Nosara has a handful of great surfing beaches, including Playa Guiones, Playa Negra, Playa Grande, Witch’s Rock, Ollie’s Point, Mal Pais, Jaco Beach and Playa Hermosa. Playa Guiones is arguably the best-known surfing beach in Nosara, and offers 2-6 foot surfs with long rides, safe enough for beginners but still enough of a thrill for dedicated surfer guys and girls. Windy days can bring the big waves, and with them come some of the most perfect barrels to take for a ride.

The waters are filled with a good mix of local Ticos and Ticas (Costa Rican men and women), sun-bronzed ex-pats living out their endless summer and eager tourists looking for a surfing thrill. Everyone is friendly and out there to have a good time, so beginners need not worry about the intimidation factor. For novice surfers who want to learn the basics, consider taking lessons from one of the two popular surf schools in the area:  Safari Surf School and Coconut Harry’s Surf Shop. All this can be enjoyed just minutes away from Kalia’s luxury eco-villages Ruby Skky, Emerald Woods and Black Beauty.

The Breeze Model is available for your next luxury vacation in Costa Rica starting in December.

Set high over the Costa Rica rain forest lies The Breeze, one of Kalia’s impressive new model homes. The height and openness of the Breeze give residents spectacular views of Costa Rica’s lush tropical jungles. Clean, modern lines and floor to ceiling windows characterize the sweeping silhouette of the two-story luxury home that boasts a large, open floor plan. As with all Kalia model homes, the Breeze was designed to maximize the residents’ enjoyment of Costa Rica indoor/outdoor living with a total living area of 4,844 square feet.

Playa Ostional is just minutes away from this beautiful vacation home.

The indoor open floor plan encompasses 2,691 square feet of luxury while modern outdoor decks and water features claim the remaining 2,153 square feet. Thanks to Costa Rica’s year-round mild weather and warm climate, future Breeze homeowners will appreciate the seamless integration between the indoor and outdoor design of the home, enabling them to enjoy themselves equally indoors and out.

As we’ve discussed, Kalia’s mission is the marriage of sustainability and luxury, which is why the Breeze is filled with ecofriendly appointments. Eye-catching rooftop gardens insulate and reduce storm water runoff to keep Costa Rica’s waters crystal clean and free from pollutants, soothing water features double as relaxing décor and natural cooling for the home, and sustainable furniture and building materials make the Breeze the epitome of refined eco-luxury living. Luckily, discerning travelers who want a taste of the Breeze can begin by making reservations at this expansive estate starting in December.  If you are looking for a tropical paradise in which to spend the holidays, check out the Breeze and reserve your spot before it’s too late.

An Unforgettable Bird’s Eye View

Located in Nosara on Costa Rica’s stunning Pacific Coast, Miss Sky Canopy Tours is the country’s premiere provider of zip lining tours through the lush rainforests. Adventurers and nature lovers are invited to take to the pure blue skies and sail through the air to experience a once-in-a-lifetime perspective on Costa Rica’s natural beauty. Unique amongst Costa Rica’s zip lining tour options, Miss Sky Canopy is set within a completely natural 2500 acre forest reserve on a coastal mountain range. Set out in the middle of pristine wilderness, there is little distraction to Costa Rica’s breathtaking natural beauty.

Taking a Miss Sky Canopy Tour

Miss Sky Canopy Tours offers a long daytime zip lining tour, a condensed midday zip lining tour and an enchanting nighttime zip lining tour. The tour company’s 21 zip lining runs range from 500 to 600 meters long and are perched a few hundred feet off the ground for spectacular 360 degree views of Costa Rica. At the end of the tour, adventurers zip line directly into a modern disco and bar, where they can share the exciting sights seen on their zip lining with family and friends. It’s a truly unique way to experience Costa Rica’s rainforests, and is the premiere company that provides the utmost in safety and spectacular sights.

The Miss Sky Canopy Tour is only minutes away from Kalia’s Ruby Sky, Emerald Woods and Black Beauty Villages.

