A week in Costa Rica is a teasing prospect as well as a logistical riddle. It is a veritable mass of bio-diversity and a behemoth in a world map yet its dense rain forests brimming with life, leads to a misty cloud cover forest and volcanic mountains guarding two different and stunning coastlines. The national motto of Pura Vida, or pure life, murmurs on the canopy and crashes with the Pacific ocean, inviting you to take it easy and dive into the atmosphere. Still, seven days can be so tempting, to hurry, to check which tourist attractions you can see at the same day in order to become tired instead of becoming richer. The clue to a real magical week is to resist this temptation, to slow the pace and to take a route into deliverance to the soul of the country, a concentrated dose of the country. An ideal first-time trip would be the two in one landscape: a trip that presents the burning center of country in the heart of this land and then the sunset costal trip to the central coast area of Pacific beaches and whose unique combination of adventure and relaxing bliss is the perfect symbol of Costa Rican experience.
Your journey starts as soon as you arrive in Juan Santamar a International Airport (SJO) close to the capital San Jose. And now is your first all-important choice: how you are to travel within the country. Even though, shuttle services are very effective, the final key to approaching the best places Costa Rica has hidden is renting a car of your own. Insist on a 4×4. It is not a luxury at all but rather a necessity that offers the privilege and chance to travel on unpaved tracks to unseen waterfalls or overlooks without the fear of doing it. When picking up your car, you want to avoid entering the urban sprawl of the capital and proceed to head in the direction of the green interior right away. The journey to the town of La Fortuna becomes in itself a tour of transition, a gradual change of landscape where urban landscapes blend into grassy green valleys, coffee farms hugging steep mountains, and even the air itself becomes lighter, heavier and; genesis itself. This first adventure, which involves a visit to a bakery so that you can sample a sweet treat and a good Costa Rican coffee, is the ideal decompression, an easing into the Pura Vida rhythm in which you will be living during the week of your trip.
When one arrives in the area around La Fortuna, he or she finds him/herself in the grip of a continuous and glorious shadow of the Arenal Volcano. Just like on days when its pinnacle is covered with clouds, its strong silhouette takes command over the landscape, reminding about the strong forces of nature that have modeled this territory. La Fortuna itself is an amicable city of frenzied tourism, with the true magic being in a rainforest around it, as well as in the eco-lodges and hotels sprinkled along the hillsides, many of which look directly out into the volcano right out your window. Once you get settled, your first night is one of adjustment whether you have a simple but tasty dinner called a casado (a balanced dish, usually of rice, beans, a protein, salad and fried plantains), at one of the local restaurants, or sodas, as the bug and tree frog symphony that will play nightly in the jungle, starts its nocturnal tune, a sound track that welcomes you and says you truly have arrived in Costa Rica and essentially the middle of the country.
The full first day in Arenal is devoted to fun and new mindset. The Costa Rican rainforest is a layered place and there is no better way of knowing it then by being living in it on the canopy to the ground. The experience of zooming along a zip-line on a bright sunny morning is an adrenaline wave of a lifetime, flapping in the wind in your face with the sight of the magnificent staging of the forest floor miles beneath you. It is not really a thrill ride as it is a special location to view the massive size of the ceiba and strangler fig trees. In the afternoon experience a more leisurely and thought-provoking visit to the identical canopy world through a series of suspension bridges. When you are walking these suspended pathways you move at the speed of the forest itself, which enables you to see all the details: the flash of a toucans beak, the coati rustling in the undergrowth, or the infuriatingly slow and deliberate way that a three toed sloth moves along in a tree. It is a day of head-spinning heights and calm reflection, and shows both the sides of the rainforest, as it is an amusement park and a sanctuary.
Day 2 of your stay at the Arenal region is focused on the most important thing to the region: water. Morning: Visit to the La Fortuna Waterfall, an amazing single cascade which falls down more than seventy meters into a cool, emerald-green pool. It is an exercise in anticipation as you climb the many steps down to where the sound of the water gets louder and louder until you are actually standing in the misty spray of it. A swim in the cool refreshing water at the foot of such a daunting natural structure is a revitalising opportunity. The afternoon and the evening will be dedicated to one of the more peaceful and characteristic Costa Rican occupations: hot spring soaking. There is a supply of the underground magma of the volcano that feeds many resorts giving one the opportunity to bathe in mineral-rich thermal hot springs. There are more elaborate pools with swim-up bars or go freer like at Tabaconic or EcoTermales where you have rivers and the river is a whole cascade of warm pools with a lush tropical garden. The jacuzzi in these warm waters as the sun sets, holding a cocktail and the buffalo are all around is just how one would relax his muscles after a day of hiking and zip-lining in a highly blissful way to live the Pura Vida life.
