New Season Opens With A Bang!

We have lots to report in this edition of inside Peak!
November brought an unusual amount of heavy rain early in the month, but that didn’t seem to deter the crush of surf and yoga enthusiasts that descended upon our town. Emerging from the languorous state most of us year-rounders fall into during September, an early crush of fun-seekers sort of took us by surprise. Suddenly, this place was hopping! Tour operators, restaurants, and local businesses reported record traffic – all signs of a busy season ahead. Olas Verdes Hotel (pictured above) opened its doors in soft-opening mode and along with it, on-site partners Safari Surf School and Restaurante El Manglar came into a new chapter of life. There were lots of meetings, training sessions, and quite simply a lot of work-work-work going on throughout the month as we all came together to launch this beautiful, new enterprise.

Safari Surfs first guest of the new 2015-16 season was Steve Beck from Southern California. Steve stayed at a nearby hostel for his first few days while he waited for the finishing touches to his room at Olas Verdes Hotel. What fun it was to watch his transition from rustico to luxury. We are all muy orgulloso (very proud) of this magnificent, new and sustainable Costa Rican operation!

Luis Video Analysis — Luis’ Video Analysis

Late in 2015 we also had the pleasure of hosting another lovely guest – LA transplant and well-known travel blogger Alyssa Ramos. The work of this travel writer has graced the pages of outlets Matador Network, Geo Chic, The Mirror UK and The Huffington Post, just to name a few. She authors the blog MyLifesAMovie – a site that achieves over 100,000 unique visitors each month – and her social media reach, alone, is impressive, with over 27,000 followers (and growing) on Instagram alone. Alyssa’s unique approach to her craft focuses on travel destinations for the solo traveler. Alyssa took to surfing quickly, and gracefully, publishing two fantastic blogs about her experiences here in Nosara at Safari Surf School. Be sure to check her work out here. We are grateful!
10 Ways You’ll Feel Pura Vida In Nosara, Costa Rica
10 Tips For Learning How to Surf Like a Tica

Alyssa Ramos of "My Life Is A Movie" — Alyssa Ramos of “My Life Is A Movie”

G-Love in da House!
Undoubtedly a November milestone was the benefit concert at Olas Verdes for Nosara Community Watch. Safari presidente Tim Marsh hatched the idea of hosting a fun new season kickoff concert, and was able to score the very talented G-Love to headline the show. Also performing were local favorites The Pelada Dogs, as well as Tim and Marsi’s daughter Camille, an aspiring singer and songwriter whose performances and talent you can enjoy from this YouTube Channel.
Sponsored by Safari Surf School, Olas Verdes, and Surfing Nosara, the event was a huge success, and a stellar example of what is possible when everyone comes together for the good of the community. A high point was the duet sung by G-Love and Camille in front of 300+ cheering fans!

Thank You Carl!
CARL PIX HERE
I would like to take this moment to recognize our friend Carl Kish. Dubbed ‘The Sultan of Sustainability’, Carl’s contribution to Olas Verdes has been enormous. He essentially came on board fresh from college where he had graduated with a degree in Sustainable Tourism. He was charged with guiding the building of the project to LEEDS Green Construction Standards, and in a Latin country no less. Carl took it all on with a refreshing energy and conviction. You will be hearing more about the myriad accomplishments Olas Verdes has achieved in sustainability in the near future. You can follow more of Carl’s sustainability initiatives through his website and certification entity, Stoke Certified.