(Full Article: TravelPulse)
Las Catalinas, a beach town founded in 2008 by Charles Brewer, is encouraging travelers and residents to adapt to Costa Rica’s time zone, whether they come from the East Coast of the United States, Los Angeles or across the pond – in an effort to transform the way guests experience their vacations in Costa Rica.
East Coasters may not initially like the idea of getting up two hours earlier to meet the day in Costa Rica, but Neal Herman, president and COO of Las Catalinas, said they have adapted quite nicely … and actually are warming to getting up at 5 a.m. Costa Rica time.
“Some of these guys wake up at 5 a.m. and say, ‘Wow, this is great, maybe I’m not going to even change my watch,’” Herman said. “We started to hear that more and more.
“When you travel, you need to adapt to the time zone you’re getting into,” he added. “There are these magical hours in the early morning to take advantage of. (Travelers) see vacation as a great time to connect with themselves, connect with the environment. They’re so much more pleased with themselves that they’ve gone out, shaken off the cobwebs, had a great experience and connected with themselves. They actually have the rest of the day to enjoy and they’ve already had a full one.”
Getting up early has become an extension of how Las Catalinas lives, and how guests experience the 1,200-acre town. The locale is eco-friendly, devoting 1,000 of its 1,200 acres to a nature preserve. When people there get up early, they get to wake up with the environment, whether they are hiking or mountain biking through the tropical jungle, surfing or paddleboarding on pristine waters, or exploring the abundance of wildlife.
Las Catalinas features residences, shops, restaurants and recreational facilities. A new hotel and a new beach club are currently under construction. Las Catalinas does not have gated communities, designed to create an open, welcoming atmosphere that is one with the environment.