CENTRAL VALLEY TOUR
Led by Christopher Howard
(5-days)
Cost $1049 single / $1349 couple
Wednesday:
Arrive in San Jose. Our staff will meet you at the airport and transport you to the Torremolinos Hotel.
Thursday:
Breakfast at the hotel. At 8:00 the first day of a highly-informative Seminar sponsored by the Association of Residents of Costa Rica. You will hear from some of the country's foremost authorities in the fields of real estate, law, health care, moving, medical care, insurance, learning the language and more. A few people who have moved to Costa Rica will share their experiences with you.
You will make new friends and begin to make a network of valuable
contacts. A delicious buffet lunch is included.Happy Hour is
scheduled after the seminar. Free evening.
Friday:
Second day of the seminar with lunch included. You will hear more from the rest of Costa Rica's experts including your tour guide Christopher Howard. Surprise group dinner at a local restaurant.
Saturday:
Breakfast at the Hotel with a 7:30 departure. First, we will go on a city tour to see where Americans reside, the University of Costa Rica, malls, hospitals, parks, a wharehouse-style supermarket to show you what food products are available in Costa Rica and so much more. A few of the places you will see are the neighborhoods of Los Yoses, Barrio Escalante, Sabana Norte and Rohrmoser. You will also visit the towns Escazú, Santa Ana, Ciudad Cariari, Heredia and the areas of San José de la Montaña with its alpine-like setting and charmingly quaint San Isido. You will even give you a chance to see the inside of a couple on homes along the way. Lunch at La Cocina de Don Leyla, where you will savor the best of Costa Rica’s authentic dishes. After lunch you will visit the town of Moravia to see the area and stop at the country's beat souvenir shops. Free night.
Sunday:
Breakfast at the Hotel with a 7:30 departure. First, you will explore the beautiful mountain town of Atenas, considered by National Geographic as having the "best climate" in the world. Then you will visit Grecia, know as "the cleanest city" in Costa Rica. The surrounding area is spectacular. Next, you will visit Alajuela which is Costa Rica's second largest city. Lunch will be at "The Banco de Mariscos" considered by the natives the serve he best seafood in the country. After lunch you will visit a couple of properties to give you a better idea of the lifestyle in the Central Valley and to get an idea of the price of property.
Monday:
Transportation to the airport is included. Airfare is not included.
This is an excellent tour to introduce you to the Central Valley, its infrastructure and lifestyle.
Please call Pamela for availability.
(800)365-2342
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BEACH TOUR*:7 Days
Led by Christopher Howard
$1599.00 for one/1849.99 couple
The Central/Southern Pacific beach area is one of Costa Rica's jewels and perfect for retirement. It extends from Puntarenas in the north to beyond Playa Tortuga/Ojochal in the south. The closest and most accessible beaches to San José are found in northern part of 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 and Southern Pacific Coast have something for your retirement dreams. Some of the outdoor activities found here 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 area.
Here is one retiree’s take on the Central and South Pacific: "It was our experience that the west coast was very much like where we came from San Diego, California. The ocean was similar to that of California (but warmer). There has been a lot of American-style investment here. Prices, as you’d expect, are higher as you get closer to the water."
Saturday:
Arrive in San Jose. Our staff will meet you at the airport and transport you to the Torremolinos Hotel.
Sunday:
A buffet breakfast at the hotel. Then a 7:30 departure on our retirement/relocation tour for Costa Rica's gorgeous Dominical Uvita area in the South Pacific. On the way you will receive a packet of materials and will be given orientation/mini seminar about the tour. Christopher will narrate and make comments about all of the points of interest along the way.
We will then pass through the city of Cartago located at the foot of the imposing Irazú Volcano. Then we will cross Costa Rica's spectacular Talamanca mountain range before we descend into the lowlands and the Valle de General. There are breathtaking views along the way where you can see both the Central Valley and Pacific Ocean. Once in the lowlands we will stop for a quick tour and lunch in San Isidro de General, the fastest growing town in Central America.
From there we will cross the beautiful costal mountains with their panoramic views and then descend to the coast at the mouth of the beautiful Barú River. From there we will pass through Dominical to Uvita where we will have lunch and spend two nights at the stunning Cristal Ballena Hotel or Whales and Dolphins Hotel.
We will have a short orientation and take a mini tour of the area in the afternoon.
A gourmet dinner will round out the day.
Monday:
Day 3 - Breakfast at the hotel. In the morning and afternoon we will view some of the many natural wonders this tropical paradise has to offer, including Cinco Ventanas. We will also tour the towns of Dominical, Ojochal and Uvita and view the infrastructure like restaurants, shops, pharmacies, restaurants, supermarkets, banks and more. Then we will visit a cross section of homes so that you can get a good idea of what kind of property is available and gain a proper perspective about real estate in the area. In a few years a new international airport will be built to service this area. A new hospital already exists. Lunch and dinner will be in two exotic locations.
Tuesday:
Breakfast and check out of the hotel. We will head north along the new costal highway which is currently under construction. Once completed it will cut over an hour off the trip from the Central Valley.
