Patrick, I agree with your thoughts on living at elevation. My wife and I purchased about 7 acres near Platanillo, about 15 minutes from Dominical. The property havs great ocean and valley views and is at about 1,000 feet elevation, with temps about 10-15 degrees cooler than the beach. So there are definitely options in that area.
If you are interested in knowing more about the specifics of th development we purchased our land in, please let me know.