Guanacaste Costa Rica

The province of Guanacaste, on Costa Rica's northern Pacific coast, is truly a paradise for nature lovers and active tourists. One of seven provincial states in Costa Rica, Guanacaste is the most visited area in the nation, but has the smallest resident population. Its stunningly beautiful landscape, featuring lush jungles, pristine beaches and towering volcanoes, remains largely undeveloped. Still, Guanacaste is not as remote as it feels. The province's capitol city of Liberia, located only about an hour's ride from the beach and resort communities, is home to one of Costa Rica's two international airports, as well as modern medical facilities and the province's governmental and utility offices. Five smaller domestic airports also service the Pacific coast area, and offer daily flights into and out of San Jose. There's also a Nature Air service from San Jose to the airport at La Fortuna de San Carlos in the Arenal region.

Once you touch down in Guanacaste, you'll probably want to head straight for the white sandy beaches, or out to the water to snorkel the brilliant underwater reef gardens, surf, jet ski, or fish to your heart's content. But the beaches are only the beginning of what Guanacaste Costa Rica has to offer. You'll find incredible hiking, rappelling, and exploring in the Parque Nacional Rincón de la Vieja, home of the volcano of the same name. A myriad of activities await you in the parklands surrounding Orosi, Tenorio, Arenal and Miravalles, the four neighboring volcanoes. Experience some of the province's best views on a canopy tour, immerse yourself in the hot springs at the foot of the Volcano Rincón de la Vieja, or brace yourself for a whitewater rafting adventure.

Of course, Guanacaste, Costa Rica isn't only a destination for outdoorsy types. The city of Santa Cruz, located about 45 minutes by car from the coastal beaches, is the center of political operations for the county of Santa Cruz. It's the largest town in the area, and here you'll find medical facilities, national and international banks, pharmacies and retail shops.

There's so much to do in Guanacaste, you'll need a lifetime to experience it all. That's why so many people are purchasing vacation and residential properties in the province, especially along the coast. The Flamingo Beach area in particular is undergoing a surge of development, and there's never been a better time to invest in your own piece of paradise. For more information about Guanacaste, Costa Rica real estate and Costa Rica homes for sale, contact Pacific Coast Realty at (214) 556-2625 today.

Costa Rica's Gold Coast

The aquamarine Pacific Ocean forms Guanacaste's entire western border, and the province is home to nearly two dozen beaches. Playa Conchal is considered to be one of the most exotic beaches on Costa Rica's Gold Coast, and is home to the prestigious Paradisus Playa Conchal Resort. A few minutes to the north, you'll find Playa Brasilito, offering more varied and economical accommodations, including private cabins. The beach is home to a small fishing town, a favorite destination for local folks on the weekends. Tamarindo is possibly the most developed tourist town and beach area in Guanacaste, with many bars, restaurants, shops, and local crafters' venues. The famous Flamingo Beach in Punta Salinas offers everything a vacationer could want: an unspoiled stretch of white sand, a full-service marina, scuba diving, snorkeling, fishing, and accessibility.

Surfing is a very popular pastime in Guanacaste Costa Rica, and the Pacific Coast area is rapidly becoming a choice destination for professional and amateur surfers from all over the world. The beaches are pristine and rarely crowded, and the diversity of the coastal landscape ensures that everyone, from novices to competing professionals, can find waves to challenge and excite. Some of the best surfing beaches can be a little hard to reach. A number of the access roads are only dirt tracks, but for many that's part of the allure. The long breaks and perfect water conditions are well worth the trek. Head northward around the Golfo de Papagayo into the lush and diverse Parque Nacional Santa Rosa, where you'll find the gray sand beach of Playa Naranjo, the towering edifice of Witches' Rock, and some of the best waves in the world. Other popular surf destinations include Playa Grande and Playa Negra.

Snorkeling and scuba diving are also popular activities in Guanacaste, Costa Rica, and there's no shortage of places to explore in the Pacific's underwater paradise. Costa Rica has an amazingly diverse marine environment, and with ideal year-round water temperatures, the dive sites are easy and fun to explore. Playa Conchal has some of the clearest waters in the Gold Coast area, where large schools of tropical fish, brilliant underwater fauna, and even stingrays can be spotted. Playa Ocotal is another superb choice, with its calm clear waters, tranquil natural beach, and thrilling scuba diving around rocky offshore islands. For the thrill of a lifetime, swim with white-fin sharks on a scuba tour at Playa Flamingo.

For more information about Guanacaste real estate and Costa Rica homes for sale, contact Pacific Coast Realty at (214) 556-2625.

Guanacaste Province: A Natural Haven

Inland, to the east of the beautiful Pacific beaches, visitors to Guanacaste will find vast areas of untouched wilderness. Tiny Costa Rica contains 12 different ecological zones, and is considered to be one of the most biologically diverse regions on the planet. In an effort to preserve the beauty of this important and unique ecology, the nation has placed itself at the forefront of the eco-tourism and conservationist movements. In fact, nearly one-fourth of the country's land area has been designated as protected national parklands.

Guanacaste is home to Costa Rica's oldest and largest national park, the Parque Nacional de Santa Rosa. The park, consisting of over 50,000 hectares of protected forest, coastline, underwater reefs and savannah, contains the largest remaining tropical dry forest in South America. The park also features nine other distinct habitats including a mangrove swamp. The coastline around the park serves as the nesting ground of several endangered species of ocean turtle, who make their way up onto the gray sand beaches each year to lay their eggs.

For more information about Guanacaste, Costa Rica real estate and Costa Rica homes for sale, call Pacific Coast Realty at (214) 556-2625.