Americans are moving to Blue Zone paradise for a healthy retirement
When Ricardo Caceres first set foot on Conchal Beach as a child, it was little more than a quiet stretch of white sand where locals camped and played in the crystal-clear waters.
'That's been my favorite beach for a very long time,' he told The Post, recalling his family's move to Costa Rica in the 1970s. 'That's what drew me to eventually come full circle and spend a good chunk of the year there.'
Now 54, Caceres is part of a growing wave of Americans trading red, white and blue for Nicoya's Zona Azul — where locals enjoy some of the longest, healthiest lives on Earth.
13 Reserva Conchal is a luxury resort founded in 1996. It is based in Guanacaste, Costa Rica.
Courtesy of Reserva Conchal
The 80-mile peninsula, located just south of the Nicaraguan border, is one of the world's five original Blue Zones. Its residents are more than twice as likely as Americans to reach their 90s in good health.
Expats chasing the Blue Zone lifestyle have flocked to Costa Rica in recent years, fueling a boom in luxury tourism and hotel-branded private residences across the region.
Among them: The W Residences Costa Rica, a high-end enclave tucked inside the gated Reserva Conchal community in the Guanacaste Province — where Caceres snapped up a plot of land in March 2020.
'At Reserva Conchal, we are a community that embraces wellness, a connection with nature and a slower and more intentional pace of life,' Fabián Fernandez, the property's business manager, told The Post.
'Being in a Blue Zone is a part of our DNA, and most of the people that come and invest in Reserva Conchal are definitely taking that into consideration.'
'Your exercise routine is a lot different. You eat healthier. I usually lose weight when I'm there.' Ricardo Caceres
13 Ricardo Caceres purchased a lot in Reserva Conchal
in 2020.
From fast food to slow living
Before building his tropical retreat, Caceres spent decades working in the restaurant industry.
At 21, he left Costa Rica for Los Angeles, working as a McDonald's crew member while putting himself through college.
Over the next two decades, Caceres rose through the ranks to become the director of operations for a major franchisee, eventually opening several McDonald's of his own before relocating to the Phoenix area.
When he grew tired of the grind, Caceres circled back to the beach of his childhood — now home to a sleek, sustainable community.
He broke ground on a five-bedroom home just as the pandemic began. By late 2021, it was ready. Now, he and his wife Melissa bounce between Arizona and Costa Rica while their daughter finishes high school in the States.
13 A growing number of native Costa Ricans are moving to Reserva Conchal.
Courtesy of Reserva Conchal
'Being on-site changes your routine completely,' he said. 'You really feel like you're on vacation, even though you're at your own house.'
And this is no sleepy surf shack.
Private owners of homes in The W Residences enjoy access to all of the amenities offered at the W Hotel on-site, including a fitness center, golf course, tennis courts, a spa, two pools and miles of private trails winding through lush rainforest.
Caceres starts each day with a workout, then hits the beach for a walk or paddleboard session in the calm Pacific waters.
'Your exercise routine is a lot different,' he said. 'You eat healthier. I usually lose weight when I'm there.'
13 Conchal Beach is considered one of the best in Costa Rica.
Courtesy of Reserva Conchal
The cost of moving to paradise
Reserva Conchal is now developing its 17th residential community. Buyers can choose undeveloped lots to build their dream home or opt for move-in ready private residences.
Options include single-family homes, condominiums, and branded rentals that owners can lease out when away.
'Most of the Blue Zone is inside yourself, it's the way you act, the way you behave and the way you live. When you're there, you become a part of it.' Ricardo Caceres
Private forest-view lots in the new Laurel community start at $645,000, while pre-built properties currently available at The W Residences range from $4.35 million to $5.45 million.
Most buyers hail from North America and Europe, though Fernandez said more native Costa Ricans are moving in, too.
13 Caceres' home is part of the community's rental program.
'Everyone that comes to Reserva Conchal — especially people that are from the States but also Costa Ricans that are currently living in the central valley or San Jose — are looking for a more balanced and healthier way of life,' he said.
Not waiting for retirement
While Caceres has mostly stepped back from the restaurant world, he still consults on large projects and juggles a few ventures — often from his breezy Costa Rican home office instead of Arizona.
'It's really no different, except the view is better. The whole vibe is a lot more relaxed and you're less stressed,' Caceres said. 'I never wear shoes there — that tells you everything.'
And the longer he stays, the more he embraces the local mindset.
'Most of the Blue Zone is inside yourself, it's the way you act, the way you behave and the way you live,' Caceres said. 'When you're there, you become a part of it.'
