Saturday September 8th a whale gave the scare of a lifetime to a group of 6 tourists and their 2 guides in Sierpe de Osa, Puntarenas, Costa Rica. According to tour guide César Moraga, the group of tourists were enjoying a whale watching tour in the area known as “El Paraiso”, they finished watching them and started their way back to Isla del Caño when all of a sudden about one mile from the isl...

Costa Rica Green Airways will begin operating domestic flights in the country in November 2018, joining the current market operators, Sansa and Aerobell. Green Airways, is being backed by CarmonAir Charter (operating in the Costa Rica since 2009) and will be offering flights to Tambor (Puntarenas), Nosara (Guanacaste) and Quepos (Puntarenas), leaving from the Juan Santamaria Airport. Initially...

Like it or not, Costa Rica is experiencing a mini crime wave, and it will surely affect the tourist trade, including hotels, restaurants, tours, taxis, B & B’s, etc. Even Bloomberg Business News took note of the crime uptick, publishing an article this week on the upward trending Costa Rican crime statistics. This is worrisome to both Ticos and expats, and here’s why. Tourism is Costa Rica’s m...

The Poas Volcano National Park opened its doors to the public again this past Friday, after several months of worked that involved fixing the areas that had suffered damages as a result of the eruptions and building new shelters for the security of the visitors. As it had been announced in the past months the Park now has controlled access, with only 50 people being able to enter at a time; tic...

A group of tourists taking part of a tour by the company Iguana Tours Costa Rica in Marina Pez Vela, Quepos, caught the exact moment that a humpback whale jumped out of the water near another tour boat impressing and scaring everyone. The season to enjoy sightings of humpback whales began in the South Pacific a few weeks ago and will extend through September. Whale and dolphin watching tours ar...

After more than 16 months there is finally a date for the reopening of the Poas Volcano National Park in Costa Rica, President Carlos Alvarado will be at the park this Wednesday, August 29 in an official ceremony and on Friday, August 31st the park will open doors to national and foreign tourists. The Technical Assessment Committee (CAT) of Volcanology and Seismology of the National Emergency C...

The Ministry of Environment and Energy announced that everything is now ready for the reopening of the Poas Volcano National Park to the public. There is still not a set date for the reopening since they are coordinating with the agenda of President Carlos Alvarado; however, it should be sometime this upcoming week and the doors will open to the public the day after the official act. The 5 s...

Sun Country Airlines announced that it will increase its operation from the Twin Cities of Minneapolis and St. Paul, Minnesota to Liberia, Guanacaste, Costa Rica for the high season, between December 2018 and March 2019. With this increase of 15 flights, the airline will operate a total of 53 flights that will be distributed as follows: 6 in December 2018, 14 in January 2019, 15 in February and...

This August 24, Costa Rica celebrates National Parks’ Day, under the slogan “National Parks: Our true treasure”, the Ministry of Environment (MINAE) and the National System of Areas of Conservation (SINAC) invite all national and foreign tourists to visit the parks for free. Over 25% of Costa Rica’s territory is under some kind of protection law, whether they are National Parks, Biological Res...

The National Tourist Safety Commission (CONSETUR) held two workshops to raise awareness of the importance of tourism for Costa Rica, training consuls, honorary consuls, prosecutors, workers from the Judicial Investigation Organization (OIJ), regional directors of the Public Police Force and police officers. The activities included talks on promoting visits and tourism, tourist safety, the role ...

The National Tourist Safety Commission (CONSETUR) suggests the creation of a safety committee in each tourism chamber in the country, this with the purpose of building a safer destination for domestic and international travelers and in order to carry out preventative measures in the areas of the country they represent. The project will be led by the National Chamber of Tourism (CANATUR), which ...

In June last year the National System of Conservation Areas (SINAC) announced that they had solved the problem with the sewage system at Manuel Antonio National Park in Quepos; however, the Ministry of Health closed access to the area known as Playa 3 last Saturday and through this Tuesday due to problems with the wastewater. Today, the Ministry of Health, the Ministry of Environment and the Co...

Limon will receive a total of 110 ships that will arrive at the Hernán Garrón terminal the cruise season 2018-2019 which begins August 23 with the arrival of the Sea Princess. The Atlantic Zone Development and Port Administration Group (JAPDEVA) will receive over 224 thousand passengers throughout the entire season, this will have a positive impact in the economy and development of local touri...

