Online User Groups, Forums and Boards for Costa RicaThere are a number of great BBS type users groups and forums that can be very helpful if you wish to interact with people who have traveled or currently live in Costa Rica. Some specialize their content. Some are 'homey' and are great places to build friendships. Others tend to be very businesslike providing hard, fast, and accurate information about there subjects but there is little chit-chat. Always use caution when using ANY on-line BBS or Forum for making interpersonal relationships. Just because a person speaks your language does not make him your friend or even trustworthy. All Forums, BBS's and Users Groups have administrators, moderators, and managers who run these groups. Before you enter into a personal or business relationship with someone you meet there, it might be a good idea to check with the these moderators or admins just to see if they have knowledge of that person. Here are a few I visit, and I can vouch that these groups are run professionally and have moderators and owners who are pro-active in keeping the boards maintained. Also, all of the owners of these boards live in Costa Rica which is very important. Association of Residents of Costa Rica Forums Run by the ARCR and a great source of information on many facets of living, moving, and retiring to Costa Rica. This is a residents organization and thus always has the latest news on legal residency in Costa Rica. Tends to be very businesslike with not a lot of chit-chat or banter.
Costa Rica Living Friendly, chatty bulletin board type site, and a great place to make new acquaintances. Lots of commentary on life in Costa Rica. Yahoo Group. Summaries of Posts are available by email if you prefer to not browse the site every day. Good place to ask questions. Newcomers welcome. Costa Rica Bulletin Board This used to be a hard-to-read bulletin board often with conflicting and sometimes just wrong information. However I am happy to say they have converted it to a normal Forum format, organized it better to make it far more user friendly, and at my last visit (June 2006) now have a cadre of members who are providing good information and feedback and from everything I saw, accurate information. I recommend this as a good forum for those interested in Costa Rica.
Gallo Pinto Similar to Costa Rica Living, it is also an excellent location to learn more about life in Costa Rica. Yahoo Group. Summaries of Posts are available by email if you prefer to not browse the site every day. Good place to ask questions. Newcomers welcome. Young Expats of Costa Rica As the majority of expats living in Costa Rica are retirees or middle aged, with very different lifestyles, interests, life experiences, and energy levels than those of younger people, there is now a User Group (Yahoo) especially for those under-40 people who are living or working in Costa Rica. Topics of discussion for this group include social activities (parties, movies, clubbing, trips, etc.) and issues of particular interest to younger people such as colleges in Costa Rica, ways to make a living here, dating, etc. Parents with Young Children This is a Yahoo group for families with children living in the Central Valley of Costa Rica. The goal is to get organized activities happening in and around the Central Valley for kids of all ages. We will be coordinating kid friendly events such as trips to Gymbo, Parque de Diversiones, hiking at University of Peace, the Children's Museum, etc., as well as Parent's/Mom's/Dad's Night Out. I am sure there are more Groups that I have forgotten or do not know about, so if your Group is a non commercial group and is welcomes newcomers and provides information on Costa Rica, by all means email us and we'll add you to this page. | 
