The People

As is the case the world over, the people in any place are what truly makes a lasting impression on a visitor. And while I wouldn't consider us visitors any longer, we're not quite local, yet. Nevertheless, the people here have opened themselves to us to such an extent that there's no denying the fact that this is where we belong. The families of the nearby village and surrounding community have one-by-one opened their doors and hearts to us in both overt and subtle ways and each time it is a gift.

To the north of us lies the town of Pavones. In its current iteration, the heart of Pavones is the wave. And as such, most people you will encounter there have based much of their life around this wave. It's that good. The populace of Pavones consists of a melting pot of individuals of diverse backgrounds and stories, all with a severe surfing addiction. As remote as it is, this town has as yet not been over-run by the masses and as such its inhabitants have retained a distinct character of independence that sets a scene of simultaneous leisure and contrasting hard-core dedication to sport.

To the south is Punta Banco, a village of roughly 200. Unique in Costa Rica, this locale remains especially uncorrupted by excessive tourism and the habitants are proud of their pueblo; rightfully so. If Pavones is laid-back, Punta Banco is the ultimate chill and the people demonstrate admirably; right after a hard day's work. There are few expats residing in the immediate vicinity of Punta Banco and those that are have found themselves involved in such endeavours as animal conservation projects, sustainable farming and often simple methods of human refinement. For those of us that know this village well, its people have carved out an immensely special place in our hearts.