Costa Rica Invest

Customs & Etiquette

2012-01-26T10:18:00.000-08:00

An understanding of Costa Rican customs and etiquette will not only help you blend in, but will also help you adapt to your new country. Jump into daily life, make friends, practice patience and treat each new situation as a learning opportunity. Most importantly, take surprises in stride and try to laugh off your cultural faux pas. Even in Costa Rica, laughter is always the best medicine.

Greetings

It is common to say hello and goodbye to friends and acquaintances with a light kiss on the cheek – or an air kiss accompanied by a kissing sound. Note that women kiss women and women kiss men, but men do not kiss men; instead, they either shake hands or give each other a one-armed hug. In formal or business settings, a firm handshake is the typical greeting.

Timeliness

Costa Ricans are famous for observing Tico time, known locally as "la hora tica." Costa Ricans habitually arrive late, often by 30 minutes or more, to dinner, appointments, and get-togethers – anything but the movies or the appointments at the public health clinics, for which they line up hours in advance. Many Costa Ricans do not view late arrivals as rude – and their tardiness is not meant to offend – so it's best to adjust your expectations and tell your friends to arrive earlier than you'd like.

Similarly, the word "ahora," which is Spanish for "now," means "later" or "tomorrow" in Costa Rica. If someone tells you they'll meet you "ahora" or are leaving "ahora mas tarde," it's best to clarify exactly when you'll see each other.

Gender Issues

Costa Rican culture is historically machista, or male-dominant – similar to 1950's America. For example, women traditionally take care of household chores, while men strive to be the breadwinners. Women are expected to dress nicely and wear makeup, and men don't hesitate to show their appreciation with whistles and verbal compliments. Machismo has also fueled relationship infidelity; taking (and flaunting) a mistress was once considered a source of pride.

However, Costa Rica has changed over the last several decades. While machismo and gender differences still exist, sexism and gender inequality are no longer as acceptable as they once were. Infidelity is mostly kept behind closed doors. Women often work outside the home, earning salaries equal to their male counterparts. However, Costa Rican men still appreciate female beauty, and they don't hesitate to show it. Women, try not to be offended if a man stares at you, whistles or tries out a pickup line; in most cases, these behaviors are harmless and are meant as a compliment.

Non-Confrontation

Costa Rican culture is very courteous, and confrontation and accusations are usually considered impolite. It's uncommon for a Costa Rican to get angry in public, even when complaint is warranted. In fact, Costa Ricans are taught from a young age to protest peacefully, and civil unrest is almost always expressed in planned, organized marches.

Additionally, most locals are loath to say no, instead promising "maybe." Keep in mind that a maybe is not an attempt to lie or mislead; it's simply the Costa Rican way of not hurting a friend's feelings. To blend in, try not to stir the pot or get offended when a maybe turns out to mean no; just adjust your expectations and interpret "puede ser" the way a Costa Rican would.

Dress

Costa Ricans take pride in their appearance and dress well. In business situations, both men and women dress formally but not as conservatively as in North America. Outside the office, men and women dress informally, although casual dress in Costa Rica is fancier than you might expect. For example, men rarely wear shorts except at the beach, and women's jeans are often accompanied by stiletto heels and heavy makeup. Women of all sizes wear very tight and revealing clothes – bras are often color-coordinated to match an outfit's accessories.

Taboos/Unacceptable Behavior

Costa Rica is a Catholic country, and religious values are respected, if not always observed. Topics such as pre-marital sex, abortion, and gay marriage are generally avoided. Costa Ricans are very polite, so be sure not to put your feet on furniture; always say please and thank you, and try not raise your voice in anger, at least in public.

Typically, small towns and rural areas are more conservative than big cities, especially those in the Central Valley. Beach towns, which are frequented by tourists and expats, are also more liberal than other parts of Costa Rica. The best tactic is to err on the side of caution at all times, or at least until you have discovered what behavior is acceptable in your town.

Gift Giving

Giving gifts is common practice in Costa Rica. Presents are exchanged on Christmas, Father's Day and birthdays, and Mother's Day is one of the most important gift-giving holidays of the year. It is also appropriate to take a bottle of wine to a dinner party, or give flowers to celebrate any occasion. Avoid lilies, as they are usually reserved for funerals.

Read the full story at CostaRica.com

Fun Facts about Costa Rica

2012-01-23T10:00:00.000-08:00

By The Real Costa Rica

In Costa Rica, it is not uncommon to give coffee to babies (in their bottle, with milk) and to young children. I found this astonishing! Having had the “pleasure” of a two year old a few times in my life, I simply could not imagine a two year old on espresso!
MANY Costa Ricans use their credit cards for everything. What so I mean by everything? Well… a newspaper, a candy bar, a pack of gum, etc. I means things as low as just pennies in cost! It is truly bizarre to be in line behind a Tico and watch him whip out his card to make an eighteen cent purchase.
MacDonald’s, Burger King and all the others have HOME DELIVERY in Costa Rica! This is not a good thing if you are on a diet.
Ticos are short statured people in general. Therefore, chairs, couches etc are built about 6-8 inches (sometimes more) lower than furniture say from the USA. If you are tall, you will find that the act of just getting up is an effort. If you have a…ummm… a weight issue as does this writer, it is handy to have a helper nearby!
Cigarettes are only about $1.20 per pack. Another thing to place under the ‘not good’ category.
Naming conventions are very different here. Children take their father’s name, but add their mother’s maiden name to their full name. So when you see a name on a business card like Carlos Jose Gomez Guzman, this persons name is Carlos Gomez and the Guzman is his mom’s maiden name. Often this is abbreviated as an initial thus: Carlos Jose Gomez G. or even more commonly, Carlos Gomez G.Costa Rican women do not take their husband’s last name. The woman uses her full maiden name for life. Nochanging of national ID cards, drivers licenses, etc. She also adds her mother’s maiden name.Rarely now, women WILL use the old Spanish naming convention and add a “de ” and her husband’s name. Thus, Maria Gomez when she marries Carlos de la Torre, will become Maria Gomez de La Torre.This system does not work well with most North American names, especially ethic names and would be as dumb as all that hyphenating malarkey in the USA. Imagine Doris Kaspinski de Czezniekevich?
If you should die while here, you are buried here on the same day you die… no embalming… nada. They just plant you! Everyone looks to see your obituary on TV several times per day! (This can occur easily if you buy the cheap cigarettes and have your Big Macs sent to the home!).
There are few street signs in Costa Rica and even fewer addresses. Read that as almost none. Just about all addresses are in terms of a well-known building or landmark; often the local Catholic Church, cemetery, or another fixed location. But just to keep things interesting, some addresses are phrased in terms of building that may have burned down 20 years ago! Also, when you see an address that says 200M west of something, that normally means 2 blocks and NOT a true 200 meters. Now is a good time to read about driving in Costa Rcia.
Diet Pepsi here tastes better than Diet Coke.
Instead of saying “my other half”, Ticos often refer to their significant other as their “media naranja” or the other half of their orange.
Many (honey) bees in Costa Rica are of the Africanized variety i.e. killer bees. The older species were bred out years ago.
Tangerines are called mandarins (mandarines) here. Limes are limónes. And you can’t buy lemons here… or at least I have never seen them. So, if you want a lime, ask for a limón (lee-moan).
Candy and cookies manufactured here are to Tico tastes and have a LOT less sugar (and maybe fat) and thus a lot less flavor. If you have a sweet tooth, it can still be satiated as nearly all the popular candy from the US (I am a Snickers freak), is available. However, if you’re a cookie lover, your pretty well outta luck. Not much available except Oreos and a handful of others.Also, non sugary drink mixes like Crystal Light are not available, so if the Crystal Light folks read this, I would like Lemonade, Grapefruit, Orange, and Citrus Splash please!
Locks (houses, gates, etc.) in Costa Rica almost always work (turn) backwards.
We say in English “She had a baby” or She just gave birth”, but in Spanish they say, “Ella dio a luz” or translated, “She gave light.” Cool huh?
Want another one? Bienes raices is the word for Real Estate. Bienes means property or possessions and raices means roots. So there you have “property roots!”. Gives meaning to the expression “laying down roots”.
Front doors of almost all commercial establishments almost always open INWARDS. This is against every fire code in the USA, but here, perhaps because they have never had a tragedy in which hundreds died because the door could not be opened outwards, there is no such code. As you have become “programmed” to Pull when entering and Push when leaving, plan to feel silly as you tug or push in the wrong direction.
If you go to the immigration office for any reason or to the police station for fingerprinting (as part of your residency), do NOT wear shorts! They will turn you away! Shorts are considered disrespectful. Update 2009!
There are Bullfights in Costa Rica, but the bull is never hurt and often, the bull wins! I love payback!
Milk, eggs, and many other items that you have been trained all your life to refrigerate, are available off the shelf (un-refrigerated) at almost every super market. This of course flies in the face of everything you have learned about storing these products, but I have bought them every week for the past four years and I have never been sick, nor has anyone I have ever met. Go figure.
The word for HOT, in Spanish, is caliente. Caliente begins with a “C”. Water faucets imported from the USA almost all have a “C” on them. If your Hot Water never seems to get HOT in Costa Rica, try the handle with the “C”. Note, this may change from bathroom to bathroom within the same house!
Ants are everywhere here, and they outnumber us about a zillion to one. You will have two real choices as I see it! Spend about all of your entire life trying to kill them all… or just realize they will be part of your diet while living here! The tiny ones are flavorless, and probably add a tiny bit of protein to the diet! The bigger ones crunch.
You will see a LOT of folks carrying machetes… those really long, sharp knives. You see this especially in the country and areas away from San José. The machete is the Costa Rican equivalent of Duct Tape. It is used for everything, but almost never as a weapon… so relax!!
Chinese food tastes funny in Costa Rica. Not BAAAAD… just funny! I am also not hungry an hour after I eat Chinese food here.
Burger Kings here taste just like Burger Kings in the US. MacDonald’s do not. Colonel Sanders are better here. So is Diet Coke.
Generally, meat is kinda crummy here. Just not enough fat cows. Thankfully, the Peruvians and the Brazilians have arrived to open restaurants where you can get a good piece of meat.
Costa Rica is smart enough NOT to export all the good coffee! This is meaningful if you have ever lived in Idaho and wanted a good baked potato.
In many countries, pedestrians have rights. Drivers must yield to them or suffer the consequences. In Costa Rica, the Spanish word for pedestrian is “Target”. Be real careful when walking around… especially in San José and especially at street corners.
At 7 AM every morning, most if not all Costa Rica radio stations broadcast the exact same program. It begins with the Costa Rican National Anthem and provides the government and other authorized entities a way to send messages or information nation wide.
The meter in a taxicab is know as the Maria… apparently a loose reference to the Virgin Mary and her presumed honesty.
We call them Speed bumps! To Costa Ricans, son muertos… or in English… “(they are) dead persons”.
Nearly all Catholic Churches in Costa Rica face to the WEST. This is a handy thing to know as if you read #4 above, you know that knowing directions is critical and that many addresses in CR are based on distance and direction from those churches.
Q. I see painted designs on some highways and streets. They look like a big gold or yellow heart with a crack in it. Sometimes there are hearts with halos. What are they?A. Broken hearts. These are painted on the road where someone lost their life. When you approach an intersection or a road that has a bunch of these painted, drive more cautiously.

