Guanacaste: water, tourism and development ^{CEFR B2}

Guanacaste is Costa Rica’s driest province. The region draws tourists and foreign buyers for its beaches and arid tropical landscapes, even as Costa Rica protects more than 25 percent of its territory and aims for 100 percent renewable electricity. The dry season usually runs from December to April, and temperatures can reach 35 degrees Celsius.

Much of the province was historically cleared for cattle pastures and burned to maintain grazing land. That deforestation made tropical dry forests one of the most threatened ecosystems in the tropics. Historical marginalisation also left a weaker state presence and limited planning capacity, which complicates enforcement of environmental rules.

Since the early 2000s, and especially during and after the COVID-19 pandemic, real estate speculation and lifestyle migration have accelerated. Digital nomads and wealthier buyers have bought coastal property, creating high vacancy rates: in towns such as Tamarindo and Nosara up to 60 percent of houses are unoccupied for six months or more. Luxury developments and second homes generate service jobs but often channel much profit abroad.

Water has become the most pressing local environmental issue. Developers and large hotels often secure water while nearby communities face shortages. Public institutions lack reliable data on aquifer capacity even as thousands of wells extract water. Research shows several Pacific coast aquifers are overused or contaminated by seawater in areas of intense development. An investigation published in March 2026 highlighted declining water quality linked to underinvestment. According to the regulator ARESEP, dozens of aqueducts show contamination, including faecal coliforms, tied to ageing infrastructure and limited technical and financial capacity of local operators. Private financing and private control of infrastructure have shifted influence toward developers.

Conflicts have grown across the coast. Communities in Sardinal, Potrero, Santa Cruz (the Nimboyores aquifer) and Marbella have protested planned diversions, loss of local control and illegal wells. Judicial rulings and media investigations have noted irregular land use and extraction, but construction and drilling have continued. Local residents have organised to defend their right to water, while a report issued before the 2026 UN Water Conference warns aquifers worldwide are near breaking points.