Properties in Costa Rica Blog

Here in Costa Rica, we have thousands of Expatriates who call this beautiful country home; many of these ex-pats carry on special American traditions, like Thanksgiving.

Thanksgiving is one of the most celebrated American holidays in Costa Rica. Every year many ex-pats and even locals celebrate the traditional Thanksgiving festivities. The Fall Feast is enjoyed with typical Thanksgiving dishes, with a possible twist that can include local cuisine and if you choose compassion then Vegan Thanksgiving meal can be served in many restaurants or you can cook your one plant-based food.

In the Central Valley and other popular towns, several restaurants and local shops make it easy for ex-pats to indulge on traditional Thanksgiving day cooking. You can enjoy salad, sweet potatoes, green bean casserole, mashed potatoes, as well as apple and pumpkin pie. If you dine out, you can share the dining room with many happy families, which helps create an air of festivity and Thanksgiving cheer. If you decide to eat at home, you can still enjoy this delicious feast with those closest and dearest to you. All your favorite Thanksgiving foods are available at local supermarkets.

You can always opt for a typical Costa Rican version of Thanksgiving. Green beans and apples are in their high season in November, so it’s easy to whip up a green bean casserole or apple pie from local ingredients. Ayote, a huge squash that resembles pumpkin in flavor and color, can be used to make a delicious pumpkin pie.

After Thanksgiving, you may want to check online for Black Friday deals. Online retailers based in the U.S. offer incredible savings, and Costa Rican private mail services such as Aerocasillas, Jet box, and Mailboxes, Etc. have recently begun to offer Black Friday shipping deals and discounts.

Thanksgiving is an important holiday, and not just to yearn for the past. Those of us who are lucky enough to live in Costa Rica, whether it is temporary or long term, have a lot to be thankful for. To begin with, we don’t have to worry about freezing our tails off during our Thanksgiving festivities. Happy Thanksgiving dinner!

Expats have been moving to the Central Valley of Costa Rica for years and it’s easy to see why.  The spring-like climate, central location, and the ex-pats community are just a few of the reasons more and more ex-pats are continuing to make the Central Valley their overseas destination. The Valley’s altitude of 3,000 to 5,000 feet makes it comfortable all year round, and it has a climate that’s like few others in the world. Daytime highs (Fahrenheit) are usually in the 70s or low 80s, and lows at night are usually in the 60s. With these temperatures, AC or heat is very rarely a necessity.

It’s also hard to beat the Central Valley when you’re looking for a beautiful, friendly place. Many parts of the Central Valley are nestled among forests, mountains, and farms. There are many villages where ex-pats have been living side-by-side with Costa Ricans for generations. This has allowed for strong communities to evolve, providing schools, clubs, sports, and a huge range of cultural activities.

Like the name would suggest, the Central Valley is central. You can be in San José, the country’s capital, and its suburbs within an hour to an hour-and-a-half at most from just about anywhere in the Valley. There you’ll find the best shopping in the country, including North American-style malls and warehouse shopping clubs. It’s quite common for ex-pats living in the Central Valley to pop into San José for shopping, dinner, and a movie. If you want to hit the beach, it’s an hour or so to the Pacific.

The Central Valley holds about 2/3rds of Costa Rica’s population; it is also the place to find high-end residential communities, excellent medical facilities, fascinating restaurants, luxurious hotels, and incredible natural wonders including volcanoes and rainforests.

– Retire in The Central Valley, Costa Rica

Costa Rica’s reputation as a retirement destination is well deserved. Expats are attracted to Costa Rica for numerous reasons, which include the lower cost of living, excellent health care, modern infrastructure, beautiful beaches, rainforests, lush valleys, and cool mountains. By almost any standard, Costa Rica has some of the best healthcare in Latin America. Not only that, but the country’s public and private health systems are constantly being upgraded; with new hospitals, new equipment, and improvements in staff training. San José, the country’s capital located in the Central Valley, has the best public and private medical care in the country, making it very attractive to retirees.

-Lifestyle in The Central Valley, Costa Rica

It’s hard to beat the Central Valley when you’re looking for a beautiful, friendly, and relatively inexpensive place to live. Nestled among forests, mountains, and farms are villages where ex-pats have been living side-by-side with Costa Ricans for many decades. As a result, supportive communities have formed, providing schools, clubs, sports, and a huge range of cultural activities. This built-in ex-pat community will leave you with plenty to keep you busy.

If you find it difficult to choose which climate you prefer, or you want a change from the usual; you will be glad to know that the comfortable temperatures of the Central Valley are just one hour by car from the closest tropical beaches of the Pacific Coast. If you are looking for mountain living, but not willing to relinquish the beach, the Central Valley allows for both lifestyles.