Read the full story on The Real Costa Rica

Jatropha Seedlings growing in NatureWalk, Nursery

2012-01-19T12:56:00.000-08:00

Costa Rica - The Best Country Brand in Latin America

2012-01-19T02:42:00.000-08:00

By Boomers Abroad

for natural beauty, welcoming nature, devotion to peace, democracy, authenticity, quality of life……

Future Brand, a British company, publishes the The Country Brand Index on an annual basis, and uses its own methodology to determine the value of many countries as a brand. The values are based on a wide number of factors including natural features, culture, business environment, quality of life of its residents, and others The current index was published on November 12th 2011.

This past year, Costa Rica improved in the world rankings, to 24th best overall. This placed it highest of all Latin American countries on the global list. Best known for its "No Artificial Ingredients" campaign, Costa Rica has had a national priority to promote the country's image as a protector of its natural wealth.

Costa Rica’s tourism brand is ranked above that of countries such as Brazil, Argentina, and Chile. The report states, "A strong country brand is more than the sum of its attributes; it must make people's lives better from the progressive policies, to freedom of expression and openness. It must call people around the world to visit that country, to do business, and make a living there.”

To provide the basis for the study’s conclusions over 3500 interviews were conducted between July and September, 2011, involving tourists from more than 14 regions of the world. The study has published the country brand evaluations since 2004. Globally, Costa Rica is ranked 24th, out of 113 surveyed countries. In Latin America, it is followed by Brazil (31st), Argentina (32nd), Chile (34th), Peru (44th), Mexico (47th) and Uruguay (50th).

The full analysis and a downloadable pdf is available at Future Brand

The full story is available at Boomers Abroad

Investing in Costa Rica - Including recommended projects

2012-01-12T02:34:00.000-08:00

By the Costa Rica News

1. A country open to foreign investment

It is known that the promotion and creation of ideal conditions for foreign investment is essential for the stimulation of exports. This also allows new technologies and creates employment. The Costa Rican government and its laws encourage direct foreign investment. This attitude is shared by the two major political parties and has been implemented actively since the early eighties. Also, the improvement of conditions destined to attract foreign companies has been the trademark for the past 15 years.

To support this effort, CINDE (Costa Rican Investment and Trade Development Board), a private non-profit organization, was set up to assist and guide investors and companies in the set up for operations in Costa Rica.

A further step on this effort was the promulgation of legislation providing significant tax and operational incentives to companies in export related activities. These sets of incentives are: the export contract, the free zone and the temporary admission system, all of which include total or partial tax exemptions and expedite customs clearance services among other simplified operational aspects.

Costa Rican laws, regulations and practices foster competition and do not discriminate between locals and foreigners, for the conduction of business. The only exceptions to this are the entities that are constitutionally precluded from total foreign ownership such as telecommunications, energy generation and insurance. Tax, labor, health and safety laws do not inhibit the flow of investment.

2. Political features

Costa Rica is the oldest and most established democracy in Latin America. Historically, the country’s political system and social structure have contrasted sharply with those of its neighboring nations. Costa Rica has managed to develop and maintain democratic institutions in an orderly and constitutional scheme, which has been conducive to government succession.

The armed forces were abolished in 1949, and the resources once consumed by the military have since been used to promote education and provide free access to health services. This is one of many reasons why Costa Rica tends to show better standard and quality of living indicators than most other countries in Latin America.

The country’s political system is based on a structure of real checks and balances between the different administrative powers, and operates under a presidential system similar to that of the United States.

3. Economic situation overview

In terms of economic performance, although Costa Rica’s GDP grew 7.0% during 1996 (current dollars), it still fell short of the country’s goals. Strict economic policies have been established in an attempt to further stimulate the country’s growth and reduce public spending and public deficit. These include significant restructuring and downsizing of Government apparatus. During the first trimester of 1997, tax recollection increased a 12.88% in real terms, compared to the first trimester of 1996, while the increase in government expenses was 8,28% in real terms, compared to the same period in 1996. These figures show favorable trend in deficit reduction.

Recent administrations have been enacting policies to liberalize, modernize, and diversify the economy and financial sector. The country is seeing the results of diversification in the rapid development of non-traditional exports and services.

Costa Rica has lowered its external tariffs in the last years, reaching a present range between 0% and 19% for most imported products (May 1997).

The government is currently deregulating the banking system, which has been controlled by the state since 1949. In October 1992, private banks were allowed to receive short-term deposits and in 1996, to have access to checking and saving accounts.

At present the Government of Costa Rica still owns or controls some industries and services such as petroleum refining (RECOPE), telecommunications I.C.E.-RACSA and insurance (I.N.S.). However, various efforts, including a “State Reform” project currently being executed, are being made to cut back government expenses. The government’s size is being reduced by privatizing state-owned services, transferring labor from the public to the private sector, and the previously mentioned initiative of allowing private banks to have access to both current and saving accounts. Significant tax and constitutional reforms have also being established.

In 1990 for example, the National Electricity Board (ICE) approved the co-generation of electricity by the private sector, providing a clear example of downsizing efforts. Recent reforms allow for an even larger participation of private companies, the ultimate goal being a reduction in the costs of these utilities.

A series of stabilization measures initiated in March of 1995, are beginning to have an effect on Costa Rica’s economic environment as export activity continues to show a healthy and sustained growth (growth in 1996 was 7.6%). Traditionally an agricultural country, industrial output has progressively become one of the major contributors to the productive structure and GDP components, and tourism, one of the country’s main revenue generators, particularly since the late eighties, when the country started being known internationally as attractive tourist destination.

Economic indicators demonstrate the results of recent reforms. For example, although the unemployment rate rose 4.2% in 1994 to 5.3% in 1995 and to 6.2% in 1996, and real wages suffered a 1.8% reduction, the GDP per capita remained almost the same (0.3% reduction in 1996) and is expected to start growing again shortly. New tax collection procedures and the tendency of passive interest rates to steadily decline, indicates that economic activity will reactivate significantly during the rest of 1997.

During the 1995 the Central Government’s deficit represented 4.5% of the GDP and it rose to 4.8% in 1996. These figures are higher than the goals established by the I.M.F of 4.1% in 1995 and 0.5% in 1996. Expert estimates for 1997 consider a 3.7% deficit will be the figure by the end of 1997. The accumulated deficit at the end of the first trimester of 1997 was US$73.7 millions, 6.3% lower than for the same period of 1996.

The expected lower fiscal deficit, lower interest rates and the contraction of the aggregate demand, reduced pressure on price levels. In 1996, inflation was down to 13.9%, from 22.6% in 1995. Lowers levels of inflation have allowed the Central Bank to decline the devaluation rate. By the end of 1996, the devaluation was 12.8%, down from 18.0% for 1995.

4. Foreign Trade

Costa Rica’s productive structure has changed dramatically in the past 15 years. The country is

seeing the results of the diversification in the high growth of non-traditional exports and services. This change was fostered by policies geared towards the attraction of direct foreign investment in manufacturing sectors. The traditional exports (coffee, bananas, meat and sugar) dropped to 24.2% of foreign exchange generating activities during 1996, after representing over 80% just 15 years ago. Non-traditional exports, which include products as palm hearts, fruit pulp, pineapple, melon and cut flowers are today’s leaders, accounting for 60.7% of 1996 foreign exchange generating activities. Tourism also plays a major role generating foreign exchange, though it dropped from 16% in 1995, to 15% in 1996.

The variety and value of exports has been steadily increasing, and a 7.6% increase on total exports was observed in 1996. This makes Costa Rica not only the leading exporter in Central America, but also the second largest per capita exporter in Latin America after Chile. This is especially impressive when considering that the country has one of the smallest populations in the region.

Costa Rica’s accession to the GATT (General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade) in 1990, was agreed in order to implement a more stable unified tariff and tax system. Also, import duties have been reduced from the Central American maximum tariff.

Market accessibility from Costa Rica also contributes to the benefits of the investment climate. For instance, Costa Rica is Caribbean Basin Initiative (CBI) beneficiary. This implies that Costa Rican exports have duty free access to the United States (exceptions being apparel, tuna and some leather products). As of January 1995, a full encompassing Free Trade Agreement with Mexico came into effect. This agreement stipulates that existing tariffs and quotas on more than 8000 products will be phased out in the following 10 years (depending on the product).

As a member of the Central American Common Market, Costa Rican products enter El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras and Nicaragua completely or partially duty free. Costa Rica has also signed a Tax Information Exchange Agreement (TIEA) with the United States.

5. Right private ownership and establishing operations

Aside from the services that have been stipulated to be managed by the government, or that require citizenship or residency, (full ownership of mass media for example), all private entities and individuals, regardless of their citizenship, may establish an own business enterprises. Foreign companies or investors can set up branches, joint ventures, or wholly-owned subsidiaries. Individuals or foreign partnerships can operate as stock or charter corporations. Foreigners can be officers, directors, partners or trustees of companies and can negotiate commercial documents in order to carry on with contracts and legal actions as locals.

The stock corporation (Sociedad Anonima) is the most commonly used form of association, both by local and foreign investors.

The exceptions for total foreign ownership occur in sectors that have been traditionally reserved for the government, such as insurance, telecommunications and oil refining. However, in some of these instances, the private sector may participate as a concessionaire by providing re-insurance services to the state monopoly. These limitations or restrictions apply to local as well as foreign companies or individuals.

During recent years, formerly state-owned companies have been sold to the private sector (food retailing, sugar production, aluminum processing). Also, in 1992 a “Low for Public Work Concession”, was enacted, in order to allow to the private sector to participate, through a public bid process, in areas previously reserved for the government. This low will enable an efficient service in those in which public entities do not complete adequately.

