The Costa Rica Blue Zone: Nicoya Peninsula

If you’ve ever dreamed of trading the stress of modern life for a slower pace, ocean breezes, and endless sunshine, you’re not alone. But for the people of Costa Rica’s Nicoya Peninsula, that dream is reality, and it might be one of the reasons they live so long. 

This lush stretch of coastline in northwestern Costa Rica isn’t just a tropical paradise. It’s one of the world’s five official Blue Zones, regions where people routinely live past 90 and even 100 years old, while staying remarkably healthy, active, and joyful.

What’s their secret? Researchers have spent years studying Nicoya’s centenarians, trying to uncover what makes this small region one of the healthiest on Earth. 

The answers turn out to be both surprisingly simple and profoundly powerful. The lessons from this Blue Zone can help all of us live longer, better lives, wherever we call home.

What Is a Blue Zone?

The term “Blue Zone” was coined by author and researcher Dan Buettner, who, along with a team from National Geographic, identified five areas around the world where people live significantly longer than average. 

These regions include:

• Okinawa, Japan
• Sardinia, Italy
• Ikaria, Greece
• Loma Linda, California
• Costa Rica’s Nicoya Peninsula 

Each of these communities has a distinct culture and geography, yet they share a striking set of similarities when it comes to how they live, eat, and connect.

In Blue Zones, longevity isn’t the result of genetic luck or cutting-edge healthcare. It’s the outcome of daily habits, like what people eat, how they move, how they relate to others, and how they view their purpose in life. These areas are living laboratories of longevity, showing us what’s possible when humans live in sync with nature, community, and balance.

While some aspects of life in these regions are unique, the underlying principles are surprisingly universal. And nowhere is that more evident than in the Nicoya Peninsula, where the “pura vida” lifestyle (a Costa Rican phrase meaning “pure life”) is much more than a saying. It’s a way of being.

Welcome to Nicoya Peninsula: Costa Rica’s Longevity Hotspot

The Nicoya Peninsula stretches along Costa Rica’s Pacific coast, dotted with small towns, rolling hills, and pristine beaches. It’s a place where people rise with the sun, work the land, share meals with neighbors, and end their days surrounded by family. The pace is unhurried. The food is simple. The days are active and filled with purpose.

Unlike the bustling tourist spots of Costa Rica, Nicoya’s residents tend to live modestly. Many are farmers or ranchers who spend their lives outdoors, walking to town or tending their land. The community is close-knit. Family bonds run deep, and elders are respected and cherished, not sidelined.

Researchers studying the region noticed something extraordinary. Not only do Nicoyans live longer, often into their late 90s and beyond, but they also age with vitality. 

Many centenarians remain physically active, mentally sharp, and deeply engaged with their communities well into their later years. Chronic diseases like heart disease, diabetes, and dementia occur at significantly lower rates compared to much of the Western world.

It’s easy to attribute their longevity to tropical sunshine and low stress, but the real story runs deeper.

What Makes Nicoyans Live So Long?

The longevity of Nicoyans is a product of how they live, eat, and think. Each aspect of their lifestyle supports cellular health, reduces chronic inflammation, and maintains balance across the body and mind.

A Wholesome, Plant-Based Diet

Meals in Nicoya center around the traditional Mesoamerican “three sisters”, which are corn, beans, and squash. This nutrient-dense trio provides fiber, protein, complex carbohydrates, and antioxidants. 

These staples are often accompanied by tropical fruits like papaya, mango, and bananas, as well as fresh vegetables and modest portions of meat or fish. Naturally low in processed foods and sugars, the Nicoyan diet keeps inflammation in check and nourishes the body with essential nutrients.

Mineral-Rich Water

The local water in Nicoya is naturally high in calcium and magnesium, minerals that strengthen bones and support cardiovascular and muscle health. For many residents, simply drinking their local water provides a natural source of nutrients that contributes to lifelong resilience.

A Strong Sense of Purpose “Plan de Vida”

Nicoyans live with a deep sense of meaning that keeps them motivated and engaged well into old age. This “plan de vida,” or life plan, provides purpose each day, whether through work, family, or community service. Studies show that having purpose can reduce stress, improve immune function, and increase longevity.

Faith, Family, and Community

Religion, spirituality, and strong family ties are central to daily life. Elders remain active participants in their families and communities, helping to combat loneliness and promote emotional well-being. These close social connections are among the most powerful predictors of long-term health and happiness.

Natural, Daily Movement

Physical activity is built into everyday life in Nicoya. People walk to neighbors’ homes, garden, and tend to their land, and stay active without structured exercise. This kind of consistent, low-intensity movement supports muscle tone, circulation, and joint health without overexertion.

Sunshine and Vitamin D

Nicoya’s abundant sunshine provides a steady source of natural vitamin D, which plays an important role in bone health, mood regulation, and immune balance. Combined with outdoor activity, it’s another subtle yet essential piece of their longevity puzzle.

A “Pura Vida” Attitude

Perhaps the greatest secret of all is their approach to life. The Nicoyans embody pura vida or the “pure life.” They live simply, work hard, rest well, and maintain a calm, grateful attitude. This philosophy of balance and joy may be one of the most powerful factors in their extraordinary health and longevity.

Lessons We Can Learn from Nicoya

Most of us don’t live in rural Costa Rica, surrounded by sunshine and fresh mango trees. Our daily lives are filled with work stress, screen time, and fast-paced routines that often leave us tired and disconnected. 

But the lessons from Nicoya aren’t about geography, they’re about mindset and habits. We can adopt these habits and mindsets and improve our health span and longevity. 

