 | “The real voyage of discovery consists not in seeing new landscapes, but in having new eyes." ~ Marcel Proust |
It’s only three and a half hours from Atlanta by plane and an hour long car ride once you land. It’s often times called the gold coast, and that’s a most fitting description for what we laid eyes on when we arrived in the Guanacaste region of Costa Rica. For many people who have never visited this country, it may seem like just another Central American destination, but for those who have, it is truly paradise.
Nestled in the hills of the peninsula behind Flamingo beach, was Casa Los Monos aka “The Monkey House”, and our headquarters for the weekend. It is an incredible home, but not the attraction we had come to see. Across the bay from the house laid the reason for our trip, Las Catalinas, 1,200 acres of beachfront property that may soon become one of the most beautiful and enjoyable communities ever built!
Las Catalinas is an upcoming development town overlooking the seductive beaches of the pristine Zapotal Peninsula on Costa Rica’s North Pacific Coast and the project of developer businessmen Charles Brewer and Stuart Meddin. We came to visit Las Catalinas and to learn what the future would hold for this community and how we may be able to get involved.
Our weekend was full of adventure, culture, exquisite experiences and tropical beauty. We snorkeled on Playa Dantita, paddle boarded in the open water, sailed through the bay on a sunset catamaran ride, and ventured to Lola’s, the most quintessential beach-side restaurant you couldn’t even dream up (Lola’s owner, Don, is opening an identical restaurant already in development at Las Catalinas). One of our favorite activities was hiking the property to see available lots and visualize the architecturally rich homes that will embrace the property’s enviable topography.
Charles and Stuart have described Las Catalinas in perfect detail on their blog and website, and it was hard to imagine such a place existed until we saw it with our own eyes.
The town is bordered by a pristine curved beach facing the ocean and a vast natural tropical dry rainforest which the founders have pledged to leave undeveloped. Cars are pushed to the background and no massive hotels will encroach on the beauty of this town. The founders’ homes are being built on the main town square, symbolic of their desire and preference for community and interaction rather than seclusion and exclusion. After spending time with the developers, it is evident that unlike some of the mega all-inclusive resorts, Las Catalinas is designed to accentuate the harmony and community of Costa Rica.
The Founders are bringing an unparalleled positive impact to the region. They are improving the surrounding towns, supporting local schools and projects, and prioritizing the importance of green space rather than over-developing the acreage. Their desire to create a paradise that envelops the best of CR will be what makes Las Catalinas one of the most desirable pieces of paradise in the world.
It was a true honor spending time at Las Catalinas. It’s been less than a week since we returned and we are already pining for the time when we can go back. We’ll never forget standing on the balcony of Casa Los Monos where Charles and Stuart traced the skyline of Las Catalinas, their budding community and future home. It didn’t take long for us to see the opportunity for growth of this development. We truly believe there is a future for us here and we'll certainly be back soon.
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