Finca Bellavista was once a pioneering off-grid treehouse community nestled in the lush rainforests of southern Costa Rica, near the town of Piedras Blancas. Founded in the mid-2000s, the project started as a vision of sustainable living and eco-conscious design, eventually growing into a small village of elevated homes interconnected by jungle trails and canopy walkways. Residents and guests alike lived immersed in nature, surrounded by howler monkeys, toucans, and the rhythmic sounds of the rainforest.
The heart of Finca Bellavista was its Basecamp, a communal area that included a kitchen, dining area, and gathering space where residents and volunteers shared meals, stories, and the responsibilities of daily life. Electricity was solar-powered, water came from mountain springs, and composting toilets were the norm. The ethos centered on low-impact living, personal responsibility, and community engagement.
Volunteers were an essential part of the Finca’s ecosystem. They helped with a wide range of tasks: trail maintenance, gardening, composting, guiding tours, assisting with workshops, and building structures using natural materials. In exchange, they received accommodation and a rare opportunity to live off-grid in one of the world’s most biodiverse regions. The experience attracted people from all over the world—ecologists, artists, backpackers, and those simply looking to disconnect and reconnect.
However, in early 2020, the property management ceased operations, and the communal hub was shut down. The official website was taken offline, and social media channels went silent. While the land and treehouses still exist—many now privately owned—Finca Bellavista as a functioning, cohesive community is no longer active. The dream lives on in pieces, through rentals and memories, but the collaborative daily rhythm of the Finca has faded into the forest that once sustained it.
Finca Bellavista Treehouse community is looking for volunteers.
