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Thank you all for providing such great information! I am planning my move to CR and have decided on the Flamingo/Potrero beach area.
I have found a number of homes in my price range. I want to be near the beach and security is an issue(I am a 40-something single female). It is also important to me to be near a year round Can/Am population, as it will take time to adjust to the language, customs and lifestyle.
I am following the marina progress and am thinking about a small business in/near the marina. If anyone has any knowledge or info about this community I would be appreciative. Also I know people bring their dogs down when they move, but could I bring my horse?
Just curious, Tracy…have you spent much time living in a tropical climate before? I have lived in Miami for the last 26 years. The first decade was great when I was in my 30’s but later as I aged, I grew weary of the constant heat and humidity. It is still better than the frigid Ohio weather I grew up with but I much prefer the spring like temperature of the Central Valley now. I read where many North Americans tire quickly of the Tropical weather.
If you are a young surfer, this probably sounds strange. Who wouldn’t love beach life? But I guess it all depends on who you are and maybe more importantly, WHEN you are.Edited on Apr 28, 2008 11:24
I grew up in Clearwater, minutes from the beach. We didn’t even have air conditioning until I was in elementary school and plenty of afternoon thunderstorms! I’m not a surfer, but my research tells me there are “gentle” waters in that area.
I may have read too much Hemingway and might be in love with my dream and not the reality, so I’m open to all devil’s advocacy!CR beach areas will be warmer than Clearwater. Have you left Clearwater and if so, for how long? If you are still in Clearwater, maybe you will thrive in Costa Rica’s beach climate.
It won’t matter how many Devil’s advocates present their cases because this is one of those things that have to be decided based on personal experience. Two years ago I had two pieces of land in my sights, one in the Quepos area and one in the San Ramon area up in the mountains of the Central Valley. After spending only three days in Quepos, I came to the solid realization that I no longer wanted much to do with full time living in hellish heat any longer…no matter how many times I could jump in the ocean. I bought in the mountains and am now looking forward to leaving this Miami heat for that pleasant place. No air conditioning bills, no 3 pound bugs, biting mosquitos and 14 foot long crocs for me.
I left Clearwater years ago, a short stint in Texas and have lived in the beautiful mountains of North Carolina (Asheville) for years.
I will travel to my first pick in July/August. As I mentioned, I am looking for a safe established community (hopefully no crocs)! It is important there be plenty of transplants around until I get my bearings culturally and linguistically. I’m pretty set on the beach life. I am not interested in buying land or lots and want a house, not a condo.Let me continue to play Devil’s advocate here;
I have not yet seen any place in the States that matches the beauty of Costa Rica, including any beaches in the Carolinas or Florida. If geography and climate are your principle motives for moving there, then you will do well.
Most people, however, find that they need something more in the way of a cultural experience…contact and engagement with people and the community around them. If you hang exclusively with other North Americans, though, the experience may some day beg the question; WHY LEAVE THE STATES IN THE FIRST PLACE”? I believe you must learn Spanish and engage with the Tico community eventually…and like it. Otherwise, you may end up like many other expats, leaving after a year or two.
I read that many people move to CR for perceived and advertised economic advantages. There are some but most expats I talk to come to the conclusion that Costa Rica is not that much more inexpensive than many parts of the U.S. The ones that seem to stay do so because they like living in Costa Rica, not because they can live more economically there.
If you can move to CR without burning any bridges, that is obviously the best way to explore your motives and see whether or not they are going to sustain your decision. I hope you find Costa Rica as captivating as I do. I have to wait some time more before I can finally make my move. Every gringo that finds happiness there is another argument in favor of the decision I made.
I want to be around the Can/Am’s initially as a practical consideration. I will need some type of network to help navigate, until I feel more assimilated, that may take a couple of years. The community I am asking about(Surfside Estates) is one of the older ones, which is why I am asking here for any input about it.
Why reinvent the wheel? If there are neighbors who know; better roads, where to buy nails and what services might be needed!Edited on Apr 29, 2008 14:52
Tracy,
I lived in Tampa for 36 years (I’m now 38) and have been living in Playa Conchal for the last two years. I have to disagree that the beaches, at least in Guanacaste, are hotter than Clearwater Beach. The difference that makes it more tolerable for me is, the lack of humidity during the hottest months. Now, I’m just talking about the area you’re considering moving to. In case you are not familiar with Conchal, we’re about 15 minutes south of the Surfside area. I just had a friend move into his place in Surfside. It is hot here, but we don’t even turn on our A/C until sometime after 10:00am until about 4:30pm. One reason for this is we have a new four month old baby. Having said that, being from Florida, I definitely need to have it “chilly” in my room at night to go to sleep, so I run my A/C then as well. But sitting inside or outside during the morning or night hours is not a problem (for me anyway) and even in the daytime, at a soda or something, in the shade or with ceiling fans, it is tolerable as well; meaning I don’t sweat. You couldn’t do this at Frenchy’s on CWB now could you? Now I’m sure there are plenty of beach areas in different parts of CR that are hotter and more humid than Florida, but my experience, in Guanacaste, it is that the lack of humidity during the hottest months of the year, that make it more tolerable; for me anyway. Surfside has a large amount of Can/Am ex-pats. All you need to do is go to Maxwell’s or The Castle for a happy hour and you’ll be able to network with people who can give you advice on where to go for certain things. Hope this helps.
