[2][3] It is one of the country's most important tourist zones; it serves as a transport hub to Guanacaste's beaches and national parks.

[7] In early 2006, a group of researchers led by adventure writer Dan Buettner and supported by National Geographic Magazine, the National Institute on Aging, and Allianz Healthcare, designated Nicoya as a Blue Zone.

Among the ideal Nicoyan lifestyle characteristics cited by the research were the water's high calcium and magnesium content, intense daily physical activity, year-long fruit consumption, and close inter-generational relationships.

While the town elected 61-year-old Lorenzo Rosales Vargas[1] as mayor on December 3, 2006, he was only able to serve for about a year before quitting for health reasons.

[9] A.D. Guanacasteca[10] is the city's major football team, having spent several years in the Costa Rican Primera División.