Costa Rica Guy, Author at Costa Rica Expat Tours

Costa Rica is Accessible

April 25, 2016 by Costa Rica Guy 4 Comments

The U.S.A. is a big country, covering a lot of extremely diverse territory from the shores of the East, the plains of the Midwest, the Rocky Mountains, and the Pacific coast.

One of the greatest freedoms enjoyed by citizens, or visitors, of the States is the freedom to jump in a car, or jet airplane, and go anywhere you want within this vast expanse of land. And you can do so without threat of harm.

In some ways Costa Rica is like a microcosm of the U.S. It’s as if the entire U.S.A. were squeezed together into a tight (albeit much more tropical) package.

After all, like the U.S., Costa Rica has two coasts, but only a day’s drive separates them.

Costa Rica has rugged mountains and flat-lands.

Costa Rica is divided into seven provinces, much like the individual States, with freedom of mobility between them.

What’s really cool is that Costa Rica is accessible.

Here, like in the States, one has that great freedom of mobility. You can jump in the car and take off to wherever you choose, granted that the ride might be a tad bumpier.

That’s not true in many other places in this region of the world. For instance, I love Colombia. Colombia is an incredible place with mountains, jungles, amazing biodiversity, the Amazon, etc., etc.

But in Colombia you cannot just go where you want to go. It can be dangerous, although less so these days. There’s still a civil war going on, there are guerrillas, criminal drug traffickers, etc., etc. You can get yourself in a world of hurt if you wind up in the wrong place at the wrong time.

This is also true in many other countries in Latin America, like Mexico, Honduras, or El Salvador.

But here in Costa Rica, if you want to visit some tiny little corner where there are no people, only monkeys, there’s nothing really stopping you.

I really love that aspect of living here, because there’s so much to see and do. I’ve been here for going on 16 years and there are still many things I’ve yet to see and do.

I love that on any given weekend I can throw a dart at a Costa Rica map and take off to parts unknown. It’s a refreshing aspect that’s a gift of the country’s democratic freedom and peace…not to mention the really nice people everywhere!

Costa Rica is accessible and that level of freedom of mobility has been a great boon to the country economically.

It indeed feels remarkably “free” to be able to just get up and go whenever you feel the itch!

The adventures never cease in Costa Rica.

Come and check it out for yourself…

on The Costa Rica Expat Tour, of course!

Costa Rica Lifestyle of Low Consumption

April 20, 2016 by Costa Rica Guy 2 Comments

I have written before about my view that “American-style” consumerism is at the root of many problems the world faces.

Often I have contrasted that high consumption lifestyle with what prevails here in Costa Rica. Comparatively speaking, Costa Rica lifestyle is marked by low consumption, although the influx of North Americans in the last decade threatens to change all that.

Fortunately, many of the expats who settle in Costa Rica do so to escape the high consumption “rat-race” that prevails up north.

Granted, low consumption isn’t for everybody. I understand that. But I could imagine that if enough people lived this way, the earth might be a better place, or at least we’d have a more sustainable planet that might remain an enjoyable place for foreseeable generations.

What exactly am I getting at with this idea of a Costa Rica lifestyle of low consumption?

Let me provide some examples. As always, there are exceptions! But exceptions don’t make the rules.

Costa Ricans don’t, for the most part, use appliances, such as dishwashers and clothes dryers, that consume inordinate amounts of electricity.

They often use “suicide showers”, which heat the water nicely at the shower head, rather than energy wasting hot water heaters. These can be frightening experiences for first-time users.

In the higher altitudes of Costa Rica, like the Central Valley, no one uses air condition, nor heat.

Down on the coast that may be a different story, at least for a/c. But not really if you live high enough to cool things down a bit with an ocean breeze, as well as a spectacular view. Yes, there are places where you can “have your cake and eat it too” in Costa Rica!

In Costa Rica, we grow our own fruit, or it could just be growing wild on its own, right in your backyard. We don’t need to buy our fruit and produce from industrialized farms that are depleting the soil and poisoning it, and us, with pesticides.

We often buy our veggies from local farmer’s markets, like the one pictured above in my hometown of San Isidro de El General. Again, food here is usually grown locally rather than by industrialized farms located far away, who then have to ship the food to a grocer near you. There has been a recent push for organic or hydroponic home gardening and many, including yours truly, are growing our own food in this manner.

In Costa Rica we get the vast majority of our energy from renewable sources, like wind, water and solar.

In Costa Rica we generally buy used cars and then drive them to the last kilometer. This is in large part due to the ridiculously high cost of new imports, but it helps keep our consumption rate low compared to other “more developed” societies where consumers buy new cars every few years. Being a mechanic is a very honorable and in-demand “profession” in Costa Rica as a result.

