Welcome to "Costa Rica LIVE"

Hello everyone! Welcome to this blog where we will take you on a virtual tour across this beautiful caribbean nation of Costa Rica, a paradise close in our hearts and at the same time far away (although not that much!) on the maps.

We will talk about tourism, ecology and biodiversity, of course; about the fascinating hotels next to wonderful beaches surrounded by palm trees, about visiting colonial cities full of history, about food and cuisine with a caribbean twist...

We will also talk about breathtaking landscapes and corners of the country little known by mass tourism, but full of beauty and authenticity, and of course about the Ticos, the true Costa Rican people, their sympathy and their envy to live life with true caribbean joy.

Finally, for those who are seriously thinking about relocating in Costa Rica, we will be posting useful information about housing and real estate.



Also: Maps, information about living in Costa Rica, Costa Rican cities and useful tips about subjects such as travel, visas, work permits, and of course education, health and medical assistance.

And many more things: be patient as we will be doing our best to make comments and ask questions, as we will answer as soon as we can.

Welcome to Costa Rica, Pura Vida! (Pure Life!)!

History of Costa Rica

The aboriginal inhabitants of what today is Costa Rica were part of the transition area between Mesoamerican and South American cultures. Population was sparse and without the magnificent buildings and cultural development of Aztecs, Incas or Mayans; local cultures, however, reached a very high level in pottery and in gold and silver work, with beautiful results.



Indigenous population declined quickly after the colonization due mainly to diseases brought from Europe.

Scarcity of workforce, limited mining resources, distance and difficult communications from the administrative capital (Capitanía General) of Guatemala in colonial times, caused Spanish colonization to be very slow and seriously limited in its economic resources. Costa Rica was at that time the southernmost and poorest region of New Spain. The provincial capital was then the city of Cartago.

Independence from Spain was proclaimed by the Federal Rpublic of Central America in 1821. After a short period of annexion to Iturbide’s Mexican Empire, this republic became independent again but was short-lived, dissolving in 1842.

When, after several years of civil war in Nicaragua, the American mercenary William Walker seized power, he aimed to the neighboring Costa Rica. The just created National Army of Costa Rica defeated General Walker’s troops in Santa Rosa (Costa Rica) and Rivas (Nicaragua), returning peace and stability to the region on April 11th, 1856.

Costa Rica suffered three interruptions of constitutional rule during the 20th century. The first one was in 1917, then again in 1919 and the last one in 1948 due to electoral fraud, which led to a civil war between both sides. On December 1st, 1948, José Figueres Ferrer, leader of the winning faction, abolished the army, thus transforming Costa Rica in the first world’s republic with no army. Since then, democratic alternation and political stability have allowed a much higher degree of development and social peace than what is unfortunately usual in the region.

Tourism in Costa Rica: Ecotourism

Costa Rica is a tiny country but enormously rich in tourist attractions:

Beaches

The Caribbean shores boast a great variety of marine ecosystems and its beaches of white and black sand, ideal for the practice of outdoor and sea activities, such as deep sea fishing and scuba diving, and also to enjoy sunbathing and seaside strolls.



The Pacific coast has excellent tourist resorts and its beaches are preferred for the practice of surf, for example. Some of them are: Esterillos, Jacó, Hermosa, Boca Barranca and near the Marino Ballena National Park, where a famous long wave, loved by surfers, usually appears.

Adventure sports

For the lovers of adventure sports, Costa Rica is a destiny with plenty of emotions and adrenalin waiting for them, in sports such as hitchhiking, canoeing and canyoneering.



Ecotourism

But it is indeed ecotourism what has placed Costa Rica in the place it occupies today in international tourism. Ecotourism means tourism with a minimal impact on the environment. The income obtained from it should be reinvested un protection of natural areas and benefits for local populations, helping them to reduce their dependence from other economic activities more harmful for the environment.

The Costa Rican territory, birthplace of ecotourism, is also the place where it has reached its maximum degree of development. Costa Rica possesses 20 natural parks, eight biological reserves and a wide range of protected areas that captivate ecotourism adepts.

