Properties in Costa Rica Blog

Costa Rica ranks in the top 20 for countries to outsource work, according to a recent report from A.T. Kearney in Chicago. Costa Rica came in at number 19 gaining 5 spots since last year. The report analyzes 55 countries for outsourcing based on: financial attractiveness, people skills, availability, and business environment. The study examines outsourcing practices, and how different countries rank as targets. Given the rapid technological advancement taking place the outsourcing models and type of work that needs to be outsourced is rapidly changing.

In 2016, India, China and Malaysia were the top three offshoring destinations. The countries with the most adaptable education systems will be able to maintain their place among the top because they can easily manage to re-train their workforce to meet the changing demands of outsourced work over time. Right now the most opportunities for outsourcing are in back office operations and IT.

Over the next few years as automation and robotics come into place, work that requires repetition of the same tasks will be done by machines eliminating the need for humans to do the work. Because we can now work remotely from anywhere in the world, it is assumed that new work opportunities will emerge for outsourcing. In order for countries to remain competitive they must adapt policies that allow them to shift as needed in order to keep their citizens employed by emerging offshore opportunities.

At the moment, Costa Rica is doing a good job of building relationships with global corporations and creating jobs for people through offshoring. The country’s strong infrastructure and policies make it an easy country to do business with and in. In addition, the education system is firmly in rooted. Overall, the country is in a position to make the needed shifts to stay current. In the past few years, Costa Rica has also attracted tech companies to its shores and has a small budding start up community. With the right programs in place, Costa Rica may be able to make the needed shifts to stay ahead of the robotics revolution and continue to attract economic opportunities to its shores.

The ZooAve animal rescue center in Costa Rica made medical history when they successfully implanted a Toucan with a 3D printed prosthetic saving the animal’s life. After a horrific assault on the bird a year ago that left it without most of its upper beak, it was taken to the ZooAve animal rescue center. The center raised the money for the prosthetic device based on this latest 3D printing technology to create a new beak, and ultimately save the bird’s life.

The injury did not occur in the wild but through the senseless violence of a few teenage boys. People around the world were were horrified by the malevolent attack of the defenseless creature. The injury left the bird unable to eat or stay balanced. Toucans rely on their beak to eat, mate and defend themselves in the wild. Without it, they cannot survive. Replacing the beak was a life or death matter that gained the attention and support of people around the world. The money to replace the beak was raised through a crowdfunding campaign that closed with $10,500. The attack was considered so heinous that it resulted in the creation of a Costa Rica animal cruelty bill that is now pending being passed into law.

Prosthetics are one of the medical wonders available through 3D printing that promises to usher in a new age for animals and people that suffer a loss of a limb or body part. Toucans have a beak that is lightweight and made of keratin. The designers were faced with a real challenge to design a beak that would look and feel like a comparable light weight material for the bird. It also had to be designed so it could be adjusted to match the bird’s growth over time. They also could not use chemical compounds that could possibly harm the bird either.

In the end, four Costa Rican 3D printing companies, Elementos 3D, Ewa!corps, Publicidad Web and Grupo Summerus, stepped forward to work with ZooAve in creating the beak and successfully transplanting the prosthetic onto the bird. 3D printing is able to create precise lifelike prosthetics at a quality unmatched in the past. 3D prosthetics have been used for dogs and cats up till now. The use of one on a wild animal is a big breakthrough, especially successfully replacing a beak. It’s a big medical breakthrough for veterinarians and wildlife specialists that resulted from a horrible tragedy.

Tuning with the waves

Costa Rica is divided in 7 provinces; in which Guanacaste is the province number 5. Sámara belongs to the city of Nicoya, located in Guanacaste province with a distance of 146,644 miles (236 km) from San José.

Sámara is ruled by the main activity in the area, Surf is the reason why many tourists visit this lovely town and wake up early just to catch the best wave of the day.

Sámara from all Costa Rican towns is very eccentric, small and diverse. Unique in its own kind, merges Pura Vida lifestyle in many European and American visitors or residents… This is why, once you meet this beautiful place you can never go back again.

Access is very easy and they are several ways to get here:

If you are coming from San Jose you just need to follow the Route 1 and get to Nicoya city, onces there it is just a 45 minute drive to Samara. In total the trip from San Jose to Samara could take around 4 hours driving.