In Costa Rica we protect the environment because we realize it’s the main reason we get up every morning with a smile on our faces. Not to mention the dollars it brings from others who like to visit frequently and enjoy a similar experience.

I could go on, but you probably already catch my drift.

Now, mind you, those living in places like Duluth or Detroit can’t do some of these climate dependent low consumption things and probably wouldn’t even want to.

That’s fine, since part and parcel of a low-consumption, earth-friendly, attitude of life, is maintaining a non-judgmental mindset towards others.

But for those of you who are intrigued by this Costa Rica lifestyle of low consumption, come on down, the water is very very nice!

Take the Expat Tour and see for yourself.

Living in Costa Rica – How is it?

March 28, 2016 by Costa Rica Guy Leave a Comment

Once folks from “up north” find out that I actually “live” in Costa Rica, they invariably ask me…so…

Living in Costa Rica – how is it?

Therefore, I thought I’d write a post on just that very topic.

The most succinct way I can think of to describe living in Costa Rica is in terms of one-word adjectives. So, that’s exactly the way I’ve organized my thoughts in this post…in random order…

Hot – Yes, living in Costa Rica is hot. You can escape some of the heat by moving up in altitude, but let’s face it, Costa Rica’s hot!

Slow – The pace of life here is slow, much slower than what you’re accustomed to. If you’re thinking about living in Costa Rica, get ready to slow down. Many gringos fight that…they refuse to slow down…until Costa Rica slows them down.

Friendly – Costa Rican’s are incredibly friendly…to the point of intimidation. It’s one of the special things that draws millions to this tiny country every year…some of whom never go home…wink!

Overwhelming – Sometimes when I’m driving along the scenic byways of this place, my senses get completely overwhelmed by its natural splendor. If you’re a photography buff, make sure to have your camera ready at all times!

Green – In keeping with the point made immediately above, Costa Rica is green. I once wrote a silly little post about it…but, really, the greenness is captivating and mesmerizing.

Frustrating – Much of this comes down to the cultural fact that folks here live by the maxim that there’s more time than life. They get things done, well, when they get done. Events themselves become much more important than the time they occupy. Timelines, deadlines, and the sort just don’t work well here. So don’t dare come here and try to live by them. That, admittedly, can be frustrating for us gringos.

Exotic – Defined as “originating in or characteristic of a distant foreign country”, you’ll know right away that you’re not in Kansas anymore once you arrive in Costa Rica. The people are exotic, the land is exotic, the flora and fauna are exotic, and all of that creates an intoxicating mix that can become very addicting.

Adventurous – Depending on where you live, just going to the grocery store can be an adventurous experience here. If you’re the type that values adventure, then Costa Rica is probably your place!

Refreshing – There’s something about being in a place so steeped in natural beauty that’s refreshing. Also, there are the cultural aspects that make living in Costa Rica refreshing. People here call it the “pura vida” lifestyle and it can literally add years to your life!

Inspiring – If you want to get more creative with your life, Costa Rica can be a place that can greatly inspire improvement in that direction.

Authentic – Costa Rican’s live life without many of the luxuries that we take for granted up north. Life here takes on more of an authentic quality. It’s a bit like going back to a time when folks had to make do with what they had…and they did…you will too.

Rustic – Defined as being “constructed or made in a plain and simple fashion”…not only is the architecture here quite rustic, but life itself takes on rustic qualities. I don’t know about you, but I love all things rustic.

Natural/Organic – If you want to get healthy and eat a more natural organic diet, there’s no better place. Everything grows here and organic fruits and veggies abound. Living an unprocessed, vegan or vegetarian, lifestyle is much less challenging in Costa Rica than up north.

Romantic – Latin America as a whole is a romantic place…from the language, to the music and dance, to the outlaws and even to the regular folk…Costa Rica is no exception!

(potentially) Risky – We live very risk averse lives in the north. We prefer the dull and boring, but more secure, life over one that is full of adventure, potential danger and risk…don’t we? That’s just not the way life is generally lived in Costa Rica, where jumping off a huge rock into a pounding waterfall would be considered a very normal thing to do. Of course, there’s also the risk that once you come here…you may never leave!

There are certainly other words I could use to describe living in Costa Rica. However, the ones above came immediately to mind, so I went with them.

If you’re an expat in Costa Rica, I’d love to hear your thoughts.

If you want to try your hand at being an expat in Costa Rica, a good first step is to take my Costa Rica expat tour.

Come and adopt a few adjectives that describe for yourself the amazing reality that is expat living in Costa Rica.

