Up Front Featured Articles
Wow…how do we decide what to feature from a country with so much to offer? You can review all our cover stories by the photos on the front covers of Howler Magazine. You’ll soon see the diversity as we highlight1 one particular story to be “up front.”
Editorials
We are thrilled to share our thoughts in editorials about Costa Rica! This enchanting country, brimming with biodiversity and natural wonders, never fails to captivate our imagination. Our own personal experiences create our editorials. Daily we immerse ourselves in what is going on in our beautiful country. Sometimes it’s about shedding light on some of the most pressing issues faced by the nation, these editorials serve as a rallying cry for all who wish to protect and preserve the unparalleled beauty of
Costa Rica. As we delve into each editorial, you’ll discover a variety of topics. At Howler, we pursue to share the positive attributes, but we do not ignore some of the not-so-positive attitudes and trends we experience. – John Quam, Owner, Editor in Chief
Prostitution in Paradise: Be AWARE in Costa Rica
Prostitution in Paradise caution for Costa Rica travelers, expats, and investors – legal realities, safety risks, ethics, and local context explained.
Do Billboards Hurt Costa Rica’s Eco-Tourism Image?
Sign Pollution!! Commercial billboards have become a growing concern in parts of Costa Rica because they can visually disrupt the natural landscapes that the country is famous for. Although the country markets itself globally as an eco-tourism destination,...
Foreign Influence and Sovereignty: Costa Rica, the U.S. Drug War, and the Peace-State Question
Costa Rica has long presented itself to the world as a country defined by civilian democracy, diplomacy and peace. That identity is not just branding. Article 12 of the Constitution outlawed the permanent army, and the country has spent decades building an...
Leaving Home Doesn’t Mean Bringing the Culture War: Why Expats Should Stop Exporting Political Hatred
Moving abroad is supposed to be a reset button, not a remote-control extension cord for yesterday’s arguments. And yet, plenty of people who’ve chosen a new life keep pumping political contempt back to their home country — or importing the same “us vs them” energy...
The Review Economy in Costa Rica: Why Stars Sell, How AI Helps, and What Happens When You Ignore It
Costa Rica is one of those places where a five-star sunset can feel guaranteed—but a five-star rating absolutely is not. For hotels, tours, restaurants, shuttles, and experiences, online reviews aren’t a “nice extra”. They’re often the deciding factor between a full...
Honk or Help
By Terry Carlile Driving in Costa Rica is an adventure worthy of its own chapter in the "Travel and Adventures" section of Howler. The conditions are as unpredictable as a soap opera plot twist, varying with your location, the time of day, and whether or not a herd...
Torunes: Founded by Fatigue, Fueled by Coffee, Haunted by Excellence
(and Now Buzzing with Bees, Beans, and Global Bragging Rights) Let’s rewind to 1897, when a man named Jacinto Avila Araya decided to climb a hill in Palmares so steep even the local goats looked up and said, “Hard pass.” After dragging himself up from the...
Rohrmoser: from coffee rows to city streets, and the family name that never left
Rohrmoser: from coffee rows to city streets, and the family name that never left Rohrmoser feels like a neighbourhood that decided—quietly, stubbornly—to keep its cool while the rest of San José got louder. You notice it in the shade first. Mature trees make their own...
Pay in Dollars, Colones or Plastic? The Currency Trap Tourists Are Walking Into in Costa Rica
If you’ve lived in or visited Costa Rica for more than a week, you’ve probably heard someone mutter, “El dólar está flojo.” For years, the greenback felt like a super-currency here. Now, with the colón hovering around ₡500 per US$1 and having been much stronger than...
When Enforcement Turns Into Blowback: Why Citizens of the USA Abroad Can Get Hit First
A Citizen of the USA can land in a new country, thinking the hard part is over. Passport stamped. Bag collected. Plans made. Then something changes. The questions get colder. The tone gets sharper. “Why are you here?” stops sounding like a formality and starts...
The Children of Costa Rica
By Terry Carlile Sometimes lost in the midst of the beauty of Costa Rica… overlooked by some due to denial… and brushed over because they do not fit our “paradise” narrative… the children of Costa Rica. The condition of the child population in Costa Rica reveals a mix...
Dear USA: You Don’t Own the Word ‘America
By John Quam, Editor in Chief When I first moved to Costa Rica almost twelve years ago, I was stopped mid-sentence by something small but world-shifting. I’d casually said I was “American.” A Tico friend smiled and, with no hint of sarcasm, replied, “So am I.” It was...
Celebrating the Dining Culture of Costa Rica
Expat Traditional Holiday Meals Go Tico? Expats can beautifully combine traditional Thanksgiving and Christmas foods with Costa Rican influences by blending familiar holiday dishes with local ingredients and flavors. For Thanksgiving, incorporating Costa Rican staples...
Circles that Clarify: Friends, Small Mercies and the Courage to Be Grateful
The year taught me to count blessings the way a surfer counts sets—eyes on the horizon, patient, ready for whatever rolls in. I began in a hospital room listening to rain bead down the window like a slow marimba, measuring progress in hallway laps and spoonfuls of...
Costa Rica’s Economic Engine: The 10 Industries Driving Growth
Costa Rica wears many hats beautifully—adventure playground, cultural crossroads, wildlife sanctuary, foodie haven, real-estate hotspot and a serious place to do business. From Pacific surf towns to San José's tech corridors, the country blends conservation with...
Why Standing Out Is Everything When You Invest in Costa Rica
Costa Rica blends jungle adventures, soulful culture, laid-back entertainment, world-class wildlife, dynamic real estate, fast-growing business hubs, and foodie scenes from sodas to chef-led tasting menus. In a market this lively, being different is not a...
Five Sure-Fire Ways to Lose Expat Customers in Costa Rica (And How to Win Them Back)
Costa Rica’s magic sells itself—adventures in the surf, culture in the plaza, entertainment after sunset, wildlife at every turn, real estate dreams by the beach, business deals over casados, and food that tastes of the tropics. But even the best location can’t...
Breast Cancer Awareness Month: Global Momentum, Costa Rican Leadership, and Your Next Step
Costa Rica’s Momentum—and a Clear Plan for Women and Men October’s pink ribbon matters because early detection saves lives. When breast cancer is found at a localised stage, five-year survival is around 100%. Costa Rica offers a practical path from worry to action:...
Beyondsoft: Why Costa Rica
Costa Rica has a strong talent pool in many areas of Technology, who are effectively bilingual, which matters when you're supporting U.S. clients who need help across different time zones. As a global consulting company, this is very important for Beyondsoft. People...
Bayer: Why Costa Rica?
Bayer’s Footprint in Costa Rica Since launching operations in Costa Rica on July 1, 1978, Bayer has expanded its presence across multiple sectors. Today, the company operates through three core divisions—Pharmaceuticals, Consumer Health, and Crop Science—bringing...
Why We Invested Our Business In Costa Rica
Here are three businesses that chose Costa Rica Costa Rica isn’t just beautiful—it’s a smart place to build. In these three founder stories, Bill and Nancy Ripley explain how Horizon Pacific in Tamarindo grew into a values-led property management company employing...