Welcome to life and living in Nosara, Costa Rica: No longer quite so off the beaten path but not yet on everyone’s radar, Nosara occupies that idyllic space between authenticity and modernity, tradition and worldliness, tranquility and convenience.
This is a special place of sheer natural beauty—what you likely visualize when you think of paradise: A sparkling, warm ocean where dolphins flip and whales breach. The dense, lush rainforest that spills into the sea. Roaring waterfalls that pour into natural swimming holes. And in the thick of it all – a tight-knit community, epic surf, and modern homes with all the amenities.
To celebrate the official opening of Blue Water Property’s new Nosara real estate office (please stop by and say hi!), we thought we’d introduce you to this incredible beach community that so many hope to call home. And don’t miss our free, downloadable Nosara Guide, linked at the bottom of this post!
Living in Nosara, Costa Rica: The Basics
Where a gorgeous coastline meets sandy streets and a cohesive, international community has arisen from a shared love of the Pacific Ocean, surf, wildlife, and wellness, Nosara welcomes you to life in paradise.
Location
Notably, Nosara is more than a town: A swath of beaches—roughly, Playa Ostional south through Playa Guiones—and the village of Nosara itself, the Nosara area is located on the Nicoya Peninsula, in the province of Guanacaste, about two hours south of Tamarindo.
Vibes
Nosara is well celebrated for its wellness lifestyle, which for decades has attracted tourists in droves. Now, many Costa Ricans and long-term international residents are moving to Nosara for the very same reasons.
Nosara’s often quiet country roads wind through ocean and jungle landscapes, contributing to the community’s rural ambiance. Most bars, restaurants, and establishments are tucked away on side streets off the main thoroughfare, creating an impression of a smaller and more serene town that is due to an area of Nosara’s actual size.
Lifestyle
Hands down, lifestyle is the overarching, applies-to-everyone-reason for moving to Nosara. Because living in Nosara, Costa Rica, is very much about you and how you want to live.
With that in mind, an active lifestyle is often what brings people to this quiet hamlet. Want to spend more time outside? Want to surf, or dance, or hike, or do yoga? If you feel your heart saying yes, yes, any and all of the above!, then you’re bound to love Nosara!
Beaches
For life and living purposes, life in Nosara usually centers around three distinct beaches: the lengthy and surfable Playa Guiones to the south; the tranquil and swimmer-friendly Playa Pelada centered at the mid-point; and the secluded, dark-sand Playa Nosara to the north.
An additional five miles north lies a fourth beach, Playa Ostional, best known for its nesting Olive Ridley sea turtles.
Wildlife
Life in Nosara is also rich in wildlife, and there are many nods to and protections of the region’s rich biodiversity.
The Nosara Biological Reserve offers glimpses into the area’s diverse wildlife, including 270+ species of birds. The nonprofit Sibu Wildlife Sanctuary, partially funded by the town’s residents, rehabs injured animals, creates permanent homes for those that cannot be rehabbed, and provides community education regarding the importance of wildlife and wildlife protection. This absence of development on the beach makes Nosara desirable for both locals and visitors.
And then there’s the famed Ostional Wildlife Refuge, a pivotal sanctuary for the olive ridley sea turtle. This is the world’s second-most significant nesting site for this vulnerable marine giant, and Ostional is renowned for its awe-inspiring arribadas, or “flotillas,” mass-nesting phenomena hailed as one of nature’s most remarkable spectacles.
Surfing
The word is out, and Nosara has roared ahead of the pack as the latest hotspot on Costa Rica’s surfing radar. And it’s no wonder—with its impressive credentials, Nosara’s beaches are perfect for catching the powerful swells originating from New Zealand and beyond.
As far as surfing is concerned, the three Big Daddies are Playa Guiones, Playa Nosara/Ostional, and Playa Garza, a wave trifecta offering ample opportunities for beginners and advanced surfers.
Yoga
Nosara has firmly secured its reputation as Central America’s premier yoga destination, with the soul-soothing sights, sounds, and ambiance that have laid the groundwork for early yoga communities.