Costa Rican Culture – Ten Things to Know

March 23, 2016 by Costa Rica Guy Leave a Comment

Many hopeful Costa Rica expats are interested in knowing what the Costa Rican culture here is like. As with all Latin American countries, Costa Rica is rich in culture and tradition. Of course, the concept of “culture” cuts across all aspects of life.

Based on my observations after living here for some time, here are ten aspects of the Costa Rican culture that you might want to know about.

Note that I have written about many of these cultural aspects in previous blog posts and have included links, where such exist…

1. Ticos are a very peaceful people, except when driving automobiles (or motos, i.e., motorcycles). They are decidedly non-confrontational. Therefore, even if they don’t agree with you, there may be signals that they do. This can, at times, be a bit confusing for expats.

2. As far as Costa Rican food is concerned, the signature “dish” of Costa Rica is gallo pinto, which is a rice and beans mix that is served at breakfast. Also, the “típico” (or traditional) meal served at lunch is called a “casado” and is a “marriage” (hence the name casado, which means married in Spanish) of rice, beans, a meat of choice, platano maduro (or, ripe plantain), salad and potato or yuca, sometimes also served with a fried egg on top.

3. Ticos are very laid-back when it comes to time issues and punctuality. Hence the often heard phrase, “tico-time,” usually used by gringos to refer to the fact that ticos are routinely late.

4. Like all Latin countries, ticos have their own idiosyncratic and colloquial expressions. The two most noticeable are the use of the phrase “pura vida” and the repeated use of the word “mae” in informal conversations. Pura vida literally means “pure life” and is used most often in greetings…such as in the exchange…”como esta?”…response: “pura vida.” Mae is a slang expression, and is used to represent what in English would commonly be replaced with “man” or “dude,” as in “how’s it going, dude?”…”como esta, mae?”

5. Costa Ricans love their music and dance. The most típico (again, traditional) style of dance is the “swing-criollo” style of cumbia that ticos dance in a way that is very unique to their culture. If you ever get a chance to watch a couple who really know their stuff, it can be quite an amazing sight.

6. Ticos are very family-oriented. The country is small, so you are never too far away from extended family members. Family get-togethers are a frequent happening, especially on the weekends. Holidays are always family-centered events.

7. Tico men are not shy at all about expressing the fact that they believe a woman to be attractive. So if you happen to be the object of admiring glances, or “piropos” (flirtatious remarks), it is better to be flattered than offended.

8. A man can be fooled into believing that due to the sensuality and sexiness of the ticas (Costa Rican women) that their attitudes about sex in general are liberal. That can get you into trouble. The normal Costa Rican lady (note, that I am not talking about the ones found in the “Hotel Del Rey”) is quite conservative, even though not shy about dressing and carrying herself in a way that men find irresistible.

9. Ticos are extremely patient people for the most part. I believe they have had to learn that from enduring endless lines at banks and government run monopolies like ICE (the telephone company). They are also known to administer “lessons in patience” when confronted with examples of gringo impatience.

10. Tico culture is for the most part extremely polite and cordial. It pays to learn to hold one’s temper and learn to say please and thank you. A good example of tico politeness is their non-use of the informal form of the personal pronoun you, which in Spanish is “tú,” opting rather to use the more formal “usted.”

I could go on, but I believe the above list represents common aspects of the Costa Rican culture that can help you adapt and have a better experience as an expat in Costa Rica.

Pura Vida!

Costa Rica Expat Living – the 4 C’s Framework

March 10, 2016 by Costa Rica Guy Leave a Comment

The decision to leave a “comfortable” life in your country of birth for a strange and exotic land is a daunting, perhaps even scary, one.

How exactly does one even go about making such a momentous life-changing decision?

Well, here’s a suggested framework. I’ll call it the 4 C’s of Costa Rica Expat Living…

1. Climate

People who make the decision to become Costa Rica expats are often motivated by the idea of living in a warmer climate. Of course, you could just move to a southern, or southwestern, state and accomplish that. So, I hope there is more to your motivation than climate alone.

Nevertheless, climate does seem to play a significant role for most.

Costa Rica is a warm climate, no doubt about it. But it is also a land of diverse climates. And that is true despite the fact of little temperature change throughout the year.

There are only two seasons: winter and summer. Winter is around 7 months, from May through November. Summer is 5 months in duration, from December through April, with December actually being a somewhat volatile “transition month.”

The thing that separates one season from the other is not temperature, but precipitation…meaning rain. During the winter, in most parts of the country you will get rain and lots of it. Now, that doesn’t mean zero sunlight. Mornings can be delightful, as well as clear nights. But every day around 3:00 PM, or so, the clouds roll in, the thunder might boom, and down it comes.

