Retirement in Costa Rica – Consider Guapiles and Guacimo

Retirement in Costa Rica – Consider Guapiles and Guacimo

A wonderful thing about this country is that despite its small size, the exploration and discovery of new places seem endless. Places that both travelers and locals alike constantly drive past on their way to the typical destinations. Places that welcome the wanderers as well as cherish the surrounding tranquility of nature.

It takes a little more effort and requires a little more time, but that’s why discovering something new is so fun. One of these places can be found after you emerge from the rainforest at the base of the Barrillo Carrillo Mountains on your way to the sparkly waters of the Caribbean.

As you cross over Rio Sucio where a muddy and clear water river joins to make its final decent to the sea, you’ll encounter a sprawling flatland driven by rural activity and surrounded by hidden secrets.

With the rise of rural tourism across the country, the small “pueblos” that pepper the countryside are beginning to become familiar with the faces of tourism. Guapiles and Guacimo are two examples of these rural Caribbean towns that make for an interesting side trip.

There are few signs to take you there and limited information to inspire you, however, a short jaunt off the freeway will lead through these flatlands full of rivers, farmland, recreational fish ponds, palm plantations and a variety of tropical forests.

A simple drive through the town of Guacimo will illustrate the feeling of small time life in the tropics. With ice-cream shops, sodas (small restaurants) and hardware stores lining the small streets, the locals stroll about their business.

Just past town is the gateway to long stretches of farmland carved by large rivers filled with swimming holes and perfect of inner tubing or soaking your feet. If you ask around you’ll find a fun recreational getaway called El Coporo equipped with a swimming pool, a soccer field, and a large fish pond where you can catch your lunch and watch the chefs cook it up in front of you with mouth watering Caribbean spices.

A little further is a tropical palm plantation that supplies most of Europe with its decorative plants. You can stop in for a look and walk away with a plant of your own. Along the way, wildlife, cattle, bulls, and local faces will entertain your drive.

Towns like these are opening their doors to opportunity. The land prices are lower, construction costs are reasonable and there are great expanses of farmland. With all these factors on the table, agricultural development, business ideas, tourist destinations, or just a peaceful Caribbean lifestyle in a rancho style home with your horses and cattle are coming to light.

There is a lot to see and learn from a short drive off the highway. If not to find your peaceful dream ranch alongside a beautiful river, you’ll find it interesting to get a different flavor of Costa Rican life and draw up your own conclusions of what opportunity is.

If you get lost, there will be more that enough help walking down the roads to point you in the right direction. In their eyes, that’s the only reason why you are there in the first place.

[custom_script adID=97]

If you need professional help searching for a home in the Heredia area please help us to help you by contacting here with the form below:

Andrew Makarik

to@welovecostarica.com

Andrew Makarik is the main editor of WeLoveCostaRica, a fan of this sunny country. He is also a loving husband and a has a lovely daughter. By being a devoted family man and the biggest Costa Rica fan, he wants to make more people feel at home there. WeLoveCostaRica unites people and helps them find new home or a new travel destination. This website is a friendly community where everyone can find not only information, but also new friends and travel pals. Andrew is also passionate about IT and programming, so he himself maintains a friendly atmosphere in this cozy environment of WeLoveCostaRica.com.