Relocation tours near Tamarindo

In 2010, we considered hiring a tour guide and decided against it. We rented a car and put on 2500km in three weeks. We saw many places a tour guide would not have taken us and it fact have lived here on an acreage that we found ourselves for ten years ago.  A tour guide will only take you to places where he/she gets a kickback.

Thanks for the reply. We are several years out from retirement and planning our first scouting exhibition. I'm a pretty good planner but feeling a bit overwhelmed trying to figure out the best locations to checkout on this first trip. And we are definitely not interest in a full "tour" package so we may end up going it on our own. We have a rental car and did something similar in Panama this summer. But honestly, I came back and was exhausted. Any recommendations on real estate rental agency who has info on long-term rentals? I'd like to kind of get a sense of what things cost today and what kind of properties are available as rentals. Thanks and cheers to you both!

We were quite similar, we looked at Mexico for five years and then Belize one year.  We found Costa Rica in 2010 and knew it was the place for us.  We bought an acreage in 2011 and started building in 2013 and we both retired in 2014 and made the big move.  We are pretty much self starters and did not go the tour route and also found our own rentals until 2014.  In my opinion it is better to be "boots on the ground" and find your own rentals locally.  Good sources are community bulletin boards in stores, taxi drivers are invaluable, and expats that have been there a while can often be valuable, but you might find that, like us, we are only really familiar with the area that we live in.  We found it helpful to come up with a list of priorities for our search, but be ready to modify it at any time.  Our priority list was something like: Ocean view, near reliable medical facilities, within an hour of an international airport, some sort of a small acreage etc.  Well we started looking on the west coast and after getting our little 4x4 rental stuck (and taking 3 hours to get it unstuck) soon changed our first priority from ocean view to 2500-3000 feet above sea level for temperature needs.  We ended up in the mountains near Puriscal and are very happy with our location.  You have plenty of time (as we did) so take your time and if you can come up with a bit of a priority list it will enable others to you some appropriate areas to check out.

All the best!  Terry & Viv

Listen to TerrynViv...  they did it right.

You really must, sometime before, during, or after your first visit; make a list of what you Need and then... make a list of Wants. 

I really thought that I'd be living in a tiki hut close to the beach, hanging out with a beach crowd; sleeping in a hammock all day and feeding monkeys...  Boy was I wrong!!!!!!   

First of all... I have never been a beach person; so that was just stupid.   

Second... many of the beaches are not close to 24-hour Healthcare services... especially 'emergency' services.  I'm not getting younger... and I realized that I should be At LEAST within a 30-45 minute car ride to a hospital.  Plus, the ambulance, if it comes to that, has to travel first... To You; then find you (we don't have addresses here... which still boggles the mind) and then get you back to the hospital before your 'emergency' turns into a tragedy.  Also... most ambulances outside of big cities only have a driver; no medic. ???    I am now within a 40 minute car ride to a really good hospital; and if somebody drives me that's a typical CR driver... make that 25 minutes.   Don't want to be a downer, but its something to consider.   So if you look at a map and don't see any bigger towns or small cities near that 'ideal' beach location... you may want to consider something more practical.   Many many expats start at the beach... and then end up inland where they are closer to amenities.  You can still have great views... but of mountains, valleys, and volcanos.   I love living in this strange mix of tropical and agricultural... my neighbors are generous farmers and we share extra fruits veggies with each other... there are cool rivers to swim in, and some great natural hot water thermals.  Hiking is excellent; and the wildlife and birds are insane.

Third.. as TerrynViv wrote... Climate!!!   Unlike many beaches in the States... the beaches here are hot !!   Inland is cooler... and ESPECIALLY at a higher elevation.  2-3 thousand feet will make a mountain of difference in your life here.  Believe it!!

Fourth...  For me, I wanted to be on a paved road.  Sounds stupid, but once it starts raining (it will rain from May thru Jan.)... that paved road will be your best friend!   