In order to have a rough idea of the importance of Costa Rican biodiversity, we may just consider the fact that it is home for more species of birds than the whole territory of the United States, and more species of butterflies than the whole of Africa.
The offer for excursions and trips is really varied: from horse riding to hitchhiking and birdwatching guided tours. But please, remember always to behave like a good ecotourist: respect nature and leave everything behind you exactly as you found it.

Inland regions of Costa Rica

Heredia

With an extension of 2,656 sq km and a population of 75,000 people, Heredia is the smallest province of Costa Rica. It keeps its colonial tradition and the adobe architecture can still be seen in Barva and Santo Domingo.



Coffee plantations are ubiquitous in the region, and many of them are open to visits.
Among the natural wonders of the region there is the Braulio Carrillo National Park, a tropical rainforest reserve. Excellent for birdwatching, especially quetzals. The imposing Barva volcano, 2,906 meters high, dominates the western part of the Park.

Cartago

Also known as The Old Metropolis, the city of Cartago was Costa Rica’s capital city until 1823, when San José became the new one. This is the most important region of Costa Rica in terms of colonial art and heritage.



The region has a wet tropical climate and is located between two ridges, Central and Talamanca, where is the Cerro Chiripó, the highest mountain in Costa Rica with its 3,600 m. But Cartago’s main point of interest is the Irazú volcano, a 5-craters monster, still active today, which attracts thousands of tourists every year.


Alajuela

Called “Land of mangoes”, this is one of the country’s biggest regions. It is located at the north of the country, bordering with Nicaragua. The city of Alajuela was founded in 1782 and it is the birthplace of historical personalities such as the national hero Juan Santamaría.

This province possesses natural treasures ranging from rainforests to the lust northern plains. Visitors can enjoy the sights of two of the most active volcanoes in the world, whose flows of lava form a fascinating night show, and the Poás volcano, in the central Volanic Ridge.

Caribbean Costa Rica: The region of Limon

The Caribbean province of Limón comprises the whole eastern coast of Costa Rica and is a true natural paradise, formed by a mixture of impenetrable jungles, imposing mountains and idyllic beaches. It is, by its culture and geography, the most diverse region of all Costa Rica. It boasts the highest percentage of protected land and an huge variety of flora and wildlife.



This was the first part of what today is Costa Rica that was visited by Christopher Columbus when he reached its coast in 1502. Due to the huge amounts of gold that natives used to wear, Columbus called it the “Rich Coast” or Costa Rica.

It was though the last region to be colonized, and when it eventually happened, the scarcity of workforce made necessary to bring workers from other Caribbean islands. This is the reason why the region is a cultural melting pot of a strong Caribbean flavor, with well renowned Carnivals

The Creole English spoken by most inhabitants of Afro-Caribbean descent is also a distinctive trait of this region. As it couldn’t be otherwise, the Limón old city’s quarters have an architecture of strong Caribbean Victorian architecture, and gastronomy is also close to that from English-speaking Caribbean islands.

There are also indigenous communities which have kept the purity of their culture, such as the Keköldi and Bribri groups.
The port city of Limón is an essential point of entry for the economy of Costa Rica and the greatest example of multiculturality of the region. Just one or two hours away are Cahuita and Puerto Viejo, two great places to taste authentic local culture.
The Tortuguero National Park, in the North of the province, which is the place where the green turtle lays its eggs, and the National Wildlife Refuge Barra del Colorado, a privileged spot for deep sea fishing, are two of the most emblematic natural wonders of the region.



Finally, the National Wildlife Refuge Gandoca-Manzanillo is close to the Panamanian border. This refuge protects thousands of acres of beach and shores, a place where several species of turtles lay their eggs and home for the manatees.

Costa Rica regions: Puntarenas

Known as “the Pearl of the Pacific”, Puntarenas is the biggest region in Costa Rica, with an extension of 11,276 sq km, and spreads along 700 km of Pacific coastline, from the limit with Guanacaste to the border with Panama. Its main attractions are beaches, national parks and natural reserves.



The Carara Biological Reserve has thousands of acres of forests and mangroves. Only part of it is open to general public, although some more restricted areas can be explored if accompanied by professional guides.



