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| Dreamt of becoming an owner
of a beach-front property? The Playa Carrillo
and Samara area has many untapped opportunities,
and Carrillo Real will help you to take advantage
of this. |
| Photo by Miia Niskanen
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| Hotel Villas Playa Samara
is popular among American families who long
for a combination of wild nature and comfort. |
| Photo by Miia Niskanen
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| When you are close to landing
at Playa Carrillo airport, you might already
be lucky to see whales, turtles and dolphins
in the sea. |
| Photo by Miia Niskanen
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| The Playa Carrillo and Samara
region offers one the top sports fishing opportunities
in the world. |
| Courtesy ICT |
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| Have a morning walk on the
beach, watch the dolphins, feel the breeze and
return to enjoy delicious spicy mussels at Hotel
Las Brisas del Pacifico. |
| Courtesy Hotel Las Brisas |
When I returned to San José after my short
visit to Playa Carrillo and the Samara area, a well-educated
Costa Rican friend of mine asked, “Why did
you go there, it’s not the best beach in Costa
Rica?” When I asked her why she thought this,
she replied, “Oh, the sand is so black, there
are too many mosquitoes and it’s crowded with
people.”
I found her comments very strange, especially considering
the fact that they were completely wrong. First off,
Playa Carrillo/Samara contains hardly any people at
all. Secondly, it could easily win a competition for
the most beautiful beach in Costa Rica, as it has
everything – white sand, shells, palm trees and
dolphins jumping just off shore.
This little piece of paradise is located on the
Peninsula de Nicoya,Guanacaste. The beaches here
have gained the reputation for being cleanest in
Costa Rica in terms of water quality. There are
no dangerous currents, no sharks and no poisonous
snakes. Moreover, to get there is fairly simple.
The entire road from the capital San José
is already paved, and the bridge across the Tempisque
River which will be opened in February next year,
will make this area the closest Guanacaste beach
area to San José – the drive time is
a mere three and half hours.
For those who prefer to fly, both domestic carriers,
Nature Air and Sansa offer three daily regular flights
to the nearby airports of Carrillo/Samara, Nosara
and Punta Islita. The flight from San José
takes 30 minutes, and the Carrillo/Samara airport
is definitely worth a visit. Before you land, you
will see only white sand, palm trees and ocean. In
fact it feels as if you are going to land directly
onto the beach.
Traditionally Playa Samara – better known
and larger than Carrillo, has been a destination
for wealthy Costa Ricans, but for example former
President Oscar Arias has a vacation house in Playa
Carrillo.
There is a large German population living in Playa
Carrillo/Samara, which is not surprising considering
the fact that Germans have a reputation as being pioneers
when it comes to exploring new and interesting destinations.
Playa Carrillo/Samara is an ideal location for families
to enjoy their time together, for couples to hideaway,
and for individual travelers to explore nature and
make new friends – oftentimes with monkeys!
The list of activities is long. Some of the best
sports fishing in the world is found here. Experts
claim that the fishing is considered so good, not
only because of the size of the fish that are caught,
but because the fishing is so great all year around.
Some foreigners have moved to this area solely for
the fishing.
For those looking for more nightlife, the place to
be is in Samara. Where to stay in this lively and
charming town is an easy option: two upscale hotels,
the Hotel Las Brisas del Pacifico and the Villas Playa
Samara both offer delightful memories.
Hotel Las Brisas, as the name suggests, makes you
fall asleep and wake up with the most relaxing sound
of the breeze coming right off the ocean into your
room. This German owned hotel has two swimming pools,
surfing equipment, and horses available to take you
to the nearby forest. An excellent restaurant (try
the spicy mussels!) is located just 30 meters from
the ocean. Moreover, dolphin-watching tours can be
organized as well. All 45 rooms have showers and air
conditioning. This is a perfect place for couples
to be alone and enjoy long walks along this charming
beach, even if it is popular among families, too.
Many reservations to this outstanding beach hotel
are made by Internet.
Villas Playa Samara offers perfect home-feeling holidays
especially for families. Over 70 villas are spread
around the property, which is so well planned that
it is difficult to believe the high number of villas.
The units have cooking facilities, air-conditioning,
most of them have two bedrooms, and a hammock on the
terrace. Close to the swimming pool is the aerobics
area, restaurant with French Canadian touch, and a
play area for children. Villas Playa Samara is right
on the beach, too, and the owner has plans to build
condominiums for sale, and to expand the hotel in
a very near future.
Playa Carrillo is located about two miles southeast
of Samara. It is a bit quieter, but has the exact
same charm and beauty. It is absolutely virgin, there
is no construction and the beach is surrounded by
over 10,000 acres of forest with all the variety of
existing wildlife. German-owned Carrillo Club Beach
and Sports Resort has four ocean-view apartments with
hot water and air conditioning, and a restaurant to
realize your orders.
The owners also have a real estate agency Carrillo
Real, whose best-selling products are large, 800-1000
sq. yard beachview properties. Most customers hail
from North American. The owners claim that their property
values have doubled in five years, owing to the recent
paving of the Samara/Playa Carrillo road. Once the
bridge opens prices are sure to increase even more.
For those searching for a luxurious, ready-to-move-in
place to retire or simply to live a few months out
of a year, the German-owned Regency Resort can be
the ultimate dream. Once you begin to ascend from
Carrillo – only a few minutes drive, you will
soon arrive on a plain hill, 900 feet above the
sea level, where a lake, swimming pool, and beautiful
duplexes enjoy the most beautiful 360-degree view
of the ocean and surrounding forest.
So far six units have been completed, two are under
construction and the goal is to have completed twenty
units by the end of 2003. Each home has high-end type
facilities – equipment brought in from Europe,
including specially designed kitchens. Three units
have already been sold, one to a couple from New York
and the other two to devoted sport fishermen.
The idea at Regency Resort is to keep it fairly
small and exclusive, to ensure the quiet and intimate
environment for its residents. It is a perfect place
for individuals, who enjoy the combination of nature
and luxury.
For those looking into purchasing property in
Costa Rica, retiring close to nature, fishing or
simply investing, Playa Carrillo/Samara offers one
of the most prosperous packages you find in Costa
Rica. The fact that this area is still a little
bit more difficult to access than other areas only
adds value to it – whether you spend only the
holidays there, or buy something as an investment.
So, what are the advantages of this area? It has a
good mixture of Costa Rican inhabitants and foreigners.
It still has a traditional feeling, as the locals
fish in the morning and tourism has neither spoiled
nor commercialized the atmosphere. The beach is considered
the safest in Costa Rica, and dolphins, turtles and
whales can be seen with a little bit of luck and patience.
The surrounding nature is authentic, there are no
huge plantations, and wildlife is rich. You will feel
as if you are still a little bit away from the civilization,
but only at the cost of being closer to the paradise!
The ocean water contamination level was measured 0.00%
in October. What more could one possibly want? |
