Manuel Antonio National Park Manuel Antonio is the most visited National Park in Costa Rica and as the saying goes, “there are more Monkeys than people.” The park itself is amazing with spectacular scenery and white sandy beaches, not to mention teaming with wild life. The Manuel Antonio area has some of the finest hotels and restaurants in all of Costa Rica with many offering absolute...
Costa Rica
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...
Once again Costa Rica has been determined the Happiest Planet on Earth in the annual Happy Planet Index (H.P.I.) by the New Economic Foundation. The study ranks countries in terms of life expectancy, the amount of well being experienced by the local population, and environmental impact. Costa Rica has been in the top 3 since the formation of the first H.P.I. in 2006 and has been #1 for the past 2...
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...
Labor in Costa Rica is very affordable compared to the U.S., Canada, or Europe and many ex-pats employ a full or part time gardener and house cleaner. Since the jungle grows so fast around here, a gardener can keep the property and the landscaping maintained. Same for a finished home, having some help cleaning windows, sweeping, mopping, and more helps maintain its beauty. After all most people move...
High speed internet in the middle of the jungle is a beautiful thing, but up until a few years ago was almost impossible. The only options back then were to go to an internet café (which was usually dial up speed) or try and hook up your cell phone (if you had signal) to the computer and use snail pace internet. Well, all that has changed thankfully and it is possible to work online from your house in...
It seems like just yesterday it took well over 4 hours to get here and the last stretch of spine rattling bumpy dirt road from Quepos to Dominical took an hour and a half. And the bridge in Uvita had holes you could see straight through to the flowing river below! The first time I came to Dominical on vacation we were at a local breakfast spot up in Playa Hermosa near Jaco and were reading a free...
So you bought a property, home, or farm in Costa Rica and you are not a full time resident, now what? The best option is to hire someone to protect your hard earned investment. A professional property management company can give you peace of mind while living abroad; especially if you only get to visit a couple times per year. If you own a home or vacation rental the manager can arrange any...
The idea of raising your family in a different country and culture can be overwhelming to some parents. However, with a bi-lingual private school in the Costa Ballena area it is becoming a real possibility for many young families. Previously it was only an option to raise a family in a larger city like San Jose that had English speaking schools, amenities, and international communities. The beach...
Restaurant Suggestions Dominical and the surrounding areas have some really great places to eat from beachfront casual to fine dining (still casually dressed). There are restaurants for the entire family with kids favorites like pizza, burgers, and tacos to options for international cuisine by chefs from all over the world. Café Delicious – The café bakery in the front of Dominical. They have...