Cost Rica, Read All About It! AlyaBuzz

Thinking about visiting Costa Rica?
Then check out my article, Pura Vida, in this month’s ‘Vacation’ issue of the Healthcare Marketer’s Exchange or, read on below.

Two short months of rigorous research and planning and we were all set to spend two weeks exploring and relaxing on the Pacific Coast of Costa Rica.

Where we would stay and what we would do was not an easy decision, especially after we learned of all this small Central American country has to offer. Resourceful though we were, December proved to be a tough time to be choosy as we found that a lot of the “mainstream” hotels were already booked or extremely expensive. December is Costa Rica’s high season for good reason, but don’t let that discourage you. Be open-minded and flexible and you’ll have the time of your life in a country that has it all – adventure, relaxation, awesome food, and fantastic flora and fauna (I’ve been dying to use that in a sentence!).

We hopped the way-too-early flight from Newark to San Jose and went directly to our first of four stops, Manuel Antonio. If you were to ask our son, Jacob, our goal on this trip was to find a two-toed sloth. If you ask me, his goal was to sleep in bed with us every night.

MANUEL ANTONIO – SUN AND ADVENTURE: After much research on how best to get around Costa Rica, we chose to hire a driver in between our stops. I would highly recommend you do the same. It’s about the same price as renting a car minus the hassle. The drive took three hours and was an adventure in itself. En route, we stopped off at Rio Tarcoles, a bridge under which 10-foot crocodiles live. The pit stop was accompanied by our first taste of fresh coconut water and, for me, dreamy drops of Costa Rican rum. When we finally got to our hotel, Parador, we were ready for R&R and immediately hit the pool. We spent the next four days in Manuel Antonio (MA) hiking, swimming, and spotting sloths and monkeys at Manuel Antonio National Park. MA is also where we went whitewater rafting through the Rio Savegre – a first for all of us and one more check off of the Bucket List. If you visit, make time for dinner and a sunset at El Avion, a restaurant built around a Fairchild C-123 warplane with the cabin and cockpit used for a bar.

MONTEVERDE – MOUNTAINS OF EXPLORATIONS: After four sun- and fun-filled days in MA, we braved the ride to our next stop, Monteverde (MV). The three-hour bumpy crawl was the main reason we hired a driver and boy was it money well spent. The drivers refer to this route, and most roads in CR for that matter, as the Costa Rican massage. I call it, “Where’s my chiropractor?” As we made our way up the mountain aptly named “Green Mountain,” we were treated to a fantastic double rainbow to the east and a sunrise to the west! MV’s steady sprinkle and windy weather was in complete contrast to MA’s balmy blue skies. We arrived as darkness descended on the mountaintop, which is exactly when you should plan to arrive. Don’t even think about making this trip in the dark. We checked into Hotel Poco a Poco, “little by little.” While it wasn’t fancy, it was perfectly situated close to town and surrounded by beautiful grounds overlooking the plains below. For the next four days, we explored Monteverde from all angles: On horseback as we galloped through fields of dancing tall grass; at night when many nocturnal animals like kinkajous, tarantulas, possums, and sloths come out to play; and from high above the cloud forest where we hiked the hanging bridges and ziplined from tree to tree à la Tarzan. No trip of mine would be complete without restaurant recommendations so, if you visit, try the Tree House. You may not love the food, but the live music, delicious cocktails, and atmosphere set amid a tree is unique and not to be missed.

TAMARINDO – LIKE COMING HOME: Exhilarated but tired, we braved another “Costa Rican massage,” only this time down the mountain and headed for sunny Tamarindo. If beautiful beaches, delicious food, and great people are your idea of vacation, then Guanacaste, the Gold Coast, is where you want to be. It’s where we found our favorite hotel of the entire trip and made new lifelong friends and memories. Allow me to paint a picture that will prove my love for this place. You brave a three-hour van ride, arrive at an unknown “hotel” ready to peel off your travel clothes, and you’re hugged, kissed, and whisked down to the beach for a massage. Yes, that was check-in at Ocho Artisan Bungalows and if it weren’t for my family obligations back in the U.S., I would still be there today! Ocho was more than a hotel. It was a home away from home where we were treated like family from the moment we arrived. If you’re a surfer, a yogi, or just like to be one with nature, then Tamarindo is the place for you! After an active start to our trip we decided to slow down and make our time in Tamarindo relaxing. That lasted a whole day…we are just not that kind of travelers. Who needs to schlep to a beach half-hour away from the gorgeous beach right outside your door? No one! But Conchal (shell) Beach sounded interesting, so we decided to pay a visit. At first, we all secretly hated it, but as the day went on and we got our bearings, we loved it. It’s as local as local gets and by noon was packed with families pitching tents, grilling, and swimming. Want to know how local? A full-body massage for $10 local! Granted the rickety plastic lounge chairs that we rented were $25 apiece, but the experience of watching Jacob enjoying his first massage and snorkeling in the crystal blue water was priceless. We spent the day at Conchal and returned “home” in time for dinner. It was Christmas and we decided on dinner at La Palapa, a beachside restaurant and hotel with live music, incredible seafood, and an awe-worthy flame-throwing performance. It was a memorable night particularly because it ended with Jacob teaching me the merengue in the sand. #priceless Four days in paradise and it was time to leave Tamarindo. None of us wanted to go and we had each started to plot ways to cancel our next and final destination if not move to CR altogether. We reluctantly left for our last stop, La Fortuna.

ARENAL – VOLCANIC ACTIVITY: Another three-hour ride and we arrived at Arenal Manoa & Hot Springs Resort. We barely unpacked, then set out to explore what the area is really known for, the volcanic hot springs. If you can overlook the less than luxurious rooms, the hotel’s lush property at the foot of the Arenal Volcano and natural hot springs was perfect as our final stop. After seeing it from afar surrounded by lingering clouds, we decided on a tour of the Arenal Volcano National Park to get a closer look at the volcano. We found an abbreviated tour through Gecko Adventures and, the following morning, met up with our group that consisted mostly of students. It was an action-packed day that started with a hike through the National Park and concluded with one of the coolest experiences I’ve ever had and will share only because that’s how I am. Right next to Tabacón Grand Spa Thermal Resort, where the well-heeled go to get their bath on, runs a river heated by magma to the temperature bathwater. Here, Ticos (locals) and savvy tourists (us) go to soak, swim, frolic, and barbecue, all for free. It’s called Río Chollín and it’s easily the best deal in town. If being surrounded by cool people and candles as you soak your achy body while sipping on local libations is not your idea of fun, then don’t even think about going! That said, I obsessed about staying at Tabacón, but since that wasn’t to be, we bought a day pass and spent the next day enjoying the famous hot springs. It was in complete contrast to the day prior and come to think of it now, the main reason why I loved Costa Rica.

It’s a country rich with just about everything that anyone rich or poor, adventurous or sedentary can enjoy. Even with everything that we packed into our two-week stay, there was so much more to see and do. As we sloth-ed (is that even a word) on another early morning flight back home, I booked our next family adventure!