Costa Rica’s Corcovado Park Fights Plastic Pollution with Volunteer Effort

In the Osa Peninsula, home to 2.5% of the world’s biodiversity and declared by National Geographic as “the most intense place on the planet,” volunteers will fight against pollution. From June 5 to 8, 200 volunteers, supported by the National System of Conservation Areas (SINAC), the Puerto Jiménez Chamber of Tourism, local and international organizations, …

¿Idiay? – A New Book Exploring Costa Rican Culture Through Language

Costa Rican speech is rich with expressions that many use daily without knowing their origins. Rodrigo Soto, a well-known Costa Rican author with over 20 published works, including novels and essays, aims to change that with his new book, ¿Idiay?. This work explores the country’s unique vernacular, placing it within a historical and cultural framework. …

How Panama’s New Railway to Paso Canoas Will Transform Costa Rica

Panama’s government announced fresh details last Friday about its Panama-David-Frontera fast train, a transformative project that will connect Panama City to Paso Canoas on the Costa Rican border. This railway promises to reshape travel, trade, and tourism for Costa Rica’s southern region and beyond. Spanning 475 kilometers with 14 stations—Albrook, Ciudad de la Salud, Panama …

Costa Rica Leads Latin America in Life Sciences Sector Growth

Costa Rica has solidified its position as the leading hub in the area of life sciences for Latin America. According to recent industry data, the country ranks first in the region for both the volume of square meters developed and under construction for life sciences facilities and the number of jobs created in this field. …

Expotur 2025: Crime and Rising Costs Challenge Costa Rica’s Tourism

Expotur 2025, Costa Rica’s premier tourism trade show, recently concluded at the Costa Rica Convention Center, showcasing our country’s latest strategies to remain a leader in global tourism. The event, organized by the Costa Rican Association of Tourism Professionals (ACOPROT), brought together over 120 local businesses and buyers from 27 countries, underscoring Costa Rica’s commitment …

Former Panama President Martinelli Avoids Jail, Arrives in Colombia Under Asylum

Former Panamanian President Ricardo Martinelli arrived in Colombia this Saturday under political asylum, after spending 15 months sheltered in the Nicaraguan embassy to avoid serving a nearly 11-year prison sentence for money laundering. Panama’s foreign ministry announced in a statement that it had “granted the safe-conduct” for Martinelli’s “secure departure” to Colombia, after President Gustavo …

Costa Rica’s Elusive River Otter: Behavior, Scat Clues, and Rare Video Evidence

Today we meet the most aquatic member of Costa Rica’s weasel family, the neotropical river otter. The neotropical river otter (Lontra longicaudis) is known as the nutria or perro de agua in Spanish. There’s another species of animal called a nutria in English. It looks like a mix between a rat and a beaver and …

Why Costa Rica is Banning Fishing in the Gulf of Nicoya for May–July

A fishing ban in the Gulf of Nicoya, effective since May 1st and lasting until July 3rd, protects shrimp, corvina, snapper, and white mullet during their breeding season. Enforced by the Costa Rican Institute of Fisheries and Aquaculture (INCOPESCA), the ban promotes sustainable artisanal, sport, and sport fishing, supporting coastal communities like Chomes and Isla …

Costa Rica’s May Beetles Vanish, Signaling Ecological Crisis

In Costa Rica, the iconic “May beetles” (abejones de mayo), known scientifically as the Phyllophaga genus, are vanishing at an alarming rate. These beetles, which have long heralded the arrival of the rainy season each May, are now a rare sight, even in rural areas. Biologists at the University of Costa Rica (UCR) estimate a …