What is considered the most important wellness tourism event in Latin America, directed to the sectors of tourism, health, medical, hotels, Spa, travel agencies, tour operators, airlines, etc. will take place August 31 through September 2 in La Fortuna, San Carlos. “One of the pillars of this Congress is the promotion of a wellness culture in our country that will allow both Costa Ricans and ...

Gustavo Him, Panama’s Minister of Tourism recently announced the Panamanian’s government interest in boosting the tourism sector through a $20 million international promotion fund, and is seeking an alliance with Costa Rica to create a multi-destination tourism zone that will be more attractive to tourists, specially those that travel long distances. "Panama has had a lack of vision due to diff...

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Spain updated its website with several safety recommendations for citizens traveling to Costa Rica, this after the murder of a Spanish tourist August 4th in Tortuguero, Pococí, Limón. “It is recommended to travel with precaution. Since there have been some violent attacks against women tourists, it is recommended to take self-protection measures and avoid tran...

The Minister of Tourism, Maria Amalia Revelo and the Vice-Minister of Public Security Eduardo Solano, held a press conference this Friday, August 10, to announce some of the measures that will be carried out in the topic of tourist safety and security. Yesterday, the President of Costa Rica, Carlos Alvarado, informed that during his administration $1 million USD a year from the Costa Rican Tour...

The Costa Rican National Commission for Tourist Safety (CONSETUR) held an extraordinary meeting following the murders of two vacationers this weekend, a Spanish woman in Tortuguero, Pococí, Limón and a Mexican woman in Santa Teresa, Cobano, Puntarenas. In this meeting, the Minister of Tourism, Maria Amalia Revelo, called on business leaders from the private tourism sector to work proactively a...

The Costa Rican Tourism Board has been clear on the fact that they want to make more emphasis on community tourism, this since the country has a lot more to offer beyond its beautiful beaches and volcanoes; communities are also slowly realizing the potential they posses and are taking it upon themselves to create initiatives that will attract visitors and generate financial benefit and development...

Every year Travel and Leisure magazine carries out a survey to come up for the winners of the World’s Best Awards; the awards include the best hotels, cities, airlines, restaurants, cruise lines, transportation, and much more. The survey was made available at tlworldsbest.com from November 6, 2017 through March 5, 2018, readers of the magazine were invited to participate through the different p...

JetBlue Airways will be operating its Mint ‘premium travel’ service with a seasonal route from New York (John F. Kennedy Airport) to Liberia, Guanacaste, Costa Rica (Daniel Oduber International Airport) starting December 15, 2018. JetBlue Mint offers “fully lie-flat seats (16 in business class), artisanal dining options, the most free inflight entertainment, revitalizing amenities and more”, in...

They say that all you need in life is a great friend and a thirst for adventure. Traveling with friends, says Elizabeth Lombardo, PhD, author of A Happy You: Your Ultimate Prescription for Happiness, is a great way to focus on the "joy of camaraderie and increases a sense of fulfillment, confidence and resiliency." For travelers looking to strengthen their bonds or spend quality time with their pa...

The United States continues to be the biggest tourism market for Costa Rica, and according to information by the Costa Rica Tourism Board (ICT), in 2017 a total 1,199,214 travelers from the US visited the country and it offers a potential market of 24 million people. Minister of Tourism Maria Amalia Revelo has emphasized on the importance of focusing efforts on continuing to attract more visito...

The website vivedota.org was officially launched by the Dota Municipality during the commemoration of the 93 years of founding of the county, this community seeks to position as a touristic destination. “We want tourism to be an essential part of our economy, turning our destination into one of the obligatory sites for tourists”, commented Leonardo Chacón, mayor of Dota. The platform will ...

The Costa Rica Tourism Board signed this week a cooperation agreement with the Association Wellness Costa Rica, valid for a four year period (extendable ) The agreement encompasses nine objectives, among them the organization of activities that seek the national and international recognition of Costa Rica as a wellness destination, trainings, continuing education and the professional training o...

He is considered a pioneer of rafting, eco-lodges and eco-tourism in Costa Rica, Michael Kaye a native of New York, passed away in the country that welcomed him and became his home since 1978. Michael Kaye fell in love with Costa Rica 40 years ago, and since then he dedicated his life to promoting the natural wonders of this country. Him and his wife founded the company Costa Rica Expeditions, ...

National and international experts will gather in Costa Rica to analyze the challenges and opportunities for the country and the rest of the region for wellness tourism. The event is directed to the sectors of tourism, health, medical, hotels, Spa, travel agencies, tour operators, airlines, etc. and will take place August 31 through September 2 in La Fortuna, San Carlos. Wellness tourism rep...