6. Capital or funds repatriation and transfer policies

There are no limitations to transfer capital or funds associated with an investment, regardless of the currency. Exchange controls were revoked in 1992, and the management of foreign currencies became entirely independent, therefore, no restrictions are imposed on re-investments or on repatriation of earnings, royalties or capital. However, taxes are sometimes collected. In addition, there is no requirement to register investments with any of the government authorities.

Under the Free Zone System for example, capital or profit repatriation is tax-exempt.

7. Incentives for foreign investment

There are no performance requirements or minimum investment levels for foreign investors.

Investments incentives are available for the activities that are directly related to the exportation of services and/or products from Costa Rica. These incentives are: the free zone system and the temporary admission system, each one regulated by its own particular legislation.

The free zone system (export processing zones) was created by law in 1981 and was managed by government entities until 1986. Ever since, it was determined that the State should divest itself from the ownership and management of the industrial parks. Private developers were encouraged to establish parks throughout the country. Currently there are eight “free zones” or industrial parks in operation.

This system grants beneficiary companies with the widest range of benefits currently available in Costa Rica. Among the fiscal benefits granted under the provisions of the free zone legislation are:

exemption from import duties on raw materials, parts and components;
exemption from taxes on profits for determined periods of time;
exemption from taxes on remittances abroad;
exemption from export taxes;
exemption from sales tax on local purchases of goods and services.

Operational incentives such as on-site and expedite customs clearance and in some cases subsidized training are also available.

The export contract was also set up at the beginning of the eighties, granting some tax exemptions, tax rebates and credits in proportion to the amounts exported. Because of the requirement to comply with GATT (of which Costa Rica is a signatory) guidelines, this system expired in 1996, and the subsequent contracts granted only provide companies limited fiscal benefits.

The temporary admission system was set up specifically for drawback type operations. Companies can import processed raw materials into Costa Rica free of duties in order to have been used mainly by local contractors, however, foreign companies (mostly apparel manufacturers) have also taken advantage of it. Even though the flexibility and the scope of the fiscal is quite limited in comparison to the free zone system.

Some fiscal incentives are still available for tourism related investments. However, it is expected that the remaining benefits will be eliminated throughout 1996.

8. Capital markets and portfolio investment

The three state-owned banks (Banco de Costa Rica, Banco Nacional and Banco Credito Agricola) used to supply about 80% of the credit. As of 1996, there will exist a monopoly on demand savings and checking accounts. Private banks have a larger participation due to their expansion and can now offer service nationwide.

Long term capital is scarce due to variations in the inflation rate and a small domestic capital market.

There is an active stock exchange, the largest in Central America although small with regards to international standards. It is seldom used to raise capital, however, projects in the tourism industry have used it as a source of capital. Shares, bonds, promissory notes and securities, among others, are exchange every day in primary and secondary markets.

Foreign investors can borrow in the local market, but the cost is very high due to macroeconomic policy. It is advised to bring funds from abroad. As mentioned before, there are no limitations on capital or exportation regardless of the citizenship or company.

9. Direct foreign investment

Due to the fact of registry of foreign capital is not required, there are no statistics on annual amounts of foreign investment or its origin. Several hundred American, European and Asian companies have manufacturing facilities, distribution centers or offices in Costa Rica.

These organizations either service the country and the region or export to their country of origin. Foreign investment has grown considerably in recent years, particularly in tourism related and industrial activities because of the favorable operational environment the country has to offer.

From Costa Rica Investment Board

Projects that are Recommended by The Costa Rica News

1. Columbus Heights – Residential Development Playa Hermosa

2. Multi-Purpose Real Estate – Biofuel Farms Backed by Real Estate Title

3. Los Delfines – Tambor Residential Development

To read the full article visit the Costa Rica News

Road Improvements Continue to NatureWalk

2012-01-09T09:46:00.000-08:00

The local municipality is continuing with road access improvement to NatureWalk and the pictures below show the road to the lower area of NatureWalk 2 being upgraded:

Preparation for Planting in NatureWalk 2

2012-01-09T09:36:00.000-08:00

The land had begun preparation for the planting of Jatropha and Macauba in NatureWalk 2. Lots are being cleared and will be planted over the coming weeks with seedlings grown in the nursery.

Tax affairs in Costa Rica

2012-01-05T05:32:00.000-08:00

Individual Income Tax

General Provisions

Under the Costa Rica tax system, residents and corporations are taxed only income earned in Costa Rica.

The tax year begins in October 1 and ends September 30, both for individuals and corporations. Companies may request filing returns on a different tax year, subject to the approval of the Ministry of Finance.

Unless proof to the contrary exists, for certain professionals as well as corporations, presumptive net income is established by the Ministry of Finance, and constitutes a minimum taxable base.

Tax & Tax Adjustment Laws

On September 1995 a main set of reforms to the prevailing tax structure was issued.

These are the tax law (Ley de Justicia Tributaria) and Tax Adjustment Law (Ley de Ajuste Tributario).

Both these Laws impose severe administrative fines, administrative penalties and criminal prosecution for failing to comply with the income reporting requirements established by law.

Income Tax

Applied to individuals as well as legal entities, i.e., corporations for income originated from a Costa Rican source.

Costa Rican Laws do not tax income derived from a foreign source.

According to the Law all of the following are subject to income taxation:

Legal entities, the facto corporation, professional companies, and state enterprises which operate in the country;
Branch offices, subsidiaries, or agencies of any non-resident which operates in the country;
Trusts;
Inheritances (as long as remaining indivisible);
Individuals residing in Costa Rica regardless of nationality;
Individuals hired in a professional occupation;
Physical and legal entities not specifically mentioned and engaged in profit making activities in Costa Rica.

Entities Exempt From Income Taxation

The following are tax exempt:

Government, local governments and autonomous and semi-autonomous organizations excluded by specific laws;
Religious institutions regardless of creed;
Associations, foundations, chambers, unions, political parties and other non-profit organizations;
Employer -Sponsored Workers Associations (Asociaciones Solidaristas);
Worker’s Cooperatives;
Companies under Free Zone status.

Taxable Incomes

Taxable income is based upon net income, thus becoming necessary to establish the corresponding gross income of the tax paying entity.

Costa Rican Laws defines gross income as the total income and profits earned in the country during the taxable year.

This includes earnings from real property, investment of capital and other business activities.

It also contemplates any increase in net worth during the taxable year, which cannot be justified by declared or registered income.

Excluded from the gross income are the following:

Donations in cash or kind;
Revaluation of fixed assets (except depreciable fixed assets, though, depreciation allowances may be considered if approved by the tax administration);
Profits, dividends, participation and any other form of distribution of benefits credited to the taxpayer;
Income derived as a result of contracts or agreements made on goods or capital located abroad, even for contracts negotiated in C.R.;
Capital gains obtained form the transfer of real or personal property so long as this income does not constitute a habitual transaction;
Inheritances, legacies, community properties;
Prizes from national lotteries;
Approved charitable donations.

Deductions

Deductions may be subtracted from the gross income.

To be allowable deductions the taxpayer must prove that they were necessary to produce taxable income.

The following are deductible from income:

Costs: Any costs incurred, which are necessary to produce the income, may be deducted (i.e. raw materials, parts, components, or services needed to produce the goods or services);

Salaries: Wages, bonuses, gifts, benefits actually paid out are deductible as long as the income tax of the recipient has been withheld and paid to the Treasury;

Taxes: Any taxes levied against the goods or services or transactions carried out in the ordinary course of business;

Insurance Premiums: Insurance Premiums for policies, which cover fire, theft, earthquake, or similar risks;

Interest: No reduction allowed for interest payable to shareholders of limited liability companies;

Bad Debts: If related to the transactions in the ordinary course of business of the taxpayer and all legal efforts have been exhausted to collect the debt;

Depreciation: Apply to the exhaustion, wear and tear, or obsolescence of property, which is used in the trade or business. The Tax Law specifies the maximum depreciation amounts allowed;

Business Losses: Deductions are allowed for business losses. Losses incurred in one taxable year may be carried over for 3 years (5 years for agricultural enterprises);

Social Security Contributions: Contributions established by law and paid to the employees are deductible;

Board of Directors’ Remuneration: Deductions are allowed for remuneration, wages, commissions, honoraria, paid to members of the board of directors located abroad;

Payments to entities not domiciled in C.R.: Payments for technical support, financial, as well as for the use of patents, trademarks, franchise fees, or royalties are deductible. If payments are made to an agent or subsidiary of a firm which is permanently established in C.R. then the deduction cannot exceed 10% of the annual gross sales of that company;

Travel Expenses: These may not exceed 1% of the gross income declared;

Start up Expenses: Deductions are allowed for expenses necessary to initiate production of taxable income;

Advertising: Advertising and sales promotion expenses inside C.R. or abroad are deductible;

Casualty losses: Casualty and theft losses, which are not covered by insurance;

Gifts made to the State

Personal Income Taxes

This group includes two categories:

persons whose income consist of a fixed salary or other remuneration and
persons with profit generating activities

a. - Persons whose income consists of a fixed salary

Any individual employed in Costa Rica pays a monthly withholding tax rate based on his salary.

Employment income (on a monthly basis) of individuals is subject to a progressive tax of 15% as follows:

Income up to 323,000 exempt.
In excess of 323,000 up to 485,000 10%.
In excess of 485,000 15%.

The following tax credits can be applied by tax payers, once income tax has been calculated:

There is 560 monthly tax credit applicable to each dependent meeting the following criteria:

A minor (under 18 years)
Handicapped (physically or mentally), and therefore unable to make his own living.
A high school or college student, not older than 25 years.

A 830 monthly tax credit applicable to the spouse only if there is no legal separation between them.

In case that both spouses are tax payers, the tax credit can only be deducted by one of them. b. - Individuals with profit generating activities

The following rates are applied to taxable annual profits:

Profits up to 1,434,000 Exempt
In excess of 1,434,000 up to 2,142,000 10%
In excess of 2,142,000 up to 3,573,000 15%
In excess of 3,573,000 up to 7,160,000 20%
In excess of 7,160,000 25%

The following tax credit can be applied by tax payers, once income tax has been calculated:

A 1,800 annual tax credit for each dependent. Conditions to apply to this tax credit are the same as stated previously. In case that both spouses are tax payers, the tax credit can only be deducted by one of them.

