Indie Drama “Hope/Esperanza” Filming in Costa Rica Through End of May

Cameras are rolling across Costa Rica on Hope/Esperanza, an indie romantic drama from Oscar-winning producer Mark Johnson, with principal photography set to continue at locations throughout the country until the end of May. The production began shooting on April 13 and will run for five weeks, employing more than 200 Costa Rican cast and crew …

Strong Colón and Higher Port Fees Squeeze Costa Rica’s Exporters

Costa Rican exporters are absorbing hits from three directions at once: rising port fees on the Caribbean coast, a colón that has strengthened to historic levels, and a 10% U.S. tariff that has complicated access to the country’s most important export market. Each pressure alone would be manageable. Together, they are testing the viability of …

Who Gets Costa Rica’s World Cup Tickets and Press Passes? A Question Worth Asking

As the 2026 FIFA World Cup kicks off in Canada, Mexico and the United States on June 11, Costa Rica will be watching from the sidelines for the first time in more than a decade. La Sele’s failure to qualify — sealed by a scoreless draw with Honduras in November — left millions of Ticos …

Costa Rican Town Gears Up for Its National Strawberry Fair

Vara Blanca will once again put strawberries at the center of local life as the Heredia mountain community prepares to host the 14th edition of the National Strawberry Fair from April 30 to May 3, 2026. The four-day event will bring together local growers, food vendors, artisans, cultural performances, and family activities in one of …

Costa Rica’s Wildlife Is Dying on the Roads That Drive Its Tourism

Costa Rica has built a global reputation as one of the planet’s great conservation success stories. A quarter of its territory is protected. It reforested aggressively when others were cutting down. It runs almost entirely on renewable energy. Millions of tourists fly in every year with one thing on their minds: the wildlife. The sloths, …

NGOs Warn World Cup Visitors About Travel to the U.S.

More than 120 human rights organizations issued a travel warning, saying visitors to the 2026 FIFA World Cup could face “serious rights violations” because of the immigration policies of the United States government. The coalition said fans, players, journalists and other travelers attending World Cup matches in the United States risk being affected by what …

Costa Rica Weather Calls For Rain and Storms Today, Drier Weather Ahead This Week

Costa Rica will see another round of afternoon downpours and isolated thunderstorms today before drier conditions settle in across most of the country, according to the latest regional forecast issued by the Instituto Meteorológico Nacional (IMN). Forecasters from there reported that moisture continues to feed into the Pacific slope and the Central Valley, although in …

Costa Rica Slashes Route 27 Expansion in Half

The Ministry of Public Works and Transport (MOPT) has reduced the planned expansion of Route 27 to roughly half its original scope, with works now focused on the highway’s most congested section between Escazú and Atenas rather than the full corridor to Caldera. MOPT Minister Efraím Zeledón confirmed the revised plan this week, saying initial …

Costa Rica Wildlife Draft Raises Alarm Over Illegal Captivity

The possibility of allowing the keeping of certain wild birds, such as macaws, has returned to public debate with the new draft of the Wildlife Regulations. This issue has resurfaced as one of the most controversial points in the proposal put forward by the National System of Conservation Areas (SINAC). The new wording retains the …

Argentina’s Etcheverry Advances to Madrid Masters Round of 16

Tomás Martín Etcheverry advanced to the round of 16 at the Mutua Madrid Open on Sunday by defeating Croatia’s Dino Prizmic 2-6, 6-4, 6-3. The Argentine No. 29 spent two hours and 10 minutes on the red clay at the Caja Mágica before closing out the three-set victory. He will face the winner of the …