Costa Rica

Costa Rica's Pacific Guanacaste

A lone white hilltop villa crowns a ridge of dense tropical forest on Costa Rica's Pacific Guanacaste coast, its modern balconies catching the only light beneath a heavy bank of gray-blue storm cloud, with a flowering red flamboyant tree in the foreground. Key Features: The Setting: Guanacaste's lowlands mix tropical dry forest with pockets of lush green that flourish once the rains begin. The Climate: The rainy season runs roughly May through November, often bringing dramatic afternoon storms like the one gathering here. The Architecture: Hilltop homes along this coast are built to catch the ocean breeze and sweeping views over the forested hills. The Flora: The bright red blossoms belong to a flamboyant tree, which blooms vividly in the wet months.

Costa Rica's Guanacaste Province

From a forested ridge in Costa Rica's Guanacaste province, rolling dry forest and cattle pasture run south toward a solitary volcanic cone and the hazy waters of the Gulf of Nicoya, with morning cloud drifting through the valley and scattered shade trees dotting the open grassland in front. Key Features: The Terrain: Rolling volcanic hills and dry forest mark northern Costa Rica, where cleared pasture meets remnant woodland. The Coastline: The province borders the Gulf of Nicoya on the Pacific Ocean. The Volcanoes: Guanacaste's volcanoes, Rincón de la Vieja and Miravalles among them, rise from the heat-soaked northern lowlands.