Imputed Income

An individual taxpayer who does not file a tax return will be presumed to have earned income pursuant to the income schedule established by law.

The imputed income is based on a base salary of a mid-level government employee as published in the annual budget.

The following professions:

Doctors, Dentists, Architects, Engineers, Lawyers, Accountants, Economists and Realtors, are presumed to have earned 335 times the base salary if they do not file an income tax returns.

For Appraisers, Private Accountants, Technicians, and in general all other professionals and technicians the imputed salary is 250 times the base salary.

Corporate Income Tax For Corporate entities the following tax table prevails:

Gross income up to �21,468,000 10%

Gross income up to �43,183,000 20%

Gross income over �43,183,000 30%

Any industrial corporation is allowed to make deductions from their annual gross income according to the list of deductible items listed on page 2 of this document.

The tax administration can deem a deduction invalid under the following criteria:

belonging to another taxes period;

non-income generating;

excessive or unreasonable.

Depreciation and Other Allowances Depreciation rates cannot be higher than those prescribed by law, unless so authorized by the tax administration.

Companies can choose either the straight-line or the sum-of-digits methods of depreciation, though, once chosen, the method must be used consistently.

Accelerated depreciation is allowed in certain cases.

Other allowances are:

organizational and pre-operational expenses that can be paid from one to five years;

operational losses can be carried forward up to three years for industry and five years for agricultural operations.

Tax on Corporate Assets

The Tax Adjustment Law introduced a 10% tax on the assets of corporations whose assets exceed 30,000,000.00.

The law has several exemptions.

An accountant should be consulted as to the application of this law on your particular situation.

Tax on Capital

This tax is also known as the "Education and Culture Tax".

Every legal entity (corporation) as well as its subsidiaries, or agencies of a foreign company, which are duly recorded in the Costa Rican Mercantile Registry, must pay an annual tax based on its net capital or equity (assets less liabilities), according to the following table:

For net capital up to 250,000: 750 per year (also applicable to negative capitals, i.e., liabilities higher than assets).
For net capital of 250,001 and up to 1,000,000: 3,000 per year.
For net capital over 1,000,001 and up to 6,000 per year.
For net capital over 2,000,001: 9,000 per year.

Annual Property Taxes Starting November 30, 1995, the law states that the administration and collection functions for property taxes to the Local Governments (Municipalidades) where the property is located.

Under the new law, it will be these entities’ responsibility to conduct property appraisals and collect the corresponding property tax.

The property tax is established on an annual basis and may be paid annually, by semester or by quarter depending on the procedures established by each Local Government.

For the next five years, the property tax payment will be 60% of the appraised value of the property.

Starting on year six, the municipality may set its own rate not to exceed 1%.

Transfer Taxes

There is a 3% property transfer tax. This tax is based upon the registered value placed on the property transfer deed at the time of sale.

Tax on Distributed Profits / Dividends

Whenever a corporation distributes its profits as dividends, the following tax is applied:

When the profits are distributed to corporation partners, the corporation, for payment to fiscal authorities must withhold a 15% tax.

When dividends are distributed by a corporation whose shares are registered in an officially recognized stock exchange, a 5% tax must be withheld only if the shares were acquired through a stock exchange.

If the partner is another corporation also subject to this withholding tax and with its capital duly registered in Costa Rica, the tax is not applicable.

Sales Tax

The tax Adjustment Law increased the sales tax from 10% to 15%. Starting on November 18, 1995 this new sales tax will be in effect for the next 18 months. After this period of time, the rate drops to 13%.

Source: http://www.costaricaweb.com/business/cindetaxes.htm

Retirees and Taxes in Costa Rica

2012-01-02T11:17:00.000-08:00

Recently I gathered some statistics about Tax-unfriendly states for retirees in the U.S. California leads the list. The Golden state is a retiree’s tax nightmare. Although Social Security benefits are exempt from state income taxes, all other forms of retirement income are fully taxed. Californians pay some of the highest income taxes in the U.S. State and local sales taxes can reach 10.5% in some cities and towns, although food and prescription drugs are exempt. Real estate is assessed at 100% of cash value, but taxes are capped at 1% of value. In Rhode Island Social Security benefits are taxed just like they are by the federal government. Rhode Island attacks virtually all other sources of retirement income, too. Starting this year, capital gains are taxed as ordinary income, eliminating the lower capital-gains rate in effect before 2010.

The nation’s smallest state also has one of the biggest statewide sales-tax rates — 7% — although it excludes food, medicine, some clothing and precious metal bullion. In Vermont there are no exemptions for retirement income in the Green Mountain State, except for Railroad Retirement benefits (which are exempt in every state). Out-of-state pensions are fully taxed. Vermont exempts medical devices and prescription and nonprescription drugs from its 6% sales tax. But it imposes a 9% tax on prepared foods, restaurant meals and lodging, and a 10% sales tax on alcoholic beverages served in restaurants. Real estate taxes have two components: school property tax and municipal property tax collected by towns and cities where the property is located. There are some other states that are slightly more kinder to retirees but don’t expect bargains. So, some retirees are looking to move abroad to stretch their pensions.

On the other hand you can save on some taxes by moving to Costa Rica. Home taxes are only a quarter of one percent of the declared value. For example, on a home that is assessed at $100,000 you only pay $250 in taxes. I know people whose home is worth more than that and they pay even less. There is also no capital gains tax on real estate.If you go into business your corporation can limit some of your tax liability here. Costa Rican corporations can also reduce your U.S. Taxes. I am not advocating tax avoidance but only stating that there some advantages to doing business here. Really the only taxes which are high here are those on imports and the sales tax. If you don’t buy a lot of imported items you won’t be affected that much by import duties. Sales tax is another matter. It is high here but since many items are less expensive than in the U.S. so you will still be saving money. The government has to get its operating money from some place to provide services so imports and sales are taxed.

I would like to mention that U.S. citizens including retirees are permitted to earn $91,500 tax free on active income (a job) while living abroad.

Article courtesy of Living in Costa Rica

Costa Rica: Nature reserves awash with rare animals and birds

2011-12-30T11:08:00.000-08:00

Home to countless species of endangered and rare birds and animals, Costa Rica is a nature-lover's dream destination, says Nicky Holford.

By Nicky Holford for the Daily Telegraph

If it weren't for the crocodiles, we might have seen the turtles hatch and take their first wobbly steps to the sea. But to get to their remote location at Buena Vista beach on the Nicoya Peninsula involved wading waist deep through a river, renowned at night as a croc hang-out.

Crocodiles, armadillos, jaguars, pumas, sloths, toucans and strawberry frogs are in plentiful supply in Costa Rica. Add to that a mix of rain and cloud forests, a great band of mountains, active volcanoes and stunning beaches on both the Caribbean Sea and the Pacific Ocean, in a country the size of England, and it's hard to decide how best to spend your time.

To get to the turtle nests, we'd had to virtually circumnavigate the peninsula from Puntarenas, then wade across the river and walk a fair distance along an isolated beach. The only other footsteps that joined ours in the sand were those of a young boy galloping his horse, followed by another boy on a bicycle and a small dog panting behind.

The turtle project is one of several run by i-to-i for volunteers wanting to get a bit more out of their time off than lying on the beach. Sea turtles are an endangered species in Costa Rica, being prey to poachers for their eggs, meat and shells. The eggs are bought as an aphrodisiac, the meat for soup and the Hawksbill for their distinctive shells.

In the wild the potential survival rate of the turtle hatchlings is one in a thousand but at the carefully monitored turtle project the survival rate last year was 93 per cent. The volunteers and staff move the eggs from the original turtle nest to a secure site and monitor them throughout the night. "The 2am-4am shift is the worst," says Mia, a volunteer from the United States. "But I still ask to be woken if they start to hatch, whatever the time."

When they are not on turtle watch the volunteers can turn their hand to surfing. Trying our luck, under the careful guidance of Eric we set out into the rolling Pacific with our boards. Despite spending most of the time submerged, we did all manage to stand up – after a fashion.

As Costa Rica is sandwiched between Honduras to the west and Panama to the east, with Nicaragua to the north, it is hard to avoid the Pan-American Highway that cuts across the country. Huge juggernauts, known as "18- wheelers" thunder along the highway but short distances off it take you to another life, where horses graze in every field, cattle with floppy ears are plentiful and spectacular scenery is worth the drive over potholed roads.

Having worked up an appetite in the waves, we headed to Playa Samara, a horseshoe bay with a selection of open-air restaurants on its flanks. Forgoing the staple of gallo pinto (rice and beans) and plantain, we devoured huge tasty prawns and near perfect piña coladas.

Leaving the south we drove to the rainforest in the northern zone towards the Tenorio Volcano National Park. The four-hour journey took us through lush and varied country – pineapple farms, sweeping succulent banana plantations and rich cattle country where the cows looked fat and happy and horses, usually shared by families as a means of transport, were everywhere.

By the time we reached the small town of Bijagua in the Upala region, we had left all traces of tourism behind and turning left by a small supply shop and restaurant, we headed up a dirt track, climbing to the eco-lodge of Las Heliconias.

Fortunately our trusty driver knew the way as there are no street signs in Costa Rica, not even in the capital San José. Ask a local for his address and it's along the lines of "turn right at the bank and it's on the left, opposite Soda Lucy".

It was dark by the time we arrived, but within no time we were off on a canopy tour, crunching tentatively over soggy leaves and squealing at vast spiders.

The lodge is owned by local Costa Ricans who opened the centre to promote sustainable development and ecotourism. More than 300 species of birds, including five different toucans, 18 types of hummingbird and the ornate hawk eagle, inhabit this rainforest area.

We saw the beady eyes of a kinkajou, a brown furry creature at the top of a tree, and a translucent frog the size of a finger nail among a flurry of creepy crawlies on our night stroll. And contrary to expectation, we were not woken at 4am by the howler monkeys.

The next day we saddled up and rode on some Criollo horses (native to South America) to the national park, taking in the view of Nicaragua Lake, the border being only about 20 miles away. A guided walk took us to the spectacular Rio Celeste waterfall, which cascaded majestically down a cliff through light cloud and mist before exploding into a pool of turquoise water.

Away from the noise of the water, we saw two different toucans, a chunky chap with a red chest and another with a colourful beak. When it comes to flora and fauna it is hard not to take pleasure in the rich biodiversity of this small country.

