Sportfishing in Costa Rica

By Osvaldo Perez, Alex Skillman and Joe Pattrin
Costa Rica boasts a wide variety of popular saltwater game fish that attract anglers from around the world. The opportunity for an adventure that is radically different from your grandfather’s fly fishing expeditions abounds, no matter where a traveler finds himself in the country. Costa Rica has four distinct fishing regions, the North Pacific, Central Pacific, South Pacific, and North Caribbean zones that each present a unique experience. Each of the fishing regions is easily accessible to visitors and hiring a boat is easy at one of the many charter shops around Costa Rica.

Contrasted with commercial or recreational fishing, sportfishing is for the fun and competition of angling in a trophy fish.  Sportfishing is done with a rod, reel, and different types of lures, rather than nets or other methods.  The International Game Fish Association (IGFA) has specific angling rules that anglers must comply with to have a proper & successful catch that can be recorded.  Traditional sportfishing uses a baited hook called the “J hook”, which results in very high catch rates. However, Costa Rican sport fishing centers on catch and release fishing. The traditional J hook typically results in traumatized fish that are unlikely to survive if released. To combat this, the “circle hook” was developed that maximizes the chance of cleanly catching fish with minimal trauma.  

Selvatura Adventure Park at Monteverde

By Kelly Kneival and Lacey Merica

Monteverde did not always start out as one of Costa Rica’s top three tourist destinations. In its early beginnings Monteverde was a milk producing community that was settled by Quakers who were in search of a better future for their family. The Quakers settled Monteverde in a humble fashion for the single purpose of providing sustenance for their families. This value was one shared by both Costa Ricans and the Quakers.

During the initial settling of Monteverde families were primarily concerned with planting and growing crops and milk cattle. Families would take their goods to local markets in the area such as Guacimal, Chomes and Puntareanas. At this time the Quakers practiced controlled deforestation. The practice of controlled deforestation is cleaning the farm land of trees and other plants to make room for planting and areas for cattle to graze.

Costa Rican Traditional Foods

By Ngoc Nguyen and Lolita Schumacher

Costa Rica is a small Caribbean country located on the Isthmus Peninsula, boasting 1,290km of coastline, between the Caribbean Sea and the Pacific Ocean. The country supports tropical and subtropical climates. Beautiful coastal plains are separated by rugged mountains including over 100 volcanic cones. Nestled in this warm tropical climate, you will find 4.5 million Ticos (Costa Ricans) enjoying a colorful, bountiful table filled with local fruits and vegetables. The cuisine of Costa Rica is rich in color and texture, yet the dishes do not carry the spicy hot taste traditionally found in Mexican food. Costa Rican dishes are famous for more subtle flavors. Regarding drinks, coffee is the favorite- Ticos drink theirs strong and black.

Costa Rica attracts many tourists because of the breathtaking sightseeing and delicious food. Most traditional dishes incorporate rice and beans (frequently black beans) accompanied with beef, chicken, or fish. A traditional Tico breakfast includes ‘gallo pinto’ (pinto rooster) which is a dish that sauteés cooked rice, black beans, onions, red pepper, cilantro, and special spices. The dish will be served with eggs, natilla (sour cream), and bread. Gallo Pinto is a household stable and many cooks and chefs will tell you the secret ingredient is a sauce known as Lizano. This greenish brown sauce is packed with flavors that release a slightly sweet taste. Lizano is made from puréeing cilantro, tomatoes, onions, garlic, and countless other spices. Lizano is a Tico favorite and used on everything, much like Americans use ketchup.

Historic Role of Coffee in Costa Rica

By Cynthia Bryant and Ahmed Saleh

Coffee production in Costa Rica began in 1779 in the Meseta Central. The blend that was first introduced to Costa Rica was first cultivated in Saudi Arabia known as Arabica Coffee. In Costa Rica coffee soon began to be a way of life, it transformed their nation’s culture, economy and diet. Coffee became Costa Rica’s number one export in 1829 quickly surpassing, cacao, sugar, and tobacco. Exports to Panama began in the 1820s and around 1832 Chile became a major customer. Chile began to rebrand the coffee and exported to England under the name "Café Chileno de Valparaíso."

In 1843 William Le Lacheur Lyon, the captain of the Monarch sent a shipment of Costa Rican coffee directly to England. The British grew fond of coffee and developed an interest in the country. They invested heavily into the country and became the principal customer of coffee exports till World War II. Costa Rica was then known around the world for coffee. It started to become more modernized and Costa Rican children went to study abroad in Europe to get a good education. They would then return as entrepreneurs, doctors, and engineers, and would contribute to Costa Rica’s growth. In 1890, Costa Rica was the first country to build a railroad to the Atlantic Coast named "Ferrocarril al Atlántico." Also coffee farmers built the national theater in Costa Rica in 1897.