Does Atenas, Costa Rica Have "The Best Climate in the World"?
- Dennis J. Easters
- Dennis@pldatenasrealty.com
- +506-8854-7721
The title of this article offers up a rather subjective question. There are as many factors as there are opinions about what is the best or ideal climate in the world. What every individual considers to be the best varies greatly. A wise man once told me that “Opinions are like, well, you know, and everybody has one.” It’s all subjective and comes down to personal preference, which helps to keep life interesting. Having said that, Atenas has long used the slogan and laid claim to having “The Best Climate in the World”. That’s quite a grandiose claim.
El Mejor Clima Del Mundo
Since we first began visiting Atenas in 2004, the town has thrown around this phrase as its claim to fame, asserting that indeed it has the “Best Climate in the World”. The town has shamelessly plastered the phrase across the backs of the local buses, on billboards, and it is even used in the name of a local restaurant and bar.
Like Nike’s famous slogan “Just Do It” or the “Breakfast of Champions” that Bruce Jenner and Mary-Lou Retton uttered to help make Wheaties Cereal famous, Atenas has become synonymous with having “El Mejor Clima Del Mundo”. When you say to anyone in Costa Rica that you live in Atenas, the reply is always: “the best climate in the world!”
So, is it true? Does Atenas have the best climate in the world?
Atenas is a small mountain village where the hillsides are dotted with large coffee plantations and cattle ranches. It’s located at the western end of Costa Rica’s Central Valley, making it a short 30-minute drive from the Juan Santamaria International Airport, a 45-minute drive from downtown San Jose, and an hour to many Pacific Coast beaches. This ideal location, temperate climate, and small-town ambiance are the main attractions to its large, international expat community, which is estimated at around 3,000 full-time residents. An impressive number for a village with a population of under 30,000 inhabitants.
With elevations ranging from 300-1,200 meters (990 to 3,960 feet) above sea-level, Atenas offers a climate for just about everyone. In Costa Rica, the higher the elevation, the more moderate and cooler the temperatures become. Virtually year round, Atenas offers long, sunny days with average daytime temperatures ranging from the high 70s to the mid 80s Fahrenheit. The nights are fresh, with temperatures dropping into the high 50s or low 60s Fahrenheit. We don’t have extreme heat or cold, meaning most individuals won’t need a heater or air-conditioning.
Now, turning to facts, a term I use loosely, the Costa Rica National Meteorological Institute statistics report that Atenas receives an average of 2,500 hours of sun per year, above the national average for this small, tropical country. We have an abundance of rain, 3,182 millimeters or 125 inches annually, but not as much as in other areas of the country.
How about the claim of having "the best climate in the world"? Where did this originate?
Many attribute a famous National Geographic article as the source of Atenas’ historical claim to fame. When we moved to town and opened our real estate office, I wanted a copy of this article to frame and hang on the wall along with our other accolades. I did a search of the archives at the University of Google, to no avail. I decided to reach out to the National Geographic’s archives department, sending an email explaining my dilemma.
To my surprise, a few weeks later I received an email answering my question, which said: “National Geographic magazine has never made the assertion that Atenas, Costa Rica has the best climate in the world, nor has an article about Atenas been published in National Geographic”. I was deflated, but remained curious as to where this story originated. So, like a bloodhound on the trail of a wild animal, I continued my search.
A wiseman once said, "the truth shall set you free". So, what's the truth?
Teresa Bejarano, who works as a marketing professional in San Jose, offers up this story as the most likely truth to “the best climate in the world” claim. In the mid 1990’s, a marketing committee was formed by the Costa Rican government including the Department of Marketing and the National Chamber of Tourism (CANATUR).
Bejarano said the committee was in charge of creating promotional campaigns to highlight the unique qualities of various Costa Rican towns and provinces. Each of the region’s residents was given a place at the table and asked what their town’s slogan should be. The town of Heredia became “The City of Flowers”, while Puntarenas is known as “The Pearl of the Pacific”. San Ramon is known as “The City of Poets”, Alajuela “The City of Mangoes”, and Palmares “The Place to Make Friends”.
Ranking as a top place to retire by International Living and AARP
Bejarano said that the municipality of Atenas, in conjunction with local business leaders, came up with the catchphrase “best climate in the world”, unveiling it during an agricultural fair, which is held in April of each year in the town’s Central Park. The slogan was plastered on promotional materials such as posters, banners and in marketing advertisements. It worked and the phrase stuck!
Atenas’s proclamation and claim to fame for having the “Best Climate in the World” is subjective. However, for the 27,000 +/- residents that call this mountain village home, it seems to be the ideal climate. At the end of the day, isn’t that what counts? The glorious, spring-like weather in this part of the country has helped give Atenas a reputation and a ranking as a top place to retire by International Living and AARP. Since I first landed here in 2004, it certainly has been at the top of my list.
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Dennis Easters
Real Estate Broker
+506-8854-7721
Dennis@pldatenasrealty.com
