Costa Rica enjoys one of the highest densities of biodiversity of any country in the world. Refugio de Los Angeles, this property, is perfectly situated to have access to this biodiversity. Refugio de Los Angeles is located in a dry forest region with an elevation of approximately 800 meters, (2,624 ft.), on the outer edge of the village of Quebrada Grande in the south central mountains of the Nicoya Peninsula in the Guanacaste Province.
Tropical deciduous trees dominate the landscape bringing shade and pleasant temperatures throughout the day, and comfortable sleeping temperatures at night.
No heating or air conditioning is required year round. This region is designated as one of five Blue Zones in the world where the locals typically live healthy, active lives well into their 90’s. The longevity in this Blue Zone is generally attributed to the clean mountain air and water, simple healthy diet, vigorous exercise, and the sparing use of chemicals and pharmaceuticals. Nature does the best work. Refugio de Los Angeles is managed to least interfere with and best contribute to natural biodiversity.
“It is rare to find a farm like RdLA that is organized under a single plan, with goals in place that determine the patterns that dictate maintenance and development. RdLA is not the typical property on the Costa Rican market.”
–Sam Kenworthy, Porvenir Design
Click HERE to read Porvenir Design’s full property evaluation of Refugio de Los Angeles.
Buildings:
A Japanese style three-bedroom house and a guesthouse provide welcoming accommodation and the multi-purpose building is perfect for work and recreation. The building style is simple and unpretentious, and exudes a quality which is warm, comfortable and durable. Nature is our primary interest, but we built well. The infrastructure is sound and loved. There are more photographs and details on the Existing Infrastructure page. The Main House and the Multi-purpose building are each approximately 1600 square feet and the Guest House is approximately 550 sq. ft.
Permaculture:
Over the last 20+ years, Cis Wilson, the owner of this property, has successfully utilized permaculture principles to restore the natural bio-diversity of this land from the previous monoculture practices. Emphasis has been on restoring the soil and cultivating a wide variety of plants and trees, especially edibles and medicinals.
Permaculture has attracted a proliferation of wildlife: birds, bees, butterflies, and mammals. Fruit trees provide oranges, lemons, varieties of bananas, tangerines, and grapefruits throughout the year. Avocados, mangoes, star fruit and other tropical delights are available seasonally. Medicinal plants and trees flourish year around in this natural habitat.
Accessibility:
There is easy ingress to the property via over a third of a mile of road frontage from well-maintained government roads. Inside the property, there are miles of vehicular roads and trails which have been responsibly developed to minimize erosion. These roads and trails have made approximately 80% of the land accessible for accessing and hiking on the hilly terrain where a wide range of mammals, reptiles, birds, butterflies, and insects make their homes. This kind of accessibility is rare for most mountain properties.
Rustic wood benches are built-in at overlooks where one can rest, breathe in the clean air, gaze at the views of the Pacific Slope, or take time with binoculars and camera to capture the frequent sightings of tree-dwelling and flying creatures. This is truly a nature lover’s paradise.
Tranquility:
Many have come to Refugio de Los Angeles for the restoration of body, mind and spirit in this quiet, peaceful setting off the beaten path. It is a place where the stresses and frenetic pace of life can be left behind.
Refugio de Los Angeles is an ideal setting for contemplation, meditation, yoga, and the creative processes. Poems, books, plays and paintings have all come to life at this inspiring mountain retreat. It is difficult to convey in writing just how profound the connection to nature is here, but one can feel its beneficial gifts immediately.
The Opportunity:
The owner is looking for a buyer or association that values the permaculture practices that have made this property such a lush habitat. Refugio de Los Angeles could continue to serve as a private residence with housing for guests in a park-like setting. And, many choice building sites allow for expansion of the infrastructure to provide accommodations suitable for retreats or workshops for a variety of special interest groups that appreciate the natural beauty and tranquility which this place provides in abundance. Possibilities include yoga and meditation retreats, a healing and recovery center, eco-tourism, an eco-hostel, Airbnb rentals, writer retreats, bird watchers’ sanctuary, intentional community, environmental research and educational center, etc. New infrastructure as needed can be constructed relatively quickly; the laborious and time-consuming process of transforming the eco-systems has already been done. Now let your imagination run wild with the possibilities. If natural beauty, peace and quiet and sustainability are part of your vision for a better life, this place is a must see. (*)
