Costa Rica: Pura Vida
Costa rica is quickly becoming one of the hottest destinations in Central America. It’s a jungled land, populated with kind people, incredible surfing and a beautiful turtle reserve. Resort dining still seems to be cheaper than the local beach huts but renting a home on the water with a private bioluminescent beach cove is still my favorite option. Here are my tips to properly experience the Pura Vida lifestyle!
Arriving We arrived at Liberia Airport (LIR) from JFK where we raided the duty-free of their champagne and rum. We were told this is the best place to pick up wine and spirits but Imperial, the local beer of choice, was cheap at any of the markets.
Getting Around Rent a car. While a navagation system doesn’t seem to be important since people give directions by describing landmarks, a vehicle is essential. Our friends that cabbed in to our rental villa paid $85 US for the 30min cab ride from the airport.
Where to stay We used Seaview Rentals to book Casa Flores - A luxury 4 bedroom, 3 baths home located in Northern Flamingo Beach for about $350 US a night. (link on top right)
Activities play negra is an awesome turtle reserve which has some great surfing during the day. A small beach hut called the Taco Star has beers if you’d rather watch the surfers than jump in the water. Hotel Tortuga offers the traditional Casado de Pescado for lunch after a morning of beach time.
Volcano brewing Co in Tamarindo is a laid back beach club with tasty bites and live music. The town of Tamarindo has few bars if you’re looking to experience the night life of Costa Rica.
Brasalito beach gave us horse back riding with locals offering guided sunset rides. Flamingo beach resort has day passes to enjoy their resort and pool. Try their Green Monster blended drink which includes canabis leaves, Taking a walk across the street also offers oceanside massages in the buff. We spent the evenings back at our house with bon fires on the sand. It wasn’t until the second night that we discovered Glitter Water, the bioluminescent exposure at moonset on Costa Rica’s Flamingo Beach. If you’re looking for a private dinner, ask for Juan, The Executive Chef at - He came into our house and prepared a 4 course meal including dessert while we celebrated life along the water’s edge.
