Costa Rica tempted me following an article I have read in ‘Condé Nast Traveller‘ a few months ago and I decided to write this post. I had not ever noticed before that ‘la costa rica’ means ‘the rich coast’ in Spanish. Such a fitting name for this country- rich in volcanoes, beaches, jungles, palm trees, national parks, coffee farms and many sorts of plants and animals enjoying the protected wildlife. You can either spot capuchin monkeys in branches, woodpeckers on tree trunks or watch the surfers on the ocean waves. Costa Rica has coasts to both the Caribbean and the Pacific and it is among the ecotourism hubs of the world with its rich biodiversity.
Alex Robinson starts his article about Costa Rica in The Sunday Times Travel as follows:
“The deep-red sun sinks seawards, over a beach you could walk along for hours without reaching either end, sending shimmering reflections across long tidal pools oozing into the Pacific. Dew from the tropical air has condensed on the sides of my glass of mojito, which is perfect: icy and lime-tangy, with a hint of mint. Along the beach someone is playing a Spanish song pizzicato, the finger-picked guitar music mixing with the wash of waves. … as the sun dips into the ocean, dolphins crest, fins silhouetted against the low light. (The Sunday Times Travel, Oct. 2020 issue)”
What a vivid portrayal… As I was reading these lines, comforting and warm, I felt as if I was there in Costa Rica watching a sunset by the sea. This is “Pura Vida” (meaning ‘pure life’ in Spanish), the national motto of Costa Rica for living a simple life or celebrating life, used often by Ticos (Costa Ricans) to say Hello, Good-bye or to be aware of the moment.
Conservation is said to be a national cause for Costa Rica probably also to protect this notion of pure life along with the nature. After its first two national parks, Cabo Blanco and Corcovado, had been founded by the Swedish Olof Wessberg, who was murdered for his fight for nature, the country announced its 30th national park in August 2020. (Condé Nast Traveler, March 2021). After serious deforestation problems it faced beforehand, forests cover 53% of the country’s lands today and 98% of its energy comes from renewable sources. (Time, Aug 2-9 2021)
National parks are everywhere in Costa Rica- around the volcanos, jungles, waterfalls, hanging bridges and the beaches. You can take surf lessons, practice horseback riding, go to kayaking, rafting or snorkeling, go on a safari to see the giraffes, camels, zebras and more, attend a rainforest night walk tour, or just enjoy the beauty of the wild nature. Cabo Blanco, Manuel Antonio, Tortuguero, Corcovado and Arenal Volcano National Parks are counted among the most popular. You can visit “Tortuguero National Park” to see the sea turtles and to boat around the backwaters past the crocodiles where you can stay at ‘Tortuga Lodge’, or “Corcovado National Park” on the wild Osa Peninsula, named once as “the most biologically intense place on Earth” by National Geographic, to see the jaguars where you can stay at the beautiful ‘Lapa Rios Rainforest Lodge‘. (The Sunday Times Travel, Oct. 2020)
Tortuguero National Park (left) (touropia.com) / ‘Lapa Rios Rainforest Lodge‘ in Corcovado National Park on the Osa Peninsula (right) (clarkcoutula.com). You can watch the video on the website of the lodge (laparios.com) to get a notion of the lodge culture in Costa Rica, which explains in detail how to reach this marvelous rainforest lodge.
If you ever visit Costa Rica, you must not miss the famous Arenal, a smoking volcano in the volcanic Cordillera mountain range embraced by the cloud forest, in Arenal Volcano National Park near the town of La Fortuna. The misty view of the Arenal Volcano, the waterfalls and the scenic Lake Arenal look worth to see. You can attend an adventure tour at ‘Mistico Park‘ where there are the largest Hanging Bridges of Costa Rica. There are many nature and adventure tours in the region where you can check at (misticopark.com) or (arenal.net). Also note that there are natural hot springs and several thermal resorts at the base of the Arenal Volcano. Arenal is three hours’ drive from San José airport in the capital San José.
When I read about ‘Nayara Gardens‘ in an article in The Sunday Times Travel, suggested to stay at around the Arenal, I checked it and was startled by the views I have seen. The cosy villas and ‘casitas’ built around the rainforest and tropical gardens, each with outdoor jacuzzi on the terrace and an outdoor shower and with wonderful views of the Arenal volcano made me think that the place is like a corner of heaven. “Nayara Springs”, with larger and more luxurious villas and and an adults-only policy, is the adjacent expansion of “Nayara Resort Spa & Gardens”. “Nayara Tented Camp”, offering luxury tents aloft for glamping , is also part of Nayara Resorts. Nayara Gardens has been selected as the ‘Best Resort in Central America‘ in 2020 by Travel & Leisure and has received many more traveller awards. (nayaragardens.com)
Monteverde Cloud Forest opposite the Arenal is recommended to experience a cloud forest and the rich biodiversity of Costa Rica. Clouds hover over the forest in the form of fog before they condense onto the leaves of trees. A mystic experience… You can walk through the clouds along the forest trails or attend a canopy tour including the ziplines and hanging bridges. Many tours are organized in the town of Monteverde like horse riding, tree climbing, canyoning, bird watching, and coffee tours. (monteverdeinfo.com)
Costa Rica is an important coffee producing country in the world and coffee drives its economy along with tourism. You can attend a coffee and chocolate tour to learn about the processing methods, history and culture of coffee and chocolate while tasting different types of chocolates and fresh aromatic Costa Rican coffee (costarica.org). Coffee and chocolate: An irresistible duo! I would definitely love such a tour.
