The Top 6 Spots For Owning A Vacation Home In Costa Rica

The secret is out – Costa Rica is an amazing place to vacation and invest in. Before you buy, be sure to spend some quality time here, do your research, and work with a highly reputable and professional real estate agent or company. Your dream vacation home is possible in one of these six incredible locations – your second home is out there!

Playa Flamingo

Playa Flamingo is located just 30 minutes away from the lively bustling town of Tamarindo. It is the ideal location for those looking for a bit of luxury, tranquility, and a lot of impressive ocean views. Playa Flamingo is a crescent moon-shaped white sand beach that is perfect for picnicking and swimming. There are a handful of little restaurant and amenities in the area, but it is definitely a bit more quiet here. The location makes it convenient to venture to Tamarindo and the other surrounding beach towns for a change of pace or a little nightlife. There are great beachfront villas and luxury homes nestled into the mountainous areas to the east.

You could have a balcony view like this one

Playa Danta

Papagayo

The Papagayo Peninsula covers 18km (11 miles) of coastline, 13 km (8 miles) of rugged bluffs, and 21 secluded and spectacular beaches. While this peninsula is surely a slice of heaven, it does come at a hefty price – Papagayo is luxury at its best. There are incredible houses, condos, and villas for sale in this exclusive community. It is only 30 minutes from the Liberia Airport, but feels like a world away from everything. There is a private beach club, a golf club house, the Arnold Palmer Signature Golf Course, a tennis complex, and concierge service, on top of all sorts of outdoors activities like kayaking, paddle boarding, swimming, fishing, hiking, and biking, just to name a few. There is also a very impressive marina and marine bar and restaurant.

Esterillos Este

Esterillos Este is located between Jaco and Manuel Antonio in the central Pacific region. It is a place that has remained a bit under the radar, but is a wonderful location to purchase a vacation home, as properties here can be a bit more affordable than the above three locations. This is a great beach community that is suited for surfers, beachcombers, wildlife lovers, and those who enjoy fishing. This area is often passed by in favor of the bigger tourist areas like Jaco and Manuel Antonio, which actually makes this a very peaceful and pleasant place to vacation. It is conveniently located near a lot of different attractions and activities.

Nuevo Arenal

Nuevo Arenal is located on the northeast side of Lake Arenal near the base of the perfectly picturesque Arenal volcano. This small community has a surprising selection of restaurants, bars, shops, and fun night life options. Nuevo Arenal is an ideal choice for those interested in vacationing in a stunning lake and mountain setting where wildlife is abundant and plant life is dense and vibrant. The lake offers incredible bass fishing, as well as a great place to go paddle boarding, kayaking, and boating, with waterfalls and hot springs close by.

1. Atenas

The small town of Atenas with incredible views of the Central Valley is the ideal spot for those looking for a peaceful, laidback, and friendly place to relax and have some down time. The weather here can’t be beat either, and is very different from the heat the rest of the country experiences. It is also only an hour away from the Pacific coast and right by the protected Cerro Atenas zone, which covers a vast expanse of forests. This is off the beaten tourist path, but a truly special place to unwind and enjoy the simple pleasures of Costa Rica.

Fancy a back yard like this? | © Dave Lonsdale/Flickr

Since you are here, we would like to share our vision for the future of travel - and the direction Culture Trip is moving in.

Culture Trip launched in 2011 with a simple yet passionate mission: to inspire people to go beyond their boundaries and experience what makes a place, its people and its culture special and meaningful — and this is still in our DNA today. We are proud that, for more than a decade, millions like you have trusted our award-winning recommendations by people who deeply understand what makes certain places and communities so special.

Increasingly we believe the world needs more meaningful, real-life connections between curious travellers keen to explore the world in a more responsible way. That is why we have intensively curated a collection of premium small-group trips as an invitation to meet and connect with new, like-minded people for once-in-a-lifetime experiences in three categories: Culture Trips, Rail Trips and Private Trips. Our Trips are suitable for both solo travelers, couples and friends who want to explore the world together.

Culture Trips are deeply immersive 5 to 16 days itineraries, that combine authentic local experiences, exciting activities and 4-5* accommodation to look forward to at the end of each day. Our Rail Trips are our most planet-friendly itineraries that invite you to take the scenic route, relax whilst getting under the skin of a destination. Our Private Trips are fully tailored itineraries, curated by our Travel Experts specifically for you, your friends or your family.

We know that many of you worry about the environmental impact of travel and are looking for ways of expanding horizons in ways that do minimal harm - and may even bring benefits. We are committed to go as far as possible in curating our trips with care for the planet. That is why all of our trips are flightless in destination, fully carbon offset - and we have ambitious plans to be net zero in the very near future.