It is home to countless species of endangered birds, from macaws and humming- birds to woodpeckers and parrots. Its miles of coastline, mangroves and rain and cloud forest are so varied that even untrained spotters can enjoy the thrill of seeing rare breeds of bird and mammals, not to mention thousands of different plants and trees.

But you have to be on alert all the time. We would never have seen the sloth, so perfectly camouflaged among the higher branches of a tree were it not for the razor-sharp eyes of our guide.

The country is awash with national parks and private reserves, all providing well- signed hiking trails at ground level. Above the trees lies a network of suspension bridges and even zip wires through forest canopies and plunging waterfalls.

Costa Rica also has its fair share of mountains, with Mount Chirripo the highest at 12,530ft, and 121 volcanoes. The best known is Arenal, which is currently erupting in some style and at night can provide an open-ended firework display as red-hot molten lava explodes from the summit and tumbles down its flanks.

As a fitting finale we found a collection of cabins that looked directly onto the volcano. Had it been a clear night we could have sat out on our porch and watched as the volcano erupted. The area is also riddled with natural hot springs, the result of a chemical reaction between volcanic minerals such as sulphur and calcium carbonates. Our hotel had funnelled these springs into a series of pools of varied temperature, beginning with very hot and gradually cooling, with the final pool shaped around a bar.

But sadly it was not to be our night. As evening set in, so did the clouds, gravitating to the highest point of the volcano. They descended like a curtain, obliterating the star attraction that hung like a shadow, somewhere out in the darkness.

By Nicky Holford for the Daily Telegraph

Pineapple and Vanilla in Naturewalk

2011-12-27T02:47:00.000-08:00

A nursery has been established in NatureWalk and below you can see some of the first Vanilla Vines and Organic Pineapples growing in the Nursery

Costa Rica, the solution for retirees not having to work during their Golden Years

2011-12-23T08:57:00.000-08:00

By Christopher Howard

According to Smart Money, In the past the whole idea of retirement was not working. But today’s retirees are increasingly becoming job-seekers. Roughly three out of four workers over age 50 say they plan to work at least part-time in retirement. Currently about 20% of retirees have a job. Indeed, working during retirement is becoming the “new normal.”
“The average boomer couple currently has a retirement savings shortfall of about $30,000, according to a recent study by the Employee Benefit Research Institute, it’s a trend that experts predict with accelerate. Boomers aren’t as financially prepared for retirement as earlier generations. “

To make matters worse it takes employees over 55 more than 40% longer to get hired than their younger counterparts, according to AARP. Meanwhile, nest eggs are shrinking and retiree income is stagnating.

So what’s the solution? If retirees can reduce their living expenses significantly, then they might not have to keep working to make ends meet. One way to do this by moving abroad to a country like Costa Rica.

To start medical care is much less expensive than in the United States.

You won’t need a car here since public transportation is dirt cheap. This eliminates the need for costly auto repairs and maintenance, car insurance, yearly licenses fees and a lot of other headaches associated with owning a vehicle.

If you try to eat like the locals you can reduce your food bill. Weekend farmer’s markets are a place to find cheap produce. You can also have a decent meal for a few dollars at one of the local restaurants called, sodas. Go native and save!

Decent apartments can be found for around $500 and utility bills are a fraction of what they are in the United States. Heat and air conditioning are not needed in the Central Valley which equates to more savings.

Entertainment is also affordable with movies in costing around $5.
So, it is possible to retire abroad and have a quality lifestyle without having to work during one’s Golden Years.

By Christopher Howard on Living in Costa Rica

Christmas at NatureWalk

2011-12-22T09:20:00.000-08:00

As a part of NatureWalk's commitment to the local community, NatureWalk and PRG Group sponsored a children's Christmas party in Pavonas, providing lunch, cake and gifts for the local children.

The next local project for NatureWalk is to include an internet connection for the local school as a part of the installation of the infrastructure in NatureWalk 2.

Exploring Costa Rica’s Osa Peninsula

2011-12-21T08:45:00.000-08:00

By TravelandLeisure.com

“Randal was supposed to be your guide into the rain forest today, but a tree fell on his house,” the woman behind the counter tells me. “He’s fine,” she goes on, seeing my concern, “but his house isn’t.” Later, I meet a woman who slipped during a heavy rain and was swept into a drainage pipe, sucked under a road, and flushed out the other side, unharmed. And then, a man tells me about the jeep he was driving that was carried away and out to sea while he was trying to ford a river.

It’s not so much that these stories are crazy—which they are—it’s the offhand acceptance with which they’re related that’s so alarming. “My best friend was hit by lightning,” recalls Juan Pinto, another Tico (as Costa Ricans refer to themselves). “Don’t worry, he’s fine now. Here, nature is totally in charge. The Osa is a wild place.” That wild side of Costa Rica is exactly what I’m here to experience.

Tiny Costa Rica, sitting at the heart of Central America, became an outdoor adventurer’s playground after emerging as an ecotourism poster child in the early 1990’s. Since then, tales of overdevelopment have been well documented. There’s a well-trodden circuit here: Hit the cloud forest of Monteverde, check out the Arenal volcano, and end up at the beach in Guanacaste. Ziplines, lava, and surf school. It’s a great vacation, but I was looking for the unscarred Costa Rica of years ago. Then I heard about the Osa Peninsula.

Jutting off Costa Rica’s southern Pacific coast, the Osa Peninsula is still a primitive paradise of rain forests, empty beaches, and backwater settlements. The rough-and-ready town of Puerto Jiménez, on the banks of the Golfo Dulce, is the area’s main hub. It’s an unglamorous burg of a few thousand where dogs wander free, scarlet macaws squawk from trees, and Ticos pedal bikes slowly up and down the unnamed main street.

“This place does me a lot of good,” John Podson, a sandy-haired transplant from Cape May, New Jersey, tells me. “And if you’re into nature.…” He spreads his arms wide. “Otherwise, there’s not a lot going on here.” That wasn’t always the case. In the mid 20th century, gold-rush fever ran deep in the Osa.

At Pulpería el Tucán, a wood-and-cement general store a few miles outside of town, I watch a young girl walk in, plunk down a pinky-nail-size chunk of gold that was mined from the nearby Río Tigre, and walk out with a chicken, a few potatoes, and some celery. Behind the counter, Sandra Campos pulls out her small digital scale and weighs the raw nugget. “To pay in gold, that’s just life here,” she says.

Outside, I come upon a sturdy man, known to me only as Edwin, who agrees to take me a short way up the Río Tigre to try my luck at gold panning. Knee-deep in the rushing water, Edwin pries large rocks free to create a small eddy and lays down a metal trough through which the water funnels. It begins to rain—hard. Edwin doesn’t seem to notice. Using a circular tin pan, he begins to sift the larger stones away. His thick hands work with delicate precision. It stops raining as quickly as it began, and eventually the grain of soil in the pan is fine. The sediment swirls. Edwin’s fingers dance over the tray. And suddenly, as if by magic, a dusting of gold settles at the bottom of the pan. My pockets a little heavier, I head back to town.

I’m told the man i’m looking for lives near the cemetery, beside the landing strip. And that’s just where I find John Lewis. A small man with thick glasses, he still looks very much like the insurance lawyer he was 25 years ago. Lewis and his then wife came here in the late 1980’s, looking to change their lives. They bought a thousand acres of remote rain forest about 12 miles south of Puerto Jiménez and built Lapa Rios, one of the first eco-lodges in the Osa Peninsula. “The only place people suggested wenotgo was here,” Lewis says. “It was full of jaguars, snakes, crocodiles, and no people. When we found that out, we came here as fast as we could.”

Lapa Rios has 16 cabins set high up on the hillside with views out over the canopy and down to the ocean, where surfers ride one of the longest breaks in the Pacific. The lodge is environmentally sensitive and discreetly run—a soft landing in a wild spot. A few feet outside the main entrance, I watch a 15-foot boa constrictor coil itself around a fig tree. Just off the deck outside my room, a toucan with a long rainbow beak lands on a branch, and spider monkeys scamper across the railing in front of me.

Down the hill from Lapa Rios, in a lushly forested area known as Matapalo, the expat crowd convenes each Friday evening in an open-air bar named Buena Esperanza, which everyone knows simply as Martina’s. Martina Hoffmann, a blond, heavily tattooed earth mother/surfer chick, came to the Osa from Düsseldorf, Germany, 18 years ago, “By pure luck,” she explains. “And I thought this place needed a bar.” Colored Chinese lamps hang beside a disco ball. Surfboards and Tibetan prayer flags adorn the area by the kitchen. “Everyone’s welcome here,” Hoffmann says. “Kids, grandmothers, Ticos, expats, tourists—although we don’t get too many of those. But they’re coming.” Hoffmann locks eyes with me, leans in close, and winks. “There’s magic in the Osa.”

It’s a sentiment I hear often, and one shared by Seattle native Kurt Kutay. Kutay runs Wildland Adventures, and he’s been leading tours down to the Osa Peninsula for 25 years. “There are very few places like it,” he says. “We’re way off the grid, in the middle of the rain forest, and I’m sipping a nice cold beer.” Kutay’s in the Osa now to do a little surfing and take stock of the changes. “It’s still very pristine here, the way it was when we first came.”

But all that may be changing. A proposed hydroelectric dam just across the Golfo Dulce from the Osa is in an advanced stage of development. The El Diquís project, backed by the national electrical utility, would provide power for more than a million households, with the potential to employ thousands. But it would also flood almost 17,500 acres of land, including parts of the Térraba and China Kichá indigenous reserves. An international airport is also being considered for the area. “Can the ecosystem take that?” longtime Osa resident Nichole DuPont asks from a bar in Drake Bay, on the Osa’s northern shore. She shrugs and answers her own question: “Check back in ten years.”

There’s strong local support here for keeping things wild. “There’s no resort tourism on the Osa,” says Mike Boston, who has lived in the region since 1996. “If anybody paves that road, there will be people out there at night digging it up.”

For now at least, the road remains pretty raw, and beyond Lapa Rios, it gets rougher. Years ago, patches of the rain forest along here were cleared for cattle; lean cows, hip bones protruding, nibble grass or lie in the shade. Acacia and palms line the road. It hasn’t rained in some time and the Río Oro is low. I ford it without managing to lose my jeep. Coming out of a bend in the unpaved road I see a barefoot man on horseback moving toward me. A two-foot machete hangs from his hip. I slow to a stop. The horse settles beside me, and a man with a black moustache and dark eyes stares down.

