Vacations Blog

Moving to Costa Rica is a popular dream for many tourists who fall head over heels in love with its 800 miles of pristine tropical beaches on two azure oceans, verdant mountains, mild climate and easy-going way of life. It’s one of oldest democracies in theAmericas, peaceful, well governed and only one of two nations on the planet without an army.

For 20 years or longer, it has been highly sought after tourism and retirement destination but today more and more Americans and people from across Europe, tired of the industrial turmoil in their nations, look at the low unemployment in the small Central American country and wonder what whether they can work in work in Costa Rica.

The answer to that question is dependent on whether they will work for someone else, obtain legal residency, create a corporation, or have job talents in selected areas that Costa Rica wants to promote but needs foreigners to do so.

Working for a Foreign Based Company

There are hundreds of foreign companies conducting business in Costa Rica; corporations like Intel, Hewlett Packard, Coca Cola, Colgate-Palmolive, Baxter Healthcare, Motorola, Cisco Electronics, Boston Scientific, Fiserv, Equifax, Experian, 3M, Western Union, Walmart, Standard Fruit.

There are also dozens of international or managed hotels and resorts like Marriott, Holiday Inn, Days Inn, 4 Seasons, and Ramada and foreign banks having a presence like CitiBank, ScotiaBank, and others.

A work permit is needed of all non-citizens and nonresidents for any foreign (or domestic) company and, typically , the huge international companies provide legal assistance.

Legal Residency

Like the U. S. and most other western nations, legal residency is the usual way of gaining a right to work, either for yourself or some other person. There are 4 ways to become a legal resident:

1. Marry a Costa Rica citizen or

2. Receive at least $1000/month from Social Security or another pension that’s payable electronically into a Costa Rica bank or

3. Deposit $150,000 in a Costa Rica bank where it must stay 5 years or

4. Invest in certain qualifying (mostly tourist related) businesses.

A Costa Rica Corporation

Any person, resident or nonresident, can own a corporation and do business with it.

Legally , however ,only a legal resident can work for a corporation. Stockholders (often the foreign resident) are not allowed to work but are only supposed to get dividends from the profits of the corporation. As one can imagine, this legal obligation is frequently ignored as more foreigners buy small hostels, bed and breakfasts, set up property or land development firms.

Work in Selected Areas Preferred by the Government

Costa Rica is a Spanish speaking country that’s always in short supply of teachers of English as a second language, foreign tour group guides, and experience in environmental and conservation matters.

With its wonderful variety of plants and animals, great beaches and volcanoes, Costa Rica vacations are increasingly popular. And, if you’re thinking seriously about Costa Rica and are retired but too young to sit around all day or are too young to retire, find out about how to line up your own Costa Rica business.

Music in Costa Rica is music to dance to.  From Salsa to Chamber music there is something for everyone.  Live bands play at different clubs all over the country.  Salsa, Jazz, Rock, Tango, Tex-Mex, and Calypso are all on the venue at different nightspots in Costa Rica.

If you are staying in and around San Jose the best nightlife is found at El Pueblo in Escazu.  Here you can find restaurants, nightclubs and shops.  Club Twister is one club that is very popular playing contemporary and Latin music.  Another is El Tobagan and while they are open only on the weekend they are always packed.

Somewhere in El Pueblo the Tango Bar is located.  It has a couple of older gals that serve drinks and perform sentimental ballads.  If you are lucky an Argentine visitor will be able to translate the lyrics.  Occasionally you will have the treat of seeing a good tango performed.

Costa Ricans love to dance and they are so good that it is scary.  Not too much cha cha, but there is plenty of cumbia, merengue, lambada, and salsa.  If you get a chance before you go to Costa Rica try to get in some salsa lessons.  It is the most fun you can have and it sure makes you know that you are alive.  There is dancing at night in any number of clubs all over Costa Rica but most of the better hotels have music at night.

If you speak a small amount of Spanish and you are looking for local happenings then you can try to read the local papers the Tico Time and La Nacíon.  These should help you find local movie times and info on concerts and festivals.

Every year in February and March there is the Monteverde Art Festival, which has local musicians and visiting guest musicians.  The venues for the music change from year to year depending on what festival planners have in mind so check the local newspaper or simply ask around.  The local Ticos will be more than happy to give you any info they have on where the next performance is.

