Volcano Arenal Has Become One of the Most Popular Destinations in Costa Rica. On July 29, 1968, Costa Rica's Arenal volcano, which had been extinct for as long as anyone could remember, surprised the world with a powerful eruption. The volcano had been quiet for over 400 years. Locals even called it Cerro Arenal, or Arenal [...]

Filed under: Costa Rica News on July 30th, 2008 | No Comments »

A Group of Over 20,000 Came Out to Protest Gay Marriage in Costa Rica. Costa Rica is known for being gay-friendly, offering gay-only resorts and tourism locales, gay-friendly restaurants and bars, gay clubs, and many other gay-friendly options. However, it seems that homosexual rights end where the money stops: a recently proposed law to allow gay [...]

Filed under: Costa Rica News on July 29th, 2008 | 3 Comments »

The Untouched Shores of Osa are a Developer's Dream. Costa Rica's Osa Peninsula is one of the country's last frontiers, offering up untouched territories, dense rain forest, and incredible scenery. The peninsula is also one of the fastest growing areas in the country, attracting tourists and new residents in droves. Development woes weigh heavily on the [...]

Filed under: Costa Rica News on July 22nd, 2008 | 1 Comment »

Massage Parlors in San Jose are Often a Front for Venues Offering Clandestine Services. Costa Rica sex tourism has been a headline of interest for many years, capturing the attention of those opposed to the practice, as well as those interested in becoming a client. Interested parties, though often thought to be only wild tourists, are [...]

Filed under: Costa Rica News on July 21st, 2008 | 1 Comment »

New Driving Restrictions are Changing the Face of Costa Rica Travel. San José's vehicular restriction has gotten cars off the roads and, hopefully, helped reduce the country's monthly fossil fuel bill. Despite these positive aspects, there are many josefinos inconvenienced and uncomfortable with the new arrangements, especially those who feel unsafe on the city's buses, as [...]

Filed under: Costa Rica News on July 18th, 2008 | No Comments »

Venezuelan President Chavez Speaks at a Previous Petrocaribe Summit Meeting. Costa Rica hopes to be able to adhere to Petrocaribe, an initiative designed by Hugo Chavez, the controversial President of Venezuela, which means buying fuel at a more advantageous cost. This agreement could save the country up to 60% of its oil bill, for a period [...]

Filed under: Costa Rica News on July 16th, 2008 | No Comments »

Gas and Bus Prices Up Again for Costa Rican Commuters. Both drivers and bus riders are feeling the pinch of high gasoline prices, as pump receipts and bus fares continue to increase. Today and in the coming weeks, belts will be tightened even more, as the Costa Rica government approves even higher hikes in gasoline and [...]

Filed under: Costa Rica News on July 15th, 2008 | No Comments »

Costa Rica and Panama to Invest in Joint Marketing to Europe. Though Panama and Costa Rica are rivals for American tourists, the two countries have decided to join efforts in attracting European tourism. Carlos Ricardo Benavides, Costa Rican Minister of Tourism, and his Panamanian equal, the world-famous singer and Panama Minister of Tourism, Rúben Blades, met [...]

Filed under: Costa Rica News on July 15th, 2008 | No Comments »

Unused Trains Sit at Old Railway Stations in Costa Rica. In the midst of global fuel and energy pressures, Costa Rica has researched several ways to alleviate the country's dependence on outside fuel sources. Though experts are researching energy from marine algae, trash-to-plasma conversion, wind power, and many other ideas, there is one energy-saving tactic that [...]

Filed under: Costa Rica News on July 14th, 2008 | No Comments »

Styrofoam Take Out Containers May Soon be Replaced by Biodegradable Ones. When going green, every little step is worth a lot, as Costa Rica knows. In the country's latest effort, new biodegradable containers, made from African palm, will travel to Costa Rica from the Asian country of Malaysia, and will hopefully replace many of their harmful [...]

Filed under: Costa Rica News on July 11th, 2008 | No Comments »