The “Marcharmo” is the annual minimum liability insurance you are required to pay for all vehicles, motorcycles, or ATVs in Costa Rica. You can pay the Marcharmo from November 1st to December 31st each year and the value is based on the make, model, and year of your vehicle. The Marcharmo is not cheap and for a 2008 SUV I will pay around $800 this year, ouch! Even an older car, motorcycle, or ATV...
Raising a Family in Costa Rica
Living a more sustainable existence is a growing movement around the world; especially in modern times with so much wasteful pre-packaged goods and food products. A self-sustainable lifestyle in Costa Rica is not the answer for all, but a select bunch will find their own piece of paradise and be able to virtually live off the land. Joshua Kanter of United Country - Properties in Dominical discusses...
This past weekend in Silencio, a small local town where my in-laws live, it was a beautiful clear sunny morning on Saturday so we decided to take the kids to splash around in the river. There happened to be an excavator digging a trench to re-direct the river because it was beginning to erode one of the banks near the road. We went for a swim with the kids and watched as the huge machine did its...
Ever dream of becoming a farmer or rancher, but could not give up the amenities of a luxury home and being close to a city. Well, now it is possible live this dream in a 6,000 square foot mansion on a 30 acre horse farm within 45 minutes to the city of San Isidro, Costa Rica. Located in a rural area surrounded by coffee farms and cattle ranches this property offers private tranquility with tons of...
The La Paz Waterfall Gardens is one of the most visited parks in Costa Rica and located less than one hour from San Jose. This is a great day trip from any hotel in San Jose with a beautiful drive through coffee farms and rolling pastures of grazing dairy cows. You can also go on nearby coffee tours or visit Poas Volcano, but in order to do everything it would be best to stay at the Peace Lodge Hotel...
The Costa Rica Independence Day is celebrated on September 15th every year with parades, flags everywhere, and activities in all the schools around the country. On September 15th, 1821 the Central American countries were given independence from Spain and this day is celebrated throughout the region. The most popular celebration that everyone looks forward to is the “faroles” or homemade torches...
Learning a new language is very challenging and overwhelming at times, but if you can speak some of the local language it will help you transition to a new culture more smoothly. This is true around the World and Costa Rica is no exception. Although many locals speak some English and I know many foreigners that have gotten by for years without any Spanish skills; I still feel learning some of the...
On September 9th Costa Rica will celebrate “Dia del Nino” or Children’s Day. This is a day to celebrate children around the World. It was created by the U.N. in 1954 in order to bring attention to children’s rights and healthy child development around the globe. The official day of celebration in October 20th, but countries celebrate on various dates that are convenient for them. Today, the...
Costa Rica has been a favorite destination for tourists, retirees, and second home owners for many years. It is perfectly safe to travel and live full time in this country. Of course you have to use caution in certain areas of the San Jose due to crime concerns and use common sense to avoid petty theft when travelling with cash, passports, and electronics throughout the country. In tourism areas...
Buying real estate in Costa Rica carries similar risk as anywhere else in the World, but there are processes and legal procedures in place to ensure a buyer’s safety. The following are steps you should take in order to eliminate any ambiguity in a real estate transaction. Use a professional and experienced realtor/broker that has lived and worked in the area for a few years in which they are selling...