We are highlighting a unique property – and place – in this post. Costa Rica has witnessed tremendous growth in a relatively short amount of time. Just 20 years ago, having a cell phone was considered a luxury, dial-up internet cafes were common, there was no paved highway running down the coast to Panama, and many foreigners had to line up at the local payphone to call home.
Times have definitely changed. Better infrastructure and technological advances have brought more conveniences but have also brought more people and traffic with it. For those of us who have been in the area for a while, we sometimes miss the slower pace of the old days. However, there is still a place located in Costa Rica that allows us to go back in time.
Welcome to Drake Bay. You can not get here with a quick drive off the highway – most people arrive here by boat or plane. Bordering Corcovado National Park, the Crown Jewel of Costa Rica’s National Park System, and with Cano Island Biological Marine Reserve located directly offshore, you will discover that the trees here are much taller than any building in the area. With an abundance of wildlife and raw natural beauty, we absolutely love Drake Bay.
Finding clear titled property here is rare, and is not for everyone. This area is perfect for anyone who would like to own a private conservation property or perhaps a low-impact eco-retreat. If this sounds like you, we would like to share with you the following property with a backstory contributed directly from the seller:
Hi, my name is Daren.
I am a native Houstonian that has 3.3 acres of tropical land right off the beach on the Pacific Ocean side of the remote Osa Peninsula in the southern region of amazing Costa Rica. I bought this unique, ocean-view property back in 2008 and I have recently decided to do something soon with this incredible parcel of paradise along the coast of Drake Bay – that features wildlife as you’ve never seen before. I have already cut a private road that goes from the upper beach road all the way down to the edge of the creek.
I would love for you to be more familiar with Drake Bay so that you can better appreciate its exceptional uniqueness and pristine beauty – that is ever so close to Houston. Please Google “the number one national park in Central America” and it will say “the Corcovado Park” which takes up 2/3rds of the Osa Peninsula – and that incredible park is located directly behind this property. Next Google “the number one protected mangrove forest in Central America” and it will say “the mangroves at the mouth of the Sierpe River”. You can easily see the mouth of the impressive Sierpe River just up the coast while at the top of this property. This river is used daily for boat trips transporting both travelers and locals to gorgeous Drake Bay.
On top of having the best park and the best mangroves so near, we have the best island called “Isla del Cano” just eleven miles off the beach from this land. Excellent for sport fishing, scuba diving, snorkeling, or traveling around the island looking at the whales that visit twice a year. You will see schools of dolphins, sea turtles, giant manta rays, and the occasional basking shark. The calm waters of the bay provide year-round enjoyment for the adventurous visitors that have chosen Drake Bay as their favorite tropical destination. The warm waters of the Pacific are very inviting and the beaches are almost uninhabited most parts of the day.
The park, the island, and the mangroves are the best to be found in all of Central America – and just a four-hour flight from Houston! How’s that for exotic travel?
Below you will see descriptions of the property that I am offering:
The most convenient entrance to this property is right off the beach and just a three-minute walk along the creek trail up into the jungle. The property has a large creek passing through it with a tall canopy of tropical trees to keep it shady along the creek banks where you will see monkeys, toucans, macaws, parrots, butterflies, and many hummingbirds. This area would be perfect for a tent camp due to plenty of flat ground and being so close to the beach. We have huge trees, a wonderful natural spring for potable water, and tropical plants everywhere with many scenic views around the creek. I have started a house there myself, but aborted the mission and moved back to Houston in 2014. The creek area is my personal favorite type of terrain.
Then moving up the hill, away from the beach entrance and creek area, the property rises almost 150 feet until it reaches the public beach road where we have a blue ocean view, This area would be ideal for an eco-resort because we have over 300 feet of road frontage with ocean view along the entire length of the road. This part of the property features plenty of parking and easy access to the beach for transporting your guests during their visits. The view of the bay is spectacular, especially at night when you see the boats moored out there with sparkling lights and tons of stars as well.
