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Where to Take Your Child to See a Sloth in the Wild in Costa Rica Few wildlife encounters leave a child more astonished than seeing a sloth in its natural habitat. Costa Rica is one of the best places on earth to make that happen, and the good news is that you do not need to venture deep into remote jungle to find one. Several destinations around the country offer reliable sightings, but some stand out far above the rest. Manuel Antonio National Park: The Surest Bet For families who want a guaranteed encounter, Manuel Antonio on the Central Pacific coast is the single most reliable option in the country. The park’s relatively compact trail system, well kept and easy to navigate, means guides know exactly which cecropia trees the resident sloths favor on any given week. The density of wildlife per square kilometer here is extraordinary, and the national park beach waiting at the end of the trail makes it a perfect full family day out. Go early. Gates open at 7am and ...

A California family is holding onto hope as the search continues in Costa Rica for 30-year-old Ashley Nicole Phillips, who disappeared earlier this month while in the Pérez Zeledón area. Phillips, from the Santa Clarita area, was reported missing to Costa Rica’s Judicial Investigation Agency on June 7. Authorities say she was last seen on June 3 in San Salvador de Barú, a rural mountain community in Pérez Zeledón, in the country’s southern zone. Her family has said she went missing during a hike after severe weather brought flooding and mudslides to the area. Search teams and local volunteers have continued looking for signs of her, but as of Monday, there has been no public confirmation that she has been found. Costa Rican authorities have not confirmed exactly what happened to Phillips. Local reports have cited unverified accounts that she may have been swept away by a flash flood, known in Costa Rica as a cabeza de agua, but investigators have not confirmed that version. ...

Tocumen International Airport is preparing for one of its busiest travel stretches of the year as the 2026 World Cup sends a wave of Panama fans, connecting passengers and international visitors through the country’s main air hub. Airport officials expect more than 544,000 additional passengers in connection with the tournament travel period, with the heaviest outbound movement projected for June 14, 15 and 16. For travelers using Panama City as a connection point, or flying in and out of Tocumen this week, that means busier terminals, fuller flights and the possibility of longer lines at check-in, migration, baggage and security. The spike is tied to Panama’s return to the World Cup and the country’s group-stage matches in Toronto and the New York area. Panama opens against Ghana in Toronto on June 17, faces Croatia in Toronto on June 23 and closes the group stage against England at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey on June 27. Tocumen said it has activated a special coordina...

Traffic Police removed license plates from several vehicles parked along the access road to Playa Blanca in Punta Leona on Saturday, adding a new flashpoint to one of Costa Rica’s most closely watched beach access disputes . Videos circulating on social media showed officers removing plates from vehicles parked near the route that leads to the popular white-sand beach in Garabito. Municipal staff confirmed the operation, while local reporting said the cars were affecting traffic flow on the road. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Trivisión CR (@trivisioncr) The incident comes just days after the Municipality of Garabito removed the access barriers at Punta Leona and reopened the route to Playa Blanca. The municipal government argues that the road is public and should remain open for free transit. Punta Leona Beach Club & Nature Resort maintains that the road and access structures are part of private property and that the matter should ...

Years ago the name La Carpio stood for extreme poverty, homes made of corregated metal and recycled wood, and high crime. That’s all changed. The area, to the west of Hospital Mexico and Parque de Diversiones in San Jose, is still considered to be poor but shows signs of an active economic life with little shops offering all kinds of goods; food stands, auto repairs, clothes and restaurants. Cars, motorcycles and buses cross the area. Homes are now made of concrete blocs and cement. About 35,000 people inhabit 23 square kilometers in what was once an empty field owned by the government. La Carpio began with squatters, mostly Nicaraguan, seeking homes away from the violence, the war, the poverty, and the uncertainty of their country. On a recent visit to the Humanitarian Foundation, a non-profit which has been instrumental in helping raise La Carpio from extreme poverty, we saw nicely dressed people, everyone busy with work or errands. Children looked healthy and clean as...

Costa Rica is preparing for a difficult El Niño cycle that could put pressure on water supplies, electricity costs and tourism services in some of the country’s most visited regions through the second half of 2026 and into early 2027. The climate event is already being treated as a national planning issue, not a distant forecast. The latest projections point to hotter temperatures, lower rainfall across the Pacific slope, tighter water conditions in vulnerable communities and added pressure on a power system that still depends heavily on hydroelectric generation. The government has launched a national strategy with 247 actions and an investment of about $180 million to reduce the impact. The plan includes water and electricity savings campaigns, temporary thermal power generation, monitoring of water treatment plants, support for livestock producers, irrigation improvements, water reservoirs, agricultural calendar adjustments and the use of tanker trucks in areas that may need...