The Manuel Antonio National Park is small but is one of the most visited parks in Costa Rica. Its rainforest are home for the titi monkey, among more than one hundred species of mammals and a similar amount of birds.

The South of Puntarenas forms the Corcovado National Park, a refuge for endemic and very threatened species such as the golden toad.

The port of Caldera and the city of Puntarenas are visited every day by tourist cruise boats, and is often taken as a departure point to explore Costa Rica by land.
The region is also famous for its local seafood gastronomy and its colorful Carnival.

Costa Rica regions: Guanacaste

Guanacaste was the last region to become part of Costa Rica, in 1824; it is well known for its cattling resources and awesome beaches: some of the world’s best resorts are located in Guanacaste beaches. It’s the driest region in Costa Rica, especially its coastal areas, although there are other extensions of dry and rain forest, plains and an impressive volcanic ridge.



Panama Beach, in the North of the province, is one of the best options for tourists who are seeking to unwind and relax. Coconut Beach (Playa del Coco) is famous for its nightlife and amount of visitors. Nearby you can find Flamingo Beach, with classy hotels and a serene ambiance.

Many other beaches along the coast complete a natural offer of great beauty.
The Santa Rosa National Park, located at the North of the province is a redoubt of the extremely scarce dry tropical forest, which is home for a extraordinary variety of plants and wildlife.

The Las Baulas National Park is a sanctuary form thousands of baula turtles that arrive to its shores every year to lay their eggs on the sand.



The Guanacuaste Ridge includes the Tenorio, Orosi, Miravalles and Rincón de La Vieja volcanoes, the latter one being part of the National Park with the same name.

Tourism in Costa Rica

Ecotourism is indeed the country’s main attraction for the visitors that every year come from every corner of the world to admire Costa Rica’s natural wonders and biodiversity. Specifically, Costa Rica is one of the best places in the world to observe wild birds.



Other people come to Costa Rica to enjoy all its possibilities in water sports such as surf and scuba diving. The best beaches and places to practice sports are in the Caribbean shores, while deep sea fishing is very popular on the Pacific Ocean side.

Forests and mountains offer the perfect scenery for mountain biking or horse riding. Actually, horse riding is extremely popular in the country and one of the most important events in San José is the parade of more than one thousand horses during Christmas.

Some parts of the country also hold rodeos and bullfighting events.

Adventure sports also offer huge possibilities, such as rappel descents from the rainforest canopy and whitewater rafting.



Golf is also becoming popular very quickly and there is a 18-hole golf course that holds international competitions, the Cariari Country Club. There are also tennis, cycling and other sports tournaments.

Baseball, basketball and volley ball are popular throughout the country, but the sport that really inspires passion in Costa Rican hearts is football (soccer).



Finally, if we want to change from sports, we have plenty of possibilities: San José has an incredibly varied offer of restaurants, cinemas, theaters and discos, and holds every other year a prestigious Art Festival.

Regions: San Jose de Costa Rica

The capital of Costa Rica, San José, is located in the Valle Central (Central Valley), in the province of San José, the most populated province in the country. It is a high plateau surrounded by majestic volcanoes and mountains and includes national parks, forest reserves and fertile agricultural lands where coffee plantations abound.



It was founded during the first half of the 18th century, and today is a city where visitors from all around the world converge.

Places of interest:

· Museo del Jade (The jade museum). Avenida 5-7, Calle 11-13 bis, INS, now on the 1st floor. Tel 223-5800. Mo-Fr 8:30AM-3PM. Entrance fee 500 Colones.

· Museo de los Niños (The children's museum), antigua penetenciaría (the old prison). Tel 258-4929. M-F 9:30AM-3:30PM, Sa-Su 10AM-4PM. Entrance fee 600 Colones for adults and 300 for children.

· Museo de Arte Costarricense, east end of Sabana Park. This used to be San Jose's main airport terminal back when La Sabana was the airport. Tel 222-7155. Tu-Sa 10:00-16:00, Su 10:00-14:00. Entrance fee $5 (students $3).

