5 Ways to Live the Spirit of the International Day of Happiness Everyday

Today marks the celebration of the very first International Day of Happiness! Last June, the United Nations established March 20th as the International Day of Happiness. Their resolution establishes this new holiday as a day to celebrate the pursuit of happiness as the "fundamental human goal."

Costa Rica has been considered the Happiest Place on Earth since 2009 in the Happy Planet Index, a study by the New Economics Foundation.

In the spirit of the day and of Costa Rica, here are 3 Ways that You Can Celebrate International Day Of Happiness:

1. Spend quality time with loved ones. Can you think of anything that makes you happier than spending time with the ones you love? A great way to bond with family is a new experience- I suggest a horseback tour or a zip line. Even after the tour is over, you have a wonderful memory!

2. Put down the camera/cell phone/tablet/laptop/etc. and BE WHERE YOU ARE! One of the keys to happiness is losing yourself completely to the moment. So, even if just for today, put down your technology and take the time to look at the world around you. Our Endless Summer Surfing Package includes photography, so you won't need to take your own pics!

3. Watch the Sunset. Join us at the Beach Bar at Alma del Pacifico Beach Hotel & Spa to watch the sun sink below the Pacific. It is a sight not to be missed!

4. Pura Vida. Do you know why Ticos are so happy? Because they have a way of looking at life from which we could all learn a thing or two. Literally translated, Pura Vida means "pure life" but that doesn't even begin to explain what it means to live a Pura Vida life. To live a pura vida life, you need to slow down, enjoy each moment, focus on the good and make family & friends a priority. Just for today, focus on what really matters...live, laugh & love one another.

5. If number 4 seems too daunting of a task to take on today, then book a vacation to Costa Rica. I don't know about you, but I'm happiest when I am anticipating an exciting trip. Book here or give us a call at 410-727-6444 for help planning your Costa Rica vacation.

Pura Vida & Happy Happiness Day!

5 Tips for Combining Your Vacation with a Real Estate Scouting Trip

Many pre-retirement Baby Boomers like to combine their dream eco-tourism vacation in Costa Rica with a preliminary scouting trip to see what's available in Central American real estate. This is very easy to accomplish, but some advance planning can help you to best utilize your time.  Here are some tips: 

1)  Call our US office at +1-410-727-6444 to get an overview of the current market and also to talk about your objectives and some reasonable expectations.  We can help get you up to speed on the different regions of Costa Rica  and the terminology. Unless you're an Indiana Jones wannabe, the odds are that you will want to either look at the Central Pacific region (where the Del Pacifico and Los Sueños resorts are located), the Nicoya peninsula (Guanacaste and where the Four Seasons resort is found) or the Osa Peninsula (down near Panama- very pretty, but also very hot and very, very humid). If you're looking to retire full time in Costa Rica, you might want to look in the Central Valley (the areas around San Jose) This is popular with US retirees who want to live full time in Costa Rica because of the very mild weather and proximity to good hospitals.

2) Come stay in either a condo or house at Del Pacifico or at our Alma Del Pacifico Beach Hotel & Spa. We can arrange to have a rental car delivered to you; take 1 full day to explore the Central Pacific coast.  We can help you with an itinerary and can give you the scoop. Since there is essentially just one road, it's very easy to navigate the area.

3) Should you work with a Costa Rica real estate agent? Not really for your first visit. The level of professionalism and ethics is much different than in the US.  We'd recommend that on your first time, you look around the larger resorts such as Del Pacifico and Los Sueños and get a feel for what's available and whether it meets your needs.

4)  Plan a half day to tour Del Pacifico. Given some advance notice we can arrange a leisurely horse back tour of the resort, ending up at the beach bar at Alma Del Pacifico. Since sunset is pretty much at 6 PM year round, don't plan a real estate tour at 4 PM! The sun sets quickly.  To arrrange a tour, call our local office +1-410-800-4773 or our US office +1-410-727-6444.

5) Remember, we are here to help so give us a call (410-727-6444) or shoot us an email with your questions.

Tips for Riding a Horse on the Beach

Riding a horse on the beach, I believe, is everyone’s fantasy. It is one of the most popular and romantic places to take a ride. As we all know, a horse is a free spirit. When you ride a horse on the beach you can do it one of 3 ways. By nature a horse has 3 speeds, they are "walking, trotting and cantering.”

Walking
Most of our horses are trained to go on the beach.  They like it too- although not all of them like to walk on the water. Walking with a horse on the beach will give you time to enjoy the scenery & to get to know your horse. You will learn to feel the horse relax. Once you do this, you can go on to the second step, Trotting.

Trotting
Before you do this make sure to walk the horse around to get to know him better, feel the reins and make sure to call the horse by his name and every now and then pat your horse on the neck NOT on the back. Sit tight, relax as much as you can and loosen the reigns a bit, without losing contact with the horse. We are not cantering therefore we have to hold back the reins a bit. At the beginning it will be a little pumping but a few steps and you will be fine. It is a little faster than a walk. Mostly of the tour horses are good trotting.

Cantering
We all go wild and enthusiastic riding a horse on the beach. When you gallop or canter on the beach make sure you have done the 2 previous steps.  Try Cantering a few times to get the feeling of it, then let your fantasy go and gallop.

Tips for Horseback Riding in Costa Rica
1. Always make sure to listen to your guide.
2. Dress appropriately: jeans are the most friendly, don’t forget a cowboy hat, sunscreen and a bottle of water.
3. Take the reins with both hands, lower your elbows and relax your shoulders. Loosen the reins without losing contact with the horse.

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4. Feel the fresh breeze and the salty dew from the ocean as you gallop along with your horse through the soft brown sand, and you could even take your horse for a gallop along the crashing waves for a really exciting adventure.

5. Always stay with your group. Enjoy every moment as if it were the last, don’t rush, simply enjoy the ocean’s beauty, the subtlety of the horse’s gallop and the pleasures that Del Pacifico may give you.

6. Don’t forget to pat your horse every now and then, take pictures, and enjoy the view.

7. Contact us to schedule your horseback tour!