Retiring to a small fishing village in South America

[Luke Rock]

Well, that’s the dream. Can I find it in Costa Rica? I am interested in like minded and local fisherman who share my lifelong passion for saltwater river or near shore fishing. My interest was initially in the Carribean side. Google Maps brought me to Limon, where there seems to be a mix of harbor, coastal rivers, and an airport. But the area seems desolate. I want both worlds….and need access to population once in a while. ( I don’t understand why the area of Limon has not become a tourist destination. Airport. Rivers in area. Beaches seem great. Is there a poverty, cultural, or some other socio-economic factors at play?).
So, having been pummeled in a late-in-life divorce, my retirement will only ne about $24, 000 annual with very little savings. Do you have any recommendations for living in a small native fishing community, with access to populations and interesting tourists nearby and accessible at such a low income? And maybe a good clinic in case I get ahold of a poisonous fish? Thanks…. Luke

[JASON HOLLAND]

Hi Luke,

There is a ton of great fishing in Costa Rica. It’s perhaps best known for offshore sport fishing for marlin, sailfish, tuna, etc.

But there are also tarpon (near shore and in the estuary) on the northern Caribbean coast on the Rio Colorado. There are fishing lodges there but not really any places to live full time. Lake Arenal has the guapote, a rainbow bass, that is said to be a lot like bass fishing in the U.S. There is even some trout fishing high in the mountains in some spots. Not native, they were introduced 50 years ago. So all those could be spots for trips if you live here.

When it comes to Limon city itself, it’s not an attractive place. A somewhat gritty port that takes in the majority of the country’s container traffic. But the rest of the coast is beautiful, with the area north of Limon mostly inaccessible because it’s a wetland and jungle. The area south, see below.

As far as your needs and budget, I can think of a few places for further research:

Puerto Viejo de Talamanca (southern Caribbean coast) has a small local fishing collective and is also a low key tourism destination. Mostly near shore fishing.

Quepos (central Pacific coast) is one of the country’s major fishing ports for local fisherman, as well as tourist/expat offshore sport fisherman.

Golfito (southern Pacific coast) is another fishing hotspot. It’s on the Golfo Dulce, a body of water between the mainland and the wild Osa Peninsula.

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