This is a big change of venue as the fourth day sees you travel through the volcanic highlands to the Pacific coast. The journey also includes the drive itself by several hours, being a crucial part of the adventure which presents the variety of microclimates and landscapes in the country. The air becomes warmer and more humid as you are passing the mountains. This is a travel day and one might have a chance to glimpse life in rural Costa Rica and may have lunch at a side of the road soda where one can find an interesting and cheap meal. A must stop on the route south happens to be at the T hree Rivers bridge. Here it is possible to observe dozens of huge American crocodiles who lie on the muddy banks of the river underneath, which is something rather eerie yet fascinating presentation of ancient power. This short halt is a reminder to the trip, and it is a good reference to nature that even the infrastructure in the country is incorporated into the wild nature. As you arrive in the Manuel Antonio and Quepos region in the late afternoon, you get a different type of energy in the air the salty air, the screams of the scarlet macaws, the easygoing persona of a coastal town.
Day two focuses on visiting a real treasure of the area the Manuel Antonio National Park. One of the small national parks in Costa Rica, it is also one of the most well-known parks in Costa Rica because of its amazing mix of that ideal combination of a beautiful clean beach alongside the incredibly accessible fauna on the beaches. The recommendation will be to use the services of a certified guide in taking a stroll in the park. In their untrained eyes you would not see ninety per cent of the animals that you could see in a more developed eye. Your guide will bring along a spotting scope to bring to sharp focus the sleepy smiling face of a sloth high in the canopy, the dainty features of a tent-making bat, the vivid colours of a poison dart frog and the frolics of squirrel and white faced capuchin as they bound through the trees. The trail finally leads to some of the most beautiful beaches in the country to include, Playa Manuel Antonio, Playa Espadilla Sur, among others whose beautiful turquoise water is calm and swimming is good. A day spent inside this micro universe of biodiversity where the sea mixes with the jungle is the essential Costa Rican adventure.
The last complete day of yours is meant to spend the Pura Vida on the coast. This day is unstructured, so entertaining and relaxing. In the morning, you can relax on the broad public beaches at Playa Espadilla and enjoy watching the surfers, who ride on the calm waves. This is also where one can take a surf lesson, even if he or she feels like playing a daredevil, readily available learning conditions since the waves are quite kind to learners and the water is friendly since it is warm. One could use the afternoon learning more about the town of Quepos or Shop on the main road. The actual highlight of the scene however is the sunset. The whole area is renowned over cliffside restaurants and bars which provide a perfect view of Pacific Ocean. Finding a table in one of such places, ordering a plate of fresh ceviche and a tropical drink and waiting till the sun sets throwing the sky into a spectacular variety of orange, pink and purple colours is an event that you will never forget and it is the best way to finish off your coastal adventure, a truly romantic one.
The Pura Vida spirit is there to make you believe you could use one more peaceful moment before going back home on your last morning. This could be a last walk at the beach early in the morning, a last sipping of your brew Costa Rican coffee on your balcony, hearing the howler monkey morning greetings or a simple swim on warm Pacific. The road journey back to San Jose offers time to reflect on the amazing intensity of experience we had managed to fit into one week. It is a time to think about what is Pura Vida and now you know that it is not a marketing slogan but something real something which cannot be describe in words only a feeling a relief, a strong connection with nature, a kind attitude, and the attitude towards small joys of life. It is the hospitality of the Ticos, the mango flavor, the sounds of the rain forest, and rays of the sun falling on your skin.
One cannot have a better appreciation of this philosophy without the enjoyment of food that feeds it. The Costa Rican diet is simple, fresh, and wholesome. Breakfast is virtually everywhere either gallo pinto, the very satisfying combination of rice and black beans cooked with onions, peppers, and cilantro, which is usually delivered with an egg and some fried plantains. The standard meal at lunch is the casado, a perfectly balanced and full meal with a taste of homemade food. Fresh fruit is just shocking, with different people selling sweet pineapples, juicy papaya and many other tropical things throughout the day. This relationship with the land is noticeable in all meals and this is a continuous reminder of the farming greatness of the country.
This strong attachment to the land is also the basis of the identity of Costa Rica as the world leader of ecotourism and conservation. Throughout your week, you have been able to realize that the tourism infrastructure is developed to fit into nature, not wrest control over nature. The nation has taken a deliberate stand of safeguarding the natural resources appreciating the fact that the biodiversity is the sole greatest treasure. By coming to the park, you are part and parcel of this initiative since park entry fees and tourism finance conservation projects, guard habitats, and even offer local people sustainable jobs. Visiting the area involves a softer obligation about being a conscientious tourist: respecting wildlife by not feeding the animals, preserving water and using tour operators and lodges that have long-term sustainable policies.
