Costa Rica

In July of 2016, Victor and I headed to Costa Rica for our first solo international trip ever. Then again this year, we revisited on a flight from Tulum to Costa Rica. I was ecstatic that we were headed back, this time bringing my mom and sister to explore with us.

Costa Rica is known for the beautiful scenery, filled with adventure and national parks throughout the country. It also has an abundance of wildlife, delicious coffee, and cacao. With so much to see and do, it’s difficult to decide where you’ll be stopping along your trip and I truly wouldn’t blame you if you never wanted to come back home!

We decided to revisit some of the same places as our first time since we loved it so much. It was also very exciting to introduce such a breathtaking country to my family.

Tips that can save you:

You need bug spray! If mosquitoes love you, keep it handy at all times.
Invest in good sunscreen and save your skin. It’s very easy to get dehydrated and sunburnt in Costa Rica. I absolutely love PCA Skin’s Daily Defense SPF 50+ for my face. Also, consider reef-safe sunscreens to help preserve our oceans in any way possible, I found a list of different ones here.
Costa Rica requires each traveler to purchase traveler’s insurance for the entire time you’ll be visiting. We got ours through. This website answered all of our questions about international travel.
COVID-19: to get back into the U.S. we needed a negative test 3 days before we flew out of the country. We did a lot of asking around and finally came across Dr. Mauricio Esquivel in Uvita which is an hour away from Manuel Antonio. If you need his information, feel free to reach out and I can provide the details. If you’re away from this area, you’ll want to look around at local hospitals and plan accordingly. Try to make the reservation for the test a week or so in advance.
Exchange your money into Colones at a bank since many local places only take Colones.
I recommend spending at least a week in Costa Rica, especially if you’ll be traveling around the country.

Caribbean Or Pacific?

The majority of our trip was along the Pacific Coast of Costa Rica. Our trip was just scratching the surface of all this wonderful country has to offer! Usually, I’d almost always choose the Caribbean side of a country for the blue waters and warmth. I highly recommend researching the Caribbean vs. the Pacific parts of Costa Rica to help you decide. This website has great insight and can help you make a decision.

Transportation:

NOTE: Driving in Costa Rica can be dangerous! The roads are unpaved and very winding. I recommend only driving during the day time and making sure your car is safe for travel across the country.

We flew into San Jose (SJO) and took the shuttle to pick up our rental car before driving to Arenal. Transportation is always a hot topic when I travel. The first time in Costa Rica, we did shuttles, taxis, and lots of walking, which was great for budgeting and meeting new people. We were also lucky to find a private taxi while in Monteverde. At the airport, many taxis and shuttles are outside so bargain and catch a ride or organize transportation from your hotels etc.

This time around, we rented a car so we had more freedom. To rent a car in Costa Rica, you need to be at least 21 (you’ll be charged a fee if you’re under 25). You’ll also most likely be required to purchase insurance, show a passport, and a valid driver’s license. We rented from Economy Rent A Car and it was decent. Some other places I’d recommend looking into are Adobe Rent a Car and Vamos Rent-A-Car based off of Google reviews.

I also highly recommend renting an SUV or a 4×4 because many roads are unpaved in Costa Rica. We originally had a small car and got lucky they switched us into an SUV free of charge because the car’s tires weren’t good (one of the reasons I recommend researching other rental companies). Renting an SUV is ideal if you plan on traveling around the country the way we did.

What To Eat:

9/10 times, we ate at a Soda which are family-owned restaurants (usually out of their homes or small spaces) where they serve typical Costa Rican dishes. An example of a soda’s name would be something like Soda Sanchez (which is one we ate at in Quepos), and you’ll see them on almost every corner.

I ate casados almost daily which consists of rice and beans, cheese and/or crema, plantains, salad, and some type of meat which I usually did fish or chicken. I also had Costa Rican coffee or fresh juice with my meals and sometimes added a plate of fruit because their fruit is to die for! The typical cost for a plate at a soda was around 2,500 colones each, so my casado plates were about 4 USD. We didn’t eat at many restaurants so for What To Eat in Costa Rica, we’re keeping it plain and simple and sticking with sodas. Thank me later!

Arenal:

This was my favorite part of my trip. Alajuela is about a 3 hour winding drive from San Jose. Arenal specifically is filled with Arenal Volcano views, hot springs, and an abundance of adventure. On our 2016 trip, we stayed at Volcano Lodge and came back because we had a great experience. It has a quality breakfast buffet included daily, a yoga deck, beautiful views of Arenal Volcano, and thermal pool. I wrote a blog on Volcano Lodge that you can read here if you need some convincing!

This part of the country is truly amazing! The last time Arenal Volcano erupted was in 1968 followed by many small eruptions up until 2010. If you get lucky enough, you’ll get to see the peak of the volcano behind all of the clouds (most people will see it at least once while visiting).

