The long stay beach villa guide: slow weeks at Playa Matapalo

What a long stay at BaliBala looks like

The property sits in open jungle a few steps back from the sea. Monkeys cross the property daily, macaws are frequently seen from the decks, and sloths make slower appearances. Over a longer stay the wildlife stops being an event and becomes the neighbourhood.

Every stay has its own kitchen, so most days do not need to start with a plan. Two restaurants and a small supermarket sit within walking distance for the basics, and Dominical, a short drive south, is where guests go for a fuller grocery run and a change of scene. A car is recommended: public transport is not available, and the national parks are worth the drive.

The days sort themselves into two speeds: mornings when the plan is a hammock, a pool, and the sound of waves, and days out to Manuel Antonio, Uvita, or the Nauyaca waterfalls inland from Dominical. A longer stay lets you have both.

Which stay suits a longer visit

The No-Footprint House sleeps four across two bedrooms, each with its own bathroom. It has a private pool, open all year, inside a fully fenced garden, plus its own entrance, its own gate, and private parking, so it stays entirely self-contained. It belongs to the internationally awarded No Footprint House series by architecture studio A-01.

The three safari tents each sleep five: a king bed in the main bedroom, a queen and a high twin in the second. Two have a deep plunge pool built into the deck. The Hideaway has no pool and is the quietest of the three, the one to pick when the ideal afternoon is a hammock, a book, and birdsong. For couples and friends settling in for weeks, any of the four works.

Groups, and combining stays

The tents sit in the same gardens, each fully private, and the house sits behind its own gate. Seen from the air, nothing is far from anything. For multi-family trips or a group of friends, the hosts' advice is simple: there are three tents in total, ask about booking more than one.

Together the four stays sleep nineteen, four in the house and five in each tent. Sound carries easily in open-air buildings, so all guests, families included, are asked to help keep the place peaceful.