I receive a fair number of inquiries from US veterans who are considering a move to Costa Rica. We also have a fair number of US vets living down here now. I do not have a handle as to exactly how many, but is has to be a few thousand or so with many more coming every year. I know this as I have met many on my private tours.

One vet who has lived here for a while is reader Rick Deahl who asked me if I would like to publish some information regarding medical and hospital services available to United States veterans living here in Costa Rica.

For those of you who have had the pleasure of being forced to use those orange airport (SJO only) taxis and thus overpaying for every trip, your time has arrived.

These taxis have had a monopoly at the San Jose airport for many years, and for many years, they have had free reign to overcharge visitors to Costa Rica.  I say visitors as most of us who live here know the rates are just over the top and we arrange other transportation.  The news today is that they will probably be gone in 90 days.

The beauty of Eco-friendly architecture is that you are tapping into and amplifying the peace and exhilaration of nature.

Since graduating from Santa Clara University with a double major in environmental studies and anthropology I have remodeled and landscaped our family vacation home into a luxury villa which is now available to rent by night, week or month. When I first walked the hill above theSarapiqui River I could feel how peaceful that area was. The goal of remodeling the villa was to combine luxury in the jungle with a peace beyond imagination.

Arriving from the Juan Santamaría airport you will experience a scenic 2 hour drive passing through the pristine forests of the national park Braulio Carrillo. We are 20 minutes from the world famous La Selva Biological Station (OTS),   with its 400 bird species and just 2 minutes from the Tirimbina Rainforest Center. (more…)

For many years, the largest currency denomination in Costa Rica was the 10,000 colon bank note (billete). At today's exchange rate, that is a bit over $18.00.  Thus, carrying just the equivalent of $1,000 required you to carry FIFTY-FIVE  10,000 colon notes... quite  a wad.

That will soon change as the Costa Rica Central Bank, Banco Central de Costa Rica, does a complete do-over of the country's national currency.

Changes to all bills (including the existing currency!) are drastic. Changes will include not only the standard anti-counterfeiting techniques standard on the Euro and the new US bank notes, but also two new denominations; the 20,000 and 50,000 colon bills. That is a Godsend!  Additionally,  the new bills will come in different widths... from 125 mm to 160 mm... truly important for the visually challenged.