NOSARA · COSTA RICA
Life at
La Encantada.
Forests, trails, horses, gardens and open spaces shape a way of life that is active, grounded and connected to nature.
What makes this place special.
Across conversations with owners and residents, several qualities repeatedly stand out: privacy, quiet, natural beauty, space, wildlife, neighbourliness and care for the character of the place.
- Privacy by nature
- Topography, vegetation and the way homes sit within the landscape create natural separation and breathing room.
- Nature all around
- Forest, wildlife, seasonal waterways and open land are not background scenery: they shape daily life.
- Close to Nosara, away from the density
- Beaches, schools, restaurants and town life remain within easy reach, without having to live in the middle of them.
- Good neighbours, without over-programming
- Residents value connection, friendship and practical neighbourly support while still keeping their independence and privacy.
- Care for the character of the place
- A shared wish to protect what makes La Encantada feel different: quiet, landscape, space, ecological quality and a respectful way of living alongside one another.
A living landscape.
Much of La Encantada was once cattle land. As grazing decreased, parts of the landscape began returning to forest, alongside planting, stewardship and natural regeneration. Today the finca is a mosaic of wooded areas, open clearings, changing terrain, seasonal waterways and wildlife habitat.
Forest for good
40% of the finca was protected before the first lots were created, and another 10% is kept as horse pasture. Every owner also protects at least 40% of their lot, so together we protect about 70% of the finca, some 87 hectares, when every neighbour does their part.
Trees for wildlife
Around 2,000 native trees planted in 2020, chosen for the food and shelter they give wildlife. Every tree since has come up on its own, and they are thriving.
Water held in the land
Forest keeps the ground moist into the dry season and helps rain reach the aquifer instead of running off to the sea.
Seen by residents and recorded on our wildlife camera, which helps us learn more about the animals moving through the landscape. Sightings are never guaranteed.
- White-tailed deer
- Grey fox
- Coyote
- Raccoon
- White-nosed coati (pizote)
- Howler monkey
- Ocelot
- Margay
- Jaguarundi
- Tayra
- Paca
- Nine-banded armadillo
- Bare-throated tiger heron
- Tinamou
A garden still finding its shape.
We’ve planted the first seeds: a shade house and terraces of young fruit trees. The rest we’d love to grow with you. Picture shared beds of vegetables and herbs, an orchard that feeds the neighbours, seed swaps, compost, and Saturday mornings with soil under our fingernails.
Bring your ideas, your green thumb, or simply your appetite. Light agriculture is part of every lot’s permitted use, so there is room for your own patch too.
Community life & stewardship.
Becoming part of La Encantada means joining more than a residential development. It means entering an existing landscape of homes, relationships, shared infrastructure and evolving community life. The Asociación de Propietarios Finca La Encantada provides the formal structure for shared roads, gates, community guidelines and other collective responsibilities.
Buyers should review the current governing documents, dues and owner obligations as part of the purchase process.
Community life is shaped by more than formal structures. It grows through everyday choices: respecting privacy, communicating well, caring for shared spaces and contributing where possible, whether through the association, a small shared project, neighbourly support or simply being a thoughtful resident.
Stewardship here is not only about conservation language. It is expressed through everyday choices about how people build, use resources and live within the landscape: water awareness, wastewater, recycling, composting, light pollution, planting and habitat care.
La Encantada is still evolving, with room for small shared projects to grow where there is genuine resident interest. Owners and residents have suggested ideas such as these.
These are emerging possibilities, not committed plans. Any shared initiative would depend on resident interest, participation, feasibility, governance and appropriate approvals.
Nosara, just down the hill.
Nosara is a small town on the Pacific coast of the Nicoya Peninsula, part of one of the world’s Blue Zones, where people are known for long, unhurried lives. It draws surfers, yogis and families alike, and its beaches stay wild thanks to a protected coastline.
In town you’ll find cafés and restaurants, an international school, wellness and fitness studios, local markets and a small airstrip with flights to San José. Up at La Encantada, a few minutes inland, the soundtrack changes: howler monkeys instead of traffic, birdsong instead of scooters. Close enough for a morning surf, far enough to hear the forest at night.
- Playa Guiones south entrance
- About 3 km
- Guiones main beach
- About 7 minutes by car
- Nosara airstrip
- Domestic flights to San José
Three fincas, one landscape.
La Encantada developed gradually across adjoining former farms, creating a landscape of residential properties, roads, equestrian areas, open land and regenerating forest. The map helps orient you, but each property has its own topography, access, vegetation, surroundings and legal record.
The best way to understand La Encantada is still to walk the land. Preferably with a horse.
- 1 · Main Esperanza Gate: the main entrance for visitors, about 500 m west of the lots. Google Maps
- 2 · Delicias Gate: the south-east entrance beside the village lots, also used for horse trailers. Google Maps
- 3 · Equestrian centre: in Finca 2, just below Lot 28. Google Maps
Please use the entrance you were given rather than cutting through residential roads.
Shows, gatherings and open days.
The equestrian centre hosts shows and clinics through the year, and the community gathers for smaller occasions. Each event lists its dates, how to get here and any guides to download.
See the events calendar
Come walk the land with us.Get in touch