Since we packed our itinerary too tight, we didn’t get to ride ATV’s or go to Lake Arenal like I wanted to. I also would’ve loved to go hiking! I could’ve made an entire trip just in Arenal. Staying near Arenal was my favorite part of the trip because it is filled with adventure. You have a variety of activities to choose from, here’s a list:

Things to do in Arenal:

Hike down to La Fortuna waterfall
Take a drive and do the Rio Celeste waterfall hike
Go river rafting or rappelling
Rent ATV’s
Soak in thermal hot springs
Swim in the Rio Arenal + find the hidden Tarzan swing
Visit the Arenal Hanging Bridges
Hike Arenal Volcano
Visit Lake Arenal
Go on a coffee + cacao + sugar cane tour

The first time in Arenal, we went to La Fortuna waterfall by horseback. It was very humid and hot out and of course riding horses took longer but it was a fun experience! Included in this tour was a pit stop at a small village where they ferment their own alcohol out of corn called chicha.

Since we had a car this time, we drove and hiked down to La Fortuna, which was way easier. We spent most of the day here. The water is freezing and the waves from the waterfall were strong, but that waterfall is my favorite of all time! This is one of my favorite memories ever.

Arenal also has really good food, we stopped by and bought street food from a guy selling “pincho” right next to Rio Fortuna loved it. This is also where we found the hidden Tarzan swing (shown in pictures below).

This part of the country is also great for Cacao and Coffee tours. We did one close to our hotel and ate a ton of cacao, drank coffee, and had fresh sugar cane and shots. Arenal’s altitude and weather is perfect for growing these things, so the coffee here was amazing. This is one of my favorite parts of Costa Rica, visiting is a must.

Arenal Gallery:

The last thing we did before leaving was visit the hot springs. There are the free Tabacon hot springs and the ones you have to pay to visit. While they’re both beautiful, the Tabacon Hot Springs Spa is great because it includes a buffet style lunch and it is an actual spa experience with less people. The rooms at the resort are also available to stay at but it isn’t a necessity to visit the hot springs. A day pass for the hot springs spa are about $85 USD per person.

The free hot springs are perfect if you don’t want to spend money, the only difference is that it is more crowded. This is what we decided on because of timing. Unfortunately, I don’t have any pictures of this beautiful place, I disconnected for the day and sat in the hot water while watching hummingbirds flying around the jungle. I recommend definitely taking water shoes since the river floors are filled with volcanic rock.

Monteverde:

There really is no way to describe how amazing Monteverde is. We literally walked through clouds here. On our 2016 trip, we stayed in Monteverde in the beautiful Cloud Forest. It is one of the main ecotourism spots in Costa Rica with thick, lush forest filled with an abundance of wildlife. We took a shuttle through the mountains and valleys. Monteverde is colder and windier than everywhere else, so it’s a good idea to pack a few warm outfits.

We met people from all over the world here. Victor and I met a group of people from Colorado that we had dinner and drinks with in an amazing tree house restaurant. The food and drinks were great and we enjoyed their live music as well.

We stayed at Camino Verde Bed & Breakfast and had a great stay. So many other travelers stayed here. Again, hotel staff here helped us with booking our tours and anything else we needed. Breakfast was included and it was close to Santa Elena which is the main town where we shopped and ate.

We booked a tour with 100% Adventures for zip lining. Their tour was great, featuring many different zip lines of all sizes. They get longer as you continue and the very last one is a huge ‘Superman’ zip line where you glide over the forest’s canopy. At the end, they surprised us with a Tarzan swing that was huge and terrifying! They get you strapped on so quick so you have no time to reconsider your decision. They count down and push you on 2. It was scary but such a thrill so I recommend doing it!

Things to do in Monteverde:

Walk the Hanging Bridges
Go to the Butterfly Garden
Do a zip-lining tour (include the Tarzan swing or bungee jump if you need an adrenaline rush)
Hike through the Cloud Forest
Go on a coffee + cacao + sugar cane tour
Go horseback riding
Do a wildlife night walk

Before leaving to Manuel Antonio, we also walked the famous Hanging Bridges in the Cloud Forest. There are many different bridges you walk through, getting higher and bigger as you continue. They’re not as intimidating as they seem, they’re sturdy and it’s an easy, long walk through the hazy rainforest. While we were here, it started sprinkling so I’m glad I wore rain boots. The Monteverde Cloud Forest should be on everyone’s itinerary while in Costa Rica!

Manuel Antonio:

We drove 4 1/2 hours to Manuel Antonio which is along the Pacific coast of Costa Rica. There are so many beautiful beach towns along the way but we headed straight for Manuel Antonio so we could visit the national park and beaches. This is where we saw the most wildlife throughout our trip.

