Custom and Private Tours and Consultations

Located about 30 miles southwest of San José, and in the beautiful mountains of the Central Valley lies Puriscal.  An emergency hospital, pharmacies, dentist’s, doctor’s and optometrist’s offices, banks, restaurants, hardware stores, furniture shops, veterinary services and more can be found in Santiago de Puriscal, the capital of the canton and area’s administrative center.  However, it is only less than an hour by car to the major hospitals and shopping meccas of Santa Ana,  Escaz and San José.  Puriscal is made up of the districts of, Mercedes Sur, Barbacoas, Grifo Alto, San Rafael, Candelarita, a Desamparaditos, and Santiago.

 If you do not know where Puriscal is located, here is a Google map: Where Puriscal is located

This rural town has traditionally been a vacation destination for Costa Ricans and tourists, but now is becoming increasingly home to many expats.  Perhaps this is due to an altitude of 3500 feet with a year-round average temperature that hovers around 70 degrees.

The mountain town is famous for its cigar industry and chicharrones.

Puriscal offers spectacular views many of which rival those of Atenas. Best of all the price of property and homes is considerably less.

By popular demand I have included this one-day add-on tour for my clients.

Note: This tour is ONLY given in conjunction with the Central Valley portion of the tour and seminar and starts on the Monday immediately after. It includes Christopher Howard as your guide, transportation, a walking tour of Santiago de Puriscal, viewing properties, lunch  and a scenic drive through the surrounding country while returning to your hotel. Clients can book an extra night at the Apartments and Hotel la Sabana if they take this add-on tour: https://www.hotelandapartmentslasabana.com/

$549.00  individuals
$599.00 couples

The Central Pacific is one of Costa Rica’s jewels. It extends from Puntarenas in the north to the Barú River in the south. The closest and most accessible beaches to San José are found in this area. The beaches are sunny year-round, the weather is hot and the ocean warm. Whether you want to retire or just live in a tropical paradise, the Central Pacific Coast has something for you. Some of the outdoor activities the area offers are: golfing, sport fishing, yachting, canopy tours, river rafting, parasailing, hang gliding, mountain biking, snorkeling, diving, kayaking, bird watching, and a lot more. There are even places to study Spanish and practice yoga in this part of Costa Rica.

* $100 surcharge to go to Quepos due to the distance

This special one or two-day tour of the western Central Valley will expose you to life in the quaint coffee towns. It will expose you to living in this part of Costa Rica. San Ramón is the hub of this area, where the pace of life is a little slower.

This tour is led by Christopher Howard or our experienced bilingual tour guides and investment/real estate professionals, hand-picked by Christopher Howard because of their knowledge of the area. Whether you are interested in renting or buying they will show you a sample of available properties. This tour includes their services and may be taken at the end of Christopher’s regular Central Valley tour or at another time.

With 100,000 residents in the greater area, Palmares and San Ramón have many of the advantages of city life but retain their Costa Rican charm while offering all services, cultural activities, and a lower cost of living compared to other areas.

San Ramón

The bulk of your time will be spent concentrating on understanding the lifestyle here. At about 3,000 feet above sea level and temperatures in the mid-70s year-round, many of these properties have spectacular views of the Pacific Ocean, and can still be rented or purchased at reasonable prices.

San Ramón, with about 70,000 residents, is quickly becoming one of the best values in the entire country for retirees to live and invest. Only 45 minutes to the airport near San Jose, the beaches of the Pacific Coast, and 1.5 hours to the famous Arenal Volcano, its temperature climate, lower cost of living, access to all services and cultural activities, a major hospital/clinics, and a large branch of the University of Costa Rica, make it an excellent town for living and investing.

We´ll take some time to tour this pleasant town, known locally as the “City of Presidents and Poets.” We will experience daily life here by walking through the main square, with its charming and peaceful park, Romanesque and Gothic cathedral, and museum and cultural center.  We’ll introduce you to actual expats and retirees who have purchased the property and/or built a home so you can learn more about their experiences and potentially get to know the type of neighbors and friends you might have in San Ramón.

San Ramón has one of the most active volunteers and community service organizations in the entire Central Valley called the Community Action Alliance. We’ll meet members of the organization so you can learn about how to stay active here and help local residents.

We’ll sample the local cuisine.

Palmares

Palmares is the picturesque neighboring town to San Ramón featuring a towering church, verdant mountains and valleys, and a bustling downtown. With its spectacular views of the Aguacate Mountains, Palmares is an ideal place to get acquainted with the Pura Vida lifestyle for which Ticos are famous. Palmares is home to a traditional Spanish bullfighting ring, where matadors test their skills against large bulls at various times throughout the year.

During the last two weeks of January, the town hosts its “Fiestas,” a large fair organized by a local committee that has become one of the largest cultural and social events in the country. This fair lasts for two weeks, with two special activities including the “Tope,” a huge horseback parade through the town, and the “Carnaval,” complete with a variety of food vendors, bars exhibitions, and entertainment. It is claimed that during these days over 500,000 people attend this fiesta.

We will explore this manageable town, seeing its vibrant center with its markets, schools, banks, and cultural activities. We’ll also see the main church of Palmares, a beautiful building made completely from stone, a rarity in Costa Rica. 

Naranjo

The town of Naranjo, settled in 1830, was originally known as “Los Naranjos” (the Orange Groves) due to the abundance of orange trees in the surrounding area. Although the name has been shortened and the amount of orange trees has decreased, this city of 35,000 has remained an important agricultural hub for Costa Rica. Naranjo is located at the base of the Espírito Santo Hills in Costa Rica’s gorgeous Central Valley, about 30 miles from San José.  The area surrounding the town is dotted with farms growing all kinds of crops–  mainly coffee, rice,  and sugar cane. The elevation of the town is around 3,398 feet, the temperature is a consistently cool 68° F  

Staring in 2022 we now offer a newly revamped version of this tour. Our Guanacaste team of experts work hand-in-hand to design a custom itinerary to fit our clients specific needs, provide recommendations and arrange all of the lodging and transportation.

NOTE: This is NOT a real estate tour but a lifestyle tour for people of all ages who are thinking of relocating here. At the request of former clients, in some cases, we can provide real estate contacts in specific areas if I am provided with the info. well in advance.

Available most weekdays and weekends except for the last week of each month when we offer my regular scheduled  Central Valley and Beach tours and two-day seminar.

Special Guanacaste Add-on Tour

Staring in 2022 we now offer this new and Caribbean exciting tour. Our team of local travel experts work hand-in hand with our clients to design a custom itinerary to fit their specific needs, provide recommendations and arrange all of lodging and transportation.

The Southern Caribbean coast of Costa Rica is lined with beautiful beaches bordered by palm trees. The clear, turquoise water welcomes swimmers, sunbathers, surfers, and snorkelers. The Southern Caribbean coast has missed the boom of tourist development that has happened elsewhere in Costa Rica. It continues to remain a pristine off the beaten path destination with a unique culture of its own.