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North Pacific

The little mountain town of Zarcero is famous for the sculptured bushes. The park in front of Zarcero's church is full of shrubs that have been sculpted into the shapes of arches, animals, people and even an oxcart complete with oxen.

San Carlos, or Ciudad Quesada as it is sometimes called, is considered the "capital" of the country's northern zone. We know a few North Americans who own ranches in this area. Almost everything of importance is found within several blocks of the town's main square. Plaza San Carlos is a new mall with around143 stores including a supermarket, movie theaters, food court, travel agencies and much more.

Northwest of San Carlos is the beautiful man-made Lake Arenal. It is surrounded by rolling hills covered with pastures and patches of tropical forest. The "very active" Arenal volcano can often be seen smoking in the distance. This area is rapidly becoming popular with foreign residents. The lake has excellent fishing, sailing, windsurfing and other outdoor activities. Land around the lake is readily available. Land prices range from $7 to $15 per square meter depending on location and views.

There are several interesting towns in this area. Nearby Tilarán is the home to a number of foreigners, as are Nuevo Arenal and La Fortuna . The latter is a quiet town east of the volcano and a good place to view its activity. The Catarata La Fortuna is a spectacular waterfall that plummets some 100 feet into a deep pool surrounded by luxuriant foliage. We have met a few foreigners live in and around Fortuna.

At Tabacón you will find a hot spring in a lush valley at the base of the picture-perfect Arenal Volcano. This is the place to soak your tired bones after a day of participating in one of the many activities this area has to offer.

The North Pacific Zone

The northwest region has vast plains and is the driest region of the country. Nevertheless, lush vegetation and breathtaking views can be found here. The city of Liberia and the new Tempisque Bridge are the entry points to Guanacaste's beaches. The region has over 50 beaches of all sizes, shapes and colors.

The capital city of Liberia, located 125 miles north of San José on the Pan-American Highway, is considered the heart of Guanacaste and a full-service city. It is quickly becoming one of the country's largest and most important cities, offering restaurants, hotels, several museums, good shopping, a new mall with movie theaters, a public hospital and the Daniel Oduber International Airport. Liberia is a good place to visit while on your way to Guanacaste's many beaches. Our good friend Bud from Las Vegas owns a small farm and is one of the foreigners who live in the area around the city of Liberia.

Numerous daily flight to Liberia's Daniel Oduber International Airport and better infrastructure than the beaches on the Southern Nicoya peninsula have contributed to the development of this area.

A wide range of condos may be found on both isolated and popular beaches prices go from $100,000 to $400,000 depending on location. A couple of nice gated communities and golf resorts are found in this section of the country. Undeveloped beach and ocean-view properties can still be found at about $35 to $55 per square meter.

Spectacular white and gray sand beaches and clear blue water are found all along the Pacific Coast in Guanacaste Province and are perfect for beach living. However, a few of the adjacent beach communities may have too much tranquility for some people or have too much of a resort atmosphere for others.

Playa Hermosa has some of the country's best diving. It lies in the center of a string of four major beaches, all within 30 minutes of each other: Hermosa, Playa del Coco, Playa Ocotal and Playa Panama. Playa del Coco is a colorful beach town with an active nightlife and a small international community. It is set in a deep cove with consistently calm waters, making it a safe swimming beach. This charming seaside community is surrounded by emerald colored hills and offers a variety of water sports, and various forms of entertainment including restaurants a disco, and casinos. You will also find a bank, post office and all kinds of shops.

Flamingo is one of the finest resort areas in Costa Rica and has the country's second best full-service marinas and a beautiful white-sand beach. It is Guanacaste's sport fishing capital and offers some of the best sail and marlin fishing in the world. There is an abundance of real estate, including condos which dot the surrounding hills. Three golf courses are located nearby. Flamingo attracts retired foreigners as well people with children because of all it has to offer. The Country Day School, one of the country's most prestigious private primary and secondary institutions, has just opened in the area. Hospital Cima of San José plans to open a state-of-the-art clinic in this area.

Neighboring Portrero and Sugar beaches offer calm waters, ocean views and breathtaking sunsets. Many foreigners reside in these neighboring areas.

Brasilito and Conchal, south of Flamingo, are other beaches worth checking out. Conchal is famous for its beach, made of small white seashells. It is also the home of the all-inclusive Melía Golf Resort. There are a lot of high-priced condominiums and townhouses for sale at the resort.

Tamarindo is a laid-back beach town overlooking a long stretch of beautiful beach and a popular spot among surfers. It has the most developed tourist infrastructure in Guanacaste. The small foreign community has given birth to many restaurants, hotels, as well as a variety of stores for all tastes. The town itself is very cosmopolitan with residents from all over the world which adds a very exciting cultural diversity to the area. Property along with everything else has become rather expensive in the Tamarindo area due to its popularity.

South of Tamarindo is Hacienda Pinilla Resort which has a championship golf course and offers every imaginable water sport. Junqullial is another fast-developing area and has a white-sand, blue-flag beach.

Nosara is an attractive area to live if you are a nature lover. A flourishing expatriate community gives the town a slightly California-like flavor. Small U.S.-style restaurants and services exist for this growing foreign community. A world-famous Yoga retreat is found just outside of town. The Nosara area is slowly developing and land prices are starting to rise.

Sámara and Carrillo to the south are really worth exploring. Both beaches are located on bays and good for swimming. Property is still affordable since the area is not as developed as some of the beaches to the north. Samara has a small village with a few good restaurants, hotels and nightlife. Carrillo, the southern most of the two beaches is an exceptionally beautiful, palm tree-lined, white-sand beach on a curved bay, yet lacks the development of Samara.

Mal País, immediately northhwest of Cabo Blanco near the southern tip of the Nicoya Penninsula, is a surfer's paradise. The word Malpaís means "bad country" in Spanish and is a misnomer. Nothing could be farther from the truth. There are several beaches to swim, dive and snorkel, though its main attraction is its unique conditions for surfing. This isolated area is becoming very popular with some foreigners because of its scenery and incredible sunsets. A few foreigners reside there full-time. To the north lies Playa Santa Teresa, one of the best beaches for surfing on the entire Nicoya Peninsula. Nearby Playa Manzanillo is also becoming popular with expatriates. We have a German friend who has lived there for several years and really loves the area.

Montezuma, a remote little fishing village near the southern tip of Nicoya Peninsula, has almost perfect beaches with clear-blue water just right for bodysurfing. There are miles of beaches and even a tropical waterfall. This cozy town is a magnet for the hip and Bohemian types interested in alternative lifestyles. European backpackers, yoga enthusiasts and people in search of something new visit this area. In this town one can either hangout at the beach or at a local restaurant. The Sano Banano is a vegetarian restaurant where many locals and tourists congregate. There is property available in the area. Jimmy, a 45-year old retiree from Boston, told us he moved there ten years ago and bought a small home because he found living in San José to be too expensive. He gets by on around $800 or less monthly-beer included.

Tambor is located on a deep circular bay and is good for swimming and other outdoor activities. The Hotel Barceló Palaya Tambor resort is located here. We know a few Americans who reside here and there are some excellent real estate buys.