An Exciting and Brief History of Costa Rica and Los Sueños
Los Sueños has become a highly ranked destination in Central America, and for good reason. With a world-class marina, various luxurious amenities, and picture-perfect beaches, the resort has everything people want from a tropical destination. But how did the resort get to be the admired place it is today? Here we have a brief history of Costa Rica and Los Sueños.
An Overview of Costa Rica’s History
1500–1838
Uncovered by Christopher Columbus in 1502, Costa Rica came about as a result of the Spanish Conquest. Before he and other Europeans came around, the original inhabitants had never developed urbanized civilizations, leaving them susceptible to foreign environmental factors. Sadly, once the Europeans came into their country, diseases they brought in decimated the indigenous peoples.
Because of this, the Costa Rican culture became a blend of indigenous heritage and Spanish colonial influence—which in part has made the country what it is today. It wasn’t until 1838 that Costa Rica became an independent country, finally giving numerous people the safe home they’d been longing for.
20th Century
Costa Rica really grew into itself in the 20th century—the country enjoyed peace and growth in prosperity—even after the civil war. In fact, some say that the civil war of 1948 contributed to the country’s future democratic efforts. After the war, Costa Rica disbanded its military forces; today the country is the only one in the region with no army.
Though to some this may pose a safety threat, it just goes to show what a peaceful nation the country is. In the years since, Costa Rica has shown to be a liberal country, attracting many outside individuals to its beautiful and peaceful land.
History of Los Sueños
In 1991, a tremendous earthquake hit the country causing widespread damage and loss of life; however, the country came back stronger than ever thanks to the booming tourist industry. After the earthquake, developer William Royster bought 1,100 acres of land on the Herradura Bay. He understood the massive economic potential of beachfront Costa Rica real estate. The gorgeous land he purchased would soon become Los Sueños Resort and Marina.
Royster understood the importance of working with various government institutions and encouraging them to support and protect the various aspects of the plan for Los Sueños. Because of his adamance with the government, they declared Los Sueños a project of national interest.
Los Sueños Resort
Six years of planning went into the creation of the beautiful resort. In 1997, the team broke ground to create the first 1,000 planned residences, the hotel, and the 6,700-yard golf course. Less than four years later, the resort opened, bringing in people who revel in the luxurious, natural accommodations, and amenities of the resort.
World-Renowned Marina and Rainforest
Royster and his partners had even bigger plans for Los Sueños than just the resort. The team discovered that “Costa Rica hosts more than 5% of the world’s biodiversity even though its landmass makes up less than .03% of the planet’s surface.” With this new knowledge, they put a lot of effort into creating an incredible marina and rainforest to encourage wildlife to take up residence in the area.
Along with the construction of the resort, Royster’s staff started their ambitious reforestation program, which reclaimed 200 acres destroyed by cattle farming. This process brought many native species back to the area, ultimately increasing the overall wonder of the resort.
Not only that, but the team also worked on the marina—little did they know, this would end up being the marina that helped establish the national Marina Law. In 2001, the marina opened to the public. It now has 200 wet slips, 116 dry slips, a fuel dock, and a full-time wait staff. With all of that, combined with the village commercial center and residence units, the marina, resort, and Los Sueños have become a must-see destination for people around the world.
