Hello and welcome to the first Travel Guide on the Completely Golden Substack. I received so many messages asking for expansion around moving to Costa Rica, what Nosara is like and how to plan a short or long-term stay! Well, ask and you shall receive.
In this post I will break down everything you need to know about Nosara! Including weather/seasons, the different areas of Nosara and local community. We will begin with my personal suggestions for hotels, restaurants and places to enjoy while you’re here! I’ll also cover short-term and long-term stay, as well as the logistics of relocating as an expat- including the legality of working here, taxes and paperwork. I can only speak to my own process as an American citizen, so you may need to explore deeper if you are coming from another country. I’ll dive into the process of finding an apartment, pricing and transportation options. Also, tips for navigating Customs, getting around if you don’t speak Spanish and how the local currency works.
Nosara, Costa Rica is well known for yoga and surfing. There is a big spiritual community here, with many places to dive deep into different healing practices. It is also one of the remaining 5 Blue Zones on the planet, here in the Nicoya Peninsula. Nosara is located in the north west side of the country, south of the Nicaraguan boarder and right on the Pacific Ocean. Home to many incredible animals, including Howler Monkeys, Coatis, and beautiful birds. It also has the best sunsets I have ever seen. The country (not an island) is about the size of West Virginia, in the US.
Costa Rica is a Latin American country. The locals call themselves Ticos (Ticas for feminine). It is a much slower pace of life. There is no rush, at least here in the jungle. It may take a few days for someone to respond to a text message- this is something I had to get used to, coming from New York! Their way of life is known as Pura Vida. This is a local saying that means pure life, or the sweetness of life. Anyone is welcome to say Pura Vida. You can use it in any positive context: Hello, replying to “how are you”, thank you, goodbye, etc.
You will see me use the word “gringo” throughout. This is not an offensive term here. It simply implies someone who is not from Costa Rica or any nearby Latin American countries. Similar to Tico/Tica, you use Gringo for male and Gringa for female (or Gringo for a mixed group).
Nosara is a tropical jungle- very hot and humid, with 3 main seasons. During the rainy seasons there is intermittent to heavy rain and muddy dirt roads. During the dry season, water can be sparse and the dirt roads become very dusty. Essentially, embrace the elements!
These are the 3 main seasons, at a glance: