About Us...
We Didn't Just Visit Costa Rica. We Never Left.
Michelle Colón spent over 20 years mastering corporate finance — managing accounts, payroll, and complex construction projects. Chris Bartl spent 15 years in the fitness industry, owning multiple gyms and coaching everyone from high school athletes to cancer survivors to professional competitors.
On paper, neither of them had any business starting a tour company in Costa Rica. But after falling in love with the lifestyle, the culture, and the warmth of the Costa Rican people, they made the decision most people only talk about: they packed up, moved to Tamarindo, and built something real.
Oro Vista isn't a corporate travel brand run from a distant office. It's a company owned by two people who chose this place — and who wake up every day grateful they did.
Meet Our Owners
Meet Michelle & Chris — the founders of Oro Vista Tours & Transfers. After careers spanning corporate finance and professional fitness coaching, they traded it all for a life in Tamarindo, Costa Rica. Not for a vacation.
Permanently.
Their backgrounds shape everything about how Oro Vista operates. Michelle's finance and accounting experience means your booking is handled with precision — no surprises, no hidden fees, no dropped balls. Chris's decades of coaching — working with everyone from teenagers to cancer survivors to pro athletes — means every guest is met with patience, energy, and genuine care.
They've personally vetted every tour, every guide, and every partner Oro Vista works with. If they wouldn't put their own family on it, they don't sell it.
Our Guides Are the Heart of It
We don't work with just anyone. Our guides — including Freddy and Anthony, who guests consistently call out by name in their reviews — are deeply rooted in this community. English-speaking, endlessly knowledgeable, and genuinely passionate about sharing Costa Rica with visitors from around the world. When guests rave about their day, they're almost always raving about the person who led it.
In Their Own Words
"We know what it feels like to work hard all year and finally get two weeks to experience something extraordinary. We've been those travelers. We've had tours that fell flat and transfers that were a mess. We started Oro Vista because we knew it could be done better — and because we genuinely love this place and want every person who visits to love it too. Costa Rica has given us so much. This is our way of giving something back."
— Michelle & Chris, Founders, Oro Vista CR
