Three of the area’s most beautiful beaches are within minutes of Hacienda Matapalo — Playa Linda, Playa Matapalo and Playa Ventanas. Whether it is walking the sand for that perfect seashell, horseback riding on the beach, or just soaking up t he sun while palms sway in the ocean breeze, the choices are yours and the activities are abundant.
Enjoy our private beach club where owners and guests can spend the day and then rinse off in a cool shower before heading back home. If adventure is what you seek, you will soon see why the area is often called “Nature’s Playground. "Follow a whim. Surfing, white-water rafting, sport fishing, mountain biking, scuba diving, rappelling and treetop zip lining are just some of the daily activities here. Prefer something a little tamer? Try cloud forest walks, world-renowned bird watching, butterfly garden tours and even whale encounters. From Hacienda Matapalo you may seek out your own experiences. Only minutes away and easily accessible are a few of Costa Rica’s most precious gems. For example: The seaside village of Dominical, the warm and welcoming town of San Isidro, Manuel Antonio (home to Costa Rica’s most visited National Park), and Quepos (where world class sport fishing takes place year round).
Lifestyle Facts
A valid passport is mandatory to enter Costa Rica. It should be valid during the following six months from the entry date to Costa Rica.
Depending on your country of origin you may enter Costa Rica without a visa. USA, Canada and most European countries have this privilege.
You are allowed to drive with your normal driver’s license for three months.
The Costa Rican currency is called Colon. U.S. dollars and major credit cards are widely accepted. You will find ATM machines offering Colones and U.S. dollars throughout the country.
Dial 911 for immediate assistance.
Outlets are 110V with standard U.S. two-prong plugs.
Yes. Hacienda Matapalo offers deeded/titled ownership on all of our dwellings and homesites.
Yes, Hacienda Matapalo is Title Insured by Stewart Title. Individual policies are also available upon your closing.
Located in the heart of the Western Hemisphere, Costa Rica has two (soon to be three), International Airports and receives daily non-stop flights from a multitude of U.S., European and Latin American Countries. The third International Airport scheduled for completion in 2010 is located just 40 miles from Hacienda Matapalo.
Crime in Costa Rica, per capita, is approximately one-thirteenth of the U.S. rate, much coming from petty theft and non-violent offenses.
The cost of living in Costa Rica is approximately one-third of the U.S.
Many U.S. carriers offer international roaming. Also, you can rent a local cell phone from most car rental agencies.
Cost of Living
The cost of living in Costa Rica is 50% to 70% lower than that of the United States. Retirees can live comfortably on only social security, or lavishly, with a bit more money. U.S. retirees living overseas also have the option of having their social security pension deposited directly into a foreign bank, which may give a more favorable currency exchange rate. In addition, retirees in Costa Rica are eligible for pensioner residency status which enables them to bring personal effects, household items and a vehicle into the country without government taxation. A luxury such as household labor is plentiful and inexpensive; about $170 per month for a full-time staff person.
Economy
In recent times electronics, pharmaceuticals, financial outsourcing, software development, and ecotourism have become the prime industries in Costa Rica's economy. High levels of education among its residents make the country an attractive investing location.
The economy has been expanding for Costa Rica in part because the Government had implemented a seven-year plan of expansion in the high tech industry. The central government offers tax exemptions for those who are willing to invest in the country. Several global high tech corporations have already started developing in the area exporting goods including chip manufacturer Intel, pharmaceutical company GlaxoSmithKline, and consumer products company Procter & Gamble. Trade with South East Asia and Russia has boomed during 2004 and 2005, and the country is expected to obtain full Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation Forum (APEC) membership by 2007 (the country became an observer in 2004).
For the fiscal year 2005, the country showed a government internal revenue increased an 18%, exports increased a 12.8% and the number of visiting tourists increased a 19%, reaching 1.5 million people. Revised economic figures released by the Central Bank indicate that economic growth stood at 5%, nevertheless the country faced high inflation (14%) and a trade deficit of 5.2%. For 2006 the economy is expected to grow a 6.8%.
