Flamingo, Brasilito, Surfside and Potrero

These small villages and towns are all located within a few kilometers of each other, about a 30-minute drive from Tamarindo, and an hour from Liberia. Each little town has a grocery store and a few other shops, but not much else.

Flamingo is a hilly peninsula of beautiful million-dollar vacation homes nestled among trees and with splendid ocean views. The fact that the area is a peninsula naturally restricts development, however development land is still available in the hills just off the peninsula. Flamingo’s white-sand beach to the south of the peninsula is one of the most beautiful in the country. The beach has a resort hotel, and there is regular talk of reopening the marina, which would certainly boost the pace of development.

Flamingo has a strong community with an association that handles local issues, such as crime. A spate of robberies recently prompted residents to hire a full-time security force, which they say has significantly reduced the problem. Flamingo is a party hot spot for Ticos during the New Year, which has caused some tension in the past because of the mess they leave behind.

Brasilito is a quaint Tico beach town near the Reserva Conchal luxury resort. A few other large resorts are planned for that area, but have been stalled by environmental regulation and a loss of financing. The road from Brasilito to the small towns of Surfside and Potrero isn’t paved. The area has seen plenty of development recently, and prices aren’t as high as Flamingo. Most of the development is single-family homes, many of which are within gated communities. There is still land for sale and room build. Potero has one resort and a few small hotels. A so-called monkey trail (a rough road that’s great fun to drive if you like that kind of thing) runs through to Playas del Coco and Hermosa.

Apparently, Surfside is running out of water connections, so if you are interested in buying and building in the area, be sure to check with the local water authority before you buy.

The community in these areas is made up of a mix of permanent resident expatriates, foreigners with vacation homes, and Ticos who’ve always lived there. Some expatriates are retired, while others are involved in community work, tourism, or run cafes and restaurants.