Bellavista

Some things to know before making the journey to Finca Bellavista!

(We have additional information, like exact directions, things to do nearby, food options and payment pointers that we can send to visitors upon making overnight reservations.)

You won’t find billboards or roadside signs that lead you to Finca Bellavista. We are not a full-service spa or a fancy hotel. You won’t find TVs in our cabinas, or electricity yet in most structures (our community center and one treehouse currently have limited solar-powered electricity). What you will find is a rustic, yet comfortable retreat from the outside world to explore and enjoy on your own. We are in our infancy as a project, therefore, there is always work being done, which can be noisy during work days (currently Tuesday through Saturday).

We prefer not to give direct directions to Finca Bellavista due to the unique nature of our project. We DO NOT have the human resources to handle drop-in or unscheduled visitors, so we ask that your party please contact us by email prior to making plans to visit. We will forward directions to your party upon making a reservation. Also, GPS and navigation systems DO NOT work in this area.

We recommend 4-wheel drive on the gravel road to the finca and ask that you please plan on arriving to the finca before dark (which comes early year-round in Costa Rica). The InterAmericana Highway is speckled with potholes after rainy season, and makes for dangerous travel. Also, arriving to the finca after dark can be problematic depending on where you are staying. The hike to a treehouse, for example, can be slippery, and is best negotiated during daytime hours. We CANNOT accommodate arrivals to the treehouses after dark, period.

When planning your visit to Finca Bellavista, please remember that the treehouses and the land they exist on are PRIVATE PROPERTY. If your visit is not pre-arranged, you will likely not get to tour the property or see the treehouses. All visitors and guests to Finca Bellavista must sign-in at our office and register their visit.If you do not contact us prior to your arrival or gain permission to visit, your party will not be able to see treehouses, hike the trails, swim in the waterfalls, etc. upon your arrival. (We know that everyone wants to see a treehouse, but think of it this way. Can you walk down Miami Beach, point to a condo and say 'I'm going to walk through that one!'? Exactly...)

Property tours by Finca Bellavista and its employees are only available to overnight visitors and guests, and WE CANNOT ACCOMMODATE DROP-IN OR UNSCHEDULED VISITORS AND GUESTS. We are sorry for any inconvenience this may cause your party. Remember, you will be walking to/from your rental and will be carrying your own luggage to and from your rental. Less is more, backpacks work best, and rolling luggage and suitcases are NOT recommended. You will be miserable! Luggage porters can be hired for a per-trip fee.

Our high season (drier season) is roughly December through May. Our low season (rainier season) is roughly June through November. It is the rainforest, and it will rain whenever it feels like raining. The only month that we do not recommend for first-time visitors is October. There is no such thing as a weather forecast for our immediate area - we exist in a micro-climate.

Things you might want to bring to Finca Bellavista!

Though we think living here is quite comfortable as it is right now, we realize that we have become accustomed to life in the jungle as we know it! Though we are well equipped for simple living, we suggest bringing several items to make your stay here more enjoyable.

-headlamp and/or flashlight and batteries to power it (an absolute necessity, and we can’t keep enough extras to go around to all visitors)

-waterproof sunblock

-bugspray

-raingear

-tall rubber boots or close-toed shoes (we do have some rubber boots available for visitors to borrow, but BYOBoots if you want a guarantee)

-bathing suit

-items like biodegradable toothpaste, soaps and shampoos are gentle on our biodigestors, great for an impromptu bath in the river, and difficult to find around these parts

-brimmed hat

-sunglasses

-guides for wildlife, flowers or plants

-a book to relax with (we also have book swap shelves)

-music/I-pod

-a sense of adventure (an absolute necessity!)

It gets chilly here at night, so long sleeves or pants are recommended. Likewise, the daytime hours can be hot, sunny and humid. Be prepared with a wide range of clothing. Fast-drying fabrics work very well here. We have no on-site laundry facilities yet, so plan accordingly.

The food situation right now at Finca Bellavista is currently as follows:

Breakfast is included with all PAID overnight rentals during our high season, November 16 - July 15, and is served in the community center. Meals are available for purchase during lunch and dinner at the community center, and are $25 per person (for both) per day. Separately, meals are: breakfast is $5, lunch is $10 and dinner is $15. If you do not feel like taking advantage of our meals, please bring food to prepare IN YOUR RENTAL during your visit (FYI, the nearest restaurant is a 5-10 minute drive down the hill), or make arrangements through us to have community meals. We need ADVANCE NOTICE if we are preparing meals for your party. Meals are typical Costa Rican fare. If you require special foods or needs for your diet, you will need to bring them with you. (We have a limited kitchen and cannot accommodate one gluten-free eater, one dairy-free eater, three children that are picky eaters, one meat-free eater, and one nut allergy in one sitting.) If you want beer and alcohol, please bring it with you. Because we are currently operating on a limited electrical supply, refrigeration space is limited. Bring your own cooler if you need cold items and your rental does not have a refrigerator.

We do not have a public telephone or a land telephone line, so plan accordingly prior to your arrival. WIFI is available at base camp when the electricity allows for 1,000 colones per half-hour.

*****PLEASE NOTE*****

Introduction to and use of the community’s private SKY Trail network of ziplines and platforms is contingent on employee and equipment availability. The SKY Trails are not operated as a commercial canopy tour, nor are they inclusive of an overnight stay at Finca Bellavista. We must charge an equipment rental fee to either loan equipment OR to provide guidance on the SkyTrails. We feel this is very reasonable, given the costs involved to purchase equipment, pay our employees a living fair wage, and enable people to access the best experience in Costa Rica. Children under the age of 8 require special equipment and it is not recommended to include them in any plans for use of the SKYTrail network.