I also want to mention La Paz Waterfall Gardens, on the route between Arenal and San José, and the award winning Peace Lodge inside. The nature park with hiking trails and waterfalls is home to jungle cats, monkeys and many more species and is suggested as one of the best places to see wildlife in Costa Rica. (Check the video at waterfallgardens.com). The Peace Lodge seems very peaceful and comforting like its name. The property is close to San José Airport.
I must not skip mentioning Cocos Island, the volcanic tropical island located about 500 kilometers off the country’s Pacific coast, the gold myth of of Costa Rica (started by the belief of Christopher Columbus, who set foot in the country in 1502). Since pirates have buried a billion dollars’ worth of treasure, including gold, silver, precious stones and church treasures on Cocos Island according to historians’ estimates, the island had been the target of treasure hunters for centuries. (theguardian.com). Treasure hunting is now forbidden on the island, which is established as a national park (Cocos Island National Park) with its tropical rainforest by the government. Cocos Island is also recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage site and is said to have inspired the adventure-filled settings of Treasure Island and Jurassic Park. (nationalgeographic.org).
Costa Rica is known for its marvelous natural beaches, crystal-clear water and waves suitable for surfing. There are many popular beaches and surf spots either along the Caribbean side or the Pacific side of the country.
As Costa Rica is committed to conservation and sustainability, eco lodges – exclusive lodges in rain forests or nature parks- are very popular in the country. These eco-conscious small hotels within the wild nature offer wonderful scenes and the pura vida in its most comfy and tranquil form. Besides Lapa Rios Lodge, Nayara Gardens and The Peace Lodge I have mentioned above, there are many more eco lodges in Costa Rica. Six Senses Papagayo in the Gulf of Papagayo, the first place of the luxury hotel brand in Central America with its own organic farm, and Cielo Lodge, powered by solar-panels, overlooking the coastal village of Golfito on the Gulf of Dulce (see the map above), and Hermosa Treehouse in Santa Teresa, Nicoya Peninsula are among the suggested places I have come across. (Check the websites of Cielo Lodge and Hermosa Treehouse for more details).
I have read that roads in Costa Rica aren’t always paved or accessible especially during the rainy season (from May to November) and there are many places without addresses. The easiest way to reach to the wonderlands of the country as above is to have the resort or lodge pick you up from the airport or centre of town. It is not in vain for instance that it says in the website of Hermosa Treehouse: “Don’t worry – we’ll help you get here.” (hermosatreehouse.com)
There are also many yoga retreats or yoga and wellness resorts, as tranquil as the eco-lodges, in Costa Rica all over the country. Yoga is very popular most probably due to the pura vida lifestyle. An article I have read states that if you are standing in a circle of people in Costa Rica, chances are that at least one of the people is a yoga instructor. (travelandleisure.com)
(Both Samsati and Anamaya resorts are counted among the Top Yoga Retreats in the country)
Nicoya Peninsula
In the process of writing this post, on a Sunday morning, I came across the Costa Rica episode of my favorite Netflix reality TV series “Restaurants on the Edge” – a team of three food and design experts traveling the world to revive failing restaurants by connecting them to the local culture. The restaurant they were consulting in the episode was “The Lookout Seafood Restaurant” located on the top floor of Hotel Chantel in the small beach town of Playas del Coco in Guanacaste province, Nicoya Peninsula.
(Photo: restaurantsontheedge.com/costa-rica)
The Lookout Seafood Restaurant with a marvelous ocean view (opentable.com) (Cocktails and avocado fries in a cone-shaped bowl)
It was very comforting to watch people in natural beaches – surfing, chatting while having a drink or listening to local music- and to watch the pura vida lifestyle: slow, relaxed and happy and on the Ticos’ lips all the time. The episode also mentioned that Nicoya Peninsula is one of the world’s five Blue Zones -recognized as a region where for some reason people live longer than other parts of the world- along with Okinawa/Japan, Sardinia/Italy, Ikaria/Grece and Loma Linda/ California. It is explained that the long life span in the region is most probably due to locals’ eating extremely local, cooking with local ingredients and not consuming any process food.
Nicoya Peninsula is a popular tourist destination on the Pacific coast of Costa Rica with world class hotels and resorts, known for its beautiful calm beaches, surfing spots, and warm weather most of the year. The northern half of the peninsula is part of Guanacaste province whereas a small southern portion is part of Puntarenas province.
