SUMMER VACATION 2018 COSTA RICA

Still planning your summer vacation and looking for the ultimate beach get away and the chance to move at a slower pace for a few days, play, rest, enjoy good company, and create memories that will last a lifetime? Prepare to forget about your cell phones and get lost in paradise! Cristal Azul is your destination in paradise offering incredible privacy, tranquility and barefoot luxury off the beaten path. This beach lovers destination is perfect for couples and small groups looking to step off the beaten path and experience what Costa Rica was like before the world arrived.

This tropical retreat is located on a hillside on 14 acres of 100% private property with no public access and no signs pointing the way. The town and surrounding area of San Miguel are incredibly safe and by the end of your stay you will surely have made a few local friends. Guests enjoy a private oasis of paradise on the beach with not a neighbor in site! Less than ¼ of a mile as “the crow flies” from the surf and sand, the main road to reach this home away from is 1.5km up a rolling dirt road that requires a 4×4 vehicle but the privacy and seclusion along with the immersion of nature enjoyed is unrivaled enjoyed here and worth the little extra effort required.

Four charming cabinas all with floor to ceiling windows, 180′ views of the Pacific and queen beds are set overlooking the beaches of San Miguel and Coyote with views extending 30 miles down to coastline to Mal Pais. Each has AC, hot water, ceiling fans, home made teak furniture, fine bedding & linens and an outdoor, open air shower. A bunk bed is in the cabina closest to the Rancho and a single day bed is available to add to any of the other three cabinas.

The over-sized open-air “Rancho” is set overlooking a vanishing edge pool and has a private bar, professional billiards table, dining, and lounge area. This is where guests spend lazy days taking in the views, wildlife, and enjoying the vanishing edge pool that makes you feel like you are floating over the Pacific. Decks and hammocks are waiting for impromptu naps that allow you to snooze with the sound of the surf crashing below on San Miguel. Guests can walk from the rancho to the beach via a rocky footpath that accesses the main dirt road otherwise it is a slow paced five-minute drive down 1.5 km dirt road. The beach is a six-mile stretch of undeveloped sands that is divided by an Estuary that is the kayak tours in the mangrove launch from and also an excellent place for birding enthusiasts! On any typical day you will not see more than half a dozen other people on the beach and maybe a few local fishermen and surfers.

Your hosts also own LocosCocos, a “toes in the sand” snack shack located on San Miguel that serves catch-of-the-day fresh fish and seafood steps from the surf. Listed in Lonely Planet as “the best beach bar in Costa Rica” it’s a simple setting that is a perfect place to spend a lazy day playing in the waves, beachcombing, and enjoying good company-cold drinks and great food! Not for those looking for a disco, please leave the stilettos at home when joining us – this is beach dining old school, Costa Rican style! Our ceviche recipe is a family recipe that was well known among the beach going crowd of the 50’ and 60’s at Henners’ grandmothers famous Cevichera, Chanita’s!

Prior to arrival you will receive information about the area, activities available to your group and how to pre-arrange as much as possible to ensure you take advantage of all this area has to offer! We will make all of the arrangements for you and help you create a fabulous itinerary with as much or as little as you would like to do!

Your hosts, Zene and Henner live on the property in the main house which is far enough away to offer you incredible privacy (200 meters) but close enough when you need any help planning any day trips, activities, tours, therapeutic massages, private Yoga or any thing you need assistance with. A small staff is on site, but out of sight and happy to assist when asked.

Guests at Cristal Azul have the opportunity to see and experience a way of life that has been replaced with gated communities, high-rise hotels, and condos. There is plenty of light adventure to enjoy guided or unguided and our proximity to Samara & Mal Pais offer excellent day trip excursions. A truly personalized experience filled with old fashioned fun, fine local cuisine and culture await you and your guests at Cristal Azul.

Our corporate account with several car rental companies allows guests to take advantage of discounted rates up to 15%. We only represent companies that have proven to us that they offer exceptional service and quality vehicles. Rentals with us also offer you the opportunity to include personal Mi-Fi Internet routers and surf board rack rentals and discounted rates as well.

Activities available in our area include: Surfing, Fishing, Kayaking in mangroves, Horse, ATV & Mountain Bike Tours, a Butterfly Farm, Scarlett Macaw Sanctuary, Sea Turtle Preservation (in season), Yoga and Massage. Stargazing at night in the pool is a guest favorite!

Rental equipment available for fun in the sun: ATV’s, Mountain Bikes, Surf Boards, SUP Boards, Sea Kayaks, Boogey Boards and Snorkeling gear.

Day trips available in our area include and are not limited to: full day offshore sport fishing excursions, zip lines suitable for all ages, national parks and sanctuaries, and professional snorkeling excursions.

“There are so many highlights of our stay at Cristal Azul, with the top being the warmth and hospitality of Zene and Henner. Zene helped with a number of arrangements for our group of 7, two families with older kids (teens and a 21 year old) with surfing, nearby tidepools for the explorers, and fabulous dinners on the beach at Henner’s Locos Cocos. We loved the ever- amazing pool overlooking the ocean where we spent time cooling off and watching the waves, birds, and lizards. The boys racked up a number of games on the pool table; and the older boys in the hammock. And Zene is right – a 4-wheel drive is needed for the drive! It’s daunting the first time and gets better once you get used to it. Completely worth it to spend time in this away-from-it-all oasis. ” -Michelle, Washington DC

We promise you comfort and a touch of luxury in a place that many consider to one of the last untouched hidden gems of Costa Rica. It is our goal that you leave wishing you could stay a little longer!

Pura Vida!