By Ivo Henfling

Few Costa Rica golf communities in Costa Rica can boast the option of such a complete amenity in their community. Ciudad Cariari and Los Arcos, two small communities located just off the highway between the International airport Juan Santa Maria and San Jose, and very close to Belen, offer great homes for sale for those who like the quiet of the suburbs and the services of the city.

Ciudad Cariari and Los Arcos, both master planned subdivisions and very secure communities, where created by visionary developers in the 1970’s offer beautiful boulevards with trees and green areas everywhere. Both communities border the Cariari golf course and club so when you live in Cariari or in Los Arcos, you can walk to the club.

In another blog, Shell Johanson, our Cariari real estate specialist, wrote about the 18-hole PAR 72 - YARDAGE   6590 - SLOPE 132 - RATING 71.9 golf course but the Cariari Country Club offers many other options to practice sports.

The 50 meter (164 feet X 84 feet) Olympic swimming pool has seen many champions. Swim coach Francisco Rivas started creating swim champions with María del Milagro París in the 70’s who on her 14th was the best Latin American swimmer when she made 5th in the butterfly stroke during the II World championship swimming.Coach Francisco Rivas just got a taste of winning and kept going. My little sister Charlotte swam in the beginning of the 80’s with sisters Silvia and Claudia Poll. From what I saw and heard my little sister had to go through, it was tough going, but both sisters did very well under Francisco Rivas. The Poll sisters, though born in Nicaragua, were educated in Costa Rica and used the Cariari Country club to train every day. Silvia won Costa Rica’s first Olympic medal when she won silver in woman’s free style in 1988 and her younger sister Claudia won two gold medals in 200 meter free style.

You have to get used a bit to that big pool if you like swimming, because 50 meters are long laps and the water is cold as it is not heated. There is also a smaller pool for children and plenty of deckchairs around the pool area if you like to go for a tan, because the weather and climate in Cariari is always nice, even in rainy season. The club also offers classes with swimming techniques, open water, water polo and synchronized swimming.

For the tennis lovers, there is plenty of that too. The Cariari Country club offers 12 courts of which seven indoor courts with asphalt surface coated and five non-coated. During the year the club has two major tournaments: The Cariari Cup International Tournament in May and The Interclub Tournament in November and the club offers a tennis school if you feel like taking tennis lessons. During the week there is, just like on the golf course, plenty of space to play tennis whenever you feel like, especially when you are retired. During Saturdays and Sundays you have to wait in line to play a match.

The Cariari country club also has a great gym that offers aerobics, spinning, step-aerobics, yoga, pilates, dance, aero-boxing, localizing, tae-bo where you can exercise until you drop dead.  

Facing the golf course is a very good restaurant with very affordable prices for members. It is very easy to become a member in the Cariari Country club. If you like to live in the Central Valley and you are looking for a golf property, just ask our Cariari real estate specialist Shell Johanson to sell you a house in Cariari and he will have you become a member and show you around. Shell lives in Cariari himself, so when you buy a property in Cariari from him, he’ll be around for any questions. You can contact Shell for a property tour of homes for sale in Cariari and since he also plays golf, he can show you the golf course of the Cariari country club and all the homes for sale or for rent in Los Arcos and Cariari.

Ivo Henfling, your realtor who doesn't have time to play golf or swim.