Where to LIVE in Costa Rica, the base of the very active, Arenal Volcano perhaps?
"We want to move to Costa Rica, where should we live?"
"Where's the BEST place to put down roots in Costa Rica?"
"We love Costa Rica and would like to live there some day, particularly on one of the beaches located on the Pacific, northern coast, but do you think it gets too HOT to live year round?"
Hey EVERYONE! We get the "Where should we live in Costa Rica?" question enough that we thought we'd answer it for you.
No need to keep writing, watch the VIDEO, it's all there, and as usual, HOPE it helps.
TONS of Costa Rica Travel Info and VIDEOS on our website: Travel Costa Rica NOW and if you want to visit our YouTube Channel: iCostaRica24 ENjoY!
I posted this video about 'Corruption and Bribing a Police Officer' in Costa Rica a few weeks ago. If you haven't seen it, it may be worth a look, but in it I mention that I've NEVER in my 5 years of living in Costa Rica been asked by a man in uniform to pay a bribe nor have they ever tried to extort money from me. Well, I can't say that anymore.
We were returning from our trip to Nicaragua and was crossing back over into Costa Rica at the Penas Blancas border crossing. After stamping out of Nicaragua, D'Angelo and our friends decided to hit up the duty free shops and I decided to take the 10 minute walk over to check out how long the line was to get stamped back into Costa Rica. Between the 2 points they have a couple passport checkpoints.
Costa Rica border crossing guard asked to see my passport, nothing out of the ordinary, so I obliged. Then he asked me if I had $5.00. WTF? Before I tell you how I responded and what happened I'd like to add my 2 cents.
"Although I understand the mentality of wanting to travel alone, I highly discourage it and really, it borders on stupidity. Like many things bad, this border crossing guard probably wouldn't have asked if I was with other people... but I digress."
So, he asked me for $5.00 and I responded in true expat spanglish, "What the fuck for, dude............ para que? I know, I know, I have a way with words. Anyway, he said it was for 'admission', and I said, "pa....leeez... que mierda!" it was then he realized I wasn't just any gringo traveler and pretty much dropped it, handed me my passport and I was on my way.
I know I'll take grief for this, but it really doesn't bother me, he tried... and it didn't work. Honestly, didn't even cross my mind to 'report him' or whatever... just not my style. So, that's my encounter with 'corruption' in Costa Rica.
Oh, just in case you're not familiar with the Penas Blancas border crossing, we made this video awhile back on how to do it:
TONS of Costa Rica Travel Info and VIDEOS on our website: Travel Costa Rica NOW and if you want to visit our YouTube Channel: iCostaRica24 ENjoY!
Living in Costa Rica as a 'perpetual tourist' is alive and well, at least for the moment anyway.
Not sure what a 'perpetual tourist' is? A 'perpetual tourist' is a person who lives in Costa Rica but does not have legal residence and must leave the country every 90 days in order to keep their visa (passport) current.
It's kind of an accepted loophole if you will and has been going on for many, MANY years. So long in fact, when Costa Rica does change the immigration laws, which they eventually will, there's going to be some SERIOUS backlash since more often than not, perpetual tourists own land, houses and run businesses in Costa Rica, which obviously generates revenue and jobs for Costa Rica.
It's the deadbeat perpetual tourist that give perpetual tourists in general a bad name.
The video below discusses a few issues but the most important thing to remember if you're living in Costa Rica as a 'perpetual tourist' is don't go over your 90 days and never, Never, NEVER hand over your passport because a friend has a friend who knows someone who works at the border and can stamp your passport (for a fee of course)while your lazy ass sits on the beach sipping Cacique.
It also talks about some fairly recent changes at the Penas Blancas border crossing with Nicaragua (and probably Panama as well) which directly effects the perpetual tourist and is 'must know' information.
I want to mention, I'm not suggesting you follow anything I say in the video, I'm merely trying to pass on INFO. As my friend, Bill Clanton, who is the Costa Rica Blogger, and someone I respect pointed out, if you do everything aBOVE board and don't look for the 'easy way', you have a much better chance of receiving residency in the future if you so desire. True indeed.
Anyway, it is what it is:
TONS of Costa Rica Travel Info and VIDEOS on our website: Travel Costa Rica NOW and if you want to visit our YouTube Channel: iCostaRica24 ENjoY!
"We want to move to Costa Rica, where should we live?" 