We will pass through the town of Matapalo on the way to Quepos. The Quepos and adjoining Manuel Antonio area is one of the country’s most popular tourist destinations, popular for retirement and offers some of the most beautiful beach resorts in the world. The area offers other activities to keep you busy and happy during your retirement such as rafting on either the Naranjo or Savegre rivers, horseback riding, four-wheeling, hiking and canopy tours in the incredible mountains that serve as a backdrop to the area.
From Quepos we will gradually work our way up the coast to our hotel in Jaco beach. On the way we will visit Manuel Antonio Heights in the foothills to the north of Quepos. It is one of the most unique and affordable projects in the country where you may find the retirement home of your dreams. The views will take your breath away. We will also visit beautiful Palo Seco Beach. This area is just starting to boom partially because it was always off the beaten path for many years with Jacó and Quepos getting being much more in the spotlight. But now all of that has changed. It is now a another great retirement option.
We will have lunch along the way and then visit some projects in the Esterillos and Playa Hermosa areas.
Next we will check into the Arenal Pacifico Hotel in Jaco Beach and and have some time to explore the beach. Dinner will be in Jaco beach or nearby Play Hermosa.
Jacó is conveniently located just 72 miles or about two hours from San José. This Key-West-like town is a very popular weekend retreat with ticos and tourists. A growing retirement community can also be found here. Jacó is by far the most developed beach town in the Central Pacific region and has excellent tourist infrastructure. An eclectic mixture of foreigners and locals gives Jacó a sort of cosmopolitan feeling.
Boredom will not be a factor here for those interested in retirement. There are pizza parlors, international restaurants, handicraft shops, bars, discos and late-night spot where you can party until the wee hours of the morning. Water sports, especially surfing and sport fishing, attract scores of people to the area. You can also explore the natural wonders of nearby forests on foot, horseback or a canopy ride through the treetops. The Jacó community’s new Plaza Coral Mall features 60 stores, a three-screen international movie theater, a food court and two formal restaurants. The new mall will cater to both tourists and local residents.
Just two miles down the coast from Jacó lies Playa Hermosa. Do not confuse this idyllic surf community with the beach with the same name in Guanacaste. Hermosa (“Beautiful”), as its name indicates, is protected as a national wild life refuge. Because of good year-round waves, most people come to Hermosa to surf. Many international surfing tournaments are held here every year. However, there is plenty to keep non-surfers busy, especially at nearby bustling Jacó. Hermosa is also a prime retirement area and has a foreign community.
Wednesday:
A buffet breakfast at the hotel and check out. We will check out the infrastructure in the area and view a couple of more properties before touring the five star Marriott Los Sueños resort, marina and golf course. We will have lunch there in a restaurant which overlooks the marina.
Next we will head north on the Costal Highway or Costanera as it is know in Spanish towards the town of Orotina. We will then travel over the costal mountain range and pass through the beautiful mountain town of Atenas which has one of the best climates in the world according to National Geographic. There are breathtaking views along the way where you can see both the Central Valley and Pacific Ocean.
We will arrive at the Torremolinos Hotel in San José in the early afternoon where you will have the rest of the afternoon and evening free.
Thursday:
Breakfast at the hotel and pre-seminar orientation at 7:30 in the lobby of the hotel. At 8:00 the first day of a highly-informative relocation, living and retirement Seminar You will hear from some of the country’s foremost authorities in the fields of real estate, law, health care, moving, medical care, insurance, learning the language and more - everything that a person wishing to relocate to Costa Rica will need to know. A few people who have moved to and retired in Costa Rica will share their experiences with you. You will make new friends and begin to make a network of valuable contacts. A delicious buffet lunch is included. Happy Hour is scheduled after the seminar. Free evening.
Friday:
Second day of the seminar with lunch included. You will hear more from the rest of Costa Rica’s experts including your retirement tour guide, Christopher Howard.
Surprise group dinner at a local where you will meet and mingle people who have made the retirement move and savor more delicious Costa Rican cooking. All of our past clients really love the activity and especially enjoy being welcomed into someone's home. It is a real cultural experience you won't want to miss on this retirement tour.
Saturday:
Transportation to the airport included for the participants on this month’s retirement/relocation tour.
*This Tour does have minimum requirement call Pamela at 800-365-2342
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Combination Tour (Beach and Inland Valley):
10 Days Led by Christopher Howard
$1999.00 single/$2499.00 couple
Saturday:
Arrive in San Jose. Our staff will meet you at the airport and transport you to the Torremolinos Hotel.
Sunday:
A buffet breakfast at the hotel. Then a 7:30 departure for Jaco Beach where you will stay at the beachfront Arenal Pacifico Lodge. On the way you will receive a packet of materials and orientation about the tour. Prior to arriving at the hotel we will stop at the Nativa Resort and then tour the five star Marriott Los Sueños resort, marina and golf course. Lunch will be served at the Barco de Mariscos in downtown Jaco Beach. After lunch we will visit the new Del Pacifico Development in Esterillos Este and Faro Escondido.