Emperor penguins atop an icy glacier.

Wealthy adrenaline junkies and intrepid travelers need not sacrifice their everyday luxuries to experience sweeping adventure. Thanks to a growing class of travelers with upper crust sensibilities and a longing for excitement, luxury travel companies are offering high end adventure tours to some of the world’s most intriguing places.

Accustomed to living richly in their daily lives, these discerning globe trotters want to spend their nights among jaguars and water buffalo in the African plains – while settling down to sleep amongst the finest five hundred thread count pillows and sheets in a luxury tent. For fearless travelers with such tastes, here is a list of some of the best adventure tours for the rich and famous:

Adventure Collection Tour to Antarctica

Sail south from the tip of Argentina into the other-worldly white plains of Antarctica. Large ships outfitted with bars, lounges and libraries break through glacial ice and on-board naturalists lecture on Antarctica’s rich and unique wildlife. On the mainland, socialite travelers will find themselves in the company of royalty – in the form of the regal Emperor Penguins that call the arctic home. Further adventuring can be accomplished by sea kayaking through icy cold waters, camping in the white wilderness and even cross country skiing.

Abercrombie & Kent’s Ancient Wonders Adventure Tour

Delve into the ancient wonders that lie within Israel, Jordan and Egypt on this luxury adventure tour from Abercrombie & Kent. Leaders in upper crust adventure travel for decades, Abercrombie & Kent travel guides will lead explorers through the sands of the ancient world by camel. Adventurers will get a taste for Bedouin life by enjoying tea with local families, preparing a Jordanian meal at the Petra Kitchen and taking a refreshing dip in the Dead Sea.

Gaia Hotel & Reserve in Costa Rica

The Gaia Hotel & Reserve offers discerning travelers a Costa Rica Adventure Package that includes three days of exploring the country’s pristine rainforests, mangroves and beaches. Adventurers can satisfy their need for thrill on rushing white water rapids or by guided ATV tours that uncover Costa Rica’s rich biodiversity, and satiate their need for luxury by curling up in Gaia’s plush suites in front of a flat screen TV.

Costa Rica's Nicoya Peninsula

Whether you are a weary traveler in need of blissful escape or a wealthy expatriate looking for a new pied-a-terre, these beach front properties are the place to be. Sweeping ocean views, rich culture and great activities place the Nicoya Peninsula, Cable Beach and Antibes high on our exclusive list of locations.

Nicoya Peninsula, Costa Rica

More than just a single beach, the Nicoya Peninsula is a stunning expanse of beautiful beaches. Since much of Costa Rica’s coastline is protected through national parks and nature preserves, the majority of the ocean front property is natural and undeveloped. Not only does the Nicoya Peninsula offer both blissful beaches and wildlife-laden rainforests, it is also considered one of the world’s biggest blue zones; areas where residents live unusually long, healthy and satisfied lives. Thanks to new eco-friendly coastal developments like Kalia, expats with an eye for luxury living can own their own dream property on the pristine peninsula and spend their free time saving endangered Leatherback turtles from extinction, hiking through lush rainforests and taking sunset boat tours through winding crystal rivers.

Cable Beach, Australia

Cable Beach

Renowned as one of the most beautiful beaches in the world, Cable Beach is a flawless stretch of white sand beaches along the Indian Ocean. Blessed with year-round gorgeous weather, Cable Beach’s remote location helps high stress executives escape the fast-paced daily life and truly relax. Among the unique activities on Cable Beach is the sunset camel ride along the shore, which is definitely something to be experienced. Adventure lovers will revel in the freefall skydiving and excellent surfing conditions that characterize the destination. (source: goAustralia.about.com)

Antibes Beach

Antibes, France

Studded with 48 different beaches along the fifteen miles of coastline, Antibes is lush with history and beach front beauty. The dramatic rocky cliffs that characterize Antibes’ beach front property offer breathtakingly gorgeous views of the crystal blue waves breaking along the shoreline. For entertainment, travelers and residents can revel in the culture and history of Antibes’ abundant music festivals, theater, and museums. Well heeled shopaholics can also enjoy the famed shopping among ritzy Antibes boutiques.

