Costa Rica
There is a quote I am reminded of from the Lord of the Rings trilogy that I feel perfectly describes Costa Rica. "The grey rain-curtain of this world rolls back, and all turns to silver glass, and then you see it...White shores, and beyond, a far green country under a swift sunrise." That is how I think of this far green country.
We arrived in San Jose. Do yourself a favor and get out of there fast as the more time you spend here, the less you have for the rest of Costa Rica.
We rented a car so that we could travel at our own pace. Having the benefit of experience, I would advise against this option if you or anyone in your group is squeamish about driving. The roads are winding and there are many blind turns in the mountains. Often people would be walking in the middle of the street just beyond that blind turn. Or there would not be enough room for two vehicles on that turn. Most cars honked as they were approaching each blind turn to put other drivers on notice of their presence, and avoid accidents. I tried driving for a bit, got anxiety, and then switched back to the passenger seat and let my friend commandeer the rest of the way (thanks Casey).
Our first stop was Doka Estate, where we learned about coffee production, assisted in coffee bean gathering, and purchased our own local beans!
Our next stop was La Paz waterfall gardens, which was honestly one of my favorite areas in Costa Rica. It's a privately owned ecological attraction consisting of a huge and immersive aviary and butterfly observatory. I'm talking about actual interaction with toucans and butterfly of all sorts.
Further, there are a set of beautiful waterfalls here.
After our walk around La Paz, we made our way back to their beautiful restaurant right next to this view.
This meal was delicious!
From La Paz, we made our way toward the famous Arenal volcano.
Our first stop was La Fortuna. You have to climb a ton of steps to reach the waterfall below, which means you get some major cardio on the way back up!
The falls at the bottom of the climb. Unfortunately, all I have is the photo my friend took and his shutter settings were not ideal. We were able to climb into the water for a swim. It's not too deep!
After La Fortuna, we took a rest and then visited Tabacon thermal hot springs resort for the evening. This is one of the pricier resorts but boy was it worth it! Gorgeous forest oasis. Upon entrance, you'll find a large pool with a swim up bar, and all the while you'll see the Arenal volcano in the backdrop against the sky. If you walk around the resort, you'll find dozens of hot springs of all sizes and varying temperatures. This place was the second highlight of my trip, along with La Paz waterfall gardens.
Another picture of the beautiful Tabacon resort. You can walk into any of these springs.
We rented a bungalow in Manuel Antonio. Fabulous views.
We pretty much had our own beach by the bungalow. We were secluded with nothing but ourselves, the waves and the sand.
Would I come back to Costa Rica? Most definitely. There were quite a few areas of the country we did not get to visit.
