The Manuel Antonio area has a beautiful beach inside the national park and lots of easy access to wildlife, especially monkeys. Tons of hotel and restaurant choices too. If you want more off the beaten path, maybe check out the Puerto Viejo area on the Carib. side or the Guanacaste beaches of the northern Pacific or Dominical. We haven't found great snorkeling in CR.

If you stay south of Dominical (Uvita), there are fabulous deserted beaches, and you could take a day trip to Cano Island for snorkeling. Or mangrove tours, or even day trips to Corcavado NP (all of which leave from Sierpe, less than an hour from Uvita). But as volcanogirl says, don't expect great snorkeling in CR.

The area south of Dominical is a good suggestion. You might also love the southern Caribbean coast. You could do a Pacuare river trip on your way down there. The best time for snorkeling on the Caribbean coast is Sept/Oct. The seas can be a bit choppy much of the rest of the year, although Manzanillo's reef is fairly protected.

Real estate markets are a whole 'nother ball of wax. The strongest rental market is around Jaco/Playa Herradura, and behind that parts of Guanacaste.

i second and third their comments above -= if you are going in jan/feb/mar time - go to uvita/dominical area for a less tourisyt experience - when i was there i stayed at la cusinga lodge and loved it.

if you are going in sept/oct though - you should go to the caribbean (we made that mistake on our first trip - and went to the pacific coast in these months, which is NOT a good idea