While staying in Manuel Antonio this time, we finally got to visit Manuel Antonio National Park. Its beautiful and has access to some other gorgeous beaches. We expected to see a lot of exotic wildlife while visiting the national park but surprisingly, we didn’t. We had better luck spotting wildlife outside our Airbnb and walking through town. So instead, we went and enjoyed the beaches. Espadilla Beach was my favorite and while I loved Escondido Beach as well, it was way too packed with people to enjoy.

As for where to stay in Manuel Antonio, there are so many pretty Airbnbs here! We stayed at two different Airbnbs. Mango Moon was the first one and it had amazing views of the pool and the ocean. It also included a simple breakfast and everyone was extremely nice here. While staying at Mango Moon, we got to see a baby sloth right outside making her way through the trees.

The second Airbnb we stayed at was more secluded, they were like separate villas and they were absolutely gorgeous! It’s a mid-range priced hotel called Hotel Costa Verde and it has so many different suite types. It also has a wedding deck here so it would be great for anniversaries and special occasions too. Our room had a real tree trunk going through our roof where monkeys would jump from outside. The room also had windows all around with views of the jungle and the ocean from our bed. The patio was huge and connected to my moms room next door, overlooking the ocean. I definitely recommend this hotel!

With Manuel Antonio being a beach town, you’ll have a variety of beaches to choose from. We spent most of our days relaxing on Manuel Antonio Beach. The street has a ton of shops and restaurants. The waves are huge and so much fun to swim in but beware this is also where Vic got stung by a jellyfish! It was floating through the huge waves and landed on him while we swam. Luckily, he was fine. He put vinegar on it from a local restaurant and took Benadryl at bedtime and was better the next day.

Also, it’s important for me to note that the vendors on this beach were very pushy and it can be very overwhelming. We were firm in telling them to give us space. And do not let anyone borrow your phone!! This beach does have high theft if you leave your belongings alone so be smart and safe. Leave valuables at your Airbnb or close at all times on this beach.

Later on as we settled on the beach the first day, the ambushing from vendors stopped and we actually bought from them. They sell coconuts, food, surf lessons, tours, etc. I highly recommend surfing since Costa Rica is known for their waves! There are a lot of activities to do near here so if you’re up for adventure, you can find it on Manuel Antonio Beach.

Wildlife Gallery:

Things to do in Manuel Antonio:

Take surf lessons
Visit Manuel Antonio National Park
Go beach hopping (examples: Playa Biesanz, Playa Manuel Antonio, Playa Gemelas, Playa Escondido and Espadilla)
Visit Quepos and enjoy their amazing food
Go white water rafting or waterfall rappelling
Take a zip lining or ATV tour
Get on a Catamaran Cruise

Uvita:

This gem of a place is only 1 hour away from Manuel Antonio. Uvita is a quieter, more laid back town compared to Manuel Antonio. When we visited in 2016, Vic and I stayed at Tiki Villas and we absolutely loved it! These villas are located on a short drive up a mountain and has ocean and jungle views.

All of the villas are private and separated so it was very peaceful. The infinity pool was amazing and on sunny days the ocean views are amazing. There was also so much wildlife around here and we got to see a ton of toucans. It’s also close to some small, private beaches. If you like more calm, intimate vibes, Uvita and Tiki Villas is for you.

Although Uvita is a calmer beach town, there is still so much to do near here. It’s closer to some islands and the beaches are less populated. There are also higher chances of spotting whales and dolphins in Uvita.

Things to do in Uvita:

Visit the natural water slide at Uvita Waterfall.
Go to the Whale’s Tail at low tide in Marino Ballena National Park
Visit Nauyaca Waterfall
Go snorkeling at Caño Island
Kayak through the Mangroves or the ocean
Go to Corcovado National Park

Corcovado National Park:

Vic did his research and found Corcovado National Park as a main attraction near Uvita. Visiting this breathtaking park is a must if you’ll be in Uvita or close by. Corcovado is a whole world of its own, filled with waterfalls and exotic wildlife. It is a protected park and a guide is needed in order to visit.

Our tour day started with a shuttle ride to a river. We hopped on a small boat that took us through a crocodile-infested river with murky waters. It eventually turned into open ocean and after about an hour, we arrived to Corcovado National Park. When we were pulling into the beach, I couldn’t stop thinking about how it looked like a castaway movie!

We hiked through the national park and spotted so many monkeys, armadillos, etc. They fed us so much fresh fruit and fresh coconuts from the park. We also spotted whales during lunch! By the end of the day, we were swimming in one of the many beautiful waterfalls. I highly recommend visiting this place, it’ll forever be one of my favorite memories!

Costa Rica is an amazing country and will always have a special place in my heart. It’s filled with so much adventure, amazing food, kind people, and culture. We felt safe and welcomed in Costa Rica, which is so important when traveling to a foreign country.

I will always recommend this as a place to visit and I will be back again one day. If you have any questions or need advice on trip planning, please feel free to reach out!