Where To Live In Costa Rica
Where do you want to live when you move to Costa Rica? Many people ask us why we chose Tamarindo. Honestly, moving to Tamarindo Costa Rica was not on the list of places I first had in mind. Before we moved, we knew we wanted to live somewhere with a beach. We are from has mountains, and the beach was a perfect contrast. I booked our first hotel in Tamarindo as a starting point. We fell in love with the area, and at this point, we haven’t found a better fit yet.
Costa Rica Airports
From research, we thought the northern coastal region of Guanacaste, where we were flying into would be the best place for us to start. This area has less of a rainy season and a large expatriate community.(Expats are people living in one country with citizenship from another.
Immersion
Although our ultimate goal was full immersion, we felt the large English-speaking population would ease our culture shock. This would allow us to establish ourselves better which in turn would increase our chances of a successful transition. The Tamarindo area, although more expensive than other areas of the country, is a great middle-ground between the United States' way of life and the tico way of the natives.
RECOMMENDATION
Hotel
Villa Amarilla
We booked our initial stay at Hotel Villa Amarilla because it had good reviews on Trip Advisor with no reports of water issues or bugs that were common in many other hotels. This stay at the Hotel Villa Amarilla was the tropical paradise escape we were looking for. With beautifully decorated rooms, this boutique hotel offered a relaxing environment with the beach located on the other side of the gate. This was exactly what we needed for our first five days following an extremely stressful move while maintaining our budget.
Costa Rica Weather
Dry Season
Tamarindo is on the “Gold Coast” in northern Costa Rica where there is much less rain than other areas of Costa Rica. The temperature in Tamarindo stays between 24º and 40º Celsius (75º – 105º Fahrenheit). Most days the temperature stays around 32º – 37º C (in the 90ºs F). December to May, the days are dry with no rain and few clouds. January and February have strong warm winds that come down from Nicaragua and shoot out to sea through Tamarindo.
Rainy Season
From May through August this region of Costa Rica experiences occasional rain a couple of times a week, mostly in the evenings and at night. September through November is considered the rainy season in Tamarindo with thunderstorms likely most days. For a few weeks during those months, the rain does not stop. However, many days are sunny in the morning with showers and thunderstorms throughout the afternoon and night.
Favorite Time Of Year
Our favorite time of year is June and July when the rain returns. The landscape explodes with green vegetation and flowers of every color imaginable. When it does rain, it is a warm rain, and people still swim and surf in the ocean as long as there is no lightning.
Playa Tamarindo Beach
Playa Tamarindo is a mile of golden sand beach with fine soft sand. At one end is an estuary where you can find a wide variety of shells, but watch out for the crocodiles. (Seriously, people have lost limbs since our arrival. Don’t freak out because it was the human’s fault for not heeding warnings and his ignorance to the area.)
The other end of the beach is a rocky point that separates Playa Tamarindo from Playa Langosta. (Steve found a baby leatherback turtle in need of rescue at this end.) Playa Tamarindo is a great beach for surfing, hanging out, and having dinner while watching the sunset on the water. At low tide, we have seen pufferfish, octopus, and jellyfish in the tide pools along with various minnows, crabs, sand dollars, and starfish.
Tamarindo Roads
The roads throughout Tamarindo vary in quality. Driving from the airport to the center of town is paved but watch out for potholes that may not have been there the last time. Outside of the main drive through Tamarindo, the roads are dirt with conditions varying from fresh grade to severely rutted, as in you may get high centered with not all of your tires touching the road at the same time.
High Season
Most roads are quite narrow. When the road is marked “Prohibido Estacionar” (No Parking), it seems to be a suggestion. People often stop in the middle of the road to get out of the car and go into the shops to buy something or handle whatever business they need.
Although most of the time major congestion is not an issue, during high season and especially during the weeks of Christmas and New Year’s, walking through Tamarindo can feel like a real-life game of Frogger. Driving can feel like a game of Grand Theft Auto with motorcycles weaving between traffic and cars passing within centimeters of rubbing paint as drivers fold in mirrors to get by.
Sidewalks Or Bike Paths
Very few sidewalks or bike paths exist, so the sides of the narrow streets are cluttered with walkers and bikers and occasionally children and dogs. Since cars are very expensive here and wages are so low, people ride bikes or walk. As a motorist, this can be problematic as pedestrians often wear dark clothes making it difficult to spot them on the road.
During the day, many locals can be seen walking from the bus stops to their place of work or children in their uniforms to school. Amazingly, through this chaos, the locals here have found a way to flow through the streets in harmony with very few incidences of accidents. Road rage seems not to exist. Horns are honked to say “hola” to friends or to let someone know they have space to move. The sounds and the commotion of traffic can be a bit overwhelming at first, but, after a while, it just becomes a way of life and you learn how things flow. We discuss Road Conditions more thoroughly in its own section later on.
Incredible Cuisine
Of course, no discussion of life in Costa Rica would be complete without mentioning the incredible cuisine. From the aromatic gallo pinto to the sweet tropical fruits, the flavors of this country will tantalize your taste buds. Whether you're sampling authentic local dishes or experimenting in your own kitchen, the food of Costa Rica is sure to leave a lasting impression.
Do You Need to Learn Spanish?
If you are an English speaker, you should be able to “survive” without learning Spanish. That being said, Spanish is the national language, and if you plan to live in this nation, we recommend you learn the language. Most tourist areas have a high English-speaking population of both expats and natives. However, if you travel outside these areas, you will find fewer bilingual people.
When speaking only English, your challenges will increase when trying to adjust to the new culture. In the tourist areas, the ticos or natives would rather speak English so they can practice; plus it’s easier for them to understand than our broken Spanish.
Worth the Plunge
Making the move to Costa Rica has been one of the best decisions we've ever made. The vibrant culture, stunning natural beauty, and welcoming community have exceeded our expectations at every turn. If you're dreaming of a fresh start in paradise, we can't recommend Costa Rica enough - it truly is a hidden gem waiting to be discovered.