(source: wikipedia)

Costa Rica & Green Building

On the forefront of sustainable luxury living, Kalia embraces the importance of green building. Though Costa Rica already established a chapter of the Green Building Council, it was just inducted this week into the World Green Building Council. The press release making the announcement discusses Costa Rica’s green building goals, including their push to become the first carbon-neutral country in the world by 2021.

Read the full article here: Costa Rica Joins World Green Building Council

Cutting Edge Costa Rica Healthcare

Costa Rica’s world renowned health care system is getting a boost from private equity investors, who have just injected funding into Pacific Plaza Health and Living (PPHL). PPHL will be a state of the art private healthcare complex located in northern Costa Rica, and is set to include the country’s second CIMA hospital.

CIMA Hospitals are run by the International Hospital Consortium, and aim to provide the best in medical care. Currently, Costa Rica’s San Jose CIMA hospital is known as the best in the country thanks to CIMA’s exacting standards for patient care, physicians and facilities. If San Jose is any indication, the latest CIMA hospital in PPHL will offer another top option for Costa Rica health care.

Read the full article here: Aureos Capital Backs Costa Rican Healthcare Facility

Foreigners living abroad in Costa Rica have access to both the public and private health care systems. The public health care is run by the CCSS and private health insurance can be purchased through the Instituto de Seguro National (ISN). Both cost between $50 and $100 per month depending on an individual’s age and health care requirements, although treatment at CCSS clinics and hospitals is less expensive than it is at private clinics (Source: www.CostaRica.com & www.InternationalLiving.com). Either way, however, almost all foreigners will find both private and public health care in Costa Rica much more affordable than health care at home.

CIMA hospitals, which have some of the highest medical standards in the world, are located throughout Costa Rica, including in Guanacaste (source: www.coztarica.com). The CIMA in Guanacaste is under construction and will be completed in 2011. The CIMA hospital in Escazu, as well as the Clinica Biblica and Clinica Catolica located in San Jose are renowned for outstanding patient care, cutting edge procedures and talented U.S. and European educated physicians. Though San Jose hospitals receive the most hype, Costa Rica is constantly pouring resources into other hospitals such as the Nicoya La Anexion hospital, which was recently part of a 54 million dollar government grant for state of the art equipment. Indeed, one of the biggest benefits to living in Costa Rica is affordable access to sophisticated health care.

The Nosara Yoga Institute is just minutes from Kalia's Black Beauty, Ruby Sky and Emerald Woods Eco-Villages.

The pura vida lifestyle of Costa Ricans is imbued with adventure, enjoyment and rejuvenation. One of the best ways to revitalize and find harmony within oneself is undoubtedly through the ancient practice of yoga. Yoga nourishes the mind, body and soul, which is why it coalesces so well with the Costa Rican concept of pura vida. For Costa Rica travelers and resident seeking the best yoga retreats, the Nosara Yoga Institute is an ideal destination. Though they offer thrice daily classes for the recreational yogi, the Institute specifically caters to those who want to immerse themselves in the true yoga lifestyle through week long or month long courses.

The Nosara Yoga Institute offers committed Costa Rica yogis a variety of training options. Yogis who want to awaken their inner self can sign up for Nosara’s self-awakening yoga courses touting internal discovery and a deeper awareness of oneself. For Costa Rica residents or long-term travelers who want to embark on the perfect pura vida career field, Nosara also has intensive professional yoga courses for gaining certification as a teacher. Teacher certification courses run from 200 to 500 hours of training, and can be completed during repeated month-long stays at the retreat.

Nosara’s location is perhaps one of the reasons the yoga institute has such a devoted following. Located halfway down Costa Rica’s gorgeous Nicoya Peninsula, Nosara is perched on the pristine beaches of Guanacaste. This is outstanding news for future Kalia residents, who will enjoy easy access to Nosara’s top notch facility and world class yoga teachers. Blissfully relaxing the mind, body and soul with yoga is just one more way that Kalia homeowners can embrace the pura vida culture for longer, healthier, more satisfying lives.