Nosara, Samara, Carillo, Santa Teresa, Mal Pais, Playa Tambor, Cabuya and Montezuma (next to first nature reserve Cabo Blanco), Playa Negra and Tamarindo are among the best beaches in the region as well as many hidden ones. Playa Flamingo -its sands turning pink under certain weather conditions- is just above Tamarindo close to the the Gulf of Papagayo and its beautiful beaches. The photos of people horse riding in some of these secluded pristine beaches are captivating.
I have read about many people who had moved to and settled in the Nicoya Peninsula or the entrepreneurs who opened cosy eco-conscious places in the region, and their inspiring stories in an article Condé Nast Traveller a couple of months ago. The story of artist and designer Gabriela Valenzuela-Hirsch, a Tica (Costa Rican), and her husband Jerry, who used to own a fashion business (Go Silk) in New York and had dressed Mick Jagger, Micheal Jackson and Glenn Close, is one of them. The couple and their daughter who was still a baby, had settled in 1996 in Tamarindo where there were no phone lines then, as a special place to surf for the rest of their lives. Gabriela, who considers herself as an eco-modernist artist using only uprooted and fallen trees in her three-dimensional wood sculptures and objects, had founded ‘Heartwood Design‘ to assist people with limited resources to turn their traditional folk art into products sold around the world. (Condé Nast Traveller, March 2021)
Palmera leaves Ixora flower
In the same article, I also read about Juan Diego Evangelista, a surfer and surf board shaper from Argentina who settled in Costa Rica with his wife in 2012 and has a surf studio in Tamarindo. He mentions the Tamarindo International Surf Film Festival as the big summer event and tells about surfing spirit in Tamarindo as follows:
“It’s almost always sunny here, and the sea is warm. I thought, this is a cool place to live. There are as many kinds of breaks as there are hotels or restaurants. We have two boys, aged four and six, and all of us surf. It’s a paradise for families. … . And if you’re a serious surfer, you can hit the Caribbean and the Pacific on the same day. … . The surf here is for everyone. … . There are people of all ages, toddlers to 80 year olds, from all nationalities and backgrounds … .” (Condé Nast Traveller, March 2021)
Suggested Places To Stay In The Nicoya Region
Florblanca, Santa Teresa
I have come across Florblanca, opened about 20 years ago in Santa Teresa by Susan Money and Greg Mullins when there were not much hotels in the town, in a couple of articles. I have read that the resort ‘put the town on map’ afterwards. (cntraveller.com) It was chosen as one of Top 3 Resort Hotels in Central America in 2020 and as one of 500 Best Hotels in the world in 2021 by Travel + Leisure Magazine. (florblanca.com)
The resort is close to Hermosa Treehouse, which I have mentioned in the eco-lodges part above, and 45-minute drive away from Tambor airport. Florblanca’s villas are located in the jungle surrounding the pool. Restaurant and pool area overlooks the beach. The place features an oceanfront yoga studio, organic bambu spa and a nice restaurant serving Asian-influenced healthy food. The resort, which reflects a Balinese theme evolving from the owner couple’s experience of living in Bali beforehand, seems enchanting. (telegraph.co.uk and Explorer’s Guide Costa Rica by Paige R. Penland p. 161 via books.google.com.tr)
Other Places To Stay In The Nicoya Region
“Mint”, an adults only boutique hotel which lies in the hills above surrounded by a hummingbird-filled forest, and “Blue Surf Sanctuary“, which offers learn-to-surf beachside stays are other suggested places to stay in Santa Teresa. (The Sunday Times Travel)
Hotel Kasiiya Papagayo close to the Gulf of Papagayo in Guanacaste, an eco beach retreat in the region with just seven tented suites made of recycled wood and fallen trees (kasiiya.com), and Cala Luna Hotel in Tamarindo, a place for foodies with an organic kitchen garden (calaluna.com), also drew my interest. Both hotels are mentioned in Condé Nast Traveller.
Hotel Playa Negra in Santa Cruz, Guanacaste, an oceanfront hotel of bungalows overlooking the beautiful Playa Negra (Beach Negra), seems very cosy. (playanegra.com). There are also vacation homes or villas in the region you can stay at often called ‘casa’ (home in Spanish) like Gabriela’s House (Punta Gabriela) in Dominicalito, Puntarenas. (cntraveller.com)
Cosy, peaceful places to stay at which integrate with the beautiful nature they are in …
Costa Rica is a mystic land with its cloud forests, wild jungles, rich wildlife, the fuming Arenal, pirate stories and buried treasures in its Cocos Island; and very inviting with its warm climate, beaches, fresh fruit drinks at its beach bars, good local music, surf spirit as well as its hidden eco-lodges and yoga retreats, and its amazing resorts located within breathtaking natural beauties.
Pura Vida!
Notes: You can find the book “Costa Rica: The Complete Guide: Ecotourism in Costa Rica” by James Kaiser here in Amazon. You can also check Costa Rica Travel Guide at ‘jameskaiser.com‘ for online travel tips and short information about Costa Rica.