Bill Gates Visits Popular Tourist Destinations in Costa Rica

Written by Erin R

Gates met with Arias in 2007.
Bill Gates met with President Arias in 2007 regarding tech support for Costa Rica.

Anyone who lives in or has visited Costa Rica’s sunny shores knows what makes many of its first-time visitors into repeats: beautiful beaches, impossibly green rain forests, ecologically diverse cloud forests, and one of the world’s most active volcanoes, complete with natural hot springs. The country’s latest famous visitor, Bill Gates, arrived last Friday, April 4, along with his wife, Melinda, and two of his three children, aged 8 and 10.

Bill Gates and his family flew into the five-star Arenal Kioro Suites & Spa yesterday, with more style than most, in a private helicopter. The computer mogul and family traveled first to the Four Seasons in Guanacaste where they have been staying, and opted for a four hour trip to see the hot springs in Arenal, during which time they reserved a suite and the children ordered hamburgers. Their afternoon stay was accented by beautifully manicured grounds, a spa that offers almost every indulgence you can imagine, and spectacular views of Arenal Volcano.

As one of the most active volcanoes in the world, Arenal and its neighboring La Fortuna are one of the most visited locations in Costa Rica. While there, visitors climb to la Catarata de La Fortuna (La Fortuna Waterfall), luxuriate at Tabacón Thermal Resort, boasting some of the area’s most beautiful hot springs, and wait to watch orange lava tumble down the volcano’s side, cloud cover permitting.

After their visit to el Volcán Arenal, Bill Gates and family, informally dressed and looking like any other vacationing family, headed back to the Four Seasons. Located on the Papagayo Peninsula, the five-star resort offers incredible views, a world class spa, and beautiful suites fit for, well, Bill Gates and family.

Papagayo has long been known for its incredible white sand beaches, friendly service, lush vegetation, and almost year-round beautiful weather. Unfortunately, the Gulf of Papagayo has been in the news recently not for its beauty, but for its sewage and pollution problem. The Four Seasons Resort is not directly affected by the pollution, though Papagayo lost its blue flag, helping prompt the country to undergo a proposed $500 million sanitation makeover.

Though Gates is the latest celebrity to visit Costa Rica, the country has played host to several vacationing stars. In fact, love seems to flourish here: Pink and her then-boyfriend, Carey Hart, married in front of 100 guests at the Four Seasons - Guanacaste in 2006. Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt spent Christmas 2006 and its following New Year’s Eve here, helping Columbian refugees and enjoying the sun. Recently-engaged Ashlee Simpson and fiancé Pete Wentz spent the beginning of 2008 in Costa Rica, as well.

In addition to the country’s visiting lovers, Costa Rica has also lured Mel Gibson, who purchased a $28.5 million ranch along the Pacific, and several famous musicians, including members of Incubus and the Red Hot Chili Peppers, who are known fans of Costa Rica’s big surfing waves.

Clearly, though Bill Gates’ visit to Costa Rica was unexpected, he is not the first celebrity to add a Costa Rican stamp to his well-traveled passport.

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Photo Courtesy of Al Dia.

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