Costa Rica in Central American is bordered by Nicaragua to the north, the Caribbean Sea to the northeast, Panama to the southeast, and the Pacific Ocean to the southwest, as well as maritime border with Ecuador to the south of Cocos Island. It has a population of around five million and is known as the Rich Coast.
I’ve never been one to follow trends, and my main motivation for going to Costa Rica was to spot a toucan (inspired by the one and only David Attenborough). But along with toucans, I turned into a bit of a twitcher, with every tweet and tree ruffle promising the chance of a wildlife reward.
However it wasn’t only birds making an appearance. I spotted sloths, lizards and extremely noisy howler monkeys on a daily basis.
Slotting in between Nicaragua and Panama, Costa Rica has the best of Latin America, with its landscape boasting natural coast, tropical rainforest and volcanoes. Arriving on a 25-minute flight from San Jose to Tambor, my final destination was a further 60-minute transfer through finca-dotted countryside. Situated in the south of the country, it is less developed, and the tiny town of Santa Teresa on the Nicoya Peninsula on the Pacific coast has long been a favourite with surfers and yogi-types (and allegedly Gwyneth Paltrow).
My journey there took me past a colourful parade of wellbeing, handmade jewellery and clothes boutiques and an abundance of ATV and surfboard hire stores complete with sun-bleached surf-dudes waxing the boards, whilst tourists navigated their 4x4s. Known as being a happy nation, I could immediately sense the pura vida, which literally means “pure life”, but is also used as a greeting, a toast and the Costa Rican answer to almost everything!
Excited to find out more and get my toes in the sand, the unassuming Nantipa Resort was marked by a subtle boarded sign pointing towards the ocean. I was expecting grown-up comfort, and the devil was most definitely in the detail of this new breed of property; with low-key but high-quality amenities designed for people (like me) who value luxurious sheets and great bathroom products.
Surrounded by jungle, each of the 29 spacious bungalows, suites and villas boast sustainable credentials along with plunge pool and hammocks for privacy; but if you want to be sociable, the beachside restaurant plays chilled tunes all day, and is a hub of the resort’s nightlife.
© SYSTEMHowever, this coast is not party-ville and don’t expect dancing til dawn here – unless you count the irregular jungle raves which take place out of town.
Most people get their kicks from watching the outstanding sunset from the beach and retire early to catch the sunrise swell.
Costa Rica is more sea than land with 93% of the entire territory sea, so it’s no wonder that the waves are legendary. Having attempted to surf on a previous adventure in windy Fuerteventura, I was determined to have another go on this region’s notoriously gentle waves at Lora Amarilla beach. Booking a lesson with Cristian from Vaqo Surf School, I was relieved to find out he was a local pro and had the patience of a saint – which was useful as I had to practise the “chicken leg” manoeuvre more than a dozen times! Once attached to my leash, I made it into the waves, and, as Cris instructed me, I tried to stand but every time, my balance got the better of me and I wiped out. However, just as I was going to admit defeat and let my legs turn into the jelly that they had been mimicking, I was convinced to have one last go. That was my moment! Everything I had been taught that morning slotted into place and I managed a whole three seconds standing up! The feeling of euphoria was something else, and, although I came crashing off soon enough, I had done what I set out to do and felt very proud of myself, and even more grateful to Cris!
© SYSTEMSurfing aside, there are plenty of other adventures to enjoy, including an otherworldly night-time dip with the bioluminescence which can be experienced first hand in Guanacaste on the Nicoya Peninsula; or perhaps you’d prefer horse riding on terra firma, where you can explore the rainforest from a unique perspective; equally, the natural waterfalls that nestle in one of the world’s five Blue Zones, heralded for wellness and spiritual prosperity, might ignite your sense of adventure.
Factfile
Nantipa Hotel: www.nantipa.com Surf School: vaqocosurf.com Bioluminescence Trip: suntrails.com Horse Riding: www.ariotours.com
Clockwise from main: The pool at the Nantipa Hotel; horse riding on the beach; guests relax with a yoga class.
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