5 ways to ruin your visit to Nosara

Drive like a jerk

The smoothing out of the Nosara roads has long been a source of contention among residents, with valid arguments both for and against the paving of the roads. Irrespective of what is, isn’t, should or shouldn’t be happening the fact remains that the dusty, potholed roads that currently connect Nosara can be perilous for drivers, pedestrians and local residents in more ways than one. If you catch yourself plodding along in your car behind a motorcycle, waiting to shoot past them while thinking “what in the hell is wrong with this town?” then a quick glance in the mirror should answer your question.

Remedy: Take a breath, remember where you are and ask yourself whether you really need to be there 30 seconds earlier.

Set up business with the first person you meet

Remember that guy at Tropicana feeding you guaro shots while promising two hundred percent annual returns in the land of Pura Vida? Well, you’ll definitely remember him when the hard earned cash you dropped on that ‘investment opportunity of a lifetime’ mysteriously disappears, leaving you to wonder whether it was the incredible sunsets, hot locals or stunning ocean views that prompted you to leave your business brain at home in a jar. Granted, Costa Rica is abundant with honest, well intentioned individuals pitching genuinely alluring business opportunities. But like anywhere there’s always the bad apples, and it’s amazing how many well educated, street smart visitors are happy to chew on those apples when they descend into ‘Costa Rica’ mode.

Remedy: If it sounds too good to be true then it probably is. Don’t think the business acumen you’ve acquired in your native country qualifies you to outsmart the Costa Rican system. Don’t mix business with pleasure, and when it comes to making big decisions trade the local nightclub for the local attorney’s office.

Disrespect the local environment

As the international travel media spotlight focuses more and more on Nosara phrases such as ‘holistic hotspot, undiscovered Shangri-La’ and ‘jungle paradise’ get reduced to off the cuff, snappy advertising jingles. This doesn’t make them any less true. Nosara is all of these things and more because the residents – both human and non-human are creatures who genuinely care about the unique, fragile and increasingly threatened place they call home.

Remedy: Recycle, don’t throw litter, and if you see litter then tap into your inner altruist and pick it up. If you buy real estate remember that the ‘it won’t hurt if I just cut this one tree down’ attitude is the reason you might find yourself sitting in your dream house ten years later wondering why the natural beauty and abundant wildlife that seduced you in the first place has ‘mysteriously’ disappeared.

Only do things that you’ve done before

Sure, your hotel room is ridiculously comfortable and the TV comes with 150 channels of witless gibberish. But did you really come all the way to Nosara to watch “Robocop” with subtitles? One of the most common travel regrets involves the phrase “If only I’d have done that when I had the chance.” In Nosara that thing you didn’t do could be anything from reeling in a monster marlin to barreling down the beach watching sunset from atop of a horse

Remedy: Leave your comfort zone behind. Get out and try one of the many activities Nosara is renowned for. Your TV will still be there when you get home.

Throw money around yammering about how you’re gonna turn this hick little town into the new Acapulco

If you’re looking for the express lane to becoming a social pariah this is the best place to start. Boracay in the Philippines, Honolulu in Hawaii, The Bukit peninsular of Bali – The list of once dreamlike locations that fell victim to a lethal combo of questionable local leadership, entrepreneurs for whom ‘enough’ is an alien concept, and tourists who feel entitled to their ‘slice of paradise’ goes on and on. While the majority of visitors see the beaches, sunsets, wildlife and stunning beauty of Nosara as the ultimate reflection of the amazing planet we call home, a minority look at the same natural beauty with a dollar sign attached to it. It’s only natural that visitors to Nosara become enchanted by it’s inherent magic. However it might befit us all to remain mindful of Aesops famed Ancient Greek fable that spoke of another naturally occurring magical wonder: A goose that laid golden eggs – Ring any bells?

Remedy: 

If you have the money to throw around, throw it at charitable causes such as local wildlife and education.