The unit of currency is the Colón (CRC), which trades around 518 to the U.S. dollar; currently about 675 to the euro. On October 16, 2006, a new currency exchange system was introduced, allowing the value of the CRC colón to float between two bands as done previously by Chile.
Costa Rica's location provides easy access to American markets as it has the same time zone as the central part of the United States and direct ocean access to Europe and Asia.
Tourism
With a $1.7-billion-a-year tourism industry, Costa Rica stands as the most visited nation in the region. Eco-tourism is extremely popular with many tourist visiting the many protected areas around the country.
Foreign Affairs
Costa Rica is an active member of the United Nations and the Organization of American States. Costa Rica holds a seat on the Inter-American Court of Human Rights and on the United Nations University of Peace and many other international organizations related to human rights and democracy.
Costa Rica's main foreign policy objective is to foster human rights and sustainable development as a way to secure stability and growth. A member of the International Criminal Court, without a Bilateral Immunity Agreement of protection for the US-military (as covered under Article 98). On June 1, 2007, Costa Rica broke ties with the Republic of China in Taiwan, switching to the People's Republic of China in mainland China.
Climate
Costa Rica is unequivocally a tropical country, situated fairly close to the equator. Although in the mountains above 2000 meters you get much cooler temperatures, the average annual temperature for most of the country lies between 21.7°C (71°F) and 27°C (81°F). The coolest months are from November through January, and the warmest from March through May. San José, the capital, where over a third of the population lives, stands at approximately 1170 meters altitude and average has an annual temperature of 20.6°C (69°F).
The nation's climate is classically divided into two major seasons: rainy and dry. The dry season runs from January through May and the rainy season from May to November and sometimes December.
Weather in the tropics is essentially a phenomenon of solar radiation and air circulation. Intense heat at the equator puts air in motion, and a worldwide pattern of winds is established. The most famous of these, for Costa Rica, are the north-easterly trade winds, known locally as "alisios". These winds blow with considerable force from December to March and April. These winds, for example, are responsible for carrying moisture in the form of mists to the slopes of the Tilarán mountain range. These mists are what sustain the magnificent cloud forest ecosystem.
Rainfall patterns, although seasonal, vary greatly in intensity across geographical areas. The topography of the country also has a great influence on the weather patterns of a given locality. As a result the timing of the dry and rainy seasons varies a bit on each slope of the mountain ranges that run from the north-west to the south-east and divide the nation into a Caribbean slope and a Pacific slope.
On the Caribbean slope the rainy season begins from mid to late April and continues through December and sometimes January. The wettest months are July and November, with a dry spell that occurs around August or September. Major storms, called "temporales del Atlantico" occasionally buffet this slope between September and February, when it will rain continuously for several days; but an average rainy season day will begin clear with a few hours of sunshine that will give way to clouds and rain by the afternoon. In contrast, the driest months of February and March, might be almost entirely without rainfall.
On the Pacific slope the rainy season begins in May and runs its course until November. Here again, days often begin sunny and pleasant, with rains coming later in the day. This is a period in which the trade winds coming from the north-east are much reduced in intensity, and as a result storms often come in from the Pacific Ocean in September and October. In the northern half of the country the Pacific slope experiences an intense dry season, in which no rain may fall for several months. The forests of the North-West are to a large extent deciduous, letting their leaves fall in order to conserve water. The whole Central Valley, in which the capital is situated, experiences a mild, pleasant dry season that is matched by moderate temperatures for most of the year, and a lower than average amount of rainfall.
Healthcare
Dentist Clinic (Pueblo Del Rio)
Dr. Nancy Gamboa
Monday - Saturday (9am - 6pm)
T 506-787-0370
C 506-398-1415
Doctor's Clinic
(Pueblo Del Rio)
Dr. Morales, General Practicioner
Monday - Sunday (9am - 6pm)
(506) 787-0310
Pharmacy
(Pueblo Del Rio)
(506) 787-0197
Wellness / Yoga
Cabinas Mozelle
Yoga, Hypnotherapy and Meditation Work
(506) 788-1374
Holistic Health Care
Tropical Yoga Classes M-W-F 6:30am
Pranic Assisted Massage Therapy
(506) 787-0310
Restaurants
In Costa Rica, the word 'Soda' means 'small restaurant serving typical cuisine". I hear that this is a legal distinction between a "restaurant" and a "soda". "Soda" are generally cheaper I think because of... well of having lower prices :o) - and not having to charge tax. They are 'typically' excellent. Look for any excuse to eat at a Soda. They generally charge somewhere around $2.60 to $4.00 for a typical plate, also known as a casado.