Source: NosaraYoga.com

Foreigners who want to own property in the lush expanse of Costa Rica should first become familiar with the country’s real estate laws. As with any foreign real estate purchase, understanding the country’s particular rules, regulations and procedures is invaluable in buying real estate. To help future buyers in their endeavors, we are going to pen a regular series about navigating the Costa Rica real estate laws to tackle topics such as titles and transfers, ensuring a clear title, closing costs, mortgages, property taxes and utilities and corporate property. Today we’ll begin the series with a brief background on Costa Rica real estate titles and transfers for foreign buyers.

Costa Rica Titles and Transfers

One of the first processes encountered in purchasing a Costa Rica property is titles and transfers. In Costa Rica, real estate is transferred through the execution of a property transfer deed. The fee simple deed involved is very similar to real estate ownership in the United States, which is likely why so many Americans are comfortable owning real estate in Costa Rica. The property transfer must be done in the presence of a Costa Rica notary public who is also an attorney and has the power to draft and interpret legal documents as well as authenticate and certify them.

To close on the sale of the Costa Rica real estate property or home, the deed transfer and sale must be registered in an office known as the National Registry, where all Costa Rica real estate deeds are filed. Costa Rican real estate can be purchased in one person’s name, jointly with other individuals, or under the name of a corporation. Deciding what is best for your situation can be done by consulting with an attorney who is versed in Costa Rican real estate laws. Once you have the title for your new Costa Rica dream home, you are one step closer to living in paradise.

Source: Roger Peterson, San Jose-based lawyer specializing in foreign real estate purchase in Costa Rica

Construction crew laying the special water proof foundation for green roof landscaping.

Green, leafy shrubs and flowers are usually admired while walking through gardens. But if a new sustainable trend has its way, the beauty of gardens will take to the skies. Green roof landscaping, an impressive new trend sprouting up in ecofriendly real estate developments, is providing residents of these green homes with a garden in the sky that not only looks magical, but has numerous ecological benefits to the surrounding nature.

What Is Green Roof Landscaping?

Eye-catching green roofing is characterized by a specially constructed roof that supports plant life. The hallmark of these remarkable rooftop gardens is the minimal maintenance required thanks to hardy, drought-resistant plants and

A special mixture of soil is placed on the roof and then a variety of native Costa Rican landscaping is planted.

utilization of annual rainwater to keep them growing. Green roof landscaping is traditionally done on a flat roof to keep the plants in place during rainy season and to reduce the amount of maintenance required, although newer technology has now enabled green roofing to have a slight slope as well (source: ThisOldHouse.com).

What Are the Benefits of Green Roof Landscaping?

Green roof landscaping is not only visually impressive, it also plays a key role in improving the environment. The lush native greenery covering the roof reduces storm-water runoff that would have likely polluted nearby rivers and streams. In a delicate ecosystem like Costa Rica, reducing the negative environmental impacts of storm water runoff goes a long way toward preserving the country’s beauty and pristine wilderness (source: EPA). Green roofs not only help keep surrounding rivers and lakes clean, they also minimize a housing development’s impact on the local bird population. Every building in Kalia will be covered in natural Costa Rica vegetation to reduce the community’s impact on natural bird life in the area. Green roofing also helps purify the surrounding air by absorbing pollutants and creating more oxygen in the air for cleaner breathing.

This landscaped roof on one of Kalia's model homes in Costa Rica will grow into a lush green roof cover in only a few short weeks.

The other tremendous benefit of green roofing is its ability to insulate a home against weather conditions. Green roof landscaping stays ten to twenty degrees cooler in the summer and warmer in the winter, reducing the use of energy to power air conditioners and heaters, and subsequently lowering the power bills for the resident. Sustainable, stylish, and cost-effective – precisely why Kalia has chosen to create green roof landscaping for all the homes in in each of its stunning new Costa Rica luxury ecological resort communities.