No menu items!

COSTA RICA'S LEADING ENGLISH LANGUAGE NEWSPAPER

HomeCosta RicaActor Mel Gibson in real estate row over Costa Rica beach property

Actor Mel Gibson in real estate row over Costa Rica beach property

Costa Rica loves to brag about celebrities who vacation here, but the honeymoon appears to be over for one Pacific municipality and Hollywood actor Mel Gibson.

The “Mad Max” star bought a sprawling 500-hectare estate in Playa Barrigona between the beach destinations of Nosara and Sámara back in 2007. The actor has hosted Britney Spears and other celebrities in the luxe “Apocalypto” property.

But it’s been nearly a year since Gibson last visited Costa Rica and the star might not be back if a spat with the Municipality of Nicoya continues.

Channel 7 TV News ran a series of reports this week alleging that Barrigona administrators blocked public access to the property’s beach and violated maritime zone construction laws. A representative for the property told The Tico Times, meanwhile, that the story is “inaccurate” and “sensationalist.”

Read the full story in The Tico Times Real Estate.

Trending Now

U.S. Real ID Rules Tighten for Domestic Flights, Impacting Costa Rica Travelers

U.S. airport security checkpoints have required REAL ID compliant identification for domestic flights since May 7, 2025, a rule that still catches some Costa...

Panama’s Iconic Thousand Polleras Parade in Los Santos

Panama sets the stage for its premier cultural event, the Desfile de las Mil Polleras, on Saturday. This annual parade draws thousands to celebrate...

Costa Rica’s Tribunal Weighs Ban on Bukele Visit Over Neutrality Fears

The Supreme Electoral Tribunal (TSE) is examining a request to bar Salvadoran President Nayib Bukele from entering Costa Rica ahead of his planned visit...

How Altitude Shapes Flavors in Costa Rican Coffee Beans

Coffee growers in Costa Rica know that elevation plays a key role in how beans develop and taste. Farmers in regions like Tarrazú and...

Costa Rican Activist Stella Chinchilla Denies Role in Alleged Assassination Plot

Stella Chinchilla Mora, a vocal critic of the Costa Rican government, faces accusations of orchestrating a plot to assassinate President Rodrigo Chaves. The 62-year-old...

Nicaragua Ends Dual Citizenship Rights Hitting Exiles Hard

Nicaragua's National Assembly ratified a constitutional reform today that ends the right to dual nationality, forcing Nicaraguans to lose their citizenship if they take...
Costa Rica Coffee Maker Chorreador
Costa Rica Coffee Maker Chorreador
Costa Rica Travel Insurance
Costa Rica Travel

Latest News from Costa Rica