More than the souvenirs, you will also pack a great deal of memories and of experiences as you fly your plane above San jose and leave the green hills past. You will be taking with you the touch of flying over a canopy of a rainforest, the image of the presence of a grand volcano, the feeling of warm water of a thermal spring in your skin, the excitement of seeing a sloth, and the immense serenity of a sunset in the pacific. A week is not going to be enough to discover all Costa Rica, however, this route, from the adventurous heart of Arenal to the wild shores of Manuel Antonio, will be enough to feel its soul. It is an ideal hit of nature, adventure, and beautiful, simple philosophy of Pura Vida, an event that will get you back to its numerous other secret corners many times again.
Not just souvenirs will go with you up and away on your plane as it is flying out of San Jose across the green countryside. You will bear with you the emotions of flying above the canopy of a lush rainforest, the experiences of the presence of an unperturbed volcano, the refreshing limbs of dealing with warm water flowing over your skin, the excitement of catching a glimpse of a sloth, and the ultimate tranquility of a Pacific sunset. It can take a whole week to explore the entire Costa Rica world but this trip of the adventurous heart of Arenal to wild shores of Manuel Antonio is enough to have the soul of it. It is an ideal, condensed dose of nature, adventure and the simple and beautiful philosophy of Pura Vida and something that will make you long to go back and visit its numerous other nooks and crannies time after time.
But this old tale of volcano to the coast is not the only tale which may be written in a week. The geographical diversity of Costa Rica has other interesting stories to tell to those with other interests, be it the mystical highlands, the bohemian Caribbean and the wild and untamed peninsula of the south. To the tourist whose heart does not throb over the dramatic fire of a volcano but over the quiet, misty embrace of the highlands a new way opens. This trip plunges into the cloud forests of Monteverde, which has been a land in suspended animation of moisture and mystery. The road itself is like the journey to some other level, up smooth and frequently dirt roads to where you are literally in the clouds. Cooler is the air, and sun-tanned green of the lower heights becomes by the thousand hues of thoughtful, moss-covered emerald. This haze of unending mist, wandering among the trees, has the effect of drowning out sounds, and of imparting a mystic air of antiquity to the scene.
Life in Monteverde is dictated by this unique climate. It is an area that is quiet to observe and be immersed in a delicate eco system. An excursion in the Monteverde or Santa Elena Cloud Forest Reserves is a totally different one as compared to a rainforest walk. The woods on this are less lofty and more tortuous, and masked with a patena of mosses and ferns and orchids,–a township observed by the name of an angel forest. Here birdwatchers flock in the pursuit of the Resplendent Quetzal, a near mythical bird whose iridescent feathers are considered to be of exquisite beauty and its tail length apocryphal. The cloud forest also demonstrates secrets of all times at night. A night walk with a guide is a must, in which the secrets of a night world is revealed: glassy frogs in glowing stream waters, birds curled under leaves, squabbles of leaf-cutter ants, and maybe the very slinky kinkajou or the gap-toothed olingo. Itinerary of introspection: this highlands route is a journey of ingeniable genevieve, it is the picture of warm nights by a fire, discovery how a coffee bean is turned into cup of coffee at a local coffee cooperative, and how a person may find beautiful in a tiny yet mystical details of a constantly clouded world.
Other such one-week trips would then wind back down the sun-dried rocky peninsula to Monteverde, a cloud-capped highland paradise commonly known as one of the bohmans of Central America, aka, the land of surfers, yogi, and other people interested in a health-conscious lifestyle. The ports of call include the coastal strip that has such towns as Santa Teresa and Malpais. The trip out is adventure as it entails a pleasant drive to the port of Puntarenas, followed by a calm ferry ride across the Gulf of Nicoya, in which dolphins join in most of the times. The change in vibe is instant when one reaches the peninsula. The main form of transport is an ATV or hired 4×4, choking up dust down the unsealed main road, which is parallel to a number of breath-taking wild beaches. It is a beach of Costa Rica where a tribe of health-seekers and surf enthusiasts live in a culture of wellness and connectivity to the ocean.
Santa Teresa is a surfers paradise with a world-class beach break and a typical day would start with a water session on the beach and end with a healthy smoothie bowl in one of the numerous health oriented cafes. Afternoons are to investigate the tide pools, to attend a yoga practice in an open-air shala with the ocean views or just to read in a hammock. The local population here is a mix of the natives and foreigners who have opted to pursue a lifestyle that is surrounded by a more deliberate pace. Every day a communal event resembles the sunset when all people come onto the big piece of sand to see the sun disappear in the Pacific in the most amazing and clear show of colour. It is not so much about cross a wildlife list as it is about personal rhythm, of feeding the body and the soul, and of association with like-minded people in an environment of sharply edged, unsmothered coastal beauty. It is the Pura Vida philosophy put through wellness and the power of meditation of the ocean.