Read the full story on TravelandLeisure.com

Health and Nature

2011-12-15T02:57:00.000-08:00

If you are thinking of moving to Costa Rica or just shopping for a real estate investment you might want to look at it as an investment in your childrens health and well being.

Lots of people that dream of moving to tropical paradise surrounded by nature. Have we ever wondered why this might be. Well it turns out it is only “natural” to want to be surrounded by the very eco system that gives you life. This, it turns out, is hugely important for children and adults need to reconnect their children to nature.

In Richard Louv’s book “Last Child in the Woods — Saving kids from Nature-Deficit Disorder” he talks about the damaging affects of raising children in a world where they have more “screen time” than “stream time”. Kids grow up so detached from nature he says that they have much higher risk of health problems such as obesity and attention disorders. He also argues that this detachment from nature could have a devastating affect on future generations and the functioning of societies.

For those that have moved to Costa Rica and found themselves in a tropical paradise surrounded by nature like on the ridges of the Dominical area surrounded by jungle with views of the Pacific I can assure you that their stress levels have dropped. If you decide to move down to an area of Costa Rica surrounded by nature and you have your children experience the beauty of the tropics you will be opening them up to the natural world at an early age which will be nothing but beneficial to their future health.

Richard Louv studied the effects of kids lacking exposure to nature and it would be interesting to study how much health improvement has resulted from a move to Costa Rica.

Read the full story on PropertiesinCostaRica.com

EU set to ban illegal timber from 2012

2011-12-09T12:57:00.000-08:00

By

The EU is set to finally ban illegal timber in 2012 after protracted legal wrangling over the issue.

After two years of negotiations, legislators reached a compromise on a deal that will require companies to trace where their timber was harvested.

Up to 40% of the world's wood production is estimated to come from illegally logged tropical forests.

MEPs will vote on the proposal in July before it is presented to the European Council in the autumn.

Members of the European Parliament and the European Council on Wednesday reached a provisional agreement that there should be a "prohibition" on illegal timber in the EU.

'Substantial penalties'

The plans also set out the responsibilities along the supply chain, and say companies will have to carry out risk assessments and use "due diligence" systems in areas where illegal activities are suspected.

"Substantial penalties would apply in cases of non-compliance, which could be calculated on the basis of environmental damage caused," the European Parliament said in a statement.

The Finnish Green MEP who steered the legislation through the parliament, Satu Hassi, welcomed the agreement.

"I am delighted that the Parliament was able to secure fundamental improvements to the draft regulation on illegally harvested timber," she said.

However, timber used to produce printed material such as books and newspapers will be exempt for a further five years.

Illegal logging is a major driver of deforestation, with the volume of industrial wood from illegal sources estimated at 350-650m cubic metres each year.

Although certification schemes do exist, experts say that in many regions, just as much timber is logged illegally as legally, making it very difficult for consumers to make an ethically based choice.

Illegal logging is blamed for depressing timber prices, strips natural resources and tax revenues, and increases poverty of people who depend upon forests.

"The world's largest market is about to shut its gates to companies profiting from illegal trafficking and forest destruction," said Sebastien Risso, forest policy director for Greenpeace EU.

"The black market for wood products is often run by criminals fuelling conflict, robbing governments of revenue and causing irreversible environmental destruction."

The Ten Most Popular Destinations in Costa Rica

2011-12-08T06:43:00.000-08:00

By the Costa Rica Guide

The most popular tour route in Costa Rica encompasses must see destinations: volcanoes, beaches and cloud and rainforests.

The individual destinations described below were chosen in a purely objective manner based on visitor statistics compiled by the ICT, SINAC and MINAE. For others there are no statisics and we deterimined the most popular by personal observation, and talking to residents, expats and people in the travel industry to come to a consensus.

Also have a look at the most popular adventures in Costa Rica, and the best kept secrets for Costa Rica travelers.

The single most visited place in Costa Rica is the capital San José. More travelers are taking advantage of the "new" international airport in Liberia but San José is the hub for all domestic flights and public buses. Because the geography demands that nearly all roads lead to the capital the majority of foreign visitors spend at least a day or two there.

Beaches

Manuel Antonio is the most popular National Park beach in Costa Rica. So popular in fact that several years ago the park service imposed strict limits on the number of visitors to prevent the tiny natural area from being loved to death.

Playas Tamarindo and Jacó are a tossup for the most popular surfing beach, but Tamarindo is coming on strong, and Jacó is fading.

On opposite sides of Cabo Blanco at the tip of the Nicoya peninsual, Playas Montezuma and Mal País(Santa Teresa) are the most popular "undiscovered" beach destination in Costa Rica.

Turtle Nesting

Tortugero National Park is the premier destination to observe sea turtle nesting. The canals and estuaries are also prime locations for nature cruises, canoeing, and kayaking.

Rain Forest

The most popular rainforest in Costa Rica measured by the number of visitors each day is Braulio Carillo National Park. It stradles the Guápiles highway, the main route from San José to the Caribbean coast. Most of the traffic just passes through perhaps pausing at some of the scenic overlooks, but there are beautiful trails for those who want to explore more.

Cloud Forest

Monteverde —This private reserve provides the easiest access to the cloud forests, and an infrastructure of guides and resources to help you make the most of your visit. Like Manuel Antonio, it has gained tremendously in popularity, but has much less chance of being loved to death. Monteverde is much larger, the cool, wet, windy weather means shorter visits, and as a private reserve it has better funding than most of the National Parks. Despite the growth in tourism in the surrounding community, a few hundred yards off the main loop (el triangulo) you may still have the trail to yourself.

Hot Spring

Tabacón resort is far and away the most popular hotspring in Costa Rica. The Tabacón river is heated as it flows close to surface lava seams on the slopes of Arenal volcano.

Visitors enjoy views of the eruptions from seats under the heated waterfalls and in the swim up hot pool bars. Qite possibly the most relaxing spot in Costa Rica as long as it doesn't make you nervous that the resort isdirectly in the path if a major eruption occurs. The Costa Rican government has considered forcing the resort to relocate but so far the popularity of the current location has prevented it.

Waterfall

Owing to its spendor, and location next to the highway from Barva to San Miguel, the waterfall popularity champion is La Paz. Many visitors just stop for a few minutes, take a picture or two and head on to Arenal. Others spend a night or two in the Peace Lodge and take advantage of the improved trails to the upper falls and butterfly gardens.

Nature Cruise

The canals of Tortuguero and wetlands of Cano Negro are the most popular places to sit back relax and let the boatman be your guide to bird and wildlife spotting. Caño Negro has a slight edge in numbers because of the popularity of day tours, but Tortuguero gets many more overnight visitors. The mangroves of the Damas estuary are gaining popularity with tourist from the adjacent Manuel Antonio area.

Volcanoes

Most people familiar with Costa Rica would immediately think of Arenal's fiery Lava flows if asked for the most visited volcanic destination, but it's actually third on the list. Irazu and Poas volcanoes each attract more than twice as many tourists as Arenal. In fact they're the two most popular National Parks in the country.

Treks

Corcovado and Chirripo draw most of the trekkers in Costa Rica. You don't necessarily even need a tent. Corcovado has some bunk space at the backcountry ranger stations, and Chirripó has a refugio system that includes 60 bunks near the summit.

To read the full article in the Costa Rica Guide click here

Birdwatching in Costa Rica

2011-12-05T11:13:00.000-08:00

For the uninitiated, a bird watcher’s enthusiasm for hearing, sighting and studying our feathered friends, is hard to fathom. Why would anyone rise with the sun, walk for hours while toting binoculars, spotting scope, tripod, field guide, check list and notebook just to observe something so mundane as a bird? We all see birds every day, so what’s the big deal? Hard-core bird watchers have even been the brunt of jokes and cartoons. One of my favorites is a Gary Larson Far Side Cartoon with a view through a pair of binoculars, showing a large nasty looking bird sitting in an equally large nest, staring evilly at the observer -- the person looking through the binoculars. Dangling from the edge of the nest are several pairs of binoculars, a birder’s hat and a tote bag with a Field Guide to the Birds of America. No caption was necessary.

Seriously though, bird watching is big business, and Costa Rica is a hot spot for birders. To begin, it is located in the tropics, a warm hospitable climate, midway between the North and South American continents. Migrants from both may find a warm haven during their respective winters. It also has coastline on two oceans. In altitude Costa Rica’s terrain ranges from sea level to nearly 4000 meters (13,000 feet,) well above timberline. In the tropics, a slight change in altitude brings a corresponding change in climate. There are more than 20 micro-climates in Costa Rica, and A Guide to the Birds of Costa Rica by F. Gary Stiles and Alexander F. Skutch, list 20 distinct habitats found in the country. Because of this diversity of environmental conditions and factors, Costa Rica is host to over 830 species of birds, more than the United States and Canada combined.

As any ecotourism establishment well knows, bird watching enthusiasts come from every part of the world. I remember an afternoon in January of 2004 when all six of Hacienda Barú’s cabins were rented to bird watchers from as many different countries. Prior to setting out for their late afternoon birding hikes, everyone had congregated in the garden to compare notes and checklists. Spotting scopes, field guides, cameras and binoculars surrounded the tables where the aficionados were gathered. The enthusiasm was contagious as people from Costa Rica, United States, Canada, Germany, Spain, and England talked excitedly about the one thing they all had in common, an intense interest in birds.

I have long admired British bird watchers. This is partly because their approach to birding is so methodical, but also because my first birding experience with experts was with a British couple named Roger and Sharon. The experience took place in the late 1980’s when we had just begun to cater to ecotourism at Hacienda Barú. The couple stopped by one afternoon and scheduled a hilking tour called “The Rainforest Experience” for the next day. When I told them that they would see many more birds in the lowlands on the “Mangrove Walk,” Roger agreed, but said the birds would probably be ones they had already logged during their two weeks in Costa Rica. What they wanted to see were the rainforest birds, fewer species in a habitat with limited visibility and unlimited hiding places. We scheduled the “Rainforest Experience” for the next morning, before daybreak. Little did I suspect that within 24 hours I would be afflicted with bird watching fever; that I would return from the hike a full-fledged addict.

We made it to the rainforest campsite about the same time as the first crimson rays of sunlight filtered through the rainforest canopy. Over a breakfast of coffee and sweet rolls we listened to a cacophony of jungle wake-up sounds, hundreds of creatures struggling to make themselves heard. No small portion of the calls came from birds. Roger would cock a thoughtful ear to one side for a moment or two and pronounce the name of the bird that had made the sound. The most interesting sighting at the jungle camp was a pair of Mealy Parrots, large impressive birds that squawked outrageously for the duration of breakfast. It was a first for me, but Roger and Sharon had already logged it elsewhere. Preparing to set out through the forest, Roger described the type of habitat they were looking for, areas with thick under story and vine growth. Antbirds and manakins were what they really hoped to see. I pretended to know what they were talking about.

