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Two popular places people like to visit in the Turrialba area have reopened after being closed for more than a week because of heavy rain and concerns about uncertain conditions. Turrialba Volcano National Park and Guayabo National Monument reopened yesterday after officials determined that weather conditions had improved and access roads were safe for vehicles. The Ministry of Environment and Energy and the National System of Conservation Areas ( SINAC ) closed both sites beginning August 18 as Costa Rica dealt with heavy rainfall associated with Tropical Wave 33 and an orange weather alert. At the time, saturated soil raised concerns about landslides, falling material and other problems that could put visitors and park employees at risk. Officials said inspections carried out before the reopening found that the two most recent tropical waves had not caused significant damage in the area. Roads leading to the attractions have also been cleared for traffic. The reopening is welcom...

Costa Rica is fighting an uphill battle against two mosquito-borne diseases this year, with dengue cases climbing sharply and malaria showing signs of resurgence after a period of dramatic progress toward elimination. The Ministry of Health reported this week that dengue cases have reached over 3,400 through epidemiological week 32 of 2026, a 30 percent increase over the same period last year, when 2,405 cases had been recorded. The Central North region has logged the highest raw number of cases, while the Central Pacific region carries the heaviest burden relative to its population, with a rate of 240.2 cases per 100,000 residents. At least five people are currently hospitalized with dengue, one at Hospital San Rafael in Alajuela and four at Hospital Víctor Manuel Sanabria. What makes this year notable is not just the case count but the trajectory. Costa Rica actually started 2026 behind the previous year’s pace, with an 8 percent reduction in cases reported through earl...

More Canadians are flying to Costa Rica this year than at any point on record, and the gap between them and every other market is widening fast. New figures from the Instituto Costarricense de Turismo ( ICT ) show that from January through July arrivals from Canada up 25.1% compared with the same seven months of 2025. No other country came close. The Netherlands ranked second at 16.5%, and Spain third at 13.9%. The North American market as a whole, which includes the United States and Mexico, grew 7%. Across every source country, 1,853,430 travelers arrived by air in those seven months. That is also a 7% increase on last year, which tells you how much of the growth is being carried by a handful of markets rather than spread evenly. The tourism institute credits a targeted advertising push in Canada aimed at filling seats on direct flights. On its own numbers, the campaign is working and that matters more than a marketing win. Where visitors come from decides which airports g...

Residents of Playa Panamá marched on Sunday, calling for stalled tourism projects in the Gulf of Papagayo to move forward, saying the delays are costing their community jobs and business opportunities. The peaceful march was organized by the Playa Panamá Integral Development Association(ADI). Participants walked from the roundabout near El Mangroove hotel to Plaza Playa Panamá under the slogan “Walking Together for Sustainable Development.” Organizers said families in the area depend on tourism, construction and the small businesses that serve workers and visitors. They argued that development and environmental protection can happen at the same time if projects follow Costa Rica’s environmental rules. The protest comes more than four months after Constitutional Court Justice Fernando Cruz issued temporary restrictions while the court reviews a challenge to development rules in the Papagayo Tourism Development Area. The April 17 order placed a moratorium on new tree-cutting per...

Four Seasons Resort Peninsula Papagayo has unveiled 10 new one-bedroom suites as part of a larger renovation of the luxury resort on Costa Rica’s northern Pacific coast. Reservations are now open for the Papagayo Suites, with the first stays available beginning December 17, 2026. Each suite covers 112 square meters, or 1,206 square feet, and includes a king bedroom, a separate living room and a large terrace overlooking Papagayo Bay. The layout is intended to feel more like a private vacation home while keeping guests close to the resort’s restaurants, spa and recreational facilities. The suites can accommodate up to three adults or two adults and two children, according to the resort’s booking information. Their design focuses on indoor-outdoor living, with natural wood, stone and colors inspired by the surrounding coastline. Other features include custom furniture, curved soaking tubs, marble bathrooms and large openings that bring in natural light and fresh air. “These...

Costa Rica has long promoted itself as the most literate country in Central America, and by the numbers it is. Government statistics put the literacy rate among people 15 and older at roughly 98 percent, a figure repeated in tourism brochures, investment pitches and international rankings for decades. But a closer look at how that number is produced, and who it leaves out, suggests the real picture of who can and cannot read and write in this country is considerably worse than official statistics admit. The core problem is that Costa Rica’s literacy figure comes from self reported survey answers, not from any actual reading test. When a census worker or household survey interviewer asks someone whether they can read and write, the person answers for themselves, and there is no verification. Illiteracy carries deep social stigma, particularly among older adults and in rural communities, so people frequently say yes even when they can do little more than sign their name. Th...