Simply Your Diet

Focusing on whole, plant-based foods instead of ultra-processed ones can make an enormous difference in our health. Meals built around vegetables, beans, whole grains, and lean proteins nourish the body with fiber, antioxidants, and micronutrients that help cells function more efficiently. 

Limiting added sugars and processed fats helps reduce inflammation, supporting the same kind of cellular balance Nicoyans enjoy naturally.

Incorporate More Movement

You don’t need to run marathons or join a fancy gym to move like a Nicoyan. Building natural movement into your day, like walking instead of driving, taking the stairs, gardening, or even doing housework, supports cardiovascular and metabolic health. The key is consistency, not intensity.

Stay Socially Connected

Nicoyans rarely experience the isolation that many modern adults face. Making time for family dinners, nurturing friendships, and building supportive communities can all enhance mental health and longevity. When we feel connected and valued, our stress levels drop, our bodies heal more efficiently, and our minds stay sharper as we age.

Cultivate Purpose

Cultivating purpose is another piece of the puzzle. In Nicoya, elders never “retire” from life. Instead, they remain engaged, contributing to their families and communities well into old age. Finding your own “plan de vida” provides the motivation and joy that keep you moving forward.

Master Your Attitude

The pura vida philosophy is one of optimism, gratitude, and resilience. Stress is inevitable, but how we respond to it makes all the difference. Taking time to slow down, breathe deeply, and appreciate simple pleasures can profoundly affect both mental and physical well-being.

Together, these practices form a blueprint for longevity that doesn’t require relocating to a Blue Zone. In addition, we can look to modern science for another way to support our longevity and health span at the cellular level.

The Modern Advantage: Supporting Cellular Health with Fatty15

While lifestyle choices form the foundation of longevity, modern science has revealed something equally important happening at the microscopic level, inside our cells. As we age, our cells gradually lose their ability to repair themselves and maintain balance. 

Cell membranes weaken, mitochondria slow down, and inflammation creeps in, leading to fatigue, chronic disease, and faster aging. Science says that aging happens at the cellular level through these changes. 

Don’t worry, there’s a (bio)hack for that. 

Fatty15 is the first and only supplement containing C15:0, a pure, science-backed essential fatty acid that helps restore and maintain long-term cellular health. Discovered by doctors and scientists studying marine mammals known for their long, healthy lifespans, they found that C15:0 supports the same kinds of biological resilience that Nicoyans naturally experience through their diet and lifestyle.

How It Works

C15:0 helps strengthen cell membranes, allowing them to stay stable and resilient as we age. It supports mitochondrial function, which powers our cells with energy, and helps lower levels of proinflammatory cytokines, which are a key driver of aging and disease. By improving cellular health from the inside out, fatty15 supports our long-term health. 

Even with the best intentions, modern diets often lack the nutrients our ancestors (and Nicoyans) got naturally. Environmental factors, processed foods, and stress can all deplete our cellular defenses. 

It’s estimated that one in three people globally has levels of C15:0 that are too low. Not having enough C15:0 in our cells can lead to a nutritional deficiency known as Cellular Fragility Syndrome. Cellular Fragility Syndrome can cause ferroptosis, a type of cellular death that accelerates aging and impacts our metabolic, liver, and heart health. 

Fatty15 can restore levels of C15:0, strengthening our cells against age-driving lipid peroxidation and supporting our metabolic, red blood cell, and long-term health and wellness. 

FAQs

What is the Nicoya Peninsula Blue Zone?

The Nicoya Peninsula in Costa Rica is one of the world's five Blue Zones. Key factors contributing to the longevity of the residents of the Nicoya Peninsula include a diet rich in plant-based foods like beans and corn, daily physical activity, a strong family and social network, and a philosophy of "pura vida," or living a simple, stress-free life

What is so special about Nicoya, Costa Rica?

The Nicoya Peninsula is known for its beautiful beaches, world-class surfing, and being one of the world's five Blue Zones, where people live measurably longer and healthier lives.

Is Nicoya, Costa Rica, expensive?

It is worth noting that the region's growing popularity and distance from distribution hubs mean that housing costs, as well as goods and services, can be expensive.

Living Your Own “Pura Vida”

The Nicoya Peninsula reminds us that longevity is about living fully and healthily through every stage of life. The people of this Costa Rican Blue Zone don’t rely on shortcuts or expensive treatments. They thrive because their daily habits align with what our bodies were designed for: nourishment, movement, purpose, and connection.

While we may not all be able to live under Costa Rica’s golden sun, we can adopt the spirit of pura vida wherever we are. We can eat simply, move often, care deeply, and live gratefully. And with support from fatty15, we can give our cells the strength and balance they need to keep us thriving for years to come.

Longevity isn’t found in one place. Instead, it’s built, moment by moment, in the choices we make every day. So here’s to finding your own version of Nicoya, wherever you are, and to living a longer, healthier, and happier life, the pura vida way.

Sources:

Blue Zones

Nicoya, Costa Rica, Blue Zone Diet Helped Me Feel More Full, Energetic | Business Insider

The role of purpose in life in healthy aging: implications for the Semmelweis Study and the Semmelweis-EUniWell Workplace Health Promotion Model Program

Hallmarks of aging: An expanding universe | PubMed

Efficacy of dietary odd-chain saturated fatty acid pentadecanoic acid parallels broad associated health benefits in humans: could it be essential? | Scientific Reports

A review of odd-chain fatty acid metabolism and the role of pentadecanoic Acid (c15:0) and heptadecanoic Acid (c17:0) in health and disease | PubMed

The Cellular Stability Hypothesis: Evidence of Ferroptosis and Accelerated Aging-Associated Diseases as Newly Identified Nutritional Pentadecanoic Acid (C15:0) Deficiency Syndrome