We're in a Blue Zone!

What's a Blue Zone?

The secret to living a long, happy life may be found in the Nicoya Peninsula, where people have some of the longest lifespans in the world. That’s why this part of Costa Rica is designated a Blue Zone, the term used for just five areas of the world where people live extraordinarily long and vibrant lives. . “Blue Zones” is a term coined by National Geographic’s David Buettner, who led a team of scientists to discover why people in some areas of the planet live longer and healthier lives than the rest of us.

The five Blue Zones of the world are:

Sardinia, Italy
Loma Linda, California
Okinawa, Japan
Ikaria, Greece
Nicoya Peninsula, Costa Rica

Pura Vida!

Since its designation as a Blue Zone, the Nicoya Peninsula in Costa Rica has drawn the interest of scientists, nutritionists and anthropologists, and anyone else looking to unlock the secrets of vitality.

Costa Rica is known for its Pura Vida lifestyle and attitude. Pura vida means pure or simple life and Costa Rica’s Nicoya Peninsula has what you could call extreme pura vida. It’s this low-stress, natural and healthy environment that makes this such a remarkable and relaxing place to visit. Visitors often say they can feel the stress leave their bodies as soon as they arrive.

Everywhere you go in Costa Rica, you’ll hear “¡pura vida!” and soon feel the freedom to adopt the pura vida lifestyle yourself. Costa Ricans — called Ticos — say “pura vida” instead of “hello,” “how are you,” “fine, thanks,” and “see you later” and you’ll quickly find yourself saying it too.

Now, visiting the Nicoya Peninsula doesn’t mean you’ll automatically live to 100 but while you are here, it's easy to pick up Blue Zone habits like getting regular outdoor exercise and a good night’s sleep, eating fresh and healthy food, connecting with family or friends, and slowing down...

pura vida!

Healthy fundamentals = Well-being

In addition to its stunning beaches and pura vida lifestyle, Costa Rica is also known for its stable democracy and educated population. Costa Rica is generally a healthy country and scores at the top of the Happiness Index, because its government decided that education, healthcare, and protecting the environment are more important than funding its armed forces.

Its president, Carlos Alvarado Quesada, said “Seventy years ago, Costa Rica did away with the army. This allows for many things. Eight percent of our GDP is invested in education because we don't have to spend on the army. So our strength is human talent, human wellbeing.”

This has also allowed the country to protect the environment. Costa Rica protects more than a quarter of its landmass via 29 national parks, 19 wildlife refuges, and eight biological reserves; gets 99 percent of its electricity from renewable resources, and aims to be completely decarbonized by 2050.

Costa Rica is one of the few tropical countries where it’s safe for visitors to drink tap water. And it's delicious! In our part of the Nicoya peninsula, the water is rich in magnesium and calcium which studies show is good for cardiovascular health and may be one of the reasons Costa Rican men live so long without heart disease, compared to men throughout the rest of the developed world.

It’s also easy to eat healthy in Costa Rica. You'll find an abundance of fresh fruits like pineapple, mango, papaya, banana, and passionfruit and vegetables and legumes like squash, cassava, plantain, yam, and beans, grown locally in rich volcanic soil. And we are just a few minute walk from the ocean, so fresh fish and seafood, caught that same day, are plentiful and delicious.