There are many stretches of beautiful coastline in Costa Rica. For example, much has been said of the “Gold Coast” that consists of the Guanacaste beaches from Tamarindo to Coco in the Northern Pacific. But my personal favorite is the Southern Pacific. I am specifically talking about the stretch of coastline from Dominical to Palmer Norte. I often refer to this area as the “Big Sur” of Costa Rica. The reason I say that is because of the Fila Costeña mountain range that hugs the coastline. That coastal range features some of the most beautiful and virgin rain forest in the country. The Costanera Highway running right along the coast is actually one of the best and newest highways and offers some dramatic views of the mountains juxtaposed with the crashing waves of the Pacific. This area offers a little bit of everything you could want at the beach. There are great surf spots, the best diving in the country around Caños Island, white sand beaches and lots and lots of nature. The wildlife in the area is renowned with Lapas Rojas (Scarlet Macaws) flying overhead and jungles teaming with monkeys, dantas, and a dazzling array of birds, reptiles, insects and mammals. Also, in this area you are near the Corcovado National Park and you can take a guided tour from any of the beach-towns in the area like Dominical and Uvita. Speaking of Uvita, there you will find the Marino Ballena National Park with its famous “Punta Uvita” where the coast actually makes the shape of a whale’s tale, which is ironic since off the coast is one of the primary migratory routes of the humpback whale. Dominical is the most happening beach-town and it features some great hotels, restaurants, nightlife and shops. A couple great places to stay in the area are Villas Rio Mar and Cuna del Angel. The restaurant Roca Verde is turned into a disco every Saturday night and that is where everyone tends to end up after 10:00 PM. Not too far away (around 4 minutes) is the city of San Isidro General, which offers all the conveniences of a mid-sized Costa Rican city, including a shopping mall complete with a movie theater. Also, I should mention that San Isidro has the reputation of having the most gorgeous ladies in the country. I don’t know about that, since living in Heredia I must say that the women here may give’em a run for their money. I have often said that for a coastal investment opportunity, I believe the Southern Pacific is the best. While development has begun to heat up (at least up until the latest economic crisis, which is sure to slow things down) and prices have risen as a result, there are still great “ground floor” opportunities in this area. Your best bet is to find land on high ground with great ocean views. However, there have been some environmental problems in the area and the government is stepping in and putting a halt to much of the development. Therefore, it pays to really do your homework and be cautious before buying into a project that could be running afoul of the law. Personally, I believe the mountainous area between Dominical and San Isidro is a great place to invest. There you have ocean views, a cooler temperature and you are a half hour (or less) from the beach and also a half hour from the city of San Isidro. With the paving of the Costanera stretch from Quepos to Dominical underway and scheduled to be completed in about a year, this area will become more accessible from the Central Pacific and that will probably give a boost to property values, although some of that is more than likely already built into prices. Currently there are three ways to get to the Southern Pacific from San Jose. You can either drive the Costanera Highway and endure the infamously bad road from Quepos to Dominical, or fly to Quepos and still have to travel that same road. You can make the drive over Cerro de la Muerte to San Isidro and then take the short drive over the Fila Costeña to Dominical. You can fly to Palmar Norte and drive up the Costanera Highway towards Dominical. Whichever way you go, once you arrive you will quickly see why Costa Rica’s Southern Pacific is the “Big Sur” of Costa Rica.
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