John Howells knows Latin America well. He lived in Mexico as a youth and traveled extensively, publishing several guidebooks about living, retiring, and investing in foreign locations, and qualifying him as an expert on what it’s like to be an expatriate in this charming little country, the “Switzerland of Central America.” John and his wife, Sherry, divide their time between Costa Rica and California.

Introduction vii

1 The Switzerland of the Americas 1

2 What's Costa Rica Like? 20

3 What Are Costa Ricans Like? 31

4 Why Choose Costa Rica? 39

5 Living in Costa Rica 57

6 The Meseta Central and Beyond 88

7 Costa Rica's Pacific Coast 119

8 The Caribbean Coast 147

9 A Healthy Country 157

10 The Real Estate Game 170

11 Business Opportunities 188

12 Hiring Employees 208

13 Getting to Costa Rica 217

14 Touring Costa Rica 222

15 Costa Rican Schools 238

16 Importing Your Belongings 249

17 Becoming a Resident 258

18 Will You Love Costa Rica or Hate Costa Rica? 266

Appendix 270

Index 273

About the Authors 279

Great read on retirement in this area of the world. Gives you a heads up before you arrive all alone.