That is just a fact of Costa Rica life and there’s really no escape from it.

Now, having said all that, here’s the cool thing…Costa Rica is a land of “micro-climates.” And the reason for that is simple…altitude. The Costa Rica landscape is an extremely mountainous one.

If you are near sea level in Costa Rica, it’s going to be hot. All beach areas of Costa Rica are hot…in fact, the hottest of the hot. If you like the idea of being in a warmer climate, but perhaps simmering heat doesn’t really have that much appeal, I have good news. You can easily escape the heat by simply moving up the mountain a few hundred meters.

The higher altitudes of Costa Rica offer almost perfect weather. And what’s great is that you can live in the mountains and still not be very far from the beach. I live at the foot of the tallest mountains in Costa Rica, but still less than an hour from the gorgeous southern Pacific coast.

Yes, climate is an important and somewhat complicated factor in deciding where you want to live in Costa Rica.

2. Culture

The Costa Ricans are known as “ticos.” As an aside, the reason for the name is because in their day-to-day speech, they tend towards the diminutive by using the spanish suffix, tito, or tico. For instance, my name is Scott, but my wife, a tica, often refers to me as “Scottito”…or, little Scott.

The tico culture is a delightful one. There are, however, aspects of it that drive hard-driving gringos, who come from a culture enslaved to the time-clock (since time is money, right?), nuts. The tico culture is one that is never, ever, in a hurry to do anything!

For that and other reasons, gringo expats tend to congregate in enclaves. The closest beach to my home, Playa Dominical, is a great example. There seems to be more gringos down there than ticos. This creates what I refer to as a bubble culture. The gringos seem to occupy a culture of there own that’s somewhat separate and apart from Costa Rica.

For some, that’s a good thing. For others, not so much. It all depends on you and what you want. If you want to immerse yourself in real Costa Rican culture, then I would suggest not opting for a “gringo enclave.” On the other hand, if you’d prefer to be surrounded by people and a culture more familiar to the one you left, then perhaps a gringo enclave would be perfect for you.

Of course, language plays an important role in this decision. How motivated are you to learn the local language, spanish? If the answer is not much, you might be more comfortable surrounded by english speakers. On the other hand, if you really want to learn spanish and be able to communicate with ticos on their level, then immersing yourself in their culture is a very good way to accomplish that.

This can be an important element in making sure your new life in Costa Rica is as enjoyable as you might be envisioning.

3. Convenience

Costa Rica basically has one “huge” city and, apart from that, smaller towns. The huge city is the San Jose metropolitan area, also know as the Gran Area Metropolitana, or GAM. It’s actually the hub of 4 provinces. The main cities of each province are situated so close together that seems like it’s all one huge city in which almost half the entire population of the country lives. So, if you want to escape big city life, then you probably don’t want to live inside the GAM.

On the other hand, if the conveniences of a big city, such as huge shopping malls, American style big-box stores, excellent medical care, the best possible communications infrastructure, etc., are very important to you, then the GAM might be exactly where you need to be.

Like I said, outside of the GAM, you will find mostly small towns and tiny pueblos. There are a few secondary cities of notable size where you can find most conveniences of life in civilization. A couple noteworthy ones are Ciudad Quesada near the Arenal Volcano area and, in the southern Zone, San Isidro de El General.

San Isidro is where I live, so it’s somewhat near and dear to my heart. It is larger enough to have a lot of the conveniences that one would find in the GAM, even a mall with a cinema, but it still retains a small town feel. It’s also surrounded by incredible natural wonders, including Chirripo, Costa Rica’s tallest peak, and it is less than an hour’s drive to the coast.

In terms of convenience, you can opt for the GAM, you could go with one of Costa Rica’s secondary “cities”, such as San Isidro, or you can really live “out there.” Being out there means you better be prepared to live with inconvenience, meaning you need to be the kind of person who can be self-sustaining. Some are looking for exactly that style of expat life and that’s great.

But it’s best to know what you’re getting yourself into as you choose the optimum setting for your new life in Costa Rica.

4. Context

The word context means the circumstances that form the setting for an event. For purposes of this blog post, that “event” is your life.

It’s important that you take into account the overall context for your expat life in Costa Rica. And that depends a lot on the type of person you are, or would like to become…

Are you a rugged mountain person, a bohemian beach-going type, or a city dweller?

Can you catch my drift?

Being happy in Costa Rica means first stepping back and really doing some vision casting. What do you want the picture of your life in Costa Rica to look like? Due to the great diversity that exists here, there are many different forms that picture can take.

I hope that the 4 C’s of Costa Rica Expat Living offers a useful framework for evaluating the type of life you want to live in Costa Rica.

