Sunset Properties

Playa Del Coco Beach Properties

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Sunset Properties offers premier customer service and knowledge of our Costa Rica beach properties near Playa Del Coco. We pride ouselves on providing the perfect paradise for our customers. Playa Del Coco is a small fishing town surrounded beatuy and nature that is perfect for your Costa Rica beach rental. Please contact us at any time to learn more about Playa Del Coco and your Costa Rica vacation!

ANIMALS OF COSTA RICA

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Costa Rica is one of the most bio-diverse regions in the world. This small country has more bio-diversity than North America or Europe. The list of Costa Rica wildlife species found in this small country is extensive, thanks to its rich rainforest ecosystem and miles of beaches. Visitors wanting to see animals that they have never seen before will almost definitely accomplish that feat multiple times daily in this lush country.

Costa Rica is a dream location for people who love nature. Bird watchers have the chance to see over 800 species of birds including two species of macaws, over fifty species of hummingbirds, and a number of species of toucans. Those who like to keep their eyes out of the sky have plenty to see closer to the ground. Costa Rica animals include four species of monkeys, two types of sloth, and even jaguars and tapirs. For those who enjoy creepy-crawly bugs, amphibians, and reptiles, there are plenty of these too. Costa Rica is home to a large number of tree frogs, butterflies, lizards, sea turtles, and over 35,000 species of insects.

Due to the warm climate of Costa Rica, animals are mostly seen at dawn and dusk when the daytime temperature is at its coolest. Also, if staying outside of a large city, seeing exotic birds and animals becomes a natural occurrence, and sometimes an intimate up-close-and-personal one. For the most part, in areas where people are frequently present, animals in Costa Rica become accustomed to humans and are less skittish. This is most evident among the monkey population, particularly the Capuchin monkeys, who have made a habit out of stealing unattended food. Sadly, there are several species of Costa Rica animals that are on the endangered species list. This include the leatherback sea turtles, the squirrel monkey, the jaguar, and both the great green and the scarlet macaw. The Costa Rican people and government are striving to save their wildlife. Costa Rica wildlife is very important to Costa Ricans, more commonly called Ticos. Ticos take a lot of pride in their country, and that includes the animals in Costa Rica. Their pride in their wildlife makes them want to show them off, while protecting them and educating others about their conservation. Costa Rica wildlife tours are an important aspect to a Costa Rica vacation. These tours can be taken as bird-watching tours through the trees of the Costa Rican rainforest, sea turtle tours along the Costa Rican beaches, or even monkey-watching tours. Costa Rica wildlife tours have become very popular, are mostly inexpensive, and can usually be booked through hotels, hostels, or booking agents. It is important, while visiting Costa Rica, to respect this diverse country's efforts to conserve their natural resources. Whether endangered or not, caution should be taken when in contact with Costa Rica animals. It is important to follow rules set up by area authorities and guides on Costa Rica wildlife tours for personal safety, as well as the safety of the animals in Costa Rica. It is easy and fun to observe Costa Rica wildlife responsibly.

The Climate of Costa Rica

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There are two seasons, the dry season (summer) from December to April, and the rainy season (winter) from May to November. The temperature varies between the mountains and the lowlands. In the Central Valley temperatures range between 60 - F and 79 - F. On the Coasts the tropical temperatures hover between 70 - F and 90 - F. The Caribbean coast has high humidity and the Guanacaste region is arid.

What to Wear and Bring

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What to wear and bring: Costa Rica has many different climates, geographical variations and weather conditions. It is important to bring basic luggage in order to avoid difficulties. Don't forget: loose fitting shirts, sweater or jacket for cold weather (especially if you are planning to go to the highlands), bathing suit, pants, insect repellent, sun screen, hat, comfortable shoes (hiking shoes are recommended in mountainous regions), binoculars, camera, sun glasses and raincoat.

Carrillo Announces $2m dock for Coco

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Mayor Says Public Works Tender Released by January

The Municipality of Carrillo last week released plans for a $2 million multi-purpose dock to service cruise ships, pleasure craft and commercial fishermen.

About 50 municipal staff, tourist leaders and developers heard Friday the 45-meter (150 feet) dock will be awarded in concession, with a developer winning the right to build and operate the facility.
The structure designed and presented by the architectural firm of Costa Rica Marina Consultants (CMC), will be concrete-covered and sit on steel pylons along the rocky beach terrain between Playita Blanca and Playas del Coco. The dock will be supported by a small sea wall.

We have the approvals,said the Mayor of Carrillo, José Maria Guevara Navarrete.

This project has been approved by the ICT (Institute of Tourism), the port division of the Ministry of Transport, INVU (the National Institute of Housing and Urban Development) and the municipality.

The process could begin as early as January, with work beginning in July.
Architect Oscar Villavicencio Blanco described the facility as a small port which would include facilities for loading and unloading passengers and cargo, refueling, maintenance and minor marine repairs.

There will be a concrete ramp for launching trailer-mounted boats.

There will also be a black water treatment plant for the boats with a service of garbage collection, which will help improve the environmental conditions of Playas del Coco, Mr. Villavicencio said.

The facility will also allow for a water taxi service between key tourist towns like Coco, Tamarindo, Flamingo, Hermosa and Papagayo.

Critically, the new facility will allow cruise ships to dock, unload passengers and refuel.
This will give the canton a third entry option, over and above air and land, said Mayor Guevara.

Two years ago, and following the closure of Flamingo Marina, the Windstar luxury cruise line began docking in Playas del Coco. Last season they ran 22 voyages to Costa Rica, but all of them beach-landed their passengers.

A modern dock, where the cruise line‚ mainly elderly clientele can disembark, will further cement the destination. Windstar expects to increase its number of cruises by as much as 35 per cent this season.

The municipality's decision to build a multi-purpose dock was first mooted late 2004 when they put aside $135,000 for the project. However, in something of a coup it has managed to turn that into a $2 million facility, which will be largely financed by private enterprise, with Carrillo earning valuable revenue from leasing the land in concession.

Further, in another plus, the municipality will side-step a lengthy permitting process by using documents which already exist. It sought proposals on how to build the dock from the two groups --- Administradora Bello Horizonte S.A., and the Asociacion de Marinas de Playas del Coco, or ASODEMAC --- vying to build a $30 million, 400-slip marina in much the same area.

The two development groups, who have since amalgamated their bid and are looking for a fast-track through the municipality, were only too happy to comply. Carrillo now has information like the strength of currents, wave action and tide behavior plus topographic drawings of the sea floor.

It was a very well thought out idea because it meant that the dock would not interfere with the projected marina development,said Mr Villavicencio.

The municipality also saved a lot of money because they took advantage of the studies previously done by those groups.

In fact the same access road gazetted for the proposed marina, will now be used for the municipal dock. And, whereas the marina falls under laws of the Instituto Costarricense de Turismo and thus can only be used for tourist activity, the municipal dock will service the town‚ fishing industry.

There is definitely a need for this kind of facility in Playas del Coco, said Oscar Villalobos, the technical director of Comission Interinstitutional de Marinas y Atracaderos Turísticos, (or CIMAT), the government department charged with overseeing all technical aspects of tourist marinas.

CIMAT has had little involvement with the public dock- it is outside its jurisdiction - but wants to make sure this and the proposed marina does not interfere with one another.

This dock is a way to put in order the disorder that exists with commercial fishing and pleasure craft in the area.