Playa Tortuga (Turtle Beach), Costa Rica, its main attraction is its abundant wildlife and stunning natural scenery of towering mountains, lush forests, the ocean and two river mouths coming down from the Ojochal hills spilling into the sea. Playa Tortuga is home to a non-profit organization that works to educate locals and visitors alike about the conservation of Costa Rica’s

The conservation program for sea turtles at the Turtle Beach Reserve wants to promote the conservation of this species, and is open to all who want to help this cause.

Every night from July through December, our team patrols Playa Tortuga and is responsible for ensuring that the turtles that come to nest on this beach, are not threatened by those who steal their eggs for sale. For this it is necessary to relocate the nest to a safe place, protecting it from poachers, extreme tides and other natural hazards. About 50 days later, the hatchlings are born and make their way to the sea.

Less than 1% will survive and return to the beach as adults.

The 6 species of marine turtles in the world are under threat of extinction, and the beaches of our country are home for 5 of them. Turtle Beach is home to the Olive Ridley sea turtle (Lepidochelis olivacea) that 15 years ago arrived in numbers of up to 20 females per night, while today you are lucky if you see one or two.

The Charming Village of Ojochal is located on the south Pacific coast of Costa Rica. Ojochal is approximately thirty minutes south of Dominical and thirty minutes north of Palmar Norte (12 miles south of Uvita).

It´s many fine restaurants in Traditional, European and North American style, are sure to please the palette with national and international cuisine. This warm and welcoming village consists of a variety of hotels, restaurants, bars and various activities. This little paradise village has many amenities including:
• Supermarket
• Bakery
• Gas Station
• Hardware Store
• Construction Companies
• Internet Cafe
• Beauty Salon
• Taxi Services
• Diving Shop
• Gift Shop
• And Many More

The cultural diversity is as varied as the country itself. Ojochal is centrally located to several beautiful beaches and surrounded by magnificent mountains. Five minutes of Ojochal entrance, you will experience the warm pacific waters of Tortuga Beach, the undeveloped natural beauty and the spectacular sunsets endemic to this region.

The village itself captures the natural beauty and mystery of Costa Rica.

Ballena National Marine Park is located on the Pacific coastline between the Punta Uvita isthmus and Punta Piñuela in the Cortés district, Osa, Puntarenas, 10 mi (16 km) south of Dominical and 112 mi (180 km) southwest of San Jose. It is a protected coastal strip sheltering mangrove & wetland systems. “Marino Ballena” National Park is named after the Humpback Whales that migrate here each year from December to April to mate before returning to the frigid waters to the north.

The Ballena Marine National Park is surrounded by beautiful scenery. Because of its scientific value, it is a great place for environmental education and tourism development. In the waters you can find common and bottled-nosed dolphins, and during certain times of the year, even humpback whales as they migrate from as far away as Alaska and Hawaii down to Cano Island, just off of the Osa Peninsula. This area was created to ensure the survival of critical habitats for marine species' reproduction and nesting, as well as to preserve the productivity of biological communities that inhabit the coastal areas.

Although Costa Rica is a small territory, it makes up about 5% of the earth's biodiversity. Fortunately, this natural treasure is protected by the National System of Conservation Areas, preserving a total of 25% of the national territory.

This area (270 acres of land and 13,300 acres of ocean) was created to ensure the survival of critical habitats for marine species' reproduction and nesting, as well as to preserve the productivity of biological communities that inhabit the coastal areas. Established in 1990, the park includes some of the most extensive coral reefs on the Pacific coast, as well as the off lying Islas Ballena. Playa ballena offers one of the nicest beaches in Southern Costa Rica.

The Marino Ballena National Park contains a total of 18 coral species making it one of the best snorkeling places to observe corals of the central-south pacific of Costa Rica, second to Cano Island Reserve. Together, Marino Ballena National Park and Cano Island Reserve make for the best Costa Rica snorkeling and diving destinations.

Olive Ridley and Hawksbill turtles can be seen laying their eggs on night visit to the beach between May and November. Above the water, animal action continues: Frigate birds, pelicans and ibises are typical representatives of the local bird fauna and nest on the small island Isla Ballena.

The coast is made up of golden sand beaches as well as some rocky sections and cliffs; in any case, there are very few visitors and on many occasions you will find you are the only one. 

The Osa: Costa Rica’s Next Real Estate Development Boom

Why are real estate developers turning their eyes to Costa Rica’s South Pacific Region?
Real estate developers have been snapping up available properties in Costa Rica’s OSA peninsula, which is considered by many to be one of Central America’s best places for investment opportunities. Let’s take a look at what the region has to offer.