A good place to start in making this evaluation is to take one of my Costa Rica Expat Tours.

Take the Costa Rica Expat Tour – Before You Buy

March 4, 2016 by Costa Rica Guy Leave a Comment

Have you ever considered the idea of investing in Costa Rica, or maybe even moving to Costa Rica? If so, you really need to take the Costa Rica Expat Tour – before you buy.

Here’s why…

I probably don’t need to tell any of you intellectually gifted readers this, but you can get yourself in a world of hurt investing in Costa Rica without “doing your homework.”

There are investor graveyards littered with the corpses of bad investment decisions in all corners of the country.

Usually it’s the result of thinking that the tip from a “friend”, or slick marketing schtick of an unscrupulous developer, who’s goal is to get in, make the big hit, and leave poor suckers like you with a lot that you need a helicopter to reach, is all you need to drop your hard earned cash into a piece of Costa Rican paradise.

Some do so without ever having even set foot on Costa Rican soil! That’s a very bad idea.

A good way to ameliorate your risk is to take my Costa Rica Expat Tour. It’s like taking a working vacation.

First, I find out what it is you really want from your investment in Costa Rica, i.e., what are your specific objectives?

For instance, many tell me they want to operate an online business here, while living somewhere deep in the jungle, with a great ocean view of course. Well, wouldn’t that be nice…to have high speed internet while conversing with the howlers (those are monkeys) each morning?

Problem is, there ain’t no high speed internet in the deep dark jungle, silly!

So, knowing your objectives is the first step in planning the tour.

Do you want mountains, or beach, or a little bit of both? Do you need to be close to civilization, as in a real city, or town? Is access to the highest quality medical care important? What kind of climate do you want to live in? Does it matter that traveling to and from your new home is always an experience that knocks a few “fillings” loose on one of Costa Rica’s famously bad roads? Do you need to make a living while you enjoy your new life?

You see, these are only some of the considerations that go into planning the tour and, ultimately, your new life in Costa Rica.

During the tour I serve as your private guide. We will spend time in areas that I believe present opportunities that best fit your main objectives for buying in Costa Rica. In each area of interest, I will set up a few showings of properties that are a good fit with a local real estate expert. Being a member of the Coldwell Banker network helps in that regard, since we have 10 offices throughout the country.

I also make sure we have a lot of fun – just ask Susan and Michael Duell, who did my tour. In addition to great investing information, Michael learned firsthand that the best rum in Costa Rica actually comes from Nicaragua!

The idea is to design and manage an experience that you go home raving about. And one that helps guide you in making this very important life decision the right way.

Everything is completely customizable to find that perfect fit that’s just right for you.

If you’re interested in taking a Costa Rica Expat Tour click here to learn more and then give us a call!

10 Reasons to Invest in the Costa Rica Southern Zone

February 7, 2016 by Costa Rica Guy 8 Comments

I first came to Costa Rica in 2001. My boutique mergers and acquisitions advisory firm, Live Oak Capital Advisors, had been hired by a for-profit private university, located in the part of the gran area metropolitana, or GAM, known as Heredia, to find a strategic buyer. Little did I know at the time that this deal would change the direction of my life. Yes, we sold the university after two years of hard work. And I found myself in a new home.

I settled in the San Jose, central valley, area for the ensuing 10 years, thinking that was the best place for a serious entrepreneur to be. I started a vacation package business that frequently required that I travel to diverse areas of the country. In that 10 year period, I became very familiar with just about every nook and cranny of Costa Rica.

I would often travel to the southern zone. Back then the now pristinely paved Costanera, as we call the coastal highway that extends from Puntarenas to Palmar Norte, had a curious unpaved stretch of road from the town of Quepos to Playa Dominical. That stretch of road was notorious for being one of Costa Rica’s worse. The distance was small, only about 44 kilometers, but the travel times could extend up to 1.5 or 2 hours. This dirt road was so bad that you could literally disappear in a rain-water filled pot hole and never be found again!

Finally having my fill of life in the big city, I moved to the southern zone, settling in the town of San Isidro de El General, in the canton of Perez Zeledon, in 2010. And I’ve never been happier.

I am now a member of the Coldwell Banker Vesta Group real estate team in Dominical. I am fully convinced that Costa Rica’s southern zone currently presents the best opportunities for real estate investing and developing in the country. Here are 10 reason why, in random order.

1. Infrastructure

We’ve come a long way since that infamous road described above. Now it’s pleasantly paved. In fact, the entire Costanera is one of Costa Rica’s proudest infrastructure accomplishments. These days, especially with the new highway that connects San Jose to the Pacific Coast, the Caldera Highway, you can zip down from San Jose to Playa Dominical in as short as 3 hours time. Moreover, the road from Dominical up the mountain to San Isidro, which once was also notoriously bad, is now kept in very good condition. I would rate most of the roads, main ones and otherwise, in the Costa Rica southern zone, as some of the country’s best.