As in many other parts of the country, ex-pats in the Central Valley have the opportunity to socialize with local residents, who happen to be some of the most successful and most educated people in Latin America. In some parts of the Central Valley, you can find suburban communities like those in upscale parts of California or Florida. The west of San José, you’ll also find rural areas where country estates overlook Costa Rica’s stunning mountain ranges. Throughout the Valley there are historic towns that will remind you of another age; some of the most popular towns are Atenas, Grecia, Escazú, Heredia, and San Ramon.

The rich volcanic soil of the Central Valley has also made this an ideal spot for agriculture. Coffee plantations blanket the mountainside; gourmet coffee from this area is highly renowned.

Costa Rica is renowned for its Pura Vida lifestyle. The Central Valley, with its lush mountain ranges, exquisite coffee, and friendly locals offers the perfect lifestyle for those looking to slow down and enjoy life.

-Real Estate in The Central Valley, Costa Rica

Real estate prices in Costa Rica and the Central Valley, in particular, remain reasonable. The most popular areas for foreigners are to the west of San José, including towns like Grecia, Atenas, San Ramon, Sarchi, Escazu, Santa Ana, Puriscal, and Ciudad Colon.  But if you head east of the capital, you’ll also find attractive towns and neighborhoods like San Pedro, Pinares, the Granadilla/Altamonte area, Curridabat, Tres Ríos, Barrio Escalante, the Orosi Valley, and Cartago. Prices in the second set of towns can run relatively cheaper than the first list. Throughout the Central Valley, you’ll find quick access to private schools, restaurants, shopping malls, and excellent medical facilities.

Moving to the Central Valley of Costa Rica will make the experience of transitioning to a new country, an incredible one. You will be able to experience the pleasures of a new culture and new terrain, while still being able to have world-class commodities and infrastructures in place for you to live your best life!

Tamarindo Beach

Tamarindo Bay is formed by the conversion of Playa Grande and Playa Ventanas. It is an area known for its beautiful beaches, which attracts millions of visitors each year. You have a variety of places you can stay; hotels, condos, privates homes all great options, for all types of budgets. Within the tourist area, you will find many restaurants with a wide range of international cuisine and a very active nightlife. Here you can also go surfing, as it is famous for having awesome waves. Tamarindo Beach has been awarded the Blue Flag Award on a consistent basis, this award recognizes the commitment to the environment by providing a clean and safe place for visitors.

National Park Rincón de La Vieja

The National Park Rincon de la Vieja has an area of nearly 35,000 acres. It is a volcanic mountain of 9 cones and a lagoon called La Jilgueros. The park can be accessed through both Liberia and Upala Buenos Aires. The Volcano has two distinct sectors: Las Pailas and Santa Maria. The first includes a set of trails that take you to various points of the volcano, including the path to the summit, and the path to Las Pailas; the trail to the falls La Cangreja and Escondidas, the path to the White River pool, and the trail to fumaroles and mud volcanoes. The second sector, Santa Maria, includes a set of paths among which are: the path to the waterfall enchanted forest, the path to the Pailas sector, the path to the pails of cold water, and the trail to the hot springs.

National Park Marino Las Baulas

The National Park Marino Baulas is located on the Nicoya Peninsula and includes several attractions that will catch your eye as Carbon Beach, Ventanas and Langosta, the Morro and Hermoso hills and mangroves San Francisco and Ventanas. It is a place of special importance because in this sector spawns the leatherback turtle, hence the name of the national park which translates to ‘The Leatherback Marine National Park.’ The leatherback is the world’s largest sea turtle and is in danger of extinction. Costa Rica protects these turtles to keep their populations the healthy and growing number of individuals.

Samara Beach

Samara Beach is a bay about 4 kilometers long, with clear sand, gentle waves and an area of mangroves. It is recognized as one of the safest and most beautiful beaches in Costa Rica. On the horizon is Chora Island, right in front of the Punta Indio, where one can spot an area of coral reefs. The vegetation of the area is landlocked, so you can appreciate trees like the manzanillo, coconut palms, and creepers such as beach bean plants, among others. This beach, like Tamarindo, has received the Blue Flag Award for its commitment to the environment. In addition to its beautiful beach, the town of Samara offers many attractions and water activities such as surfing, fishing, snorkeling, diving, etc.

Nosara Beach and Guiones Beach

These beautiful beaches are characterized by their size and clear sand, in addition to its strong waves. Nosara Beach has a length of 3 kilometers and forms a beautiful mangrove in the Nosara River. One of the most outstanding tourist attractions in the area is Nosara Point, formed by a set of rocks where the waves break. Both Guiones and Nosara beaches have a good tourist offer that will allow you to enjoy horseback riding and boat trips through the estuary. Their strong waves make these beaches an ideal place for surfing, thanks to their beautiful landscape they have become a home for yoga and spiritual tourism.