To end the day on a fantastic note, you will view one of the most beautiful sunsets in the world from a Greek-style ampitheater on a hilltop at the Hotel Villas Caletas. The view alone is enough to make you want to live in Costa Rica. Dinner will be at the Colonial Restaurant in Jaco.
Monday:
After breakfast we will will depart at 7:30 for the Dominical /Tortuga beaches. On the way we will pass through the towns of Parrita and Quepos. We will take a break in Quepos/Manuel Antonio before continuing to Dominical to meet our local contacts and have lunch.
Because the mountains meet the sea in Dominical, it is called a "Tropical Big Sur." Next, we will have lunch and then travel along the pristine coast with its beautiful seaside rock formations and tropical rain forest as a backdrop to the beautiful Ojochal/Tortuga area. On the way you will see the areas where whales can be observed during most of the year. This sights are spectacular. This part of Costa Rica just recently became accessible when the new costal highway was finished. A world of possibilties exist here. During the rest of the day we will explore the area and learn about of the amenities, unique lifestyle and activities it has to offer: waterfalls, tropical rain forests, birdwatching, fishing, diving, horseback riding, hiking, boating, kyaking, surfing and so much more.
Tuesday:
An early breakfast. Then we will hook up with a local guide and see more of the area and its infra structure and sample some of the properties. We will have lunch on a house boat/restaurant. You will also have the chance to meet some of the Americans who live in this part of the country. In the afternoon there will be a visit to Cinco Ventanas which is a beach with a rock formation featuring five tunnel-like blow holes. Finally, to end a great day we will have an unforgettable dinner at Exotica which is the area's premier restaurant. Your taste bus will never recover.
Wednesday:
Breakfast at the hotel and a 7:30 departure for San José.
We will travel along the Barú river through the beautiful costal mountains to the city of San Isidro, "The Fastest Growing City" in Central America. After a brief stop to rest, we will take the Pan-American Highway over the country's most spectacular mountains on our way to San José where you will stay at the Hotel Torremolinos again.
Thursday:
Breakfast at the hotel. At 8:00 the first day of a highly-informative Seminar sponsored by the Association of Residents of Costa Rica. You will hear from some of the country's foremost authorities in the fields of real estate, law, health care, moving, medical care, insurance, learning the language and more. A few people who have moved to Costa Rica will share their experiences with you.
You will make new friends and begin to make a network of valuable
contacts. A delicious buffet lunch is included.Happy Hour is
scheduled after the seminar. Free evening.
Friday:
Second day of the seminar with lunch included. You will hear more from the rest of Costa Rica's experts including your tour guide Christopher Howard. Surprise group dinner at a local restaurant.
Saturday:
Breakfast at the Hotel with a 7:30 departure. First, we will go on a city tour to see where Americans reside, the University of Costa Rica, malls, hospitals, parks, a wharehouse-style supermarket to show you what food products are available in Costa Rica and so much more. A few of the places you will see are the neighborhoods of Los Yoses, Barrio Escalante, Sabana Norte and Rohrmoser. You will also visit the towns Escazú, Santa Ana, Ciudad Cariari, Heredia and the areas of San José de la Montaña with its alpine-like setting and charmingly quaint San Isido. You will even give you a chance to see the inside of a couple on homes along the way. Lunch at La Cocina de Don Leyla, where you will savor the best of Costa Rica’s authentic dishes. After lunch you will visit the town of Moravia to see the area and stop at the country's beat souvenir shops. Free night.
Sunday:
Breakfast at the Hotel with a 7:30 departure. First, you will explore the beautiful mountain town of Atenas, considered by National Geographic as having the "best climate" in the world. Then you will visit Grecia, know as "the cleanest city" in Costa Rica. The surrounding area is spectacular. Next, you will visit Alajuela which is Costa Rica's second largest city. Lunch will be at "The Banco de Mariscos" considered by the natives the serve he best seafood in the country. After lunch you will visit a couple of properties to give you a better idea of the lifestyle in the Central Valley and to get an idea of the price of property.
Monday:
Transportation to the airport is included.
This tour is our most popular. It allows you to see both the beach and the Inland Valley extensively.
Please call Pamela for availability.
(800)365-2342
******************************************************
CONSULTATIONS:
For individuals short on time we also offer private consultations.
These are one on one consultations with Chris Howard. We request you provide us with a list of your questions, concerns and interests prior to your arrival. This allows Chris the time to tailor make the day(s) to fit your needs.
Please call Pamela for pricing and availability.
(800)365-2342
Hotel and Car rental are not included in these prices. You can make your own hotel and car rental arrangements if you like, or we can handle that for you.
All trips are led by Christopher Howard the author of this guidebook and expert on living and investing in Costa Rica. In addition to the Central Valley Tours listed above we offer Private Consultations or Tailor-Made Tours for individuals, couples and small groups short on time or whose schedule does not coincide with the regular fixed date tours. All tours include a two-day seminar given by experts in real estate, law, banking, health care, investing and more.
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