by: International Living

I live in Costa Rica’s Central Valley, near the capital of the country, San Jose.

It’s great to be near big-city amenities and conveniences. When I need a printer cable for my home office, the store with five choices (Office Depot, which you might recognize) is right down the road. And when my six-year-old wants to see the latest animated blockbuster—in English—we just check the listings at the local movie theater for that weekend. Tickets are just $5.50 each. And you actually get to pick your spot—no need to arrive early and compete for a seat.
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by: Mark Venegas, Real Estate Consultant

Although Costa Rica is still a third world country it has always made an attempt to grow and move forward in many different areas. We could talk in detail of its long list of accomplishments, and/or its list of not so nice mishaps, but for now let’s focus on our small and beautiful world around Tamarindo.
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by: International Living

When Valerie and Gaylord Townley first visited Tamarindo, it was a simple fishing village. The only visitors were pioneering surfers (Gaylord was one of them) and sport fishermen. There were a few small hotels, only a few phone lines, and no TV. The number of permanent expats could probably fit in one of today’s larger restaurants.

“My husband’s a surfer,” says Valerie. “So one of the main reasons we moved there was for surfing. Back in the early 1980s it was almost unknown. We were also looking for an alternative lifestyle. I guess we thought there was more to life than a small Southern-California town.”
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by: Federico Fernandez, Real Estate Consultant

I have always admired entrepreneurs who, often with limited funds, have built successful businesses that grow as they wouldn’t have imagined in their beginnings. The merit is double if the businessman is an immigrant who, in some cases, initially didn’t even speak the language of the country where he/she got established. Of these, there are thousands of cases throughout history.

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by: International Living

Another nice comment from an independent source, posted by a visitor to Tamarindo on the International Living website – a well-established source to fing great please all over the world.

“Paddle, paddle, paddle. Now pop up!”

I’m in Tamarindo, Costa Rica learning how to surf. I’ve hired a local, Ricardo, who we met on the beach a few days ago. Two hours on the water—just $20. It’s a great deal compared to the many surf schools in town. My 5-year-old son is on the water, too. And he’s already an expert, riding wave after wave all the way to the shore. I’m wiping out more than anything… but having a great time.
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by: Mark Venegas, Real Estate Consultant

Way back when I first moved here I was asked by friends and family, “Why Tamarindo?” Back then, there were just a handful of families here; basically, a combination of fishermen and business owners. Everybody knew everyone in town, and there were very few amenities, if any. One administrated telephone for the whole town, long electrical blackouts in the rainy season, three TV channels with horrible reception, and a forty minute drive to do your marketing and banking.
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