People News
Mel Gibson moves family to bandit territory in Costa Rica
By Stone Martindale Sep 26, 2007, 15:16 GMT
Mel Gibson - © Lee Roth / RothStock / PR Photos
Being Britney Spears next door neighbor in Malibu apparently left a mark on Hollywood star Mel Gibson, who has up and moved his family to an unsecure area in Costa Rica.
Gibson has ignored safety warnings from the U.S. government and is going ahead with his move to an isolated part of Costa Rica.
Gibson, 51, is moving his wife Robyn and seven children 300 miles away from their home in California to a $26 million ranch in a rural area that is known as "bandit territory," according to WENN.
Ignoring official U.S. government warnings, Gibson is selling his California and Connecticut homes to finance his move to the estate in the Guanacaste province on Costa Rica's northern Pacific coast.
The US State Department briefing warns in Costa Rica, all American visitors there are "potential targets for criminals and kidnappers" and should never travel alone.
It adds, "Local law enforcement agencies have limited capabilities and do not operate according to U.S. standards."
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Older Talkback
page: 1
why are so many UK residents, especially English, leaving their country? France is overridden with retiring English, and so is Southern Florida and California.
is it the weather? the growing muslim hordes? what gives?
Good lord. Guanacaste is no-where near a bandit territory. I grew up in the SF bay area and have spent time in some of the nicest neighborhoods in the US. I now spend half my time in CR and I have never felt as safe as when I am in CR. LA is 10x more dangerous than CR. Propoganda crap...
'Bandit territory'? Give me a break. Cowboys, yes, but I don't recall too many bandits in Guanacaste. I agree with the previous poster -- it's complete and utter propaganda.
Bandit Territory, I have never heard anything so rubbish in my life!! I live here in Costa Rica and there are no bandits. So paranoid those yanks!!
Bandit territory? I own land next to Mel in Costa Rica. The land is beautiful and wonderful and so are most of the people. Yeah, there are a few bad seeds but by enlarge it's an incredible place
made up of expats who are like minded from all over the world. If you want to talk about bandit
territory try my neighborhood here in California! You guys are just headline grabbing. Mel knows what he's doing moving his family to the garden of eden.
I live now in Costa Rica, own a home in Guanacaste....moved from Manhattan, N.Y. ! Talk about bandits ! Ok, there are some pretty bad roads, but ....life is beatiful down here !
I've lived in the highlands of Costa Rica, too, and of course it's beautiful, the people are friendly, it's peaceful. Like anywhere in the world, you'll have petty crime if you're not careful, but overall life is good. The only thing here is: if Mr. Gibson's wife is not up for this move, she may have a hard time adjusting. It's quite a far cry from Hollywood. If you don't like isolation, let alone a new language, and not many chances to shop, then you're going to have a hard time in remote Costa Rica. To live there, you have to be very patient, as everything takes a lot of time; not mind the isolation; even with technology, which doesn't work half the time, it's isolated; and you must love nature, as that's mostly what you have to enjoy each day. Good luck to them. If she's adventurous, they'll love it. If not, it'll be a trial. Having been through it...
have you ever been to Costa Rica? Your iliterate reporting can create harm to that family, go there before reporting crap. Why, the English is leaving their country, this has been ging on for many years at least when this happen they become one with their place of resident and do not try to make the indegineous feel it is not their country/Island like those Americans. They are welcomed, the others not...
He should have looked in the southern Pacific region, around Ojochal or Dominical. The views are much nicer and the region is much more lush and tropical. The northern region is dry like Arizona, especially in the area of Guanacaste that he has chosen. Now that they are building a new international airport in the southern region, that is the hot spot. I recently saw a company, Pacific Lots, while at the Boston AARP national convention and was very impressed with the southern region.
I hope Mel Gibson gets killed by bandits! He is a racist and an anti-semite.
I also live in Guanacaste, about 1 hour south of Mr. Gibson's property (near Playa Camaronal). I sometimes surf at Playa Barrigona, which is the bay he owns all his land near. It's a super beautiful place and it's not dry like the cat from Domincal thinks. It is the start of a tropical sub-climate that has the perfect balance of rain and dry. I also lived for 2 years in Dominical and moved because of the rainy season and the rude gringos (i'm a stupid white guy too). Playa Barrigona and that area is not like a US gated community for sure. And a bandit area it ain't. Only for stupid, ignorant, ethnocentric folk. The thing that bothers me most is how damaging a statement like 'bandit territory' is to relations between gringos and latinos. it's an insult and to paraphrase another comment, it's a more real life experience.
This remark is absolutely ridiculous!, Guanacaste or any other part of the country side (apart from Limón City maybe) in Costa Rica is safer than any medium size town of The United States, has the author of this infamatory article been in Costa Rica? Well, I suppose no, as its not recommended by the U.S. Department of State. Are all those warnings from the US government the reason why so few Americans travel abroad?
Wow. What a crock. I've just bought property in the Guanacaste region of Costa Rica with my wife and I couldn't feel safer. It's obvious that this reporter suffers from U.S. paranoia and I would be surprised if they've spent much time there.
