Costa Rica’s Blue Zone is the Nicoya Peninsula in Guanacaste, one of a handful of places worldwide studied for unusually long, healthy lives. Researchers found that older Nicoyans, especially men, outlived the rest of Costa Rica, helped by physical work, close families, a sense of purpose and a diet built on corn, beans and squash. That edge is fading among younger generations, and today the core area is small. You can visit it from beaches like Sámara and Nosara.
This guide is for travelers curious about the Costa Rica Blue Zone and how to see it. It explains what the research found, where the zone is, what people eat, how to visit respectfully and how to fit it into a beach trip.
| Nicoya Blue Zone | At a glance |
|---|---|
| Where | Nicoya Peninsula, Guanacaste: the cantons of Nicoya, Hojancha, Nandayure, Santa Cruz and Carrillo |
| Strongest area today | A corridor in the south of the zone, roughly from Hojancha to Sámara |
| Centenarians | About 70 people over 100, by a 2026 count |
| Key habits | Daily physical work, family living, purpose (plan de vida), corn-and-bean diet |
| Closest airport | Liberia (LIR) |
| Good bases | Nicoya town, Sámara, Nosara |
The research
What Is the Costa Rica Blue Zone?
“Blue Zones” is a label for regions where people live unusually long lives. Sardinia came first, and Okinawa, Nicoya and Ikaria were added from the mid-2000s. In Costa Rica, demographers at the University of Costa Rica found that older adults in five Nicoya Peninsula cantons had lower death rates than the national average, with the strongest effect among men.
Researchers point to several small factors rather than one secret:
- Plan de vida: a sense of purpose, often tied to family and work
- Physical work: farming, ranching and walking well into old age
- Family: older people usually live with or near their children
- Diet: rice, beans and corn tortillas at most meals, with fruit and little processed food
- Water: hard, calcium-rich water, which some residents believe helps, though that’s unproven
- Health care: Costa Rica’s universal public health system
The honest picture
Is Nicoya Still a Blue Zone?
Partly. The longevity advantage belongs mostly to older generations. A 2023 study of about 550,000 Costa Rican adults found that Nicoyan men born in 1905 had adult death rates 33% below the national average. For men born in 1935 the gap was 4%, and men born in 1945 did slightly worse than average.
Researchers link the shift to changes that have reached the peninsula: more processed food, less physical work, more cars, more development and tourism. The longevity hotspot has shrunk to a small area in the south of the zone, and the lead researcher has suggested it could disappear within a couple of decades. Some scientists also question how reliable age records are in Blue Zones generally.
The peninsula still has about 70 centenarians, and in 2026 the government launched a program of home health visits and housing support for them. What you’ll see as a visitor is rural Guanacaste life that’s changing, not a museum of old habits.
Where it is
Where to Go on the Nicoya Peninsula
- Nicoya town: the peninsula’s main inland town, with a central plaza, an old church and everyday shops and markets.
- Hojancha: a quiet hill town at the center of today’s longevity corridor.
- Sámara: a relaxed beach town at the southern end of the corridor, with calm water and a real village feel. See our Sámara guide.
- Nosara: surf, yoga and wellness retreats along the coast. See our Nosara guide.
- Guaitil: a village near Santa Cruz known for Chorotega-style pottery made by local families.
- Barra Honda National Park: limestone hills and caves near Nicoya, with guided cave descents.
Getting there
How to Get to Costa Rica’s Blue Zone
Fly into Liberia (LIR) for the shortest drive. Nicoya town is roughly 1 to 1.5 hours south, and Sámara and Nosara are a bit farther. From San José, plan on about 3 hours or more to Nicoya by car, crossing the Tempisque River bridge. See our Costa Rica airport guide.
A car gives you the most freedom to visit small inland towns. Main roads are paved, but some beach and village roads are rough, especially in the rainy season. Buses connect Nicoya with Liberia, San José and the beaches. See our guides to driving in Costa Rica and the Costa Rica bus guide.
Food
What People Eat in the Nicoya Blue Zone
The traditional diet is simple, local and heavy on corn and beans. You’ll find much of it at sodas, the small family-run restaurants found in every town.
- Gallo pinto: rice and beans, often with eggs and corn tortillas, for breakfast.
- Corn tortillas: made by hand in many homes and sodas.
- Casado: the everyday lunch plate of rice, beans, salad, plantain and a protein.
- Corn snacks: Guanacaste is known for corn-based treats such as rosquillas and chorreadas.
- Fruit and squash: papaya, mango and local squash round out meals.
For more, see our guide to Costa Rican food.
Visiting
How to Experience the Blue Zone Respectfully
- Eat local: choose sodas and farmers’ markets over chains.
- Ask first: centenarians and their families are private people, not attractions. Don’t photograph anyone or visit homes without an invitation.
- Go with a local guide: some community and wellness tours include farm visits, cooking and conversations arranged with families.
- Time it with a festival: Guanacaste celebrates the Annexation of Nicoya on July 25 with music, dances and food.
- Move like a local: walk, swim and start your day early.
When to go
Best Time to Visit Nicoya
- Dry season (December to April): sunny and hot, with brown, dry hills and the most visitors.
- Rainy season (May to November): green hills, fewer people and lower prices, with afternoon rain. September and October are the wettest, and some dirt roads become hard to drive.
Plan it
A Simple 3-Day Blue Zone Plan
| Day | Plan |
|---|---|
| Day 1 | Fly into Liberia and drive to Sámara. Swim, walk the beach and have dinner at a local soda. |
| Day 2 | Drive inland to Hojancha and Nicoya town. Visit the plaza and market, eat a traditional lunch, and stop at Barra Honda if you want a hike. |
| Day 3 | Visit the pottery workshops in Guaitil, then head to Nosara or back to Liberia. |
Living here longer? See our guide to retirement in Costa Rica and Costa Rica health care and insurance.
Avoid these
Common Mistakes
- Expecting a marked “Blue Zone” area or attraction. It’s a research region, not a park.
- Treating elderly residents as a sightseeing stop.
- Staying only in resort areas and missing the inland towns.
- Assuming every Nicoyan lives to 100. The effect is about averages across older generations.
FAQ
Costa Rica Blue Zone FAQ
Where is the Blue Zone in Costa Rica?
On the Nicoya Peninsula in Guanacaste, across the cantons of Nicoya, Hojancha, Nandayure, Santa Cruz and Carrillo. Today the strongest effect is in the south, roughly from Hojancha to Sámara.
Why do people in Nicoya live so long?
Researchers point to several factors together: lifelong physical work, close family ties, a sense of purpose, a corn-and-bean diet, hard water and universal health care. No single cause has been proven.
Is Nicoya still a Blue Zone?
Partly. Older generations, especially men born before about 1935, had a clear advantage, but it has faded in younger generations, and the core area has shrunk.
How many centenarians live in Nicoya?
About 70 people over 100, according to a 2026 count.
Can you visit the Costa Rica Blue Zone?
Yes. Stay in Sámara, Nosara or Nicoya town, eat at local sodas and visit inland towns like Hojancha. Respect residents’ privacy, and use local guides for community visits.
What is the closest airport to the Nicoya Peninsula?
Liberia International Airport (LIR). Nicoya town is roughly 1 to 1.5 hours away by car.
The short version
Costa Rica’s Blue Zone is the Nicoya Peninsula; today’s core runs roughly from Hojancha to Sámara.
The longevity edge is real but fading, strongest in men born in the early 1900s.
Base yourself in Sámara or Nicoya, eat at sodas and treat residents as neighbors, not attractions.