“ESCAPE TO LUXURY” A ROOM MAKEOVER CONTEST SPONSORED BY PALM COAST INTERIORS. “Escape to Luxury” a room makeover contest sponsored by Palm Coast Interiors, a luxury residential and commercial interior design firm, located in Jaco Beach, Costa Rica, is offering to remake a room chosen by a homeowner as the room most in need of a remake. Entrants are asked to provide a photo of the room to be made over along with a short essay explaining why the room is deserving of design. Melanie and Jay Pond, owners of …

Despite a competitive run by dark horse Venezuela, host country Costa Rica’s Carlos Muñoz vaulted into contention for a world title at the World Surfing Games in Playa Hermosa Tuesday.
With conditions ranging from blazing sunshine to pouring rain, and tides at both high and low extremes, the 16-year-old Muñoz managed to have an interference called in two consecutive heats — and still win both of them, a feat that in most cases is considered almost impossible.
The young Tico has brought huge crowds to their feet and electrified his teammates as …

A giant Parade of the Surfing Nations began the opening ceremonies of the Billabong ISA World Surfing Games at Jaco Beach this morning. In full “Olympic” style, over 34 nations in bright uniforms and flags flying, followed a colorful Costa Rican marching band down the main street of town, to the exited cheers of thousands posted along the parade route.
The parade finished in the Park of Jaco. There, ISA President, Fernando Aguerre, along with the Chief of the Costa Rican Tourism Department, Carlos Ricardo Benavidez, the Mayor of Garabito, Marvin …

July 28:
9am – 5pm: Team Registration
July 29:
9am – 5pm: Team Registration
July 30:
10am – 11am: Media Registration
12:30pm – Media Conference
5pm: Team Registration CLOSING
5pm – 10pm: Radio 911 DJ _ Roots Reggae, Hip Hop
5pm – 10pm: Circus Show (Intervals with DJ)
7pm – Team Managers Meeting

On development in Jacó: A perspective from the Central Pacific Chamber of Commerce
Over the last several weeks, a few readers’ letters were published here which revolved around development and construction in Jacó. As president of the Central Pacific Chamber of Commerce, I would like to take this opportunity to provide residents and readers with a reflection on the benefits that development brought and will continue to bring to this area.
The only certainty in life is change, and the face of Jacó is clearly changing. Nothing stays the same, and Jacó …

Playa Hermosa, COSTA RICA – Less than 2 months from the kickoff of the Billabong International Surf Association (ISA) World Surfing Games Costa Rica 2009 in Playa Hermosa, the Federacion de Surf de Costa Rica (FSC) announced the 12 surfers who have been preselected to enter the training for the most important appointment of the year in surfing around the globe.
The list of surfers who hope to hit the water for Costa Rica at the Billabong ISA World Surfing Games Costa Rica 2009 July 31 to August 8 are:
OPEN: Jason …

 
Declaring that the construction of hotels and condominiums is stalled in Costa Rica is inaccurate.  In some places, like Jacó, developers are still moving forward. With the current international financial contraction it is assumed that it will be difficult to maintain the pace of previous year’s development.
There are developers like Pat Hundley, owner of DayStar Properties, who has three projects called Diamante del Sol, The Palms and Breakwater Point currently under construction.  Fuad Farach Abalah, president of the Rica Costa Group, with his son Fuad Farach Caldera acting as …

The ISA Billabong World Surfing Games will take place in Playa Hermosa, south of Jaco on July 31 to August 9, 2009. The Billabong World Surfing Games (WSG) 2009 is expected to have the largest number of competing countries which will total 40. This will be the most important achievement that the Federation de Surf de Costa Rica (FSC) has managed to date.
The WSG 2009 inauguration would be composed of a colorful parade of participating nations on the main street of Jacó and then move onto the ceremony of the …

Brokers are seeing increases in real estate inquiries and offers in Jaco and around Costa Rica. While the North American market is imploding, the Costa Rican market has seen price adjustments that are more in tune with market conditions. As a result, many buyers are looking at Costa Rica as a low cost alternative for their annual 5-6 month retreats, often called “snowbirds.”
Today “snowbirds” are no longer aging, retired people but people in their 30’s and older. Many people are still working and often have tele-commute workloads or can …

 
JACO & HERMOSA RECEIVE BLUE FLAG
For the second consecutive year, the city of Jaco recently received the Blue Flag award along with the surfing beach of Playa Hermosa, the site of the BILLABONG ISA 2009 WORLD SURFING GAMES.
In order to receive the Blue Flag award, the quality of water, the solid waste management systems, the signaling of roads, the environmental education and public safety are all evaluated.  The city council, local businesses and members of the community all worked together to ensure that the requirements were met and that Jaco …