Today, visitors and residents have discovered that Nosara’s natural surroundings serve as the perfect catalyst for achieving a profound state of serene awareness. Here, you’ll find a diverse range of yoga disciplines, with an everyday invitation to immerse yourself in a profoundly calming and beneficial practice.
Café Culture
Living in Nosara, Costa Rica, has increasingly become synonymous with café culture: gathering spots, cultural hubs, and melting pots that promise more than just a caffeinated cup, instead serving as social meeting grounds and integral pillars of this community.
Nosara’s expanding array of oceanside cafés, which offer a place to sip local Costa Rican coffee with your toes buried in the sand, are a go-to for free-floating conversations, shared passions, and varying interests among neighbors, friends, and family.
Restaurants & Nightlife
The Nosara dining scene is small but ever-growing, boasting a wealth of diversity that ranges from tiny Costa Rican sodas (family-owned diners, more or less) to global fusion cuisine that vies for top placement on the country’s finer dining scene.
Within town, you’ll find a delightful array of Italian, Mexican, American, and Costa Rican eateries and bakeries, among others.
Shopping
Nosara’s status as a growing town and international community has secured it an ever-expanding list of grocery stores, shops, medical services, banking, gasoline, and more. The general rule of thumb—for now, at least—is that you’ll find almost anything you need for day-to-day living, with bigger needs supplied in Nicoya, Santa Cruz, and Liberia.
Welcome to Costa Rica’s Blue Zone
Are you familiar with the term “blue zone”? These global longevity hotspots, where residents live measurably longer, healthier lives, have become a worldwide hot-button topic of conversation… and there’s one located right here, in Nosara, known as the Nicoya blue zone.
The Nicoya Peninsula, where Nosara resides, is one of only five blue zones in the world. According to Dan Buettner, the main researcher behind Blue Zones, geographic longevity boils down to three major factors: environment, customs, and lifestyle.
Here are a few of the longevity takeaways from living in Nosara, Costa Rica:
- Move Naturally: This includes walking, gardening, and doing things by hand. Nosara’s seemingly endless sandy coastlines, abundant wildlife, and lifestyle that revolves around the outdoors and holistic wellness have created a laid-back beach town and fostered a close-knit community of Costa Ricans and expats drawn by the trilogy of sea, surf, and health.
- Cultivate a Positive Outlook: This extends to purpose, faith, and the ability to unwind.
- Eat Wisely: Residents of Nosara often find that they naturally eat more vitamin- and protein-rich foods, from Costa Rica’s incredible varieties of fruits and vegetables to fresh seafood. The research is especially enamored of the Nicoyan “three sisters”: a longstanding heritage pairing of beans, squash, and corn.
- Connect with Others: Age is just a number, and residents of the Nicoya Blue Zone spend lifetimes creating authentic connections with their community. This shared emphasis on genuine connection stands out as the most important commonality across all Blue Zones, likely serving as the most impactful key to longevity.
- Embrace the Pura Vida: It’s a way of life, a reminder to take it easy, roll with the punches, and enjoy the moment. Think of it as Costa Rica’s version of hakuna matata.
- Emphasize Personal Growth: Not so much about the specifics of doing this or that, but rather the takeaways: Costa Rica emphasizes education and personal growth and the value of challenging yourself to new experiences and new knowledge.
- Walk Softly: Costa Rica does so much when it comes to sustainability. What’s more, the country is forever working toward doing even more right— to being regenerative in every way.
The Beaches of Nosara
The beaches of Nosara are absolutely, positively wow-inspiring, offering everything from world-renowned surf to sea turtle nesting and swimming.
From north to south:
Playa Ostional
Nestled amidst pristine beauty, Ostional Beach is a sanctuary for vulnerable (formerly endangered) olive ridley sea turtles.
Distinguished by its dark sands, this beachscape boasts a tranquil ambiance with minimal commercial activity thanks to its surrounding wildlife refuge, the Ostional National Wildlife Reserve, which is dedicated to sea turtle preservation and ensuring a regulated and respectful approach.