Eco Living
There is no better place in the Western hemisphere for Eco living than the Osa Peninsula in Costa Rica. The bio diversity found on the Osa Peninsula, a timeless tropical nature sanctuary, is unsurpassed by any other regions of similar size on earth. Wild and untamed, this national park and surround area is breathtakingly beautiful and is one of the remotest parks in the country. The Corcovado National Park is a diverse habitat with a plethora of endangered plant and animal species much of which is now a protected habitat.

Exotic and lush, the Corcovado National Park spans over 41,000 hectares and protects over 140 different mammal species; 400 bird species, 115 amphibian and reptile species, 40 species of fish and more than 500 species of trees. With rare Harbor Squirrel Monkey, Harpy Eagle, poison arrow frogs, indigenous wild cats, crocodiles, pumas and jaguars as well as four species of sea turtles, Corcovado is a favorite among eco adventurers the world over.

In contrast to this natural haven you will also find super exclusive jungle resorts and estates hidden deep in the emerald green tropical forests of the Osa.

The small port of Golfito is found on the mainland side of the Gulfo Dulce backed against steep green hills covered with pristine rainforest. This is a popular town as Golfito established a duty-free zone and attracts visitor from all over Costa Rica. You can access Golfito quickly from the Osa by ferry boat or a boat taxi, or breath taking drive around the Gulf. Famous for it fresh fish directly off of the numerous local fishing boats, many people come to buy their fish or enjoy one of the many waterside restaurants.

The growing number of bio-reserves and conservation areas protected by government and local organizations has limited the available land for development on the OSA, making real estate this area one the most sought-after eco-living prizes in Central America.

Easy Access to the OSA Attracts Potential Investors
Apart from pristine, secluded beauty of the Osa, accessibility is a prime driver for development and the new International airport at Palma Sur is a key factor for developers now looking for opportunity on the Osa.

To see evidence of what happens when international airport access opens in a region we can look at what happened in Guanacaste. When the Liberia International airport expanded, it cut the access time to the area to a fraction, sparking one of the largest development booms in Costa Rica history as resorts, residential, and private home development surged.

Until the news airport at Palma Sur is complete you will still have to fly into San Jose and take a local flight onto the Osa or drive. Because the drive takes approximately 4 to 5 hours, and the flights from San Jose to Puerto Jimenez takes approximately 40 minutes, many opt for the local flight. Local flight services from Nature Air and Sansa each have regular daily flight between San Jose and Puerto Jimenez which is primary port town on the Osa.

However, for those opting for the scenic route, the principle highway, the Costenera has improved tremendously. Further the new “Pista del Sol” from San Jose connecting the Central Valley to Pacific Coast makes the drive very easy and pleasant. The drive is extremely scenic with mountain and ocean views the whole way.

The main highway onto the Osa has also been developed as well as many of the connecting roads again have changed from gravel to paved roads again improving ease and comfort of access.

Real Estate Availability
The available real estate on the Osa is limited. First the Corcovado National Park encompasses an area of 425 km² (263 mi²) and that does not include a large number other reserves and conservation projects.

The available real estate will continue to shrink as conservative efforts of the various eco reserves and parks achieve for more protected areas and further, the government has its own mandate to continue increase protected areas further reducing available development real estate. It is these very conservation areas, reserves and refuge projects and the abundance of flora and fauna that attracts tourist and developers to the area. National Geographic has called it “the most biologically intense place on Earth in terms of biodiversity”.

Costa Rica News, Sunday, December 30th, 2012

South Zone of Costa Rica is building new airport

The Embraer 190 and Airbus A320, with capacity for 150 passengers, will be the commercial aircrafts that will land in the new international airport  The South Zone will have a new International Airport that’s being built with the purpose of stimulating the arrival of tourists to the region.

The building is focused on a “green” concept, where its design and operation will cause the lowest possible impact in the environment.

It was considered convenient to build a 2.2 km long landing strip, 1 km less than the Juan Santamaria airport.  The Embraer 190 and Airbus A320, with capacity for 150 passengers, will be the commercial aircrafts that will land in the new international airport.

According to information taken from Pueblo y “Sociedad Noticias”, the building of airport is a promise from the campaign of the President Laura Chinchilla, which is starting next year, so it will be done by the time this Government period ends.

This project already has the master plan, and the studies of financial viability, environmental impact and social-economical impact are expected to be done by next year.

For being an international airport, it will have the services of Migration and Airport and Tax Police.

The preliminary studies of this project started in 2008, which defined the dimensions of the new airport.

When visiting the south zone of the country, remember that Costa Rican Trails offers you a great hotel menu and tours, where your days and nights will be filled with adventure and wonderful experiences.

From Costarican Trails, Jan 24th, 2012