Edited on Apr 29, 2008 18:22
Tracy: I am one of Scott’s preferred Realtors on this site. My name is Becky. I would be happy to help you if you need assistance. I am completely familiar with the Surfside (Potrero) and Flamingo areas and will be happy to point you in the right direction. I also have an article that I wrote regarding the Flamingo Marina and we are keeping tabs on the progress. My email is rebecca@WeLoveCostaRica.com
Best of luck to you and your upcoming move. It’s a beautiful, peaceful, area.
Again, it is a matter of personal preference but I have lived in Miami for 26 years. At sea level, it is definitely hotter at 10 degrees latitude than at 25 degrees latitude. Both areas get sea breezes but we have much cooler winters lasting several months which Costa Rica never gets. I feel it is significantly hotter at CR beach areas than anywhere in Florida. I cannot sleep at without air conditioning and I suspect that if I lived at the beach, I would take a long time to adjust to living without it.
Wow, thanks all for the good info. Perro, congrats on the new baby! I am a USFer so I know Tampa! I would be very interested in knowing how your friend is doing in Surfside, any issues or problems and I’m ready for happy hours at the local hangouts! (I use to sling Pina Colada’s at the Adam’s Mark on CWB back in my college days).
I am by no means trying to hide out in a Can/Am enclave, I just feel a strong network would be crucial to my success in a move like this. It takes time to blend with any new environment.
I am set on a beach lifestyle, which is a very different life than interior or country life, but that’s just me.
As for heat, I really found the Texas heat a lot more annoying-temps close to 100 and no humidity-felt like a dry oven and I wont be looking at any homes without AC!
Becky, I’ll email you directly so we can discuss all this further. Anymore info on the Flamingo/Potrero area is welcomed, thanks!Tracy,
Go Bulls. I transferred to USF from HCC and then completed my Masters in Physical Therapy at the Hogeschool Eindhoven in Eindhoven, The Netherlands. Speaking of personal preference, Holland was too cold for this Florida boy. I basically spent my summers from Mobile, Alabama to Key West, Florida, so my life was always focused around the beach; crabbing, fishing or diving. The problem is, Florida, is not affordable for people like me anymore. Now, I can walk from my house, to one of the most beautiful beaches, that I know of, in only ten minutes. Maybe that’s why I tolerate the heat. Regarding gringos; they are here if you want to see them or there are plenty of options to immerse yourself in the Tico culture if you would like. That is what helped me learn the language. I took classes five days a week for an hour and then worked with the Nicas and Ticos working on my house. Like Sprite said, knowing Spanish is “key” to being enjoying life here. Otherwise, at least for me, its not home. Think about how it would feel in the US and not speak English. You would either stick to your foreign peers or you would be accepted and enjoy the life around you. Just my dos colones.
Edited on Apr 30, 2008 18:04
Hello, Tracy;
I think your choise sounds wonderful. There is a Spanish Language School in Flamingo. While studying there, I had a home-stay in Potrero with a Costa Rican family. They took me to events such as the ‘bullfighting’ and other folkloric festivals so that I had the oportunity to learn some of the culture as well as the language. I took the local bus to classes and found the population around there to be very open and friendly. As there are many North American and European ‘estrangeros’ living in the area, you can also network in English.
Regarding your horse, there is a riding club in the area, both ‘western’ and ‘european’ for you to join.
There is also an English language protestant church available. You can check other offerings out in the Tico Times newspaper (also on the web)Flamingo-Potrero has a section in the ‘Local News’ part.
Although I chose to buy higher in the mountains, I’m interested in horticulture rather that ‘beach activities’, I always bring my northern guests for a few days on the beach at Flamingo Resort or Mariner’s Inn.What a resource you guys are! Thanks annel, I’m glad you have had good experiences in the Flamingo area. I will try to take in as much of the local culture as possible-but it will take time, I’m sure.
I think I will start with one of the on-line Spanish classes, languages come pretty easily, I speak French and had 3 years of Spanish back in high school. I’m just glad Portugal didn’t arrive in CR before the Spaniard’s, that’s a bit of a funky language!
I will have to add, my area here has a large Hispanic population and most have totally isolated themselves, they have Tiendas and their restaurants and bars, they even have a huge Mexican flea market on weekends. Oddly, when they do go to the grocery stores, their kids can speak English (they’re in school), but very few speak any English. It isn’t helping them assimilate and it causes some resentment, so I get that learning the local language is important. Those that are assimilating tend to be from Central and south America and speak English
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