Why We Chose Atenas, Costa Rica for Our Newest Veritas Village
Patrick Hiebert, September 29, 2026
Why Costa Rica was on the list
People ask me all the time how and why we choose the locations we choose for our Veritas Villages. The short answer is that it isn’t easy, and we don’t pick them quickly. I personally walked dozens and dozens of properties in Costa Rica over several years for our newest Veritas Village - Atenas, and none of them checked all the boxes. But finally, one did.
Costa Rica was always on our list. It's one of the most popular destinations in Latin America for people looking for a new way of life, and for good reasons. It has a long history of stability, a strong culture of respect for nature, a well-developed network of healthcare and services, and a friendly, welcoming population. It also has a large, established community of North Americans and Europeans who have already made the move, which makes the transition a lot easier for the next person.
When we look at any country for a Veritas Village, we're not asking, “Is this a nice place to vacation?” We're asking, “Is this a place where a family can build a freer, healthier, more self-reliant life, year-round, for decades?” Costa Rica answers that question well.
What mattered most in choosing a location
Over the years, we've developed a clear checklist. It's the same list I'd tell anyone to use if they're thinking about relocating to Costa Rica, whether they buy with us or not.
Climate you can live in every month of the year. Not just a great week in February. Heat, humidity and rainy seasons wear on people, and they wear on homes, solar systems and budgets too.
A real international airport close by. Families want to fly home for holidays, and friends, kids and grandkids want to visit. If getting to and from the airport takes half a day, you'll feel it. This was a particular challenge in Costa Rica because many of the popular spots are hours away from an international airport.
Healthcare within reach. Good clinics nearby, and quality private hospitals within a short drive.
Services and infrastructure. Paved roads, reliable internet, grocery stores, hardware stores, banks, and professionals who can help you get things done.
Natural surroundings. Water, trees, wildlife, and room to breathe are central to how we build.
Land that supports self-sufficiency. We look for good soil, year-round water and enough sun to grow food and power a home.
A real town with real people. We don’t want to create a gated bubble. We want our residents to be part of the local community.
Most places do well on two or three of those. Very few do well on all of them.
Why Atenas stood out
Atenas does well on all of them.
Start with the climate. Atenas has long carried the reputation of having “the best climate in the world,” a phrase locals trace back to National Geographic. I can't tell you what the magazine's editors were thinking decades ago, but I can tell you what it feels like on the ground. Days are typically in the 70s to mid-80s Fahrenheit (about 21 to 29°C), and evenings can cool off into the 60s (16 to 21°C). It's warm enough for shorts most of the year and cool enough to sleep with the windows open. No snow, no scorching summers, and far less need for air conditioning or heating.
That climate comes from the geography. Atenas sits on the western edge of Costa Rica's Central Valley, roughly 700 meters (about 2,300 feet). It's high enough to escape the heat and humidity of the lowlands, and low and sheltered enough to avoid the cooler, wetter weather you get higher up the mountains. It is in the sweet spot we look for, and it is often very hard to find.
Then there's the ease of access. Juan Santamaría International Airport (SJO) is about 30 minutes away, and so is San José, with its private hospitals, specialists, shopping and government offices. Alajuela and Grecia are close for everyday errands. And when you want the ocean, the Pacific beaches are less than an hour away.
Finally, the town itself. Atenas is a traditional Costa Rican Spanish Colonial town with a central park, a church, cafes, restaurants, local clinics and a weekly farmers market where you'll find neighbors, both Tico (the nickname for Costa Ricans) and expat, buying fresh fruit, vegetables and coffee grown on the surrounding hills. It's relaxed and friendly, with the feel of a small town and the services of a much larger one close by. That combination is a big reason so many expats and retirees have chosen Atenas over the years.
Why Atenas instead of the coast
I love the beach. We have a Veritas Village on the Pacific coast in Nicaragua, and I understand the pull of the ocean as well as anyone. But living at the beach full-time and visiting the beach are two different things.
Coastal Costa Rica is hot and humid for much of the year. Salt air is hard on homes, vehicles, electronics and solar equipment. Many beach towns are a long drive from the international airport and from major hospitals, and some are annoyingly busy with tourists in the high season.
