Why Guacimal, Costa Rica

Weather

Guacimal sits amidst mountains and rivers at an altitude of 508.00m/1666.67ft, according to elevationmap.net. This elevation gives us wonderful weather.

Not as hot as the beaches, nor as windy and rainy as the cloud forest in Monteverde. We get sunshine almost every day of the year; great for birders or sun worshipers like me! During the rainy season which starts in mid-May and extends until mid-November, we get less sun; but almost it comes out almost every day, for at least a couple of hours in the morning.

The rains begin in the afternoon and it rains most every day, with heavier rains during the months of October and September, and make everything comes so alive.

There are three restaurants/eateries (including our very own vegetarian café and small shop, Café-Bazar Om), a soccer field, the Guacimal and Veracruz rivers to swim in, and many smaller streams to hike along and bathe in. People can also enjoy the nearby hot springs. Biking is also a favorite sport as the roads are in good condition and the scenery quite beautiful.

Nature Access

We are part of the Bell Bird Biological Corridor and of the Pacific Hiking Trail which extends from Monteverde to the coast. Our town is at the base and neighbors the reserves of the Monteverde Cloud Forest, which is why we have abundant water sources. There are several churches of various denominations.

boy in green sweater writing on white paper

Community

It only takes 30 mins by car to Santa Elena, Monteverde, and the road is fully paved. Santa Elena is the heart of the Monteverde district. It is a busy town. You can find a myriad of restaurants, shops, banks/ATM’s, churches, entertainment, etc. The actual town of Monteverde is another 5 mins past Santa Elena and it features two bilingual schools K-12 grade and it is the heart of the Quaker ex-pat settlement.

Guacimal also has Spanish only public schools, which give an authentic cultural and language immersion experience. There are two small grocery stores well-stocked with the typical items Costaricans consume daily. You can request specialty items if needed. Many of us consume products that people produce around here such as eggs, milk, cheese, fruits and veggies (though this is limited at times), beans, root vegetables, etc.

A colorful bird perched on a branch in a forest

waterfalls surrounded by green-leafed trees during daytime

Infrastructure

We are close to the two main airports. It is 151 km to the Juan Santa Maria airport in Alajuela, and driving time according to Google Maps is a little more than 2 hours, but this depends on traffic. You can make it in two and a half hours if you leave really early in the morning. To the Liberia airport is 120 Km with an approximate driving time 1 hour and 45 mins early in the morning.

Both airports are reached via paved roads which are in good condition. To the Puntarenas Ferry, it is 49 km and it takes a little over an hour. And to the closest beach, Playa Dona Ana, it is 40 km and it takes 46 mins. To the city of Puntarenas where you can conduct most business activities such as banking, legals, post office, etc, it is 48 km, and it takes a little over 1 hr.

man sitting on gang chair with feet on luggage looking at airplane

Medical Care

If you become a resident, you will have the opportunity to belong to the public health system and pay a small sum monthly for free meds, labs, tests and doctor’s visits. The sum may be higher if you report a high income. As a single person you can expect to pay about $50 per month, depending on your income. The doctors and nurses come to Guacimal a few times a week.

If people need emergency care, they can travel 30 mins up to Monteverde and go to the free clinic or go to a private clinic where they speak English and are open 24 hours, mostly catering to the foreigners. This is not free, but it is inexpensive compared to the USA. Sometimes the wait times for free care can be very long.

You have to learn to navigate the system, so you may choose to pay for an occasional test out of pocket to expedite the care you need, but even then, it is so much cheaper and easier than in the US.

Public Utilities

ELECTRICITY

In our area, we get our electricity from ICE, the Costa Rican electric company. We are trying to get solar panels, but have not done it yet. A typical household of three pays about $40 USD per month.

TRASH COLLECTION

The township association has taken it upon themselves to establish a trash collection route. The community members enroll voluntarily in this effort to keep our town clean and it all works out! We pay $8 per month and the trash gets collected every Monday. There is a recycling center in Monteverde, where you can take your items to be recycled.

