Does the Nicoya Peninsula Hold the Secret to Longevity?

Costa Rica’s largest peninsula is known for more than pristine beaches and rich biodiversity.

For thousands of years, the secret to longevity has been a quest that ends with finding healing waters that, when consumed or bathed in, can restore youth and cure illness. But does it really exist? We say yes, and you might just find it here on the Nicoya Peninsula. In a new Netflix docuseries, Live to 100: Secrets of the Blue Zones, author and National Geographic explorer Dan Buettner looks for the secrets of longevity, discovering five unique communities (the Nicoya Peninsula is one) where people’s lifespans are the longest.

The Nicoya Peninsula is on the Pacific coast of Costa Rica and is home to Florblanca. The peninsula is only 75 miles long and varies in width from 19 to 37 miles. It’s the largest peninsula in Costa Rica and is known for its pristine beaches, rich biodiversity, and natural beauty. And it’s also known for its rare population of centenarians – individuals who live past 100 years of age. In fact, the proportion of centenarians on the Nicoya Peninsula is close to 3.5 times the global average! Additionally, it has the world’s lowest rate of middle age mortality and second-highest concentration of male centenarians. Why is this? That’s one of the many questions that the docuseries explores.

The term “blue zones” was first used by Dan Buettner to describe the five locations across the globe (Icaria, Greece, Okinawa, Japan, Ogliastra Region, Sardinia, Loma Linda, California, and Nicoya Peninsula) that had high longevity. Each of these locations share nine specific lifestyle habits:

They live an active daily life where they are constantly moving naturally.
They wake up with a sense of purpose every day.
They make relaxation and downtime a priority to help deal with stress.
They stop eating when their stomachs are 80% full to keep from over-eating.
They eat mostly healthy, plant-based meals, with less consumption of meat.
They drink wine moderately and regularly.
They belong to some faith-based community.
They put their families first.
They chose or were born into social circles that supported healthy behaviors.

We’ve always known the residents of The Nicoya Peninsula were special and some of the happiest people. Why wouldn’t they be with this beautiful paradise to call home where we all get to spend more time outdoors, eat fresh fruits, natural produce, sustainably raised pork and chicken, and delicious fresh-caught fish?

Ready to experience the Blue Zone for yourself? Book your reservation with us today and see for yourself why we’re all so happy and healthy!