Our home base in Costa Rica is located on the Pacific Coast in Guanacaste province, in a region known as the Gold Coast. Dotted with charming seaside villages and some of the country's most beautiful coastline, the area is inhabited by a mix of friendly locals and colorful assimilated expatriates. Tamarindo, once a remote fishing village, became popular with the release of the film "Endless Summer II" and is now a popular surfing mecca. The opening of the airport in Liberia in 1995 made the Nicoya Peninsula acessible to visitors. Today, Tamarindo is a bustling beach town, famous for its laid-back vibe and magical sunsets, along with its surf and its many open-air gourmet restaurants. The pace is slower here; it's easy to relax.

Most of our villas are located just two kilometers from Tamarindo, about a 15-minute walk, or you can easily take a taxi. There's no need to rent a car, unless you want one, and you can rent a car for a day or two right in Tamarindo. Your villa is within walking distance of a small grocery store, fine dining, an internet café, a hotel with a casino and, of course, a beautiful white-sand beach.

The possibilities for day and overnight adventures are staggering. One of our favorite things about Costa Rica is how well-organized and simple it is to see the country without a car, accompanied by knowledgeable local guides. You can go zip-lining through the rainforest canopy one day and climb a volcano the next. There are rushing rivers, live volcanoes, rainforest, cloudforest, mountains and beaches, along with horseback riding, world-class fishing, golfing, surfing, hiking, kayaking and bird-warching — all in an area slightly smaller than West Virginia. More than 25% of the land is protected as national park or biological reserve. Costa Rica is home to 6% of the world's biodiversity, with more than 800 species of birds, 1,200 species of orchids, and 5% of the world's butterflies.

Just north of Tamarindo is Las Baulas National Marine Park, where you can observe nesting giant leatherback turtles from October through February. To the south (5 km) is Playa Avellanas, with great surf, a gourmet restaurant on the beach, and a coastline that stretches for miles.

Costa Rica abolished its army in 1949 and channeled those funds into education and health care. Today it has one of the highest literacy rates in the world, and free education and health care for its citizens. Everywhere you go you hear people saying "Pura Vida." Literally, it means "pure life." But really, it describes an attitude where the good life is measured by family, friends, and the time to relax and enjoy them.

Click to see our villas and apartments in Costa Rica.