Our capital draws attention in a new Lonely Planet guide that points visitors toward its key districts. Writer Sarah Gilbert portrays the city, called “Chepe” by us locals, as a mix of art, history, and modern life. Each area brings its own character, from bustling streets to quiet parks. The guide focuses on five neighborhoods …
Read more “San José’s Best Neighborhoods For Travelers Per Lonely Planet”
Costa Rican authorities launched a massive crackdown today against the South Caribbean Cartel, marking the largest police operation in the country’s history. The Organismo de Investigación Judicial (OIJ) deployed 1,200 officers to carry out 64 simultaneous raids across several provinces, aiming to dismantle what officials describe as the nation’s most extensive criminal network. The raids …
Read more “Costa Rica Launches Massive Operation Against Drug Cartel”
Foreign-born doctors and nurses are becoming increasingly numerous in the health systems of developed countries, highlighted a report published Monday by the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD). “The shortage of health personnel, driven by population aging, greater care needs, and rising demand for medical services, is today a major challenge for all OECD …
Read more “Migrant nurses and physicians now critical to OECD health systems”
When you think of a fjord, you most likely picture a pristine Scandinavian coastline, frigid blue waters shadowed by steep mountainsides, dotted with the colorfully painted houses of those hardy enough to live there. But fjords are not exclusive to the northern regions. While there are thousands of polar and sub-polar fjords in both the …
Read more “Why Golfo Dulce Remains Wild in Southern Costa Rica”
Vehicle owners across Costa Rica can now access details and settle payments for the 2026 marchamo, the annual road circulation permit. The Instituto Nacional de Seguros (INS) opened its online system this Monday, in line with legal requirements, allowing drivers to handle the process without delay. The marchamo covers essential charges like property tax on …
Read more “Costa Ricans Now Able to Check and Pay 2026 Marchamo Fees”
Flowers, skulls, skeletons, intimate moments, and memories: Day of the Dead in Mexico stirs emotions for those who are gone but is also a reason to celebrate. In recent days, millions have remembered deceased loved ones with traditional “ofrendas,” that is, altars with their portraits where objects they enjoyed in life are placed. On Saturday, …
Read more “Day of the Dead in Mexico has Ofrendas, Catrinas, and Tradition”
Honduras’s leading presidential candidates, with elections less than a month away, accused each other this weekend of preparing alleged electoral fraud. On Thursday, left-wing President Xiomara Castro claimed the opposition is plotting to deliver an “electoral coup” in the November 30 vote. Her allegation came after Attorney General Johel Zelaya, an ally of the government, …
Read more “Honduras Presidential Rivals Accuse Each Other of Electoral Coup Plots”
Elaine Glusac, a travel writer for The New York Times, took a different path through Costa Rica by traveling during the green season, when rain falls often but crowds thin out and prices drop. Her recent piece highlights how visitors can see the country’s natural sites without the high costs tied to peak times. Glusac …
Read more “NYT Reporter’s Tips for Affordable Rainy Season Travel in Costa Rica”
The Canadian government has refreshed its travel guidance for visitors heading to Costa Rica, maintaining a call for high caution because of widespread crime. The advisory, last revised on October 28, points to familiar issues that continue to affect travelers in urban centers and coastal spots. Theft remains a persistent problem nationwide. Tourists often face …
Read more “Canada Updates Travel Advisory for Costa Rica, Citing Ongoing Crime Concerns”
The suspects, arrested last month in a coordinated operation, include Michael Corella Amador, a Public Force officer known by the alias Rojo, along with William Iván Ramírez Arguedas, alias Rambo or Kimba; Gerardo Castro Muñoz, alias Precioso, Muñeco, or Lalo; and Jorge William Cordero Obregón, alias Gordo, Candado, or Pallín. All four hail from Costa …
Read more “Costa Rica Police Officer Faces U.S. Extradition For Drug Trafficking”