Atenas gives you a different trade-off. You get comfortable temperatures every month, cleaner air for your equipment and your lungs, fertile land for growing food, and much faster access to the airport, healthcare and services. And the beach doesn't go away. From Veritas Village – Atenas, Playa Tarcoles is roughly 40 to 50 minutes away and Jacó is about an hour. You can spend the day at the ocean and come home to a cool evening in the hills.
For the Veritas vision, which is about building a resilient, self-sufficient life you can sustain year after year, that trade-off made Atenas the best fit.
Why this particular property
Choosing Atenas was one decision. Finding the right land in the Atenas area was another, and that took patience. Large parcels in this area are rare. When the previous owner of this property was willing to sell, we moved quickly, and I still feel very lucky we were able to acquire it. As far as we know, it's the last large tract of land in the Atenas area.
The property is about 138 hectares, a little over 340 acres, and the first time I walked it, I knew it could work. Here's what I saw:
Water. Two rivers run through the property year-round, the main one for almost 1.9 kilometers (over a mile), with several waterfalls and a spring-fed pond. For a self-sufficient community, reliable water is everything. We have clear spring water from our wells, but nothing replaces clean running water as an emergency backup.
Elevation and views. The land rises from roughly 425 to 710 meters (about 1,400 to 2,330 feet), with several large plateaus that make natural homesites. Views stretch across the valley, and at night you can see the lights of San José in the distance.
Productive land. More than 10 hectares of producing coffee and about 150 mature mango trees. This land already feeds people, and we will be expanding the community orchards and gardens a lot.
Nature. Monkeys, toucans, sloths and scarlet macaws are regular neighbors, and we're setting aside large areas for conservation. With trails through these areas right in the community, you don’t have to go anywhere to enjoy the nature around you.
Proximity. About 10 minutes to the town of Atenas and around 30 minutes to the airport and San José. Close to everything, but it doesn't feel like it.
That combination of water, fertile soil, sunshine, views and access is exactly what we need to build solar-powered homes, shared orchards and gardens, trails and gathering spaces around the Veritas F.I.R.S.T. principles: Freedom, Independence, Resilience, Self-Sustainability and Transparency.
Who Atenas is a good fit for
Atenas is a great fit for people who want comfort and independence at the same time. In my experience, that includes:
Freedom seekers who want a life that is more like that of the western world of the past, where government intervention in your life was much less.
Families who want their kids to grow up outdoors, around animals, gardens and nature, with the airport close enough that grandparents can visit often, and a school that teaches them to be self-reliant and not woke.
People who want to have quality, untampered with food and live closer to the land, on soil and in a climate that makes it possible.
Entrepreneurs and business people who need good connectivity and quick flights to North America and the world, but don't want to live in a city.
Retirees and semi-retirees who want a gentle climate, a walkable small town and good healthcare close by.
Anyone who values a strong community and wants to live among like-minded freedom-oriented neighbors who share their values.
If you want nightlife and surfing every day, the coast may suit you better. If you want a place you can truly live in, twelve months a year, Atenas is hard to beat.
For anyone considering a move to Costa Rica, my advice is simple: visit more than once, spend time in the town and not just at the property, think about where you'll go for healthcare and how often you'll fly home, and choose a place you'll enjoy in the rainy season as much as the dry season.
Looking ahead
Phase 1 of Veritas Village – Atenas launched in August, and watching it take shape has been one of the most rewarding parts of my work. What excites me most isn't any single amenity. It's the idea of neighbors picking coffee beans to make their own coffee, and picking mangoes, papaya, starfruit and dozens of other fruits and vegetables on land that has been producing for generations; kids exploring rivers, waterfalls and trails; self-powered homes with no power or water bill; and a community that governs itself transparently and looks out for one another.
We searched high and low for the right place in Costa Rica and did the hard work for you. No one is pickier than me when it comes to choosing where to live, and the last checkbox on the list is always, “Would I live here?” And I can answer that with a definite “Yes!” about Veritas Village – Atenas. I definitely would, and will, live here. I'd love for you to come see it for yourself. It’s pretty hard not to love it once you see it. But I’ll warn you, once you do see it, you won’t be able to get it out of your mind until you live there!
Patrick Hiebert, Founder and CEO, Autris Group