Christmas wonderland sparkles on Playa Santa Teresa

Christmas on Costa Rica's Santa Teresa Beach is a unique winter wonderland

Walking in a winter wonderland is just a tad different on Costa Rica’s Santa Teresa Beach. Rather than the traditional “white Christmas” and “snow glistening in the lane” scene, it is closer to Frosty the Snowman’s situation … “The sun was hot that day. So he said, let’s run and we’ll have some fun now before I melt away.”

Later this month, the big jolly guy with a beard and red suit will be taking his around-the-world whirl. If I were one of his helpful elves, I’d recommend stopping off last in Santa Teresa and bringing a surfboard and some shades.

Known for its romantic tropical beaches, spectacular sunsets, epic surf breaks, and bohemian international town, Santa Teresa is your quintessential tropical paradise. Lying on the remote southwestern tip of Costa Rica’s Nicoya Peninsula along the rugged Pacific Coast, Playa Santa Teresa was voted the #1 beach in Central America for 2012 by Trip Advisor.

This holiday season get your “sparkle” on at these festive Santa Teresa celebrations.

Hotel Tropico Latino

Hotel Tropico Latino fires up the merrymaking in Santa Teresa with an opening party and music fundraiser on Dec. 14^th. The intimate boutique hotel is inaugurating their new beachside open-air deck and gazebo extension of their Shambala Restaurant, and raising funds for the area’s Cobano Kids’ Orchestra. The revelry starts at 4:30 pm with a free sunset cocktail, followed by a Children’s Sunset Concert performed by the Cobano Orchestra. An exquisite special gourmet dinner by award-winning Chef Randy Siles begins at 6:30 pm. The kids go on again performing a dinner concert at 7:00 pm, and there will be dancing after 8:30 pm to DJ Mr. Black. Make reservations by calling Hotel Tropico Latino at 2640-0062, ext. 3.

For Christmas Eve, Dec. 24^th, Hotel Tropico Latino will host a special dinner with music in their Shambala Restaurant. And you can bring in the New Year in style celebrating at Tropico Latino with a special dinner and music on Dec. 31^st. Contact the hotel at 2640-0062 for details.

Sitting right on gorgeous Santa Teresa Beach amid four acres of abundant and peaceful gardens, Hotel Tropico Latino is a relaxed and charming oasis. The hotel features a full-service Spa, a yoga studio with daily classes and activities, surfing and surf instruction in front of the hotel, regular yoga and surf retreats, and award-winning beachfront Shambala Restaurant nationally-recognized for its organic international cuisine by Chef Randy Siles that “excites your senses”. Winner of Trip Advisor’s Certificate of Excellence award for 2012, Tropico Latino’s exquisitely-designed private bungalows and suites deliver relaxed barefoot luxury on the beach.

Pranamar Oceanfront Villas and Yoga Retreat

Owners and staff at the luxurious boutique resort Pranamar Oceanfront Villas and Yoga Retreat in Santa Teresa also believe in sharing their Christmas spirit with the local community. They invite all guests coming to Pranamar Villas and Playa Santa Teresa during this holiday season to toss a few notebooks, pencils, pens and other school supplies in your suitcase to donate to the local Malpais Elementary School. This year’s “Children’s Christmas Campaign” is themed the “Gift of Art.” The hotel administration will be collecting school and art supplies, and also financial donations, during December and January for the school. Pranamar’s goal is to bring joy to the schoolchildren with 10 art boxes filled with art supplies for the new academic year starting in February 2013.

Pranamar Villas’ employees also will have a donation box, in lieu of exchanging gifts, at the hotel to give toys and/or money to purchase toys for disadvantaged children in town.

Get your groove on for the holidays with a unique and fantastic Live Music Yoga Class on Dec. 28^th at Pranamar Oceanfront Villas, led by renowned yoga instructors Nancy Goodfellow and Esteban Salazar. Be prepared to “let your spirit soar” says Nancy with “Pulsations in Nature” from 5:00-7:30 pm in the hotel’s Yoga Shala. All levels are invited. Contact Pranamar Oceanfront Villas at 2640-0852 for reservations and details.

Say goodbye to 2012 and embrace 2013 on Pranamar’s wide almond tree-shaded section of Santa Teresa Beach, at the hotel’s New Year’s Eve beachfront BBQ bash with live entertainment on Dec. 31^st. Contact Pranamar Oceanfront Villas at 2640-0852 for reservations and details.

Pranamar Oceanfront Villas and Yoga Retreat sits right on the shoreline at Santa Teresa Beach, a gorgeous, intimate boutique hotel with luxury two-story villas, elaborate beachfront bungalows, extravagant tropical gardens, organic healthy-cuisine Buddha Eyes Restaurant, and the most lovely free-form saltwater pool. Winner of the 2012 Trip Advisor Traveler’s Choice award and Certificate of Excellence award, Pranamar Villas offers you daily in-house yoga classes, regular yoga retreats and workshops, all-inclusive yoga vacations, and surfing and yoga holidays.

Santa Teresa Sunday Lunch Club

Join the Santa Teresa community in beach party fun on Sunday, Dec. 23, at Playa Santa Teresa’s weekly Sunday Lunch Club held at Rocamar Beach Lounge. Open to everyone, the day at the beach is fun for the whole family with kids’ activities, games, gourmet good-for-you grub, and chill vibe music spun by live DJ’s from Purasonica Radio. The global internet radio station broadcasts downtempo beach music 24 hours streaming live from Santa Teresa Beach. Playa Santa Teresa is home to an eclectic mix of residents from all over the world. Mingle and get to know the local community at this fun and relaxed fete.