To help you get to know our South Pacific Costa Rica real estate market a little better, here is a short history of Ojochal real estate development.

Only forty years ago, Ojochal and the surrounding Costa Ballena area were predominantly pasture lands inhabited by not much more than a handful of families. In fact, what was named ‘Ojochal’ encompassed only a slight portion of what we now know the village to be.

When a small group of French Canadians from Quebec arrived in this region, local families residing here were subsisting on agriculture and most of the area was pasture land. This group of around ten investors purchased about 1000 hectares to begin, from the coast up to where the church and the Rio Tortuga bridge are now situated. They named their first investment area ‘Playa Tortuga’ and began their venture of developing properties for sale.

How we grew in Ojochal

As they purchased more and more land from local farmers, they expanded the growing community’s infrastructure, including roads and water. Prior to the arrival of these international investors, plumbing was non-existent and the only “roads” reaching Ojochal required travel from San Isidro de El General to Buenos Aires, down to Palmar, through Cortes, and crossing a number of rivers from there on dirt trails with no bridges. As development expanded, roads were paved, first from Dominical to Palmar, then extending to Quepos, so, too, did the population grow, which went from five families prior to 1990 to around 100 families in 1991 and two hundred in 1992.

These adventurous entrepreneurs began with the knowledge that nothing would be easy, everything would have to be developed from the ground up and, most importantly, that they were not doing this for money — this was to be done mainly in the pursuit of pleasure. Under the leadership of the initial foreign investors and subsequent developers, 92 km of road make Ojochal what it is today: an ecologically diverse, international and integrated community.

Where we are today

Visitors to Ojochal who fall in love with the laid back lifestyle of this particular community often end up in our Osa Tropical Properties office. They've seen our distinctive signs across various properties that we represent in the region and they may call, email or even drop in. It happens as fast as simply thinking about having a look but as soon as they contact us, we know that it's basically a matter of time before we find them the property that will make their heart skip a beat.

This particular part of Costa Rica is remarkably beautiful for its dynamic landscapes that has mountains reaching out of the coastline. Some of the most beloved beaches look and feel like you are on a Pacific desert island where soft sands meet coconut palms and monkeys, sloths and macaws dance and play. People come from near and far to swim in the healing waters of the Pacific Coast, both off shore and on land.

People choose to stay here, in Ojochal, because they feel safe. It's so easy to make friends and to get good advice. Brand new visitors feel welcomed right away by locals of all backgrounds and walks of life. This is a place of inclusion, not division. It is a place of activity, too, where meetings and get-togethers of all kinds are attended by a diversity of people.

All of these factors and more are thoroughly enjoyed by many. And possibly us the most because we have the pleasure of welcoming new neighbors to one of the happiest periods of their lives. We know that there's nothing like it and we're here to help you make this process fun and easy, like it should be. Pura vida.

Does this history of Ojochal have you wondering if your future might be in the tropics? Sign up to our newsletter below for weekly market updates with everything you want to know about South Pacific Costa Rica real estate.

Check Out Our Blog!