1. If you landed in Liberia it is way easier and closer. From Liberia you need to start driving south towards Santa Cruz which is the first town you’ll find, from other keep driving south to Nicoya and you will be here pretty quickly. The time is about 1.5 hours.
2. You could also Access through airplane that lands either in Punta Islita or Nosara, they are both 30 minutes away from Samara.
3. If you are not driving, an other way to get here is by shuttle, there are several shuttle services from San Jose, Liberia, Arenal or any other touristic áreas. Transportation will not be an issue!

Life Style

The sunrises between 5:15 am and 5:30 am, perfect to ride some waves, walk on the beach or just enjoy the natural surroundings, and afterwards enjoy yourself with some fresh fruit smoothie. With no plan whatsoever. Sámara is the perfect place to relax and disconnect from your regular hectic life and dedícate yourself to just discover amazing wildlife and admire the most stunning sunrises and sunsets.

There are many outdoor activities to during the day and most of them involve being close to the beach/ocean or always in touch with the nature, such as:

• Surfing
• Snorkeling
• Kayak (River and Sea)
• Fishing
• Biking
• Yoga
• SUP (Stand Up Paddle)
• Slackline
• Hiking
• Horseback riding
• Traditional Cuisine Lessons
• Dolphin Tours
• Baby turtle Tours

Sámara Gastronomical Taste

If you’re looking for a nice place to try great local fresh food and at good prices we can recommend you the following places:

• Soda La Perla
• Soda Colocho
• Miss Sheriff
• El Ancla
• Casa Esmeralda

If you’re more like an organic and vegetarian taste, Sámara Organics is the perfect spot, they offer: smoothies, cookies, coffee and delicious ice cream from Pura Paleta.

For those who want to experience different food options not only typical and are interested in dinner or lunch the following restaurants offer a great selection in meats:

• El Colibrí
• El Lagarto

And for those who just can’t get enough of Italian food the best options in Sámara are:

• El Gusto Beach
• Mama Gui
• Uh La la
• Locanda

In regards Mexican food Coco’s Place presents a very nice concept mixing Mexican food and art into its restaurant.

But if your options are a bit more getting to know a bar o just eat appetizers of Sandwiches these are the options for you:

• La Vela Latina
• Bar Arriba

Sámara Nightlife

For those who love just hanging out blend in and get to know people just prepare yourself for a long night since dancing starts at 12am! But there’s also relax and nice bars to visit before the main dish.

And when the night is heating up these are the best options for you:

• Tabanuco (Reggae Nights)
• Vela Latina (Salsa Nights)

If you decide to visit Samara keep in be prepared to enjoy real natural vibes!

In recent years, Costa Rica has developed into a popular destination among celebrities. This tropical paradise equipped with modern infrastructure is the perfect place to unwind and to escape the 24/7 go of paparazzi, glitz and drama of a life lived out on the public stage. While Costa Rica has its share of roaming paparazzi, it is nowhere near the extreme levels found in New York, Los Angeles or London. Costa Rica provides a much-needed refuge to relax for the famous where they can enjoy private, personal time. It’s an escape from what can be a very stressful life. Celebrities known to frequent this happy little country include long time expat Mel Gibson, Kim Kardashian, Leonardo DiCaprio, Gisele, Matt Damon, and many more.

Costa Rica offers five star resorts such as the Four Seasons where stars can enjoy the country’s natural beauty while staying in luxury accommodations. Across the country, there are many fine resorts to choose from ranging from lovely, luxury eco-resorts, as well as concierge service magical villas for those seeking more privacy. The most popular area for celebrities is along the Pacific Coast. Five star resorts in the province of Guanacaste include: Punta Islita Hotel, Gaia Hotel and Reserve, El Mangroove, Andaz Peninsula Papagayo, JW Marriott Guanacaste Resort & Spa, Reserva Conchal, The Westin Resort and Spa Playa Conchal.

It is also a great place to purchase a vacation home. Andre Agassi and Steffi Graff, Charlie Seen, Britney Spears, Steven Tyler and Mel Gibson are among those who have purchased homes in the area. In addition to Hollywood celebrities, famous athletes known to enjoy their time in Costa Rica include: Michael Jordan, Shaquille O’Neal and Tom Brady. There are several luxury developments being built in the province as well as a nice selection of private homes to choose from. In the last several years, Guanacaste has developed into a paradise by the sea. Celebrities enjoy their vacation without having to be concerned about being mobbed and accosted by people and press. It’s the perfect spot to rest, relax and rejuvenate. Welcome to the new Malibu.