...

The crew of a Royal Caribbean Cruise rescued two Costa Rican castaways in waters of the Caribbean. The Royal Caribbean cruise ship Empress of the Seas, found the two fishermen between Grand Cayman and Jamaica, they had apparently been adrift since December 1st. Chief Meteorologist for Royal Caribbean International, James Van Fleet shared some of the details and photos of this event. He expla...

In order to prevent shortage of blood during this end of the year, the Social Security Service in Costa Rica (CCSS) calls on donors to approach the Blood Bank in Zapote. According to their estimations, they need at least 423 donors to handle the demand. The Blood Bank will be operating normally December 26, 27 and 28 from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. One donor can save as many as 4 lives; so far this y...