The “Gold Coast” in northwestern Costa Rica is a place of extraordinary natural beauty.
Forested slopes roll down to meet long, pristine stretches of blonde and volcanic sands. The Pacific waters off these beaches showcase a spectrum of blues…turquoise, indigo, cobalt. Beyond the beaches, there are protected bays and hidden coves. Rocky islets scattered just offshore break up the horizon, adding depth and texture to the postcard views.
This spectacular coast was once off the radar and hard to reach.
Now, it’s one of the world’s true up-and-coming high-end havens…a place where billionaire groups are building stunning resorts and residential properties…
Today, I wanted to take a dive into some of these sensational properties…and into the opportunities I’ve been able to find here that offer incredible luxury, but without spending millions…
The beach at Playa Flamingo on Costa Rica’s Gold Coast. This region is a true tropical paradise. It’s also an emerging high-end haven.
One of the key destinations to know along this coast is Playa Flamingo.
This town is home to one of those rare beaches that stops you in your tracks. This beach is framed in a natural cove, with soft golden sand and almost crystal-clear water. And at sunset, the whole cove glows pink—hence the name Flamingo.
It feels both intimate and upscale…a pocket of calm tucked between rolling hills, hidden coves, and the brand-new luxurious Flamingo Marina.
Folks pay millions for real estate here. A few examples…
The Gold Coast runs along the province of Guanacaste in the northwest of Costa Rica. This region is now extremely well connected. More than a dozen airlines operate direct flights from Liberia international airport to 20 destinations, including Los Angeles, San Francisco, Dallas-Fort Worth, Austin, Houston, Denver, Miami, Chicago, New York, Montreal, Toronto, and Atlanta.
Hilltop Elegance with Ocean & Mountain Views
Listing price: $1 million
Ocean-views properties on the Gold Coast are highly sought-after. But supply is scarce.
This coast is famous for its strict development restrictions—national parks, protected corridors, and tight permitting rules that preserve the very nature people travel halfway across the world to experience.
Roughly a quarter of Costa Rica is protected land. It’s the world’s eco-tourism powerhouse.
Add the massive growth in tourism—millions of visitors annually, consistent expansion since the 1980s—and rising demand is running headlong into limited supply.
The result is that spacious ocean-view houses around Playa Flamingo tend to start at around $1 million. Here’s a prime example…
Casa Nalifos is a three-bed, four-bath villa that enjoys stunning mountain and ocean views.
Hilltop luxury above Playa Flamingo—Casa Nalifos blends Italian-inspired design with Pacific views.
This Italian-inspired 4,446-square-foot property sits overlooking Playa Flamingo.
This is a home designed for a particular kind of living—doors wide open, breezes drifting through, the ocean always in sight. In the upper family room, glass walls retract to create a flowing indoor-outdoor space, while the rooftop terrace becomes the stage for those Flamingo sunsets
Down below, a saltwater pool is tucked among tropical gardens. And when you want to dip your toes in the sand, the beach is just a walk away.
It’s listed for $1 million.
You can check out the full listing here.
Volcanic stone cladding, tropical landscaping, and a saltwater pool—this villa is built for long, slow days in the sun.
Luxury Four-bed Condo with Huge Views
Listing price: $1.2 million
Spacious ocean-view condos also sell for big sums along this coast, starting in the $700,000 range and quickly rising north of a million…as with this standout.
This four-bed, 3.5-bath penthouse is spread over 3,132 square feet, with an open-plan design that pulls your eyes straight to the horizon.
Floor-to-ceiling glass doors slide back to reveal a broad terrace overlooking the Pacific—an ever-changing backdrop of shifting light.
Perched high above Playa Flamingo—this condo offers sweeping Pacific views from its terrace.
Inside, you get a spacious kitchen with granite countertops…plus a bright living and dining area that flows naturally toward the terrace.
The master suite has a deep soaking tub and big ocean views—perfect for slow mornings or unwinding after a beach day.
You also have access to two pools within the community, which is a five-minute drive to Flamingo Marina and Playa Flamingo
The condo comes fully furnished and move-in ready and is on the market for $1.2 million. The full listing is here.
This residence is in an ocean-view community with two swimming pools.
7-Bed Luxury Villa in an Exclusive Enclave
Listing Price: $4.9 million
Pricing around $1 million is by no means the top of the market in and around Playa Flamingo.