'Casado' is a Spanish term that means 'married', and that is exactly what the plate is; a marriage of basic features for a complete meal. There are always rice, beans and a salad and usually fried bananas and tortillas as well. All that is left to order is the type of meat you want.
Arena y Sol
Typical soda on Dominical's main drag
787-0140
Chapy's
Juice bar, Snacks, Ice Cream and Coffee
Coconut Spice
Thai Food at Pueblo Del Rio
787-0073
ConFusione
Italian Food at Hotel Domilocos
787-0244
El Coco Suizo
Typical Cuisine at the beach
787-0235
La Choza De Alejo
The best in Mexican Cooking
770-2019
La Parcela
For the finest in dining
787-0016
Maracatú
Natural Tropical Cuisine
787-0091
Piramys
Rest. & Bar for Rent
Roca Verde
On the beach
787-0036
San Clemente Bar & Grill
Spicy Mike's Mexican Food
787-0055
Soda Nanyoa
Typical Costa Rica food
787-0164
Solo Bueno
Coffee, Desserts, & Sub Sandwiches
787-0343
Thrusters
Beer & Pizza and Sushi
787-0127
Tortilla Flats
Fabulous food
787-0168
Villas Rio Mar
Rancho-style restaurant
787-0052
Wachachá
Caribbean Cuisine
787-0313
Bakeries
Connies Homemade Baked Goods
Cookies, bread, banana bread on the beach.
Solo Bueno
Bakery at the entrance to Dominical
Shopping
Ropas Jonathan & Bella Sante
Pueblo Del Rio
15 Store Shopping Center
On the Rio Baru
(506) 787-8031
Compu Selva y Mar
(506) 787-0191
More Economical, Faster Service, & Closer to You
Computer Sales (New & Used), Repair
Taller H
Hand Carved Personal Plaques
On the beach road, in front of Tortilla Flats
Banana Bay
Gift shop and Gallery
Toucan Souvenirs & Gifts
Inside San Clemente Restaurant complex
(506) 787-0055
Nightlife
Roca Verde
Saturday Night Disco
(506) 787-0036
San Clemente Bar & Restaurant
Friday Night Disco
(506) 787-0055
Maracatú Restaurant and Bar
(506) 787-0091
Tues-Open Jam Night; Weds-Ladies Night; Thurs-Reggae
In Town, Across from Soccer Field
Marina Pez Vela – Quepos
(Just minutes away from Hacienda Matapalo)
The first full service marine facility in Costa Rica. Plans call for approximately 300 concrete floating slips accommodating boats up to 200 feet. The marina will have a 200 ton Travel-Lift (the only one in Costa Rica) and a fully staffed maintenance facility capable of any repairs or service required, making it unique to all of Central America.
Also located on the site will be a Dry Stack system where boats up to 35' may be stored. High speed fuel pumps, free septic pump out and dockside concierge services will make your stay easy and enjoyable.
This highly sought out project in Quepos, Costa Rica will create a substantial impact on the community. By increasing the number of jobs in Quepos, tourism will continue to flourish and bring additional foreign dollars into the economy.
The waters off of Quepos contain a vast array of fish species, both inshore and off. The area has been home to between 50 and 100 charter fishing boats for many years. With the event of the marina project these charter operators will move in to the marina to better serve the charter boat clientele.
Emergency Directory
Fire Department
777-0308
Fire Emergencies
118
Hospital (Quepos)
777-0922
International Information
124
International Operator
116
Local Information
113
Police (Local)
777-0196
Police Inmigration
777-0510
Police Transit (MOPT)
777-0329
Emergencies
911
Red Cross (non emergency)
777-0118
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