I am costarican and it is not as safe as we would like but it is not dangerous at all like the reporter mentioned, there is no kidnaping in CR.
Every visitor loves it! Pura vida CR!
I retired to Costa Rica two years ago
after 23 years in the U.S. State Department.
I have owned a house in Costa Rica for more than 30 years,
working in and visiting several countries.
My family and I live very well in Costa Rica,
visit beaches in Guanacaste province and Caribbean Sea beaches
frequently. We have never seen bandits except in Hollywood movies
on U.S. satellite broadcasts.
Our pleasant, healthy and safe retirement here
is shared by no less than one-hundred thousand (100,000)
U.S. Citizens who live here, in addition to a similar
number of other foreign nationalities. And I forget:
last year one and one half million (1,500,000) persons,
mostly U.S. tourists, visited Costa Rica.
I am convinced that the shrill and frightening warning about 'local kidnapping bandits' to potential U.S. visitors is aimed at sabotaging a growing tourist industry. I suggest you join Mel Gibson and his guests on the Guanacaste beaches. I'll be there too, damn the bandits!
My son moved to Playa Samara, Guanacaste, Costa Rica seven years ago. He married a local girl there. [a tica]. My wife and I spend two weeks a year each January. We walk the beaches, enjoy talking to the locals and dine out each evening. Reasonable food prices. Never a problem.
If interested in buying real estate go through a broker and make sure the property has clear title. No beach fees, no parking meters. no trafi
That is the most ridiculous article I have ever read, I am a Costarican and I can tell you there is not a better place than Guanacaste. For people like me, that live in the Capital, it is a dream to travel to Guanacaste on vacations. Mr. Gibson is really lucky to have found the perfect place to live. Bandits! that is outrageous... there are more bandits in US planes than there are in Guanacaste...
I am an American and I live in Playa Herradura, Costa Rica...a little south from where Mel is. I drive up to Guanacaste by myself all the time and never seen a bandit (or bandito if you prefer). I have traveled all over the world and have never felt safer in my life then I do here in Costa Rica. He is better off here then he is in Los Angeles....people are murdered every day in L.A. and only small few a year are down here and it's mostly over drugs...not tourist. I don't think the writer of this article has ever been to Costa Rica nor has he ever spoke to anyone living in Costa Rica. You go Mel, and if I see you around the drinks are on me...
You have got to be kidding. I spent my childhood vacations on that exact same beach. My parents were co-owners of Barrigona until 1991. There are ghost stories and legends there but that part of the Costa Rica is isolated from any dangers. You just need to be aware of your surronding no matter where you are in the world.
'Badges we dont need no stinking badges' from the movie Sierra Madre
Obviously the author has never been there and is desperate for a story.
But this is so inaccurate. I have been going there for 20 years it is
satistically safer than US many times over. Shame on your yellow journalism.
I live in Los Angeles near the beach. The banditos are all here. ha ha
Seriously I am moving down there to live permanetly and I have never
felt safer. Its paradise beautiful nature perfect weather afforable areas
educated people. Universal health care, heck the US lets its people suffer
in inner city hospital. If you dont have insurance you are screwed.
Costa Rica is now more popular internationally than hawaii.
johnworldtraveler@gmail.com email is you want more info.
It's really incredible what a loser reporter has to do to make some living in USA, what a shame Stone Martindale!
You should go to Costa Rica and ask for a job to Mel, maybe that way you will not have to make such ridicules lies to make a living and enjoy life like people do in Costa Rica! Pura VIDA!!!
The Government of USA will always tell you not to travel and create paranoia in american people to make them believe there is nowhere better than here and keep them wroking and paying taxes, and buying stupit nintendo anmes until they are 40 years old, playing at home and looking like retards, instead of enjoying some extra money they have by traveling to beautiful countries like costa rica meeting beautiful woman and making friends, socializing like normal adults should do! and that it’s a shame!
First I can tell you there is much more crime here in LA than anywhere else in Costa Rica, why USA doesn’t warn to truism coming here about South central, Compton, Inglewood, and next to Malibu there are really red zones to consider to be more dangerous than Guanacaste!
The food in USA is 75% genetically modified when Costa Rica has almost all Organic FOOD! The cows here are force feed with genetically modified corn that contains a pesticide that can kill even humans and then given antibiotic, 75% of the antibiotics in USA are consume by cattle then kill to serve you in your food!!! , Costa Rica has free medical care for the entire nation, in USA not even children has that!!!
Costa Rica superposes by far the quality and safety of living than USA with less infrastructure and junk food!!! The juices over there are real not CORN SYRUP with water and colorants!!
Safety starts by you being able to keep your health!! Here people are sick and dying faster than any other develops country in the world, and has the highest amount of obese people in the world!! Costa Rica is safe, healthy and beautiful country.
Guanacaste is a beautiful place, spent some time there my last trip and fell in love with it. further south becomes nothing more then what he is leaving in California
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ArchieSep 26th, 2007 - 17:46:30
I quit the U.K. 3 years ago after 24 years in the Army (Infantry)& ive in Belize Central America.
I hope all goes well for Mel & his family, if he wants company I would move to Costa Rica tomorrow.
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