Homes here can sell for $3 million…$5 million…even more…
Here’s something truly luxurious…
This recently completed seven-bed, seven-bath home sits on the ridge at the southern end of Playa Flamingo, a hillside enclave that ranks among the most exclusive neighborhoods in Costa Rica.
The home spans almost 9,000 square feet, has a fully independent apartment for guests, a separate staff kitchen, and a large ocean-facing terrace and pool.
It’s listed for $4.9 million. See the full listing here.
Perched close to the summit of Playa Flamingo’s southern ridge, this property comes with sweeping ocean views.
As I say, Costa Rica’s Gold Coast is a true high-end haven…a hugely desirable destination where demand is huge and supply scarce.
As an investor I like this.
On one hand, it makes finding the right deal very challenging. But when you do find the right deal, the high barriers to entry for new development mean you automatically have a “moat” around your investment…supercharging your returns.
In decades of scouting for real estate along this coast, I’ve previously only brought two deals here to members of my Real Estate Trend Alert (RETA) group. They’re super-rare. Last year we had one…
Luxury Homes in Acquarello Flamingo
In March 2024, I brought RETA members an exclusive, off-market deal in Playa Flamingo.
The community is called Acquarello Flamingo and it’s everything I look for in a RETA deal—best-in-class design, proven developer, unbeatable location, and serious uplift potential.
This community is just a short stroll from not one but two beaches, as well as the brand-new Flamingo Marina—now the social and lifestyle anchor of this coast. Think upscale cafés, boutique shopping, and elegant waterfront dining…all set against a backdrop of luxury yachts and Pacific sunsets.
This is the rear of one of the three-bed homes at Acquarello Flamingo…spacious at close to 1,658 square feet with elegant finishes and high ceilings to make the most of the tropical ocean breezes, all surrounded by lush nature. (Renders shouldn’t be considered final but give us a great idea what to expect).
Thought and care has gone into every design decision at Acquarello Flamingo…
Here, you’ll be enveloped in nature at every turn. Homes will artfully blend into the lush tropical landscape, a seamless marriage of indoor and outdoor living. Expansive glass doors and nearly 10-foot-high ceilings dissolve boundaries, inviting gentle ocean breezes to waft through open-concept interiors awash in natural light.
And the community amenities are truly incredible…nine pools, indoor and outdoor gym, co-work lounge, juice bar, jogging track, underground parking, lush tropical landscaping…
You get a great idea of the lush tranquility of Acquarello Flamingo in this render. I bought alongside RETA members in this deal. I couldn’t miss a chance to lock in gains of well over $200,000 three years after delivery and potential gross rental yields of over 10% renting long term and over 15% short term.
With this incredible location and amenities and the mind-blowing RETA-only pricing, I expect gains of well over $200,000 three years after delivery and gross rental yields of 15%.
Already, those predictions are looking highly conservative.
I opened this deal to RETA members in March 2024. In August 2025, a three-bed home that RETA members could buy for an off-market price of $386,800 sold for $500,000…that’s $113,200 more in less than 18 months.
Congratulations to all the RETA members who got in on this incredible deal.
Wishing you good real estate investing,
P.S. I’m excited to be bringing RETA members a new deal on this coast…only the third in RETA history. And for the first time ever, it’s a chance to own in the town of Tamarindo.
Tamarindo is the most sought-after, most popular beach town on Costa Rica’s Gold Coast.
And RETA members are about to get the chance to own stunning luxury condos in the perfect location here. Walkable to the beach. Walkable to cafés, dining, surf shops, markets, and the lively town center. Sitting on an elevated site with commanding Pacific views and world-class amenities.
I expect thanks to killer off-market pricing I’ve negotiated just for RETA, members will see gains of $306,400 just three years after delivery.
Short-term rent with moderate, conservative occupancy and I figure on gross yields of over 16%—with more than enough room for personal use.
To get a deal like this in Tamarindo is extraordinary. To get it at RETA-only pricing is unheard of.
Around Tamarindo prices for an ocean-view two-bed condo with good amenities soar into the $700,000s.
Our price is so, so much lower—starting from just $392,400 ranging to just $612,800 for the penthouse. This is for stunning condos. Ocean views. Superb amenities. The perfect walkable location.
But there are only 31 condos.
I’ll have more on this soon. Just be aware, only RETA members will have access to this off-market deal, so if you want to take part, you’ll need to sign up to RETA here.
I couldn’t help digging my toes into the sand while scouting the Gold Coast. In decades of hunting for deals along this coast, I’ve only brought two to my Real Estate Trend Alert group. Next month, I’ll be bringing them a third…