PUBLIC TRANSPORT

Buses run to and from San Jose/Alajuela Airport to Monteverde and Puntarenas passing by both main access highways (routes 605 and 606) twice daily. There are also collective shuttles to various locations throughout the country.

Schools

There are several public schools in our district. The largest and closest to us is just a few blocks from the Sustainability Center. There is no cost to attend and foreigners can enroll their children. The school cycle starts in February and they have strict age guidelines.

In addition, there are two bilingual (English-Spanish) in the nearby town of Santa Elena/Monteverde. It goes from pre-K to 12 th grade and they even administer the SAT and do college prep courses.

person in white shirt holding black and silver headphones

Telecommunications

We have relatively fast internet at the Center now via a special antenna. Most people use internet from their phone and do a hotspot or they obtain a modem and set it up at home to give Wi-Fi to several computers. There are landlines available in most places around our area and cellular phone service via Kolbi, the carrier with best coverage here

There is actually fiber-optic running under our main road, which we can hook into. Some day, there will be enough of us using the Center who are willing to pay the price of having unlimted super fast internet

white parabolic antenna mounted on the wall of house

WATER

We have EXCELLENT spring water! Costa Rica supplies a third of its water, specially in the rural areas, via all-volunteer non-profit organizations called ASADAS who administer the water distribution. These ASADAS fall under the jurisdiction of the overarching water distribution organization called the AYA. The ASADAS capture water either from or springs and set up a water distribution system. People pay for the water they consume very much in the same way as in the US. You get a bill online and can also be scheduled for automated payments online. Some farms also have their own springs and can use this water or use the city water from the ASADAS or both. A typical water bill for a household of three could be around $10-$20 USD per month.

COMMUNITY ASSOCIATIONS

A group of families from neighboring communities have formed what we called COMUNIDADES. It stands for Comunidades Unidas para un Desarrollo Ecologico y Sustentable, which translates into United Communities for a Sustainable and Ecological Development. It is a non-profit association and anyone can belong to it. We are mostly organizing to produce our own organic food and to support one another to promote well-being in general.

Rios Libres was born as a community-wide movement to save the Veracruz River from being dried up. Now it we have a group chat that keeps us connected and keeps active in case of any other threat to our natural resources. It is also a way to disseminate useful information about what goes on here and elsewhere in the world.

RutaCom- Inter-Community trading route. This is dormant at the moment. We traded goods and services in our area and the route extended all the way to Isla Caballo in the Gulf of Nicoya. Trading allows people to improve their lives by allowing access to food, necessary items and services that perhaps could not be accessed if they had to be purchased with money. During times of struggles, it has come in very useful.

people riding passenger bus during daytime

person in red sweater holding babys hand

Community Gallery

Explore vibrant life in Guacimal, surrounded by nature and wellness.

An aerial view of a semi-urban area with planned plots. There are scattered houses, green agricultural fields, and winding roads. Surrounding the development are hills with sparse vegetation.

Residential buildings form a backdrop to a vibrant, yellow-leaved tree standing prominently in a well-maintained green lawn. The sky is partly cloudy, casting a serene light over the scene. A playground area and a small shed are visible, adding a community feel to the suburban setting.

Aerial view of a residential area with modern houses surrounded by a winding body of water. The community features greenery, docks, and boats along the canal. This upscale neighborhood is situated by a larger water body, likely near a coastal area, with additional buildings in the background.

An aerial view of a modern residential complex with multiple rectangular buildings lined up parallel to each other. The buildings are surrounded by green lawns, pathways, and trees. Adjacent to the complex on the left are golf course elements, including well-maintained grass, sand bunkers, and golf holes. A pool with a clear blue color is visible on the rooftop of one of the buildings.

Guacimal has transformed my life! The community is welcoming, and the natural beauty is breathtaking. I feel healthier and more connected than ever before.

Sarah J.

★★★★★