The First Lady Claudia Dobles and the Minister of Tourism, Maria Amalia Revelo, announced the new tourism campaign “Jale al Puerto” (Let’s go to El Puerto – (‘El Puerto’ is how Costa Rican’s refer to Puntarenas) which will be officially launched in August. This is an initiative of the Costa Rica Tourism Board (ICT) in coordination with the office of the First Lady and the participation of the C...

One of the most important places in the history of Costa Rica is the Santa Rosa Hacienda in Guanacaste, where the famous “Battle of Santa Rosa” took place back in March 20, 1856 when a troop of close to 500 Costa Ricans defeated a group of filibusters in a very short battle. The “Casona” has now become a historical museum that takes visitors into one of the most memorable chapters of the idiosy...

The Guanacaste Conservation Area announced this week that the access to Playa Naranjo in the Santa Rosa National Park has been reopened. Access to this area had been closed since November 2017 as a result of the damages suffered by Tropical Storm Nate. The actions of the Liberia Municipality, the Municipality of La Cruz and personnel of the Guanacaste Conservation Area finally allowed the roa...

The CRx5 Challenge is an initiative of the Association Costa Rica por Siempre (ACRXS) and the National System of Areas of Conservation (SINAC) to promote visitation to some of the country’s Wildlife Protected Areas, the natural beauty in each of them, the work of the park rangers and the efforts being done in national conservation while at the same time enjoying an Eco-tourism adventure. This...

The Juan Santamaria International Airport will welcome travelers in a colorful and innovative way, with the incorporation of giant sculptures of Costa Rican wild animals, beautiful photographs of the country’s landscapes, technology and more. These elements are all part of the “Sense of Place 2018” campaign which has the objective of making the hours in the airport fun and entertaining while at...

Air Canada announced the increase in the frequency of flights connecting Montreal, Canada to Liberia, Guanacaste, going from one to three flights a week (Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays) starting December 18, 2018; while flights from Toronto to Liberia will go from four a week to daily as of December 15, 2018, the increase in flights will maintain through April 2019, covering the high season. ...

The community of San Ramon in La Virgen de Sarapiqui is taking matters in their own hands to promote Eco-Tourism in the area through the creation of a new trail to the Braulio Carrillo National Park. With the support of the San Carlos' headquarters of the Costa Rica Technological Institute (TEC), members of the community organized and have come up with the project that will be ready by early 20...

UnCruise Adventures announced their new options for 10 and 12 night cruises in Costa Rica and Panama which will begin April 2019 and carrying through September. UnCruise Adventures is known for its small ships that have capacity for 22-90 guests and carry adventure gear for travelers to enjoy kayaking, paddle boarding, hiking, biking, snorkeling, etc. "After a year of operating in Costa Rica...

Alaska Airlines announced this Tuesday the increase in the frequency of flights from three a week to daily in the route Los Angeles-San Jose, during the high season; while United Airlines confirmed the increase in frequency of the Chicago-San Jose flights. When it comes to Alaska Airlines the itinerary will operate from November 15 through the 26, 2018 and from December 16, 2018 to January 6, 2...

Usually when people visit the beach they worry about sharks or even sea snakes, crocodiles hardly every cross their minds, but the reality is that seeing crocodiles at the beaches is not uncommon, at least not in Costa Rica. Every year sightings of crocodiles swimming in the beaches are reported in Costa Rica, some of the beaches where this has happened include Tamarindo, Playas del Coco and Pa...

The Costa Rican Tourism Board (ICT) announced the agreement with Apple Vacations to operate a new charter flight connecting Rockford, Illinois to Liberia, Guanacaste. The new flight will be operating once a week starting January 4th and through April 5, 2019. Apple Vacations is a travel agency that organizes vacation tour packages for North American tourists and operates its own charter pla...

Sunwing Airlines announced today the opening of a new route that will connect Vancouver, Canada and Liberia in Costa Rica, starting December 23, 2018. The flight will initially operate only from December 23 through March 31, departing on Sundays, to offer Canadians an opportunity to escape the cold weather of those months and enjoy the warm summer in Costa Rica. This is the second direct fl...

Costa Rica takes the first place among Central American countries in the Country Brand Index created by Country Brand Report Latin America, which analyzes the strength of country brands of more than 20 countries and is based on a quantitative study and information provided by opinion leaders and frequent travelers (for business or pleasure) outside Latin America. “This report, focused on the La...