by Rod Hughes
Among the many places worth a visit here is the Juan Santamaria Historical Museum, named in honor of the country’s only war hero. (As this is written, the museum is closed for expansion and will not open until May. Ironically it was closed April 11, the holiday honoring […]
by Rod Hughes
Time was when Costa Rican tourist accommodations were almost 100% aimed at the low end of the industry cost spectrum—definitely for middle class or backpacker oriented nature seekers. But, The Tico Times recently pointed out, the top end .is being filled in with rooms and suites costing as […]
by Rod Hughes
By long-cherished custom, the Christmas-New Year holidays are a signal for the natives to charge off to the beaches on both coasts, which usually means that there is no room at the inn there. But the tourist who did not know that or forgot and finds himself […]
by Rod Hughes
Costa Rica was saddened this week by news that tourism pioneer Andy Gingold had died of renal cancer last Sunday at his Ciudad Colon home at age 60. During his 33 years in this country, he and wife Avie established several companies that, in various ways, acted to […]
by Rod Hughes
Despite the domination of electronic mail, people still send what the computer-literate call disparagingly “snail mail.” So philatelists (stamp collectors, that is) still are in business, reports Tico Times star columnist Mitzi Stark. Recent Costa Rican stamp issues prove both colorful and a fine showcase for the country’s […]
by Rod Hughes
If your taste runs to nature without glittering hotels, casinos or celebrity nightlife, La Cangreja National Park is for you. As profiled by a recent issue of The Tico Times, this is the nation’s newest national park, five years old with miles of well-marked hiking trails.
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by Rod Hughes
Earthquakes and a late awakening of citizens to the worth of their national monuments have claimed many historic buildings in this country. This is why far fewer historic structures remain standing here than in many Latin American countries. But one worth a visit is the police commissary in […]
by Rod Hughes
Minister of Health María Luisa Avila has denied the Caribbean port city of Limon a license to hold its annual carnival, the biggest and most colorful civic festival in the country. The reason: an outbreak of mosquito-borne dengue fever throughout the province.
So far, no deaths have been reported but the outbreak has swamped […]
by Rod Hughes
The message is clear behind biologist Ana Fonseca’s analyses of the effects of global warming on Costa Rica, one of the most diverse ecosystems in the world:
Come visit before most of it disappears.
The University of Costa Rica scientist calculates that over the next 90 years, 160,000 species of plants and animals will go […]
by Rod Hughes
At least two businesses prominent in the nation’s tourism industry have said a hearty “NO!” to sex tourists.
If this seems a small gesture, contemplate this: Of the country’s $1.7 billion annual tourism income, up to 10% is based upon sexual encounters, reports the English-language weekly The Tico Times. No fewer than 40 […]
