This Halloween, be a part of Costa Rica’s fun and free costumed tradition — fling yourself into the contagious festivals and parades that flood the streets during…

(In this monthly column, schoolteacher and mom Ilana Long explores fun things to do in Costa Rica that cost absolutely nada.) As each weekend approaches, I like to…

SARCHÍ, Alajuela — Sarchí is the birthplace of the brilliantly painted oxcarts that are a national symbol of Costa Rica, and the Eloy Alfaro oxcart factory is the epicenter.…

SALITRAL, San José — Carlos Marín had already finished giving me a tour of his pottery workshop, from the clay pits to the oven to the warehouse,…

The town of Tamarindo, best known for its beaches and nightlife, is inviting the world to see its artsy side for a change. For years, there have…

When the 89-year-old man with his belly protruding from his half-buttoned tropical shirt poured me a full shot of contraband guaro at 10 o'clock in the morning,…

Costa Rica has a way of turning the architectural relics of yesteryear into pretty decent museums. The Bellavista Fortress, a former army headquarters in a country that…

PUERTO JIMÉNEZ, Puntarenas — I found my nephew Orpheus outside the BM supermarket next to a sign advertising “6 Minuto Retratos,” with examples of 6-minute portraits he…

Nature Air’s “Your art in the air” contest, which asked the public to submit designs for its airplane tails, was supposed to crown three winners, but seven were chosen after…

Costa Rican artist Sylvia Laks’ knowing hands, unique world vision and incredible mastery of her medium have made her one of the world’s foremost experts in stained…