By the way, there are two routes to the southern zone. One the aforementioned coastal route, via the Costanera. However, one can also take the Panamericana, via route 2, over Cerro de la Muerte and down into the Valle General. The route is actually shorter, but can be a bit stressful due to weather conditions and mountainous terrain. Nevertheless, on clear days the mountain route offers some breathtaking panoramic views. Having two beautiful routes means folks never get bored traveling by land to the Costa Rica southern zone.

There are also numerous airports to fly into via domestic flights from San Jose, such as the ones in Quepos, San Isidro, Sierpe, Puerto Jiminez, and Drake Bay.

2. Untouched Natural Beauty

Many areas of Costa Rica have seen a lot of development, in fact, perhaps, too much. The southern zone has so far escaped the onslaught. What you see when you arrive is green, a vast sea of green mountains, lush jungles and gorgeous beaches, some with hardly any people! The flora and fauna of the Costa Rica southern zone is simply unrivaled. I’ll talk a bit more about that below when discussing the incredible Osa Peninsula.

3. San Isidro – Gateway to the Southern Zone

I am a bit partial when talking about this place, since it’s my current home and near and dear to my heart. San Isidro is often talked about as Costa Rica’s second largest city, outside of the GAM, and one of the fastest growing. Nevertheless, it still has a small town feel and I love that. So far, we’ve avoided any development of big box stores that have now invaded the San Jose area. You can find pretty much anything you need in San Isidro, but it will be in a small, usually family owned, shop. In fact, I often equate the downtown area to one big mall under many separate roofs. And the prices of many things are pretty good, compared to other areas.

San Isidro also has a mall, although it ain’t much to brag about. We locals call it the “small.” But it does have a cinema, which is nice.

As mentioned above, San Isidro does have an airport in very good condition. However, up until now it never has received much traffic. That will likely change with the development that’s going on, including a 5-star resort known as Alta Gracia in nearby Cajon.

4. Gorgeous Coastline

I like to refer to the coastline of Costa Rica’s southern zone as the “big sur” of Costa Rica, due to the coastal mountain range that literally hugs the coast. There are numerous popular beaches along the so-called Costa Ballena, which stretches from Dominical to Ojochal. Some are very popular with surfing enthusiasts and others are great for those who just want a beautiful beach for relaxing and soaking up the rays.

We also have the famous “whale’s tale” of Uvita, located in the Marina Ballena National Park, which is a sandbar that extends out into the sea in the form of, you got it, a whale’s tail! That’s quite ironic, actually, since it’s in those waters where humpback whales come to frolic in one their most important migratory routes.

5. Ordered Development

There are some areas of Costa Rica where greedy developers got a little bit ahead of themselves. And the government sort of looked the other way in many cases. The result has been economic instability and, often, a conversion of what once was naturally beautiful to look at to something not so attractive. Well, that has not happened in the Costa Rica southern zone and the government has vowed not to allow it to happen. In fact, some developers who have tried to skirt the law have been shut down and run out.

That doesn’t mean that the Costa Rica southern zone is not a great investment opportunity. What it does mean is that for those who want to invest or develop here, they will have to abide by environmental regulations that are in place to keep Costa Rica’s natural wonders intact. And that’s a good thing, especially considering that’s the very reason folks keep coming to Costa Rica in the first place.

6. The Osa Peninsula

The Osa Peninsula is Costa Rica’s little foot, with the Nicoya being the bigger, northern, one. Nevertheless, the part that encompasses Corcovado National Park has been described by National Geographic as the most biodiverse location on planet earth. It is also home to the gorgeous Golfo Dulce and some of Costa Rica’s best offshore and inshore fishing. There are natural wonders abounding in this largely undeveloped last wilderness of Costa Rica.

7. Good Buys are Still Available

The Costa Rica southern zone is beginning to attract major attention. Heck, I’m writing this article to help in that regard. But prices still haven’t been driven up to the heights that prevail in other areas, like Guanacaste.

The 2008 world economic crash had its effect on prices throughout the country, including the Costa Rica southern zone. Things are starting to get back to normal. But, you can still find some of Costa Rica’s best real estate bargains in this part of the country. How long that might last is anyone’s guess.