Fifth... since I'm not getting younger (ugh!) I wanted really good access to Public Transportation.  Costa Rica is all about the 'Bus'.  I'm a big city guy and not really into 'driving'.  I live 300 yards from a bus stop; there are numerous buses, daily, to La Fortuna, San Ramon, and Ciudad Quesada.  I can shop, do errands, etc.   I don't want to care for a car, period.  There are also taxis everywhere... both 'standard' and 'pirate'... all are good.  I have 8 or 9 phone numbers at my disposal... they remember where I live (Gringo!) and we are even friends now.  Also... I bought a small motor scooter... it has 'pedals' so it is not considered a motorcycle; and thus, I don't need a license to drive it nor do I need to register it.  They are really popular here, both gas powered and electric.  I went with 'gas' because I live rural and don't want to deal with a battery dying. I use the scooter to go to neighboring villages where I can access a hardware store, vet, baker, etc.

Sixth... I came here for 11 days and did a real 'hit-the-ground-running' trip from south to north and checked out much of the country.  I hired a driver, and we were off!!   It was great having him because he was the Spanish speaker in the car, and he was also smart.  After an over-night in Limon... (great food, great people... but I would never live there.. hot! and crime issues)  We looked at Porto Viejo in the far SE corner on the Carrib @ Panamanian border... very laid back and nice people... but remote.  A heart attack would mean death.  Excellent for a younger person who wants to escape the rat race for awhile.

Went to San Vito in the south... again, loved it but it was remote and would definitely require having a 4x4.  Mud!!   Then Golfito... loved it too; but not close to any city. 

We continued north along the Pacific Coast... great beaches; you can live on a mountain (cooler temps) and look out over the ocean... etc.  There is a big town that is 'close enough' to the south Pacific beaches, called San Isidro-General.  Hospital and all other amenities... I kept it on my list.  Lots of expats, great communities, etc.

We headed north and took the ferry over to Nicoya Peninsula.  Awesome.  Right out of Conde Naste... but no big cities or towns... it is for a younger crowd or a super rich older crowd that would not make it permanent.  But it was amazing.  If I was 20 years younger..

Made our way to north Pacific beaches...lots of hotels, resorts, etc.  Very commercial; dudes trying to sell stuff; etc.  Again... it's a vacation area and 'living' there means a gated community.  Not my thing.  The Area does have a big city, Liberia, which also has an international airport... but It was Hot Hot Hot.   Great for vacation. 

We headed inland and made our way to the Arenal Volcano and Lake, and town of La Fortuna.  Inland Tropical Paradise!!   yes.. Fortuna was kitchy and touristy... but it's tiny and good for some sushi, a cappuccino, etc.  Tons of nature and adventure attractions outside of town... and great hot water rivers!!   Lots to consider in the area.  A guy in a bar there told me to look south of Fortuna where there is a massive valley.  Towns like La Tigra, Santa Clara, Santa Rita, etc.   We went... we immediately saw properties for sale; talked with locals, made inquiries, etc.   Found Exactly What I Wanted...  and just 5 hours from my flight back to Trumpistan.  Called, made offer, got a 1500 sq meter property with a tiny concrete house for $54K.   Have since gutted, renovated, added on, Landscaped, etc.   All in, I'm still under $100k and I'm really living in an authentic community...   

It was a big trip, and it wasn't easy... but I was making a big big life change... and I was thinking Macro, not micro.

Do your due diligence, take some time to really think about Needs and not just wants... and then go for it.  Dale!!

Costa Rica is beautiful and I've never looked back.

Pura Vida.

@rainagain......What you describe is 3rd world in regard to being attended to in a medical emergency...Which is what you denied in one of your first comments.....You make it clear for your dislike of your country of origin and eventually you will feel the same for Costa Rica too ! It is a classic description of someone declaring 'they did the best thing in their life'.....Because they have to...