· Insect Museum at the Universidad de Costa Rica A very elegant collection of exotic bugs. Only a few dollars, but check the times when they are open.

· Asamblea Legislativa (Parliament). It spreads across several neighboring buildings: the Colegio de Sión, the Castillo Azul, Casa Rosada de los Salazar and the congress building.

Public Opening times: Mon-Fri 8:00 to 16:00. Tel: (506) 243-2000


· Museo Nacional
The museum includes a large butterfly garden and a collection of large stone spheres from the Diquis Valley near the Pacific ocean. The museum building is an old fort last used during the 1948 revolution. Calle 17 Avenida 2. Tel 257-1433. Tu-Su 8:30AM-4:30PM. Entrance fee 2000 Colones.

· Parque Nacional

Includes the National Monument dedicated to the heroes of the 1856-1857 war.

· Centro Nacional de Cultura (CENAC), ancient Fábrica Nacional de Licores

Mon-Fri, de 8:00AM to 4:00PM. Tels: (506) 255-3638 or 255-3376 Fax: (506) 256-6722

· Museo de Arte y Diseño Contemporáneo

Tue-Sat 10:00AM to 5:00PM. Tels.: (506) 257-9370. Fax: (506) 257-8702

· Museo del Oro Precolombino (The Gold Museum).

Under Plaza de la Cultura. Tel 243-4202, museoro@racsa.co.cr . Tu-Su 10AM-4:30PM. Entrance fee $7 for foreigners. The collection consists of 1600 pieces of Pre-Columbian gold work dating from 500 AD to 1500 AD. Information is given on the processing and making of the pieces as well as their social, cultural and religious meanings. At the same place you will also find The Numismatic Museum and The Temporary Exhibition Galleries. There is a nice museum shop and a tourist office at the entrance.

· Teatro Nacional

A symbol of the aspiring liberal coffee planting bourgeoisie, the Teatro Nacional was built at the end of the 19th century, by means of a strong tax to coffee production.
Mon-Sat 9:00AM to 4:00PM Tel. (506) 221-3756 ó 221-9417. Fax (506) 223-4990.

· Catedral Metropolitana

Masses: Mon-Sat: 6:30AM, 11:00AM and 5:00PM. Sundays: 7,9,10:30AM and 12,16,18,20PM. Holy Hour every Thursday at 3:00PM. Tels.: (506) 258-1015 or 221-3820. Fax: (506) 221-2427.

Schools and Education in Costa Rica

Primary education and high school

Costa Rica’s educational system is of good quality. Many Costa Ricans send their children to private schools, which are also excellent. If you wish to settle in the country for a short period of time, you might prefer to take your children to a school with a class calendar matching the American one (which happens to be very similar to most European systems), going from September to June.

Some of these schools are bilingual and in some others, the subjects are taught exclusively in English. They are usually internationally accredited and follow the so-called International Baccalaureate programme, intended to provide schools with an international curriculum intended to be acceptable to universities around the world. There are several of them in the Central Valley and in coastal areas where there is a sizeable presence of foreigners.

The usual Costa Rican school calendar, though, goes from February to December, thus adapting to traditional harvest seasons in Costa Rican agriculture.



Universities

State universities are of good quality, being the University of Costa Rica the most important one. Competition is strong to join them, as they are financed by the government and cost for the pupil is very reasonable.

There are also private universities, more expensive although in some of them the complete curriculum is shorter.

Food and gastronomy in Costa Rica

Influenced by both its climate and its history, traditional Costa Rican cuisine uses profusely tropical fruits and vegetables, prepared with recipes that combine indigenous and European influences.

The food staples of Costa Rican diet are local agricultural products: rice, beans, vegetables, fruits and dairy products, many kinds of meat and native recipes based on corn. Costa Rican cuisine is mild and does not abuse of spices, something that surprises many as they often imagine it as spicy as Mexican food. Only some meat sauces use moderate amounts of chili.

Meat is often served with corn tortillas, potatoes, sweet potatoes or yucca. Plantains, similar to bananas but bigger, are often used as vegetables and are also another Costa Rican stale. They need to be cooked, and can’t be consumed raw. They are prepared in one thousand ways: boiled, fried, roasted…



The traditional breakfast is the gallo pinto, a mix of rice and black beans accompanied with corn tortillas, eggs and natilla (sour cream).

