A thrilling discovery awaits your visit to Playas del Coco - the area's considerable attractions may convince you to never leave again. Long a draw to honeymooners and inspiration to local composers since the days when coffee-laden oxcarts wended their way down the mountains to port, the Playas del Coco area actually encompasses several lovely beaches - Matapalo, Ocotal, Coco, Hermosa, and Panama - as well as the incomparable Papagayo Peninsula, home to a growing number of exclusive resort and recreational facilities.
Beyond the beaches the terrain varies, with rolling hills lounging before distant mountains. Strung along the coast is a series of offshore islands that provide rich diving zones, such as the famed Monkey Head Rock, and Batt and Catalina islands. As it saunters from mountains to sea, the sun casts differing shades and hues depending on the season. Playas del Coco's wet or "green" season from May through November is the mildest in all Costa Rica. At this time foliage becomes lush, shade bountiful, fields verdant. With the going of the rains, cool colors drain from the landscape as deciduous plants discard parched leaves. That which remains is neutral, a beige and straw backdrop for the startling brilliance of flowering trees.
The Port Captain stationed on the main street in Coco, close to the park and beach, welcomes world cruisers crossing international waters beyond Costa Rican shores. Perhaps they have come to enjoy some of the many local annual events: a tope or horse parade in which high-stepping horses seem almost to be dancing through the streets, or the annual blessing of the fishing boats. Perhaps it is a local rodeo or the comparatively kindly Costa Rican "bullfight," during which no harm may befall the bull according to strictly enforced Costa Rican law. It might be one of the growing number of more contemporary events, such as a triathlon, international bike race, sand sculpture extravaganza, or sailing regatta. Not that special events are necessary, for there is sufficient pleasure and spectacle in watching the sunset as the monkeys and colorful birds settle in for the night.
Many foreigners invest in properties here with thoughts to future retirement, or to enjoy now as a second home. In the Playas de Coco area they are able to find not only a stunning natural setting, but also a full range of services such as restaurants, pubs, casinos, nightlife with live music, bakeries, fresh-food markets, medical and dental clinics, and Internet and private mail service, to name but a few. The area already boasts top-notch, low-density destinations such as the Papagayo Four Seasons Resort, famed for its environmentally sensitive, nature-embracing design, the Spanish Occidental Grand Papagayo, and the Hyatt Fiesta Premiere Resort. Construction will soon begin on a new marina and commercial pier in Playa Coco and the Monarch Resort in Playa Panamá. And few spectacles could be as thrilling as watching oceanfront polo played on the exquisite fields of the recently developed Ellerstina Costa Rica Polo and Equestrian Beach Club just north of the Papagayo.
Some of the most exciting future projects are being prepared by the environmentally oriented Celidon Foundation from Northern California which is reportedly considering development of an international university, marine museum, and performing arts center in the Papagayo region.
Such is the proximity of Playas del Coco to an international airport (a mere half hour away in Liberia) and of Costa Rica to North America (less than three hours by air to Miami) that property owners can even take advantage of a long weekend to escape the rat race and enjoy some quality tico time.
There is a full inventory and a wide range of prices when it comes to Real Estate opportunities in Playa del Coco. For example, one-and-a-half acre nature lots begin around $65,000, pre-construction condos a short walk from the beach begin at $90,000, and custom homes can range upward of $495,000.
It is not just the area's spectacular natural beauty and full-service setting that make Playas del Coco such a great place to live. When you move or just visit Costa Rica, it doesn't take you long to appreciate the charm and friendliness of the local people, whose typical expressions "con mucho gusto" (with great pleasure) and "pura vida" (no worries, life's sweet) pretty much say it all. Your first option for Costa Rica Real Estate Investment opportunities should be the folks at Coldwell Banker Bay Breeze Realty.
Mike Fonseca intl-investorsgroup.com [http://www.intl-investorsgroup.com]
Contact them today at Coldwell Banker Tamarindo [http://www.coldwellbankerbb.com]
