THE VISTA BAHIA RESORT

Welcomes you to northern Costa Rica's calm Pacific waters, volcanos and jungles. Our resort is a 33 room facility with very large spacious rooms originally built as a condo-hotel. The resort has maintained the natural dry forest jungle between the rooms and the ocean frontage allowing for wildlife to flourish.

The resort's name is derived from our little elevated peninsula which hosts a spectacular lookout site into the bays calm waters. Punta Vista Bahia (lookout point to bay) is impressive because the unique type of jungle in Guanacaste is known as a dry tropical forest. Rains from May to December keep the forest green but from January to May the rains stop which forces the vegetation to go into hibernation and thus the leaves fall, the grasses turn brown. The blue waters and clean sky provide a strong contrasts to the rock and browns of the landscape. The property is host to a troop of howler monkeys that sleep in the trees behind the resort rooms, the birdlife, iguanas and indigenous animals are easier to view this time of year. The peninsula has been used by indigenous peoples for thousands of years as a shoreline fishing site due to the tidal flow patterns of the bay. These patters create a rocky bottomed surface on one side of the peninsula which then allows aquatic life to attach themselves to the bottom. Fish and birds then come into this unique spot to feed. Locals still come to fish when migratory fish arrive and hundreds of fisherman line up around this circular eddy created by the peninsula, catching their limit.

The original reception, restaurant, bar and pool complex are located in a singular structure we call the Palenque Buildings (indigenous structure for communal activities). Our rooms are located in eight separate buildings with a more contemporary design used for guest rooms which overlook the jungle and bay beyond.

From December to May, the winds blow from the east with little rain and this dry condition with temperatures in the 90's produces little humidity. The bays waters are calmed in the evening when the winds die down due to the lack of solar energy. This creates a morning with calm waters and comfortable temperatures. As the day progresses, the heat starts to drive the winds which come directly into the property creating a cooling effect. The waters of the Pacific are 86 degrees, the sands are mocha colored to white depending on coral reefs off shore. Since the bay protects our shoreline from the strong Pacific waves, the waters are wonderful swimming, snorkeling and kayaking destinations.

The resorts's peninsula has on one side Playa (playa is beach in Spanish) Panama, a 1 mile long beach and on the other a small cove and beach we use for swimming that we call Playitas (little beach). This Playitas beach has rock outcropping on either side of it which provide guests with snorkeling and sea kayaking right in the resort. These calm waters allow beginners to gather experience and later head further out along the rock sea ledge to see greater aquatic life.

The Golfo de Papagayo is a treasure of Costa Rica with pristine beaches, no human habitation from here up to the Nicaraguan border. Either kayaking in our bay to some of these beaches or taking a small motor-boat out, within a twenty minute drive your on fresh sands only occasioned by nesting turtles. Fishing along the coast offer the angler abundant species of sport fish and pristine waters are a snorkeler and scuba divers paradise.

The resorts location is on the ocean, twenty five minutes from the Liberia International Airport. Four volcanoes are a 45 minute drive inland that host hiking, zip-lines, tropical wet forests and activities galore. The cloud forests of Monteverde and the world famous Arenal Volcano are only a four hour drive. All the photos you see on our site were either taken by John Fitzgerald using his i-phone or by Graphic Fusion a web design team from Tucson AZ. while visiting the activities we host from the resort.

Our staff are dedicated to serve you with the humble openness unique to Costa Rica. Come and help us show you what Costa Rica has to offer!

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