Probably, the most representative Dominican dish is the “casado”: beef or chicken meat with rice, beans, plantain, salad or mashed potatoes. In December, families elaborate the traditional Christmas tamales made with corn flour, pork and chicken meat, rice and vegetables.



Traditional desserts are: Pineapple empanaditas, chiverre, rice pudding, chiricalla, coconut cajetas and caramel custard.

Among drinks, the first place corresponds indeed to coffee: Costa Rica produces one of the world’s finest coffees.

Also remarkable, due to its indigenous origin, is the Chan, a milkshake made of the seeds of a local plant. Other drinks are: tamarind juice and many other milkshakes, called frescos here. There is also the horchata, made of boiled rice, roasted peanuts, milk and water with cinnamon, rum, sugar, cocoa and vanilla.

Spirits include the Chicheme, of indigenous origin, made of corn, ginger and black sugar. The Chinchiví made out of sugarcane juice. The Coyol wine, made with the fermented sap of the coyol palm tree. Every Costa Rican family loves Rompope, made with milk, cream, eggs, vanilla and liquor. Finally, anywhere in the country you can find Imperial beer.

Housing and Real Estate in Costa Rica

The real estate market in Costa Rica

Many foreigners, particularly retirees, seek to move to Costa Rica because o the tropical weather, political and economic stability, and the quality of its healthcare system. There is an ever growing community of expatriates, mainly American but with an important European presence, already living in Costa Rica. There is a flourishing real estate market targeting them, with buildings designed with their needs in mind, as Costa Ricans might not want the same product) and with all the desired services, including swimming pools and sports areas. Some of them are located in gated communities with controlled accesses.



Rentals in Costa Rica

Rental contracts in Costa Rica are one year long and can be renewed automatically and increase their price in a 15% if they are denominated in local currency. The law that regulates them is very comprehensive and provides protection for both owner and tenant.

Price varies a lot depending on regions and cities. Usually, a deposit is necessary, which will be refunded to the owner if everything is in good condition and provided the tenant gave a 30-day notice. Utility bills are, in general, not included in the price.

Most newspapers have a rental ads section, although many are focused on the local market. English language newspaper Tico Times is probably the best source for the kind of properties sought after by foreigners.

Purchasing a home in Costa Rica

The cost of a title property transfer is 2.75% including taxes. It is done via inscription in he Registro Nacional, which usually takes between 6 to 10 weeks. Every lien on the property, such as a mortgage, must be indicated.

Taxes in Costa Rica

These are the charges and taxes that will affect you the most if you are on short stay:
Import duties: it is allowed to import, tax free, 500 cigarettes plus three liters of wine or liquor.

Departure tax: around $17, to be paid when leaving the country.

There is a 13% sales tax applied in hotels, restaurants and other services and products, plus a 3% hotel tax on hotel bills. There is also a petrol tax included in its retail price.

Some basic goods such as food and books are exempt from the tax, and others such as electricity pay only 5%.

Restaurant tips are around 10%, compulsory and included in the bill. For all the other services, tips are voluntary and is given depending the service received. No tip is usually given in taxis.

If you are or intend to become a resident, this is a brief description of main taxes applied:
Income tax is 10% to 15%, depending on the income level, only on the income originated in the country, and social security payments are of 9%.

Import duties for vehicles and luxury items are very high. However, there is an exemption of $500 per person every six months for personal items. Industrial machinery and other non-luxury articles, though, enjoy a much better fiscal treatment.

Taxes relative to real estate

Property title transfers are charged a tax of about 2.75%. There is a municipal tax to properties called “territorial tax”, about 1% of the official value (which is much less than the market price). There are additional taxes for municipal services such as waste collection.

There is no such thing as a patrimonial tax. There are no taxes either over successions and donations, or over capital gains in real estate transactions, unless they are done often.

Corporate tax rate: 30%. Dividends are tax exempt for companies but not for individuals.
There is a retention over bank interests of 25%.

