Pura Vida!
- Wandering Fox
- May 4, 2019
- 6 min read
From soaking up sunsets to swinging through jungles, Costa Rica is a paradise fit for the adventure minded or the relaxation seekers!
Costa Rica- a lush, diverse, and stunning Central American country is situated snuggly between Nicaragua and Panama.
As someone who had never traveled south of the United States, this trip was a new and exciting adventure waiting to happen. Seeing photos of the vast beaches, intriguing jungles and mouth watering food in Costa Rica, sold it for me. From there, I took to my favorite discount airline website, #Cheapoair.com to find a killer deal. Pro tip #1- Check for flights leaving from all major surrounding cities, often larger cities have heavier discounted flight prices. For me, living in Reno, Nevada means that 9/10 times I can find a cheaper flight out of another close city; usually I get luckiest leaving from Las Vegas. This small change in the itinerary landed us roundtrip flights for less than $350 (mind blown)! Comment below your great deals on flights and where you got them!
Part of my initial research included checking out some #Airbnb listings throughout Costa Rica, and let me tell you, I was blown away! Who wants to sleep in quaint bungalows just step away from the famous Arenal Volcano? Me! Who wants to spend their days lounging in the sand in the picturesque surf town of Nosara? Me! Countless options made it a hard decision, but eventually we narrowed our selections down to San Jose, La Fortuna and Nosara.
After all of the "fun" planning was finished, there were a few tasks still needed before embarking on the trip of a lifetime. Anytime you are traveling internationally, be sure to check what extra vaccines may be needed for the country you are visiting. I use cdc.gov for the most up to date recommendations, for Costa Rica this was Typhoid and Hepatitis A. In addition to this we invested in a high quality deet bug spray, as Zika was prominent in the area. Keeping ourselves protected from threats big and small, we also carried money belts with important documents and cash. Before we knew it it was late March, and we were ready to hop on a plane to Costa Rica!!
Late afternoon, we landed in the bustling city of San Jose- and man was it busy! We decided early on that renting a car was the best move since everything in the country is fairly spread out. Thanks to #Sixt rental agency we got a Suzuki Swift in great condition, which also included a mobile hotspot for WIFI on the go. Once picking the car up we headed to our Airbnb, located in the heart of San Jose. Driving through the city was extremely shocking. Stop signs and lights were heeded as more of a suggestion rather than the law. We were definitely the granny drivers in the mix, receiving honks and a few hand gestures along the way. When parking at our Airbnb, there was a hidden surprise for us as the owner opened a garage door and motioned for us to pull the car into the living room! That was a first for me. Apparently parking inside the home is a common thing in San Jose; who would've guessed! Despite having a car in the middle of the room, the house was extremely spacious and exquisitely decorated. Our host was a sweet older woman, who made us feel right at home with her hospitality and homemade food. Feeling eager to explore more of the city we headed to the streets of San Jose. The streets were filled with bars and restaurants, all with greeters urging you that theirs was the best. We chose the restaurant with the most traffic; you can never go wrong when so many people agree that it's good. All of those people weren't wrong; our meals were delicious! Calling it a night, we headed back for a quiet and comfortable sleep. With coffee and food on the brain the next morning, we took to Google to find a nearby breakfast/ coffee shop. We decided on a place close to our Airbnb, called Kalu (www.kalu.co.cr). The walk there we were surrounded by barred buildings and railroad tracks, but once inside we were transported into a very upscale and fun restaurant. Not only was the atmosphere amazing, the food was to die for! Everything was extremely fresh, from the fruits to the meats. Andy, a coffee connoisseur, was delighted to have a one on one experience with the local barista there. He shared his local knowledge of the coffee scene in Costa Rica, as well as hand pouring each cup for us. Kalu definitely made our experience in San Jose that much more special.
Early the next morning we were ready to head out of the city and into the jungles of La Fortuna; nature is more our style anyway. During the 2 and 1/2 hour drive we were on mainly major freeways surrounded by small towns and farm land. Halfway there we stopped at a sign saying "Butterfly Sanctuary"- naturally we had to stop. To our delight, for about $5 we were able to enter a green house that was home to thousands of unique species of butterflies.
As we drove into La Fortuna the Arenal Volcano towered over the landscape with its intimidating beauty; the view of the volcano from our bungalow was unmatched. As thrill seekers the choice of adventure here was unanimously going to be zip lining through the jungle. Coincidentally enough, our Airbnb host was also the owner of an excursion company. Through him we booked not only zip lining, but also received entry passes into a luxury hot spring resort. Tackling our first day, we embarked on the zip line adventure. Climbing up several ladders to reach a platform to the line was a little intimidating, but it was all worth it once you were gliding through the air. In total, we zipped across roughly ten lines; some over waterfalls, others spinning through lush jungle vegetation and all providing a surreal experience. At the bottom the native people of the land were selling beautiful hand crafted wooden plaques. Ours, the fertility goddess, featured two parrots hand painted on the carving. Hearing their stories and experiencing their culture was something I will never forget. Walking distance from the village was a breathtaking waterfall. The hike down to it Andy had the shock of his life, stepping on a large black snake! Have you encountered any creeper crawlers during your travels?
Our next day was solely dedicated to relaxation! 3 words- Baldi Hot Springs (www.baldihotsprings.cr). This luxury resort housed 25 natural thermal pools that were situated directly under the Arenal Volcano. The pools varied in temperature, with the hottest temperatures being at the top of the resort. Although the main idea of the resort was to relax, they also had 3 very large water slides. Lets just say that Costa Rica does not have the same safety standards when it comes to waterslides- but they were a thrill nonetheless! In addition to water slides and soothing pools, the resort also had swim up bars sprinkled throughout. Pro tip #2- Bring a waterproof case for carrying money, incase you're feeling parched in the pool.
With the vacation winding down we headed to our last destination- Nosara, a sleepy beach town with it's main focuses being catching some waves and finding your inner zen. The road there was mainly dirt, leaving us no other option than to whip the Yaris through some not so sedan worthy terrain. Our Airbnb here was one that we were most excited for. Situated within the trees, our beachside #treehouse was remarkable. Hosting us was another wonderful woman who offered us the use of her beach toys, bikes, and several other amenities. We also took her up on her restaurant suggestions, La Luna being our favorite. This beachside restaurant was a true dream dining experience. With our feet in the sand and our table facing the ocean, we enjoyed delicious meals without having to break the bank. The majority of the remainder of our time in Nosara was spent soaking up the sun and lounging on the sandy beaches.
Costa Rica was without a doubt the most stunning and culturally diverse country I have been yet. The food, views and people were all exquisite. Without a second thought I would most definitely go back!
I think I would have cried if I was Andy and had stepped on that snake..
I like to use scottscheapflights to get emails with flight deals regularly.
Great post!
Great Times 😎