Park City meets pura vida
Nils Thorjussen is also on a mission to find a new rhythm of life in Costa Rica.
13 Nils Thorjussen and his family are originally from Park City, Utah.
Nils Thorjussen
A self-described 'serial entrepreneur,' the 59-year-old most recently spent a decade at the helm of Verge Aero, a startup that creates choreographed light shows using drones.
'It's been a really cool, fun ride, but I'm ready to work less,' said Thorjussen, who admitted he'd been grappling with feelings of burnout before handing over the reins and stepping into a part-time role earlier this year.
13 Private residences on-site are designed to foster a deep connection with nature by seamlessly bringing the outdoors in.
Courtesy of Reserva Conchal
When Thorjussen began searching for a second home, Costa Rica's accessibility quickly became a major draw.
'It's easier to embrace it as opposed to being in an environment where there's a Kentucky Fried Chicken on every corner.' Nils Thorjussen
'It's within reasonable striking range of the US — it's like a three-hour flight from Houston — so it's easy to access as opposed to some of the other Blue Zones, like in the Mediterranean,' he said. 'That was really important to me.'
Thorjussen and his wife, Rebecca, now travel back and forth between their home in Park City, Utah, and a five-bedroom, fully-staffed eco villa perched high above the coastline inside Reserva Conchal.
13 Many private residences feature solar panels and cutting-edge sustainable technologies.
Courtesy of Reserva Conchal
'When I'm here, I'm happy as a clam,' the father-of-two said. 'It's definitely good for my mental health, because you can really check out and chill out and enjoy life. It's very easy to transition to a different speed.'
The Nicoya Peninsula's reputation as a Blue Zone also intrigued Thorjussen, who was curious how the region's lifestyle might influence his own well-being.
'For the most part, people here live more simply and closer to nature,' he said. 'When you're surrounded by that, it's easier to embrace it as opposed to being in an environment where there's a Kentucky Fried Chicken on every corner.'
13 Reserva Conchal is home to a wildlife refuge.
Courtesy of Reserva Conchal
That connection to nature is now woven into his daily routine. Thorjussen starts each morning with a stroll around the property, taking in the lush greenery, flitting parakeets and the calls of howler monkeys echoing through the guanacaste trees.
He's already planning to relocate his sailboat once he and Rebecca make the move full-time.
Thorjussen's habits have shifted in other ways, too — particularly when it comes to food.
'Being a little bit older, I am trying to be more health-conscious,' he said. 'If you want to avoid processed foods, it's much easier to get fresh ingredients here than it is in most of the US.'
13 Reserva Conchal has a fully operating apiary that produces all-natural honey.
Courtesy of Reserva Conchal
13 The property has several greenhouses and gardens.
The traditional Nicoyan diet is primarily plant-based and centers around beans, corn and squash, along with rice, fresh vegetables and antioxidant-rich tropical fruits. They eat a considerable amount of dairy and enjoy lean proteins like fish, chicken and eggs in moderation.
The water in the Nicoya Peninsula is also packed with calcium and magnesium, which wards off heart disease and promotes strong bones.
Couple that with the vitamin D Costa Ricans soak up by spending a lot of time outdoors, and it promotes a longer, healthier lifestyle.
'Although I'm sure I would be able to be reasonably healthy in Park City, it's certainly easier to execute here,' Thorjussen said.
13 Thorjussen is looking forward to moving to Costa Rica full time.
Nils Thorjussen
Living longer, together
Community and social responsibility are also at the heart of the Blue Zone lifestyle, according to Fernandez.
The Nicoyan motto 'plan de vida,' meaning a reason to live, fuels elders' positive outlook, active routines and strong sense of purpose in their community.
Locals credit this mindset for their extraordinary longevity — and Reserva Conchal is bringing that spirit to life on-site.
13 Reserva Conchal is a luxury eco-resort that was founded in 1996.
Courtesy of Reserva Conchal
'Having a sense of community has been very, very important for residents,' Fernandez said. 'They want a deeper connection with the community around where they live.'
At Reserva Conchal, both residents and staff roll up their sleeves for local volunteer projects, including painting schools, planting trees, cleaning beaches and even scuba diving to remove debris from coral reefs.
Sustainability is also at the forefront. More than 85% of on-site waste is recycled, composted or reused. The community runs two wastewater treatment plants plus Costa Rica's first sea-water desalination plant. Impressively, it offsets 20% more carbon emissions than it produces.
'Residents want to be more connected with nature, to have a purpose in their lives, to be a part of a more supportive community, so I do hope that in the end it will help them live a longer life,' Fernandez said. 'I know that it will be a more fulfilling one.'
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