The Fruit Capital of Costa Rica!

Ventanas San Mateo is located at the base of the Aquacate Mountains as they begin their gentle slope to the sea. The warm climate is cooled by the breezes from the ocean and the surrounding mountains. The area is one of Costa Rica's richest fruit producers - mangos, watermelons, cantaloupe, and pineapples grow in abundance to mention just a few of the succulent fruits native here...in fact, San Mateo's neighbor, Orotina, is known as "the fruit capitol" of Costa Rica. (see photos).

The population of both towns enjoy most of the amenities and activities one could want...fine hospitals, excellent schools, large hardware stores (ferreterias), a wide variety of restaurants, Internet cafes, shopping of all kinds and all of the professional services that are available in larger cities including an Internet service provider to keep you in close touch with your friends, family and business matters. Tourism offers surfing, canopy tours, deep sea fishing, parasailing, boating, and all water sports. The area is heavily native Costa Rican.

Dozens of spectacular beaches lie within 20-45 minutes of Ventanas, ranging from the more popular surfing areas to private, secluded beaches like Bajamar, Tivives and Agujas, which are pristine and breathtakingly gorgeous. National parks and canopy tours are nearby, and the ferry to Nicoya is a brief 35-minute drive. The area is perfectly located...secure...and boasts a gentle climate, much milder than the lower coastal areas where the heat is sometimes oppressive.

It is well known only because it is a popular stopping point on the way to the white sand beach and the lush coastal areas. The people are very friendly, and prices still haven't caught up with the higher costs of the cities. Because it is not a tourist attraction, the area remains pure and pristine. The fun and excitement of discos, gambling casinos and nightlife are just a half an hour away in Jaco and 35 minutes in the opposite direction in Puntarenas....and yet San Mateo and Ventanas are but a 40-minute drive from San Jose, the historical capital city of Costa Rica, with more than a million people and activities galore.