Roger’s highly trained eyes and ears picked up many birds that I missed. I saw all the toucans, motmots and big red headed woodpeckers, but those didn’t seem to impress my clients. Instead they seemed more excited about some of the little birds that I tended to dump into the single category of “little brown jobs” or “LBJ’s.” But, as I listened to Roger and Sharon, their enthusiasm captivated me. My education was only beginning.

Within an hour after leaving camp we began hearing calls from several distinct bird species. The sounds all seemed to be coming from the same general area. As we approached, the volume and number of different calls increased.

“This is a birder’s dream,” said Roger, smiling. “Certain species of birds have learned to look for any sort of commotion that disturbs the insects and small invertebrates. They hang out nearby and grab everything that flies, hops or runs from the source of the commotion. Sometimes they follow monkeys, but marauding army ants cause more havoc.”

Carnivorous army ants hunt by fanning out as they march through the jungle like a battalion of soldiers. They try to surround, capture and eat everything in their path. When army ants are on the prowl, general panic ensues in the animal world. Insects, beetles, lizards and small mammals flee for their lives. A number of different bird species have learned to take advantage of this general panic by hanging out around the edges of the ant mass and picking off all the small animal life that escapes. Upwards of 20 species of birds may participate in a mixed feeding flock, each one with its own specialty.

The first one we saw was a Chestnut-backed Antbird as it scurried around on the ground at the edge of the ants, snapping up beetles and roaches that bolted from beneath sticks and rocks. Another ground feeder, the Scaly-throated Leaftosser, was more aggressive, tossing fallen leaves left and right and snatching what hid beneath. A pair of Buff-throated Foliage-gleaners searched the lower branches and leaves of bushes for insects, occasionally dropping to the ground to rummage in leaf litter. A little higher in the foliage Sharon spotted a Black-hooded Antshrike flitting through the under story, snaring an occasional insect. Higher still was a Russet Antshrike pulling apart a cluster of leaves, probing for whatever morsel might be shrouded inside. A Tawny-winged Woodcreeper grabbed a fleeing spider that scampered up a tree trunk ahead of a fan of army ants. Higher up on a neighboring tree was a Buff-throated Woodcreeper searching every crack and crevice, always hopping up the trunk, never down. A pair of White-throated Shrike-Tanagers were catching insects on the wing, flying out from a perch in short sallies. A Black-throated Trogon was hungrily gobbling down larger insects such as katydids and cicadas, and a Double-toothed Kite was hunting everything that moved. A Chestnut-mandibled Toucan was even hanging out in the crown of a large tree, waiting for any opportunity. We identified 18 different species, five of which were new for Roger and Sharon and eleven for me, although I am sure there were more. Roger pointed out that each species was represented by no more than one pair. Any new species was welcome to enter the group, because it would stick to its own specialty and not compete with the others. Every species took advantage of one niche or place where its prey might be found, but didn’t interfere with other species. However, if another member of a species already present in the flock tried to join, it would be soundly rebuffed by its own kin. The resident would defend the niche against intruders, and the only likely competitors would be members of its own species. We hiked on through the forest totally vitalized by the experience.

We passed through an area where the under story seemed denser and the vine growth thicker. I heard a loud snapping sound but couldn’t imagine what might be making it. As we got closer, I noticed that the “snap” was preceded by a “buzz.” Ever more curious I carefully scanned the surrounding foliage for the source of this strange disturbance. I spotted the Manakins almost at the same time as Roger.

“Unbelievable! Absolutely amazing! I have never seen this,” he whispered. “This must be the mating dance of Pipra mentalis, the Red-capped Manakin. Brilliant!”

The setting was as perfect as a carefully set stage arranged precisely for the actors that were performing in this pristine theater. At center stage sat the dull, light-greenish, rather nondescript female, preening herself while four suitors took turns competing for her favor. Her throne was a small twig. Four longer branches, each coming from a different direction, extended inward toward the princess, with one aspiring beau on each. One by one each of the males danced the length of his branch, starting on the far end with his bright red head bobbing, his vibrant orange thighs and yellow legs in a flurry of movement, carrying his coal black body the length of his branch to within a few centimeters of his lady love. At this point he emitted a loud “buzz,” leaped into the air and made the loud “snap” that had attracted me to the scene. The “snap” was so quick that it was impossible to discern how he produced it. I remember thinking that it might be by clapping the wings together, but then discarded that possibility thinking that the force necessary to make such a loud “snap” would certainly break wing bones. The fervent suitor repeated his dance in an outward direction finishing with another buzz and snap. Then he waited quietly, the perfect gentleman, while his rivals made their bids. During the entire performance, the object of all this attention, the lady in waiting, appeared not to realize that she was the big attraction, and totally ignored all four aspirants. After each proud Costa Rica performer had received two or three opportunities, the seemingly unimpressed female stopped preening herself, sat up, looked around and flew away. The four males looked at each other, totally dumfounded, jumped into the air and flew after her. I couldn’t help but chuckle.

Roger explained that the stage for this incredible mating game is called a lek. A Guide to the Birds of Costa Rica confirmed that the loud “snap” was, indeed, produced by slapping the wings together. Each species of manakin has a slightly different version of the dance. Though four other species of manakin are found on Hacienda Barú, Blue-crowned Manakin, White-ruffed Manakin, Orange-collared Manakin and Thrushlike Manakin, even Roger admitted he couldn’t tell the females apart. The males, however, are quite distinct. With the exception of the Thrushlike manakin, all of these forest denizens have leks and ritual dances, and make a high pitched peep each time they jump up into the air from their perch. In Spanish their common names tend to suggest jumping or dancing, “saltarin” or “bailarin”. They are all small and beautiful, but none quite so charming as my redheaded favorite.

Though we sighted several more birds, the walk home was uneventful in comparison to the spectacles we had already witnessed. Though I was supposed to be the guide, in all honesty, I did little more than keep us from getting lost. Roger and Sharon were the experts, and they graciously shared their knowledge as well as their enthusiasm. Never again would I wonder at the fervency of the typical bird watcher. That day was my initiation into a new world.

Bird watching means more to me than the excitement and satisfaction that comes from the pursuit and identification of avian species. I firmly believe that the conservation and regeneration of the rainforest is of utmost importance for the future of our planet. I also believe that the only that way conservation will work is to make it profitable. There simply aren’t enough philanthropists in the world with enough money to save these critical natural environments. If however, we can find ways to make a living from intact rainforests, without harming them, we will have a built-in incentive to protect them. Responsible ecotourism is a proven method for doing this. Without ecotourism we could not afford to protect Hacienda Barú National Wildlife Refuge and maintain it in its natural state.

Article courtesy of Jack Ewing

Aeromexico commences biofuels service between Mexico City and Costa Rica

2011-12-01T07:49:00.000-08:00

In Mexico, the country’s largest airline, Aeromexico, has just begun using a 25% biofuel mixture on its flights from Mexico City to San Jose, Costa Rica.

As part of the “Green Flights” project designed to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, a Boeing 737 will now fly the route using a mixture of 75 percent conventional jet fuel and 25 percent synthetic paraffin biokerosene.

Aeromexico carried out its first transoceanic commercial flight using biofuels last month on the Mexico City-Madrid route.

Read the full story on the biofuels digest here

Costa Rica is the best Country Brand in Latin America

2011-11-29T03:29:00.000-08:00

By David Gomez for the Costa Rica News

Costa Rica is the best country brand in Latin America, says the seventh annual edition of the Country Brand Index (CBI), the global study of country brand strength by Future Brand, published last November 11^th.

The CBI analyzes countries around the world in five main dimensions: Value System, Quality of Life, Good for Business, Heritage and Culture, and Tourism.

According to Future Brand, these are the factors that differentiate one country brand from another.

Costa Rica was chosen as the best country brand in Latin America due to its relatively strong performance across all five dimensions.

Costa Rica ranked particularly high in the Natural Beauty category, in which it held the 5^th spot out of all the countries. In the global ranking Costa Rica obtained the 24^th position, moving up 3 spots in comparison with last year’s ranking.

Brazil, Argentina, Chile and Peru make up the rest of the top 5 in Latin America, with Chile representing the most growth over the last two years.

Meanwhile, other countries in the region performed well only in specific metrics. For example, Uruguay ranked high in categories such as Value System and Quality of Life, while Panama ranked very well in the Good for Business and Shopping categories.

Other countries showed polarized perceptions. That is the case of Venezuela which has political issues, and Colombia which shows security problems.

Future Brand gathered its data between July and September through the use of several social media and research tools.

The report was based on the opinions of 3500 business and leisure travelers in 14 countries around the world, as well as the views and perceptions of experts in tourism, investment, and public policy in 16 different cities around the world.

“A strong country brand is more than the sum of its attributes: in total, it must make people’s lives better. From progressive politics to a sense of openness and freedom of speech, a country that is geared around its people and their needs will always score highly,” the report indicated.

Due to its rigorous and sophisticated research tools, the Country Brand Index has established itself as the most authoritative study on country branding in the world.

This year, the Costa Rican Institute of Tourism (ICT) has worked hard in developing several marketing strategies and promotional campaigns to consolidate Costa Rica as the best destination in Latin America.

Last October, the ICT created the campaign “Costa Rica’s Million Dollar Gift of Happiness,” which goal is to increase the flow of tourist traffic from the United States and Canada.

The campaign will extend until February 2013, and it represents an investment of $6,4 million.

As part of the campaign, the ICT will give away 80 free trips to Costa Rica through several social media sites like Facebook.

The ICT has also been promoting the country in other touristic markets.

For example, early this month the ICT participated in the World Travel Market Fair in London. The ICT stand had a total of 250m² and it focused on promoting Costa Rica’s natural beauty and its sustainability.

During the event, Costa Rica won the best stand design award. The judges praised the Costa Rican stand for the combination of music, rainforest sounds, and general decoration, which made visitors felt as if they were in Costa Rica.

In addition, last month the ICT participated in important touristic events such as the International Latin American Fair (FIT) in Argentina, the AVAB Fair in Brazil, and the Central America Travel Market Fair in Panama.

