Nestled into a 600 acre plot in the rain forests of Costa Rica, Finca Bellavista is a pioneering, off-the-grid, self-sustaining tree house community. Founded by couple Erica and Matt Hogan back in 2006 as a way to save a large portion of rainforest, Finca Bellavista has transformed into an ever growing commune with 27 separate tree house style structures and more planned for construction.
With the nearest town being roughly 2 miles away, this unique village is set-up to survive without constant contact to the outside world. Featuring a community center, dinning hall, bathhouse, campfire ring, cafe, and even a wifi zone, Finca Bellavista has almost all the amenities one may need while living there. The tree-houses themselves are all unique and even have indoor plumbing thanks to a gravity fed water system and use of the natural mountain spring. While many residents have bought their tree-houses, others rent them out to visitors so they too can experience the beauty this community offers.
Residents and guests make their way around the tree top properties by use of a fun and functional zip line network, as well as a handful of bridges connecting property to property. “In general, people [who live here] want a simpler lifestyle. They want a life less ordinary. They're usually very green, environmentally-conscious and want to live off the grid.” says founder Matt Hogan. But not every resident is an adventurous young free-spirt, with many members of the community being retirees looking for a peaceful place to live. Check out the video below to learn more about Finca Bellavista and what their residents have to say about this unique community.
