Costa Rican bananas linking plantations to global markets

It's easy to pass by a banana in the store. Another fruit among many. Grabbed quickly for breakfast on the move, added cereal, and packed it into lunchboxes. Familiar, routine. But that simplicity hides something remarkable: A banana can be the...

Costa Rican Cacao Is in the World’s Top 50

Costa Rica once again earns a place on the world map of fine cacao. On September 23, 2025, in Rome, Italy, the organizers of the international “Cacao of Excellence 2025” competition announced this year’s 50 best cacaos, one of which is produced by...

5 Top Costa Rican Restaurants on TripAdvisor’s Best List

Costa Rica’s restaurants have landed spots on TripAdvisor’s global list of top dining spots this year. Five local places made the cut in the 2025 Travelers’ Choice Awards Best of the Best, based on traveler reviews from the past 12 months. These...

Costa Ricans must attend an in-person interview to apply for a US visa

Q COSTARICA — Starting today, October 1, all Costa Ricans applying for a visa to the United States must appear in person at the embassy for an interview, including children under 14 and adults over 79, according to Vice Consul Samantha Ducey. The...

Costa Rican Rubyglow pineapple enters global markets

A rare pineapple variety from Costa Rica has drawn international attention after being featured on the YouTube channel MrBeast 2, which has over 52 million subscribers. The Rubyglow, grown in Buenos Aires de Puntarenas by Fresh Del Monte, was...

Rules for Costa Rican Visas are Tightened by the U.S. Embassy Starting October 1

The U.S. Embassy here has rolled out new guidelines for nonimmigrant visa applications, making in-person interviews the norm for most applicants. The changes, set to take effect tomorrow, October 1, end many of the interview waivers that eased the...

Costa Rican Social Security Issues Urgent Call For Blood Donations

The general hospitals of the Costa Rican Social Security Fund (CCSS) are facing a critical shortage of blood supplies, so they are calling on the public to come forward and donate this vital liquid. The director of the Rafael Ángel Calderón...

Costa Rican Auditorium Theater Seeks Cast for Musical “The Little Prince”

The National Auditorium Theater announces the search for talent for its next major production: a new musical version of the classic “The Little Prince,” which will premiere in February 2026. This proposal, which comes from the famous Corrientes...

U.S. Embassy Tightens Visa Rules for Costa Ricans Starting October 1

The U.S. Embassy here has rolled out new guidelines for nonimmigrant visa applications, making in-person interviews the norm for most applicants. The changes, set to take effect tomorrow, October 1, end many of the interview waivers that eased the...

Eugene Levy on Touring Windsor Castle with Prince William and Walking in Royal Footsteps for ‘The Reluctant Traveler’

Eugene Levy is clearly a well-seasoned traveler. The Canadian actor has gone ice fishing in the Arctic Circle in Lapland, searched for the Big Five in South Africa’s Kruger National Park, island-hopped in Greece, and ventured deep into the Costa...

Costa Rican Court Orders Uber to Pay Millions in Driver Benefits

Costa Rican courts have dealt another blow to Uber, ruling that the ride-hailing company must treat drivers as employees rather than independent contractors. In a decision in September, a labor court in San José found an employment link between...

Costa Rican Airports Reopen After Radar Failure Grounds Flights

After a chaotic morning, airport personnel announced the reopening of Costa Rican Airports. All flights had been grounded since early morning due to an electrical failure in the radar system. A total of 4,580 passengers were affected by the...

Costa Rica Court Orders Urgent Regulation of Tuna Fishing Law

Costa Rica’s Constitutional Court has stepped in to push the government on a long-delayed tuna fishing law. The court partially backed an appeal from environmental lawyer Walter Brenes, who called out the Costa Rican Institute of Fisheries and...

Costa Rican President Slams Immunity Vote

Costa Rican President Rodrigo Chaves on Tuesday lambasted a failed vote by Congress that aimed to remove his immunity and put him on trial for corruption. The motion to strip his immunity fell four votes short of passing, with 34 in favour and 21...

Annual Trenton Costa Rican celebration cloaked in secrecy amid fear of feds [L.A. PARKER COLUMN]

Under a matrix of pennants and strands of string that formed a canopy above a Costa Rican outdoor celebration, just as stars shimmered in mid-September skies, fear lurked in the gloaming. Dancers, dressed in Costa Rica colors of red, white, and...

Costa Rican Filmmaker Kim Torres Unveils Feature Debut at Festival

Kim Torres, a filmmaker raised in Costa Rica, steps into the spotlight with her first full-length movie, “If We Don’t Burn, How Do We Light Up the Night.” The film premieres today at the San Sebastian International Film Festival in Spain, marking...

Costa Rican Amalia Ortuño Wins Adaptive CrossFit World Championship

Costa Rican athlete Amalia Ortuño became the world champion in the Seated 2 category of Adaptive CrossFit this Sunday. Ortuño competed in the world championship held in Las Vegas, United States, where 260 athletes from 16 adaptive divisions...

Costa Rican Surfer Leilani McGonagle Claims Historic Win

Costa Rica Surfer Leilani McGonagle took home the top prize at the 2025 Super Girl Surf Pro in Oceanside, California. She beat out strong competition to become the first non-American to ever win this event. The tournament wrapped up over the...

Costa Rican Kim Torres on Her Feature Debut ‘If We Don’t Burn How Do We Light Up The Night,’ Which Gets a Trailer: ‘Violence Is Something That’s Very Present in Latin America’ (EXCLUSIVE)

While not autobiographical, Costa Rican Kim Torres’s feature debut “If We Don’t Burn How Do We Light Up The Night” (“Si no ardemos, cómo iluminar la noche”) is rooted in her childhood experiences. It draws inspiration from her early years in rural...

This elevated Costa Rican resort is a cut above

The northwestern corner of Costa Rica is one of the most biodiverse areas of the world, so it’s essential that when a new ultra-luxury property arrives, it takes care not to trample on the region’s outstanding natural beauty. In that respect,...