Lot for sale in Santa Elena, La Cruz · 56.6 ha

St. Elena Beach Development Project Spans 140 Acres In Guanacaste And Includes A Masterplan

St. Elena Bay is not a lifestyle property.
It is a development platform.

The site encompasses approximately 140 acres of coastal land with ~800 meters of ocean frontage on the Gulf of Santa Elena—one of the very few locations on Costa Rica’s Pacific coast where ocean water remains crystal clear year-round. The absence of river deltas eliminates seasonal turbidity, directly enhancing beach quality, guest experience, and long-term brand positioning.

This is land that supports premium hospitality, defensible residential product, and long-term value creation.

LAND THAT WORKS WITH YOU

The natural topography significantly reduces design friction and development inefficiencies:

• Three natural amphitheaters-oriented south and southwest
• Elevated ridgelines reaching 400+ feet above sea level
• Natural shielding from Guanacaste’s seasonal north winds
• Protected view corridors toward:
• Santa Elena National Park
• Salinas Bay
• Southern Nicaragua
• Consistent western sunset exposure
• Rather than forcing density or views, the land organizes development organically, lending itself to phased execution and differentiated product zones.

ENTITLEMENT & LAND CONTROL

The core value of St. Elena Bay lies in its legal flexibility and control profile:

• Approximately 110 acres of titled land
• Zoning: Residential – Commercial – Touristic
• Among the most flexible and valuable land-use designations in Costa Rica
• Approximately 30 acres of Maritime Zone, including:
• 2.5 acres concession area
• 2 acres Future Area of Development (FAD)
• 25 acres Natural Patrimony (PNE)
• Permitted for low-density, low-impact eco-lodge development

This structure allows density where it creates value and conservation where it strengthens pricing, branding, and long-term defensibility.

ACCESS & INFRASTRUCTURE

• Less than 1 hour from Liberia International Airport
• New high-flow regional aqueduct serving the peninsula
• Three-phase electrical grid installed
• Public road frontage with improving paved access
• Western boundary with Santa Elena Preserve, a 4,000-acre ultra-low-density master development controlled largely by Grupo Pellas

You are not underwriting speculative infrastructure.
You are entering a corridor that is already being institutionalized—quietly and deliberately.

DEVELOPMENT SUITABILITY

St. Elena Bay is well suited for:

• Flagship luxury or eco-luxury resorts
• Branded residential communities with true separation and privacy
• Low-density villa, wellness, or retreat concepts
• Phased master-planned destinations with long-term exit optionality

This is land for developers who value scarcity, control, and narrative coherence over speed.

PETER’S REFLECTION

I’ve evaluated, owned, operated, and brokered development land throughout Costa Rica for more than twenty years. Most coastal sites fail one of three tests: water, wind, or entitlement. If they clear those hurdles, they usually fail the fourth—what’s going to be built next door.

St. Elena Bay passes all four.

What stands out isn’t just the scale or the ocean frontage—it’s the discipline the land imposes. The amphitheaters naturally limit overbuilding. The wind protection improves comfort and operating economics. The adjacency to Santa Elena Preserve permanently caps surrounding density. You don’t need heroic design here; the site already pushes development toward something smarter and more defensible.

From a developer’s perspective, this is land that allows you to think in phases, brands, and exit scenarios, not just unit counts. You can lead with a flagship hospitality component, layer in residential or wellness product, and preserve optionality without compromising the story.

This is not a fast play.
It’s not a flip.
It’s for groups that understand patience as a competitive advantage.

If you build well here, you won’t just sell product—you’ll control a destination.

OFFERING

St. Elena Bay – 56.6 hectares (approx. 140 acres)
Gulf of Santa Elena, La Cruz, Guanacaste

Asking Price: USD 12,000,000