The tax year ends September, 30th for individuals, and any date can be chosen for companies. Both individuals and companies must fill their tax return in the two and a half months after the end of the tax year.

There are tax incentives to timber industry, export promotion, manufacturing and consumption.

Healthcare in Costa Rica

Costa Rica has an universal healthcare system which comprises in fact one of the best health infrastructures in Latin America. Its main problem are bureaucracy and waiting lists, but care when eventually provided is of excellent quality.

The System is finances via a 9% tax applied to every worker‘s salary, and an additional 18% to businesses.

There are also private hospitals of excellent quality and with reasonable prices, with English-speaking doctors with experience an training abroad. Some of these hospitals do accept private medical insurance from the USA and Europe. There is also the possibility of a complementary insurance provided by the state-owned insurance monopoly, the INS (Instituto Nacional de Seguros).



Most foreign nationals in Costa Rica go to one of the three big hospitals: the CIMA in Escazú [ http://www.hospitalsanjose.net ], Clínica Bíblica, in San José [www.clinicabiblica.com], and Clínica Católica, also in San José [www.clinicacatolica.com].

Money, economy and currency in Costa Rica

Costa Rican currency

The official Costa Rican currency is the Colón (pl. colones). There are bank notes of 10,000, 5,000, 2,000 and 1,000 colones and coins of 500, 100, 50, 25 and 5 colones. The exchange rate fluctuates within a controlled range, although it is expected that the government’s control over the exchange rate will be gradually relaxed to leave the currency float in the market. The official exchange rate can be seen in the Costa Rica Central Bank web site: http://www.bccr.fi.cr



Banks

There are both state-owned banks (which usually provide the most favorable exchange rates, although service is worse and queues longer) and private sector banks, exchange offices and investment funds. There is only one insurance company, which is a state-owned monopoly.

Bank office hours are usually 9:00 AM to 3:00 PM non-stop, Monday to Friday. Credit cards are accepted in big cities and tourist spots. Dollars are also often accepted, except high-denomination notes. Traveler cheques can be exchanged in the banks showing the passport.

You don’t need to be a resident to open a bank account, although it is the policy of most banks to require so. Banks are subject to antilaundering money laws which require to verify the origin of the money in transactions above $10,000. There is nevertheless a bank secrecy law that forbids governments an other institutions to access customers’ identities without a judicial warrant. This has made of Costa Rica one of the countries preferred by investors to put their money away from unwanted eyes.

Economy

Agriculture is still the main pillar of the Costa Rican economy, and it is well known that Costa Rica produces one of the best coffees in the world. The second most important crop is banana, and also important are pineapple, sugarcane, oranges, rice and ornamental flowers.

The services, particularly tourism, are becoming increasingly important. This is one of the country’s greatest successes, as it has been managed in such a way that favors the conservation of biodiversity.

Costa Rica’s main customer is the United States. The country’s investment-friendly legislation, with unrestricted repatriation of profits, has allowed the set up of manufacturing industries in several sectors, including electronics, with Intel at the head of it.


Most usual forms of incorporating a company are Sociedad Anónima, or Sociedad de Responsabilidad Limitada, although the limitations of the later one make it less usual.

At least 90% of the company’s staff must be formed by Costa Ricans, and at least 85% of the wages must go to them.

Visas and residency in Costa Rica

General rules for entry visas (non-resident)

1. No need for a consular visa, maximum stay up to 90 days.

Due to the existence of bilateral agreements, citizens of the following countries can enter the country without a consular visa for a stay of up to 90 days:

Germany, Finland, Poland, Uruguay, Argentina, France, Paraguay, Austria, Holland, Belgium, Hungary, Puerto Rico, Brazil, Israel, United Kingdom, Canada, Italy, Greece, South Korea, Japan, Romania, Denmark, Liechtenstein, Sweden, Spain, Luxembourg, Switzerland, USA, Norway, Trinidad and Tobago, Panama.