8. Mountains and Coast

When I was considering a move away from San Jose I considered a number of areas. As a lifelong surfer, I liked the idea of being close to the beach. I also knew that I really preferred to live in the mountains, where the weather is much cooler. The one place where you can definitely have the best of both worlds is right here in the southern zone, especially San Isidro, or Perez Zeledon. From my house I can get to the trail head of Chirripo, Costa Rica’s highest peak at around 12,500 feet, in about a half hour. And I can get to Dominical beach and be in the water riding the waves in roughly the same amount if time.

To put it mildly, I’m in heaven!

9. Untapped Tourism Potential

Despite the many reasons for tourists to visit the Costa Rica southern zone, many discussed above, it has yet to achieve the tourism draw compared to places like Arenal, Monteverde, and Manuel Antonio. However, that’s changing. The Osa Peninsula now boasts numerous eco-lodges where folks can get up close and personal with nature, while being pampered at 5-star resort levels. I mentioned above about the new 5-star resort near San Isidro, which was developed in spanish “hacienda style” and features miles of riding trails where you can take a spin on one of their finely bred stallions.

The variety of tourism offerings in the Costa Rica southern zone is truly mind-boggling. You can hike Costa Rica’s highest peak, take a guided tour deep into the jungles of Corcovado national park, or surf the powerful pacific waves of Playa Dominical. It is absolutely inevitable that tourism growth in the Costa Rica southern zone will be among the country’s strongest in the coming years.

And that’s a bullish sign for anyone considering an investment here.

10. Proximity to Southern Border

From San Isidro you can get to the southern border with Panama in 3 to 4 hours traveling along the Panamericana Highway. From the coastal town of Dominical, the travel distance is roughly the same. That’s good news for a couple reasons. First, since Panama is the home of the canal, being close to the border means you can go down from time to time and buy stuff at prices you won’t find anywhere else in Costa Rica. I’m talking mainly of things like electronic equipment, appliances, etc. There is also a free trade zone in the port town of Golfito where you can shop for needed items at highly discounted prices.

The other reason is that just across the border there’s some really cool stuff to see and do. Like visit the gorgeous town of Boquete, which has been described as Panama’s version of Monteverde.

Panama is also a great place to visit and being close to the border makes it easy to do so.

I could definitely drone on about the Costa Rica southern zone, but I believe the above 10 points get the point across fairly well.

Yes, I am indeed bullish on the Costa Rica southern zone. Perhaps you should be too!

If you’d like to know more, then take a Costa Rica southern zone expat tour, or contact Scott at 866-284-2832 – s.bowers@cbcostarica.com.

The Freedom to be Unpretentious

June 20, 2015 by Costa Rica Guy Leave a Comment

I can be critical of developed country cultures (without naming names). Are you put off by that?

After all, I am from the U.S. and I guess in many ways I’m the proverbial pot who called the kettle black.

I admit that, being a gringo, I’m often guilty of pretentiousness myself. It’s my way of denying (to the world and to myself) how average and unheroic I really am.

Pretentious is defined by Webster’s Dictionary as…”expressive of affected, unwarranted, or exaggerated importance, worth, or stature.”

My frequent observation of those from the U.S. that try to make the cultural transition to life in Costa Rica, is that their pretentiousness is not so much in trying to be someone they’re not (that’s what they do at home among friends). It’s in trying too hard to convey that they are from a place that is far better off economically and that puts them in a superior position vis a vis the rest of the world.

It’s the attitude of “looking down” or “talking down” to anyone who does not speak, look, dress, smell, or act just like they do.

The truth is that where you were born, or where you went to school, or what you scored on the SAT, your socio-economic position or any number of other such “feathers in your cap” do not make you better than the next person.

They only make your experience of life different.

Whenever I feel I must don my own “feathery cap of pretentiousness,” I believe that’s just me trying to draw attention away from my unlimited human inadequacies.

And we’re all just human.

My experience of Latin America has largely been limited to my time here in Costa Rica and frequent visits to other countries such as Nicaragua, Panama and Colombia.

With noted exceptions, usually from those of the “higher classes,” the society here is decidedly unpretentious. Costa Ricans are quite comfortable being exactly who they are socially, economically, morally and in every other way.

There is not a sense, at least I don’t feel it, of having to “keep up with the Joneses.”

I have to admit that this competitive aspect of U.S. culture keeps me here in Costa Rica*.

In Costa Rica I can be poor and damn proud of it!

Here what you have, materially speaking, is not the measuring stick of what you’re “worth” and that is refreshing.

Is that 100% true in all cases? No and especially not in certain areas of San Jose, where U.S. culture and influence are very strong.

But San Jose is not Costa Rica and by and large outside of the social and business scene of that city, there is a liberating lack of pretentiousness. No one is going to judge you by what kind of car you drive, or job you have, or how big your house is.