Every room in your place could have glass walls that invite the blue Pacific Ocean in for the enjoyment of all, and you can have your feet in the sand after a short five-minute walk down to the shore of incredible Drake Bay. Naturally, a large private residence would be a wonderful use as well along the beach road, if that is what you have in mind.
The third and final type of terrain to describe is the hillside rising to the top of the land. The private road passing through it extends from the creek up to the upper part where the beach road is located. The private road zig-zags a bit as it winds its way around trees, small ravines, and hill crests until it reaches the flat ground along the creek banks. This area is best suited for residential and will feature scenic views of the creek below. There are many choice building sites along the private road and I have already prepared some land for future building locations. You can walk down to the creek and then to the beach, or you can walk uphill to the public beach road where the private road entrance and general parking is.
So we have three types of terrain available that may suit your needs. The top of the land where the lengthy beach road passes by, the middle of the property that offers hillside views, or the lower area around the creek closest to the beach. Many, many options are available – so it’s about your dreams and ambitions that you have always wanted to explore. Please be the good neighbor type that appreciates nature and yearns for the tropical life in rustic surroundings.
I lived in Costa Rica for almost six years and have traveled from border to border and coast-to-coast exploring the natural beauty of Costa Rica. Having traveled extensively in the Caribbean, Central America, Hawaii, Bahamas, and Catalina Island – when I first drove to Drake Bay back in 2005 – I fell in love at first sight. Nothing else compares to the remote and exotic Osa Peninsula – nothing folks and I challenge you to prove me wrong. Short of traveling to the other side of the world, Drake Bay is a relatively undiscovered jewel that is just down the coast from Houston.
Super close and super exotic, Drake Bay is the place to be! Perhaps you have dreams that can be truly realized if you are so inclined and naturally motivated. If you are passionate about tropical adventure and want to be surrounded by wildlife, then we may have plenty in common.
If you are interested in learning more about this listing, you can send us an inquiry using the form on this page or visit our listing page using the link below.
Listen to an interview with CRRES Senior Investment Advisor Casey Stamps as he tours properties for sale in Dominical and beyond. Topics include: finding property in Costa Rica, what to look for, who is buying what and where, the current state of the real estate market in the Southern Zone and other investing topics.
Listen To Casey Stamp’s Interview
If you have any questions or comments regarding the podcast or have a general inquiry about Costa Rica Real Estate, send us an email or give us a call. We would love to hear from you.
About The Author
Casey Stamps
Casey Stamps is Cofounder, Full Partner, and Senior Investment Advisor at Costa Rica Real Estate Service.
Great News for Southern Costa Rica Real Estate Investors! With a $5 Million expansion to the Quepos La Managua Airport (IATA: XQP, ICAO: MRQP) located 5km (3.1 miles) to downtown Quepos, more commercial flight options from either Liberia International Airport in or San Jose International Airport will be available. The expanded runway will also be a welcome addition for investors arriving via private jet.
Development in the Southern Zone is sure to benefit with the relatively new Caldera Highway already providing easy access from the Central Valley and now convenient travel by air is a legitimate option as well. A cab ride from the airport to the tourist mecca of Manuel Antonio currently costs approximately $20. We anticipate that many foreign travelers will opt out of the logistics of flying into San Jose, renting a car, and driving a few hours to the coast when they can simply hop on a connecting flight direct to Quepos. Business travelers will appreciate the time savings as well.
Currently the airport is serviced by two carriers, Sansa Air and Nature Air, which are limited to flying 16 passenger planes at a maximum of 20 flights per day. This not only limited the volume of passengers, but the small size of the aircraft was a major concern for more than a few travelers. With the Quepos airport expansion, the runway will now be capable of accommodating larger planes carrying up to 70 passengers each, potentially bringing in 4 times the volume of tourists traveling to the region by 2015.
What does this infrastructure mean for real estate in the area? This is sure to create more jobs in the tourism and hospitality sector and drive up demand across the board for land, vacation rentals, commercial real estate, single family homes, and condos. In our view, it will have a very positive effect on real estate values in the areas of Manuel Antonio and Quepos, as well as Playa Dominical and Playa Uvita which are all ideally located within a short drive from the airport.
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