2. No need for a consular visa, stay up to 30 days.

Citizens of the following countries are allowed to enter the country and stay up to 30 days with no need to apply for a visa:

Antigua & Barbuda, Philippines, Taiwan, Australia, Grenada, Republic of Ireland, Bahamas, Guatemala, Rusia, Barbados, Guyana, South Africa, Belize, Honduras, St. Kitts & Nevis, Bolivia, Iceland, San Marino, Bulgaria, Jamaica, St. Lucia, Chile, Kenya, St. Vincent & the Grenadines, Dominica, Mexico, Singapore, El Salvador, New Zealand, Surinam, Slovakia, Monaco, Turkey, Vatican City, Venezuela.



3. With visa, stay up to 30 days.
Citizens of the following countries do require a consular visa prior to them entering the country for a maximum stay of 30 days.

Andorra, Malaysia, Belarus, Malta, Cyprus, Nicaragua, Colombia, Peru, Ecuador, Dominican Republic, Egypt, Thailand, Slovenia, Zimbabwe, Lithuania.

4. Restricted access.

For the rest of the countries, visas will be granted after individual study of every case.



Residency card

It is technically possible to apply oneself for it, although it is easier to put it all on the hands of a specialized lawyer, who will charge between $1000 and $1500.

Kinds of residency permits and requisites:

Pensioners and retirees:

If you earn at least $600 every month from your pension, or $1000 from your investments, then you have the right to apply for residence.

-Residency for investors
In order to apply you must first invest in a company or business in Costa Rica. There are some sectors, deemed prioritary, where the minimum required investment is about $50,000:
Ornamental plants, leather, spices, vegetable products, food and timber industry and tourism. For any other sector, the minimum amount to invest would be of about $100,000. One must live in Costa Rica during at least six months a year, and you don’t need to justify any level of income.

-Work permit.
If you have the required professional qualifications, acquired in an officially recognized institution, you can obtain a work permit or a temporary residency permit.

Pets

In order to introduce domestic animals into the country, you must provide a health certificate for them, issued by the Ministry of Health and filled in by a veterinary at the origin. With this document you get an authorization, valid for thirty days that you must present at the customs.

Remember that when returning to your home country, you’ll most likely need a new certificate issued by a Costa Rican veterinary.

Moving around in Costa Rica

By land

Costa Rica is a very small country. From the center of the territory, any point of the country can be reached in about five hours. The road network is extensive and complete, although maintenance is somewhat precarious and signaling is almost non-existent.

Busses

Bus transportation system is cheap and efficient, reaching destinations all around the country. Although some busses might be old, transport conditions are definitely better than in other Central American countries.

Most routes have San José as departure or destination point, although several bus terminals exist in the city, which an make a bit difficult to find the right one.



Taxis

Taxis are painted in red and must carry a yellow licence plate with the shape of a triangle painted on the side. They also should carry and use the taximeter, here known as maría, but they try to avoid using it when the customer is a tourist.

You will have to insist on using it, although it is compulsory for city trips (but not outside of the city, where the price must be agreed previously).

There are also unlicensed taxis, allegedly cheaper, although one must know well the fares before negotiating the price.

Driving around in Costa Rica

There are many rent-a-car companies such as EuropCar, Ada and Economy, at reasonable rates. You can drive with your country’s driving license during all your authorized stay in the country. If you are a resident, though, you must obtain a local license.

However, the real problem for non-native drivers are the local driving habits, quite anarchic, coupled with the lack of signaling and the poor state of the roads.

In case of accident wait for the transit police, no matter for how long you have to wait. And remember in case of being fined that local transit officers must not accept or receive any money, but they must give you your notification ticket instead.

Domestic flights

Costa Rica is a tiny country and can be crossed from one end to the other in just a few hours. However, comfort ant time savings might make interesting the possibility of taking a domestic flight.

Main local companies that fly between Costa Rican cities are: Sansa, domestic branch of the TACA group, which flies from the Juan Santamaría International Airport, and Nature Air , which flies from the Tobías Bolaños airport in Pavas, near San José.

Other companies such as Aero Bell, Helisa, Tropical, Pitts Aviation and Aero Costa Sol have fleets of small planes and helicopters which can be hired for trips or transportation.
As an example, a flight from San José to a resort in the Pacific coast might cost about $150 per person for non-residentes (Costa Rican citizens and legal residents pay less). The same trip by bus would cost only a few dollars, but it would be about five hours long.