Costa Rica is predominantly Catholic so most of their holidays follow the usual Catholic holidays such as Christmas and Easter but one holiday that stands out is the celebration of the Black Christ Esquipulas.  This festival originates in Guatemala but is celebrated all over Costa Rica.  There is large population of Guatemalan immigrants so this may have something to do with the celebration.

The Teatro National was built over a hundred years ago an in that time Costa Ricans have developed there own national theater company.  Additionally Costa Rica has their own Symphony and Ticos love classical music almost as much as Salsa.

For those of you that like a different kind of nightlife there are also a few nature and wildlife tours.  In the Mountverde Cloud Forest there are night tours that show you the beauty of wildlife that only shows itself at night.

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When you’re ready for a beach vacation, it can be tough to pick from among vacation or honeymoon destinations.  There are so many great places you can go, whether its the Caribbean, or the beaches of Hawaii, or a spot closer to home.This top 10 list below, can help you choose where to go for your vacation.

1.  Hawaii    If you live on the mainland, you can choose to put your frequent flier miles to good use and take a beach vacation on the island of Hawaii.  You can get a vacation deals package and you can relax on the beach, swim, play golf, sail or scuba dive. Honeymoon vacations on the big Island would be wonderful. Hawaii has great weather.This makes it a wonderful choice for your beach vacation.

2. Cape Cod    Cape Cod, Martha’s Vineyard, and Nantucket are all surrounded by beautiful scenic beaches. There are beaches on the bay and the ocean sides of the island. Bayside beaches are typically much calmer than oceanside, making them perfect destinations for families with children. There are lots of Cape Cod hotels to consider.

3.  Wildwood     Wildwood Crest is a small shore resort community located at the southern end of New Jersey.  The Wildwoods have great beaches that are among the nicest in the U.S. There are thousands of hotel rooms to choose from. There is a boardwalk and amusement piers with rides. it is just a short drive to the casinos of Atlantic City and the many other interesting attractions in southern New Jersey.

4. Myrtle Beach     Myrtle Beach is one of the top domestic tourist destinations in the continental United States. With millions of visitors a year. It has 60 miles of warm, sandy beaches, and is popular destinations for millions. If a Myrtle Beach vacation is what you are looking for, then Myrtle Beach has it all. Myrtle Beach has great golf courses, restaurants and shopping. 

5. Florida Keys     The Florida Keys is the perfect tropical retreat with balmy weather and beautiful beaches. It has of over 1000 small islands. The Florida Keys stretch 100 miles away from the mainland and Florida Keys hotels offer new experiences for both old and young alike. Many travelers begin their Florida Keys vacation in Key West. The natural surroundings give the island a real tropical feel and smell.

6. Cocoa Beach     Cocoa Beach is an hour drive east of Orlando. Find it on the pretty Space Coast. It has loads of recreation and leisure. A beach vacation, a weekend getaway, or just a day at the beach, you’ll find everything you need in Cocoa Beach. An affordable vacation spot is exactly what you’ll find in Cocoa Beach. Besides offering the best of a beach vacation, you can go shopping. You may also like to try a casino cruise ship, or take an eco-tour to get up close with Florida’s wildlife.

7. Costa Rica     This can be the ideal tropical paradise for your Costa Rica vacations. You can enjoy the pristine beaches and see whales and dolphins at play. Covering the mountains are the rainforest a paradise for eco tourism. It has a huge variety of plants and animals. A fun vacation means you can surf, hike, go rafting, canopying, diving, deepwater fishing and snorkeling. You can find exclusive resorts for a costa rica vacation.

8. Bahamas    The Bahamas is a caribbean vacation choice many take each year. You will be delighted with the white sandy beaches. Snorkelers may choose the calmer waters of beaches facing the Caribbean. There are many ways to enjoy this beautiful island, including surfing, sailing, scuba diving, windsurfing, and swimming. The tough part would be choosing from the  bahamas vacation packages available.

9. Punta Cana    Punta Cana is on the eastern tip of the Dominican Republic. It has white sand, coconut trees and plenty of resorts. Punta Cana was discovered long ago and Americans are now enjoying it. Most guests choose to stay in all-inclusive resorts. A Punta Cana vacation packages may be just right for you.

10. Cozumel     Cozumel has beautiful beaches and an exotic location. A vacation deal would be great for a honeymoon vacation. You can enjoy breathtaking sunsets, moonlit walks on deserted beaches, swim in crystal clear waters and enjoy romantic candlelight dinners. Its famous worldwide for its coral reefs. Cozumel has a Caribbean flair. Be sure to book your Cozumel vacation packages early to avoid disappointment.