They will judge you by how big of a smile you wear and whether you know how to be polite and, especially, based on your humility.

Being unpretentious means having the ability to laugh at yourself. It is to have an awareness of who you are and to be comfortable in being just that person.

In Costa Rica you have the freedom to be unpretentious and just be yourself…as long as you let others do the same.

Better to be a nobody and yet have a servant than pretend to be somebody and have no food.

Proverbs 12:9 (NIV)

image credit:bayucca (busy) via Compfight cc

The Reasons for Costa Rica Biodiversity

June 5, 2015 by Costa Rica Guy Leave a Comment

Here’s an explanation from our resident naturalist expert, Yahaira, on what makes for the amazing degree of Costa Rica Biodiversity.

Speciation

A combination of factors has made this small Central American country – 51,100 Sq Km in its terrestrial part – own about 5% of the biodiversity on the planet. In a word, we could define what has happened here: high “speciation.” That is, the emergence of many different species over millions of years culminating in a huge amount of present ones. What is it about Costa Rica in particular that allowed it to be a cauldron for this process?

Latitude

Costa Rica is 10 degrees north of Ecuador, i.e., it belongs to the tropical zone of the globe. It is said that climate stability of the Tropics, where the weather conditions are not extreme usually throughout the year for several million years, has allowed the emergence of many species through evolution. These sites served as refuges of life in difficult times in history, such as the glaciations. Elsewhere, the advancing ice decreased organisms radiation and speciation was slowed or even truncated for some taxonomic groups.

Microclimates

Its position between two large bodies of water, along with its narrow field allows the entry of winds, usually laden with moisture, into the territory. These winds blow in different degrees throughout the year, so its influence is variable in some places, more stable in others. This singularity, together with the system of mountain ranges that cross the country from northwest to southeast and steep changes in elevation from sea level up to 3800 m ( almost 12 000 feet) in the Cerro Chirripó, certainly has great influence in the creation of microclimates . The temperature drops as you ascend the mountain ranges and when the wind full of moisture cools on the rise, rainfall occurs differentially on both strands, Caribbean and Pacific.

Geographic Isolation

Soil types, topography and diverse climates have together served as geographical barriers to stop their distribution agencies specializing in one particular environment, as in the islands (eg, Darwin’s finches in the Galapagos Islands). The Costa Rican Caribbean red frog is not the same as the red frog that lives in the Pacific, to name an example.

Hopefully this has helped you understand why Costa Rica is famous for its biodiversity.

And if these issues are your thing, we invite you to come to the laboratory of life, where your next adventure may be a mixture of adrenaline, a little splash of wonder and knowledge.

Check out our Costa Rica Eco-Tour and other Costa Rica vacation package designs to see Costa Rica Biodiversity up close and personal!

Costa Rica Surfing

April 1, 2015 by Costa Rica Guy 8 Comments

I can remember it just like it was yesterday. I was living in a little cottage on the island of Holden Beach, North Carolina.

One day dad pulls up in the jeep with a monstrosity of a surfboard. It must have been 12 feet long and weighed about three times what I did. I was seven at the time, so this would have been 1967 and short surfboards had not been invented yet (yes, I know I’m getting old!).

That sparked one of the great passions of my life, surfing. I don’t do it as much these days, but from the time I was seven until fifty-two, I loved surfing as much as anything. Still do, it’s just that other pressures of life, coupled with the fact that I am getting older, seem to get in the way these days (excuses, excuses). That is sad considering that I’ve been living for the past decade in one of the greatest surfing locations on the planet.

Costa Rica surfing probably is some of the best the planet offers, with countless spots dotted along its Pacific and Caribbean coasts. What makes it even better is that the Costa Rica surfing offers water conditions that are simply excellent. The water is warm all year long. There are not that many sharks to eat you like in Australia or even California (well, salt-water crocs are another story). While certain popular spots get crowded, you can always find that perfect little “secret” place where it’s just you and the waves.

I can remember one of my first trips to Costa Rica back in 2001. I was traveling on business with an employee of mine. I told him that since we had a couple days before we had to start working, I was going to hop into a rental car and head to the beach to catch some waves (not being a surfer, he opted for San Jose nightlife).

I can remember the sense of adventure of crossing the mountains on the way to Jacó beach. Of being out in the ocean on my board just before sunset. The waves were small and fun.

Sitting on the board watching the sky light up with a thousand colors as the sun was setting on the horizon, I thought to myself, certainly I’d found my paradise on earth.

Maybe that (and a thousand other such epiphanies) solidified my great love for Costa Rica.

Costa Rica is a surfer’s paradise and once a surfer, always a surfer. I guess it’s time to dust off my board and head to the beach!