But this is still another Costa Rican tale of the other side of that same shore; vastly different worlds in terms of culture, food and rhythm. Then, a week on the Caribbean coast presents a totally opposite taste of the country, one with blazing Afro-Caribbean background. The path usually starts with an adventure to Tortuguero national park, an area that can only be reached either by small plane or boat. The journey by itself is an experience, as a boat ride on a system of jungle canals, which are more like the Amazon than Central America. As you slide past the silent dark banks, your guide will point out an amazing selection of wildlife: caimans sleeping on the banks, troops of howler and spider monkeys ripping through the canopy and an immensely varied selection of water birds. What makes Tortuguero most well-known is that it is a major nesting ground of the green sea turtle in the world. Between July and October, people can also enjoy a well-controlled night visit in which they pay to view the sight of these massive living things pulling themselves on land to reproduce their offspring in form of eggs.
The trip will proceed south into another bustling coastal town of Puerto Viejo de Talamanca leaving the remote sanctuary of Tortuguero. In this case, Pura Vida slogan is translated to the song, which is performed to the reggae rhythm. It is a diversified culture piece of tapestry of Afro-Caribbean and indigenous Bribri cultures and Latin influences. There is one of the first things you will notice in the food, as the typical casado is usually substituted by tasty meals such as rice and beans with coconut milk, spicy jerk chicken, and fresh seafood with Caribbean spices. It is a casual and unpretentious atmosphere with an element of these wood smoke and salt smell to it. To enjoy the area, bicycle riding using rented cycle sounds the best as it rolls along the coastal road that has a series of distinctive beaches. You can play on the black volcanic sand beaches of Playa Negra, calm reef-possessed waters of Punta Uva or venture underwater snorkeling around the coral bed in Cahuita National Park. One week on the Caribbean coast is an experience into a new culture, an experience with new tastes, new sounds, new colours and an expression of the Costa Rican spirit at a more casual, spiritual and culturally engaging level.
To the real adventurous traveler, the couple that aims to have a disconnection with the world and establish a connection with nature in its most untamed and primordial state, the ultimate one week journey is the one that takes them to the deep south, to the Osa Peninsula. The Osa is not a place to go to those who are weak of heart as it is widely considered as being one of the most biodiverse spots in the whole planet by ecologists. It is a location, where nature clearly rules, and man is simply a modest visitor. The trip alone is an indication that it is not the usual thing and this may involve even a brief internal flight into Drake Bay, then a boat trip to secluded eco-lodge this is because there exists few roads that are mostly inaccessible. No cities in a conventional self, only a number of conservationist-focused lodges that gather tourists to explore the natural treasures of the peninsula.
The beating center of the Osa is the Corcovado National Park, which is a lush land mass of primary rainforest that amazes by the abundance of wildlife, and even rare or nonexistent species found elsewhere in the nation. A guided trek into Corcovado is the highlight of Costa Rican wildlife and provides the opportunity to spot all the four species of monkeys found in Costa Rica, huge flocks of crimson macaws and who knows, the rare Baird tapir. The closest, Ca No Island Biological Reserve is a marine paradise and has some of the best snorkeling and diving in the country with continual appearances being made by the white tip reef sharks, sea turtles, and giant groups of fish. In seven days you feel like you have dived into a new world, a technological break that uses the sounds of howler monkeys and the Pacific crashing on the shore as its soundtrack. An often rural experience, it is not an easy one, nor is it necessarily a bad one; at least to the eco-adventurer, however, it is about as pure a form of Pura Vida as can be imagined: The wild, primitive, and untouched core of the planet.
After all, the week of your dreams in Costa Rica is just one of many different given itineraries and the programme of your week is yours, with your own inclinations and a spirit of adventure. Indeed, it is a nation that functions like a the choose your own adventure novel where the end goal is an accomplishment in a different and satisfactory manner regardless of the route chosen. The similarity is Pura Vida spirit which can be said of each region differently. It is in the heart-pounding excitement of whirling through the canopy of the Arenal rainforest, in the zen state of mind during a yoga session at sunset in Santa Teresa, in the calming reggae sounds and the scented atmosphere of coconut leaves of Puerto Viejo and, lastly, in the peaceful, awe-enveloping chorus of a tapir cloth through the verdant confines of Corcovado. The short time of one week is enough to be completely in love with one of these stories, to know that the biggest wealth of the small country is in its living, breathing natural world. It is actually a call to sight but also a call to sensation; to come but to touch. And it is this relationship that will surely root a seed into your soul, a whisper of Pura Vida below in the souls of everyone telling you that you will always be able to find out more the next time you come back.