While Ostional offers excellent surfing opportunities with larger, swiffer waves compared to Guiones, access to the beach is restricted during turtle nesting.
Playa Nosara
Beyond a rocky precipice and the Rio Nosara estuary mouth lies Nosara Beach, characterized by its near-ebony sands.
These shores also mark a vital haven for sea turtle conservation. During certain times of the year, you’ll find sea turtles gracing the beach, especially during nesting season, which typically spans July to December.
Playa Pelada
Adjacent to a rocky outcropping—a physical division between these sands and those of Guiones—lies the serene enclave of Pelada Beach, distinguished by its calm waters and an abundance of seashells.
Protected by an offshore reef, Pelada is a scenic family beach. It offers a tranquil setting ideal for leisurely swims and exploration. This half-moon bay is the perfect picture of tropical tranquility, inviting visitors to enjoy swimming in turquoise waters, discovering hidden caves and tidal pools, and reveling in an authentic pura vida experience.
Playa Guiones
The surfing beach in Nosara, Playa Guiones, is renowned as the premier surf spot in the region, with all-day, everyday waves that entice surfers of all skill levels to visit its four-mile stretch of pristine white sand and consistent waves.
Beyond its surfing allure, Guiones offers ample opportunities for leisurely strolls and epic sunsets along its picturesque shoreline. Serving as the focal point for Nosara beach life, you’ll also find a bustling commercial center with restaurants, banking facilities, and more.
Playa Garza
Just a 15-minute drive south of Nosara, Playa Garza and its serene fishing village (of the same name) are well-loved for their tranquil atmosphere, crystalline waters, and uncrowded golden beaches.
Playa San Juanillo
A hidden gem offering unspoiled vistas and azure waters, Playa San Juanillo is a secluded haven promising a blissful retreat for beach enthusiasts.
Nosara 101: Public Schools, Private Schools, and Educational Alternatives
If you’re considering moving to Nosara with kids, then schools are going to be on your mind. There are several public primary schools (pre-K to 6th grade) in the area and one public high school (7th to 11th grade; standard Costa Rican high schools go through 11th grade), Bocas de Nosara.
Furthermore, if you’re looking to the private arena for schooling, you’ll find that the private schools in Nosara offer great educational diversity—everything from homeschooling and alternative education to more formal programs and even the prestigious International Baccalaureate (I.B.) degree.
Nosara Real Estate
Occupying an oceanfront that sweeps from Playa Ostional and Playa Nosara to Playa Pelada and Playa Guiones, Nosara still retains its charm of yesteryear.
If you’re researching life and living in Nosara, Costa Rica, then your thoughts have likely turned to Nosara real estate. The area has evolved over the years, and today, the region’s breezy hillsides (and a few rare oceanfront properties) are now home to a growing selection of homes and villas, some contained within luxury gated communities, including Acquarello Nosara, Kalyok Villas, Nanku Eco-Village, Selvamar, Become Nosara, Las Delicias, and El Molino.
The market is ever-changing, but, as a general rule of thumb, prices start around $100,000 for building lots and homesites, $300,000 for single-family homes and villas, and $550,000 for luxury at luxury gated communities. Luxury properties start at around $850,000.
Questions About Living in Nosara, Costa Rica?
You have questions; we have answers! Whether you’re already well on your way to living in Costa Rica or just dipping your toes into research, we’d love to help you explore the possibilities of life (and longevity) in Costa Rica.
At Blue Water Properties of Costa Rica, we’re committed to you. Not to sell you a property or spam you with all the options, but to help—genuinely and with good intent—match you to the perfect property for your needs and wants. We thrive on relationships and promise the fastest communication and the best services in the industry.
We’re also proud to offer some of the best Costa Rican real estate. We have both condos and homes, land, and businesses for sale. Go ahead, try us. Give us a chance to show off our expertise—and wow you with the possibilities!
For personalized service and expert guidance, contact us at Blue Water Properties.
