After perhaps the most tumultuous presidential election in my lifetime, culminating in a very controversial result, many are thinking more seriously than ever of making an expat move.
Of course, there are many countries one could consider. Certainly Costa Rica ranks high on the list of most aspiring expats and for good reasons…
Costa Rica is politically stable. It is geographically diverse, with gorgeous mountains and two incredible coastlines. The people of Costa Rica are peaceful, naturally friendly, and offer a warm welcome to us gringo expats…well, as long as we mind our manners.
So, yes, Costa Rica is an expat haven. However, once having made the decision to move here, one is still faced with a wide variety of choices concerning where to live. You can opt for the big city of San Jose and the surrounding grand area metropolitana, or you can head for the countryside into the mountains, or down to one of Costa Rica’s many beaches.
It seems more and more are choosing the Quepos/Manuel Antonio area as an optimum expat beach destination. What are the reasons behind this Manuel Antonio expat appeal?
This post will offer 10 reasons that support the Manuel Antonio expat appeal…
1. Accessibility – Manuel Antonio is easy to get to from San Jose. You just take the Caldera Highway over to the Costanera, Costa Rica’s coastal highway and one of its greatest infrastructural achievements, and in about 3 hours, or less, you’re there. You’ll endure far less pain in getting to Manuel Antonio than you will for many other Costa Rica coastal destinations.
2. The Beach – Manuel Antonio truly has some of Costa Rica’s most beautiful beaches, both inside its popular national park and out. Many go there to visit the beach and then come back to stay.
3. The Biodiversity – You’re really in the jungle in Manuel Antonio. And it’s not hard to notice that, both due to the lush tropical vegetation, the monkeys, and other wildlife that abound in the area. Even though the animals and the people rub shoulders in this small geographical space, both seem to get along pretty well.
4. Quepos – Quepos is the little fishing village just before you arrive at the beaches of Manuel Antonio. There you can find most everything you need and these days, there are a lot of dining and nightlife options that are bringing more activity to this once sleepy town.
5. Great Food – Manuel Antonio boasts many great dining options, for local as well as international cuisine. It is a top tourist destination in Costa Rica. In fact, one of the three “crown jewels” of Costa Rica tourism (the others being Arenal and Monteverde). So, that encourages a lot of touristic development that can make life quite enjoyable for expats that live there, in addition to the tourist who are just visiting.
6. Good Nightlife – Same reasoning as with the dining options. Nightlife options are many in the area and there’s always a party somewhere.
7. The Quepos Airport – Another great accessibility advantage is the Quepos airport with frequent flights to San Jose and other destinations. The flights are relatively cheap and this makes other areas of the country inherently accessible to expats in Manuel Antonio.
8. Growth Opportunity – Manuel Antonio is undergoing a growth spurt. I’ve written in the past about my opinion as to the future direction of that growth. Investing in the right area of Manuel Antonio can reap great returns.
9. An Inclusionary Attitude – Manuel Antonio grew early on in popularity as a destination for gay people. They have always been welcome there, even when it wasn’t that much of an acceptable lifestyle choice in many parts. That inclusionary attitude has certainly persisted and folks of any persuasion can find a welcome home there.
10. The Pez Vela Marina – The downtown Quepos area is undergoing strong development, largely due to the relatively new and rapidly expanding Pez Vela Marina. It has become a high-end focal point that is attracting a lot of attention to this once little sleepy fishing village.
Manuel Antonio definitely has the expat allure and the election of Donald J. Trump as the 45th U.S. president might only heighten the Manuel Antonio expat appeal.
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