Hornillas y Miravalles Volcano

Miravalles Volcano is located in the Guanacaste Volcanic Mountain Range, at an altitude of 2028 m.s.n.m. It is protected within the Protected Area. Near the town of Guayabo, several places offer hot springs of a yellowish color, laden with volcanic minerals to help you relax. In addition to its natural attractions, the Miravalles volcano is also used for geothermal energy, because it is one of the 7 active volcanoes of the country. In the Hornillas sector, you can walk by a volcanic crater where you can see hot mud, fumaroles, and Sulfur Rivers while enjoying the healing benefits of these minerals.

Llanos del Cortez Waterfalls

Costa Rica is a country rich in natural beauty and because of its many rivers, you can find beautiful waterfalls. One of the most beautiful in the country is the series of waterfalls, Llanos del Cortez. They are located near the town of Bagaces on the way to Liberia. To enter the place, one must detour on a dirt road for a few kilometers, and walk through a transitional forest. Among the peculiarities of this waterfall is the white sand beach that is formed by the sedimentation of the river and the pool of clear water to enjoy the sun and nature.

Cavernas de Barra Honda

The Barra Honda National Park, in addition to offering several trails within the dry forest, also features one of the most beautiful caves in the country. It is a cave located a few kilometers from Nicoya and 450 meters high; therefore, in order to visit, one must descend several meters on a vertical ladder. The cave system of Barra Honda combines ancient coral reefs that emerged from the normal lifting of the tectonic plates and the stalactite and stalagmite formations. Although the cave system has not yet been fully explored, one of which is open to the public (Velvet sector).

 Santa Rosa National Park

Located in the northern part of Guanacaste, Santa Rosa National Park protects a very important area of dry forest, characterized by being unique in Central America. It also has two sectors: Murciélago and Santa Rosa, each has beautiful beaches rarely visited, among which are: the Hachal, Danta, Coquito, Santa Elena, Blanca Naranjo and Nancite. The park is recognized for its wildlife; thus, in the vicinity, there is a biological station that monitors animals such as white-tailed deer, howler and white-faced monkeys, sea turtles, reptiles and amphibians, among others. On the other hand, the park has great historical importance for the country, because here is where we find Casona de Santa Rosa, where the Battle of Santa Rosa occurred, and the Monument to the Heroes of 1856 and 1955.

Reeds and archaeological site El Farallon

The Reeds sector and its surroundings are rarely visited by foreign tourists but it is an area rich in tourist attractions. The city of Reeds is located in the plains of Guanacaste, on the road to Liberia. Some of the activities available in the area are: rafting on the Corobici River, hikes in the Pelado Volcano, and visit the archaeological site El Farallon which has great historical importance for the petroglyphs located on the stone wall near a river. It is a place that surely allows you to connect with the history of our people.

Guanacaste has become one of, if not the most popular attraction Costa Rica has to offer. It is a tropical paradise filled with beautiful sandy beaches, lush mountain ranges, and exotic volcanoes. Visitors of this region are drawn by the diversity of incredibly appealing scenes, wildlife, and culture that Guanacaste provides.

Located on the Northern Pacific Coast of Costa Rica, Guanacaste has risen to the top as Costa Rica’s favorite vacation destination. The peak season for visiting Guanacaste is between December and April, this is Costa Rica’s dry season. Although, Guanacaste is unique in Costa Rica for its dryer, tropical climate. Guanacaste does still experience a rainy season, but it is still the driest part of the country. That means more time sunbathing on white sandy beaches or adventuring through lush rainforests. The dry tropical climate and proximity to both beaches and mountains make the ideal location for travelers seeking anything from sun and relaxation to mountain adventure to nature and birding tours. In fact, Guanacaste vacation tours are some of the best in the country. Guanacaste extraordinary natural diversity, great climate, stunning beaches, and vacation tours make it the ideal vacation destination for you and your whole family.
Guanacaste is home to world-class vacation destinations, hotels, and all-inclusive resorts. It is also easily accessible thanks to the Daniel Oduber International Airport located in Libera, the capital city of Guanacaste. Every year tourists from all over the world flock to Guanacaste to experience the pristine beaches, abundant rainforests, and a variety of boutique, eco, 5-star and romantic Guanacaste hotels.

In Guanacaste, there are plenty of activities to do. From surfing to ziplining, to scuba diving you can fill your need for adventure. Active Volcanoes allow you to once again experience the natural beauty that is one of a kind. Waterfalls and national parks can also be part of your adventure in Guanacaste. With 400 miles of coastline and plenty of activities to enjoy, Guanacaste is sure to provide an experience of a lifetime.