“Trade relationships that are established during touristic fairs allow us not only to work as a country in the consolidation of our touristic product, but also in the diversification of markets,” said Allan Flores, Minister of Tourism.

Flores indicates that the Ministry of Tourism (ICT) continues to work hard in promoting Costa Rican touristic destinations, especially in highly profitable markets.

By David Gómez for TheCostaRicaNews.com

Emma's top 10 reasons for living in Costa Rica

2011-11-24T06:05:00.000-08:00

By Emma, writing for Costarica.com

As a resident of Costa Rica for three plus years, I am regularly asked why I moved to this Central American nation. Here's my top 10 list for those of you thinking about relocating to Costa Rica. I love the lifestyle it affords, from exploring the incredible outdoors to feasting on goodies from my local farmers' market.

1) I don't need a car

I live in a peaceful mountain town, midway between the city and the country. My house is three blocks from the central park, and that means I'm within walking distance of the grocery store, restaurants, and most other amenities. When I need to get into town, I hop on the public bus (50¢) or catch a cab (starting at $1).

2) Fresh produce is cheap and available year-round

My local farmers' market is held every Saturday morning. I buy almost all of my fresh produce there, and it's always ripe and tasty. The vendors also sell fresh fish, chicken, eggs, and dairy products. I usually leave with 10-15 pounds of fruits and vegetables, and I rarely spend more than $8-$10.

3) Low cost of living

Budgeting in Costa Rica has everything to do with lifestyle. I live simply, but well -- a nice home, good food, evenings out -- on about half of what it would cost me in the United States. You can't put a monetary value on peace of mind.

4) Natural beauty

Costa Rica is the most wonderfully diverse country: where else can you find volcanoes, cloud forests, beaches, rainforests, and whitewater rivers within a few hours' drive? There is so much to see and explore; I could live here for the next 20 years, and there would still be more to discover.

5) It's springtime all year long

Living in the Central Valley has its perks, but the weather is one of my favorites. Average daytime temperatures hover around 75-80º F; at night, the thermometer drops to a very comfortable 65-70º F.

6) The medical care is excellent and inexpensive

Whether you use public health care or the private medical system, Costa Rica has some of the best and most modern health care. Even better, both systems are much less expensive than their American counterpart: it costs me (a 26 year-old female) about $20 monthly to pay into the public system and $50 per month for private health care.

7) Costa Ricans are genuinely kind

Costa Ricans have an international reputation for being friendly to tourists, and their warmth doesn't stop there. Everywhere I go, I'm greeted by smiling people who are willing to help direct me to my destination, solve a problem, or answer questions.

8) Proximity to the United States

I fly back to the States at least once or twice a year to visit family and friends. I grew up on the East Coast, and nonstop flights from San Jose only take four to five hours -- that's less than taking the train from Boston to Washington, DC!

9) It's easy to live a healthy lifestyle

Living in Costa Rica has encouraged me to live a healthier lifestyle almost effortlessly. I buy fresh produce at the market, walk almost everywhere, and the great outdoors are always calling. There's an incredible national park just a few miles from my house (accessible by bus, of course!), the mountain roads are great for hiking, and there's always someone willing to kick a soccer ball around.

10) Because Costa Rica is "pura vida!"

"Pura vida' is a national expression that reminds us to take things slowly and to savor life. Many Costa Ricans will tell you that they don't live to work; they work to live. Costa Rica has taught me that owning less can actually mean having more -- when you stop worrying about the latest tech toy or how much you made last month, life is more fun -- it's pura vida!

Parasailing in Manuel Antonio

2011-11-21T14:54:00.000-08:00

Wish you were here?

Paving of the Roads to NatureWalk commences

2011-11-11T11:52:00.000-08:00

Pavement of a section of the road through the town of Montielimar has now started. This is full concrete paving which means that the village will ultimately have one of the best roads in Costa Rica.

This is a very important step in the evolution of Naturewalk as it represents the paving of the first section of the road to Naturewalk.

Our town of Pavona (Naturewalk 2 surrounds Pavona) is slated for the same paving in March or April of 2012 giving Naturewalk its first paved concrete access roads. The paving should extend to the site of the Naturewalk horticultural and botanical gardens.

PRG will be investigating the extension of the road all the way up to Estancia Montana.

PRG met with the local president of the Pavona association on the 3^rd of November 2011 and he informed them that a regional group of towns including Montielimar and Pavona meet monthly to discuss items of common interest. At the meeting on the 2^nd of November 2011 the subject of SAFETY RAILS came up and the group has decided determined to lobby CONAVI (Consejo Nacional de Vialidad – the National Roads Authority) to install them citing their own safety concerns. So this appears to also be headed in the right direction and PRG will be lending their support to these initiatives.

In the pictures you will notice construction of a number of under road drainage and collection box systems. The pictures are of La Delicious north of Naturewalk and this improvement is moving south towards Naturewalk. Four of these large culverts have recently gone into Naturewalk and the collection box construction is next. These dramatically improve the drainage and thus the overall condition of the roads to deal with the rainy season water. Paving of any roads will not commence until these works are dealt with.

CONAVI have also committed to a new general road base through the general area 21 centimeters of gravel over the whole road. This will then provide an excellent base for our further paving works which PRG are planning.

END OF REPORT

Naturewalk
Tim Alexander
PRG Canada

Jatropha biodiesel, “one of the best alternatives” for the american continent

2011-11-03T08:08:00.000-07:00

This has been the conclusion of the videoconference “Presentation of the Jatropha curcas L. network for investigation, development, and innovation in the production of biodiesel in Latin America and the Caribbean,” organized by the Hemispheric Program in Agroenergy and Biofuel of the Interamerican Cooperation Institute for Agriculture (IICA).

Representatives of technology and investigation centers, ministries of agriculture and environment, universities, international organisms and private companies from Argentina, Brasil, and Costa Rica participated in the event.

According to Orlando Vega, “the video-conference served as a place to address common problems and to identify collaborative work opportunities.”

For Jamil Macedo, director of the Agricultural Investigation and Innovation Cooperative Program for the South American Tropics (Procitrópicos), “even with its limitations, Jatropha curcas L. plantations, is one of the best alternatives for biodiesel production” in the hemisphere.

Investigation institutes from Bolivia, Brasil, Costa Rica, Colombia, Ecuador, Guatemala, Mexico, Nicaragua, Perú, Surinam, and Venezuela are members of Procitrópicos, and their goal is to promote the Jatropha curcas L. to produce biodiesel.

For Macedo, “Jatropha seeds have great performance to produce high quality oil, the plantation is perennial, and adapts well; also, it is not a food source, so it doesn’t compete against food agriculture.”

He also said that “the Jatropha Network is an alternative to exchange scientific knowledge and to promote technological innovations necessary to visualize the Jatropha culture.”

To read the full story on the Costa Rica News click here

Air China launches China's first test of a biofuel flight

2011-11-01T10:17:00.000-07:00

BEIJING, Oct. 28, 2011 /PRNewswire-Asia/ -- Thanks to the successful teamwork by Air China, PetroChina, Boeing and Honeywell UOP, China's first airplane demonstration test using sustainable aviation biofuel was launched in Beijing Capital International Airport on October 28, 2011, based on the energy cooperation between China and the US. During the perfect test flight launch at this airport, the B747-400 passenger plane which is still in service was driven by aviation biofuel, the teamwork fruit of PetroChina and UOP.

The leader of the crew for this flight was Mr. Zheng Weimin, the Deputy Managing Director of Air China Fleet. With abundant flight experience, he has been awarded for many flight safety honors. Also, Zheng served on the first charter flight for Chinese evacuation in Libya with a B747. Captain Zhang Rongbin is the Deputy Director of the Flight Crew Subdivision IV of Air China Fleet. He made a prominent performance in Chinese evacuation in Libya too, and served on the important charter flight for the Olympic Games twice. Mr. Yuan Hang was the chief copilot, a young airman model in subdivision IV, having twice served in Chinese evacuations in Libya.

The crew made an elaborate preparation before the test flight. They made specific studies in order of the process requirements on fuel ingredients, the differences to traditional fuels, impact possibilities to flight and special occasion management. Through iterative exercises in simulators, the crew was getting more familiar with such circumstances. All of this contributed important information for the success of the test flight.

The feedstock for this test launch is derived from the jatropha material base of PetroChina. With the technology of UOP, the crude oil of jatropha could be transformed into aviation biofuel. In order to accord with both the standard of GB6537 and ASTM D7566-11 simultaneously, China Aviation Oil mixed aviation biofuel with traditional aviation kerosene by a proportion of 50:50. Boeing and P&W are the technology support providers for aircraft and engine, respectively.

The quality of aviation biofuel may meet or even surpass the current aviation oil standard. Aviation biofuel can work properly after being directly mixed with traditional fossil-fuel, neither aircraft nor engine needs to be refit, and neither storage nor transportation facility needs to be built or rebuilt. At present, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) of the US has ratified the standard of ASTM D7566-11. Therefore, any mixed aviation biofuel according to this standard can be used on business flights immediately. With such advantage, aviation biofuel may replace traditional fossil-fuel. The great pressure brought by the oil shortage would be reduced if aviation biofuel was industrialized.

Presently, the second-generation biofuels are mainly jatropha, camelina, salt plant and microalgae. These non-food sources do not compete with food crops for land or water. Also, many aspects should be taken into account in the process of aviation biofuel development, such as biodiversity protection, regional economic development promotion and more employment opportunities. Therefore, many industries include carriers and energy suppliers, and aircraft and engine manufacturers are working together now to accelerate the development and industrialization of sustainable aviation biofuel.

For a long period, electricity, solar power, hydrogen power, nuclear power and many other new energy resources are limited for use on business flights to ensure flight safety, the primacy of the industry. Hence the only replaceable energy resource for aviation is biofuel. The application of biofuels in aviation would be a brand new environmental protection technology as well as instrument which may play a significant role in the business of aviation emission reduction, energy crisis management, as well as a sustainable industry development.

In recent years, Air China has committed itself to green flight of what energy-saving and emission reduction is highly valued. Through fleet optimization, second dispatch and a series of other actions, the operation efficiency is advanced, aviation kerosene is saved, and exhaust emission is dwarfed. Aiming at energy-saving and emission reduction, Air China created the Energy and Environment Test System in 2009 by itself, inaugurated its Green Flight in 2010, joined the Sustainable Aviation Fuel Users Group (SAFUG) and became the first carrier that launched the airplane demonstration test flight for biofuel in China in 2011.