Traveling to Costa Rica

Citizens from most countries in Europe and North America can freely enter the country with just a valid passport, and stay in it for up to 90 days without the need for a visa.

By plane

Most regular flights have the Juan Santamaría International Airport, near the capital San José, as their destination. However, there is an increasing number of flights that land in the Daiel Oduber International Airport, near the city of Liberia, and closer to the beach resorts of Guanacaste in the country’s Northwest.



Most American airlines fly to Costa Rica. From Europe, the Spanish airline Iberia, Dutch Martinair, German Condor an British Airways fly regularly to San José.

The local airline TACSA, belonging to TACA group, flies to several U.S. and Latin American cities.

By road

It is technically possible to enter the country by road from the USA, crossing Mexico, Guatemala, Honduras and Nicaragua, through the Panamerican Highway.

By sea

The ports of Puntarenas on the Pacific Ocean and Limón in the Caribbean are usual stopovers for cruise boats.

Costa Rica weather

The pleasant, moderate tropical climate of Costa Rica is one of the things that explain the country’s popularity among retirees from all around the world who wish to live in a sunny place. Temperatures in the Central Valley range from 18º C to 27º C (64-80ºF) throughout the year. They are higher, though, in the coasts: The Caribbean shore is, with temperatures ranging from 25 to 27ºC (77-80ºF), slightly cooler than the Atlantic coast, where they vary between 31 and 38ºC (88-100ºF).

Costa Rica’s climate has only two seasons: the rainy season (called “winter” over there), ranging from May to November in the northern regions, and from April to December in the south, and the dry season (“summer”), the rest of the year. Certainly, talking about seasons is very relative, as each one of them has a more or less prolonged transition period, and indeed the sun shines many mornings during the rainy season, while storms and showers aren’t that rare during the so called “dry” season.



On top of all that, Costa Rica’s geography favors the existence of microclimates, in such a way that temperatures may vary wildly from one city to another and even from a moment of the day to just one hour later. There are two coastal plains, on the shores of the Caribbean Sea and the Pacific Ocean respectively, and a central plain at 1160 meters (3500 ft) high, set apart from the coastal plains by two mountain ridges of about 1500 m (4500 ft) high on average each one.

This rugged topography ant the difficulty of communications are responsible for the extraordinary diversity of plants and wildlife in Costa Rica.

Some basic facts about Costa Rica

The Republic of Costa Rica is located in Central America and is the southernmost of the five countries that form the region.

It is bounded to the North by Nicaragua and to the south by Panama (which is not a Central American country): the Eastern shore (225 km or 140 miles long) belongs to the Caribbean Sea and the Western shore (1103 km or 684 miles long) is bounded by the Pacific Ocean. Both coastlines boast extremely beautiful beaches surrounded by palm trees.

Costa Rica is a small country: There are, from West to East, a maximum of 246 km (152 miles) from Puntarenas to Limón, and 534 km (331 miles) from Peñas Blancas, at the Nicaraguan border, to Paso Canoas (Panamanian boundary) at the south. Total surface of the country is 51,100 sq km (19,730 sq mi) for about four and a half million people. The highest peak is Cerro Chiripó, 3819 m (11000 ft) high.



Its geographical position places Costa Rica in the tropical region, although due to the rugged terrain there is a great amount of microclimates that makes out of Costa Rica a world class wildlife sanctuary. Actually, one fourth of the country’s territory is protected and belongs to one of the many National Parks. And even more impressive is the fact that, although the country’s extension is only a mere 0.03% of the earth’s surface, it boasts being home of no less than 6% of the known animal species.

Main agricultural products are: coffee, tropical fruits such as pineapple and banana, sugarcane, corn, rice, beans and potatoes; cattle raising and timber growing are also of importance.

The country is administratively divided in seven provinces: San José, where the capital is located, Alajuela, Cartago, Heredia (all of them inland provinces), Guanacaste and Puntarenas (in the Pacific Coast) and finally Limón, on the shores of the Caribbean Sea.