Costa Rica
Wander into the jungle and find peace
My favorite place by far, we try and make it back as often as possible. I feel at home here, its an odd thing to say having lived in the States my whole life yet it fits. We fly into Liberia or San José and head out into the rural towns immediately, this is where Costa Rica begins. Passing roadside fruit stands and coffee shops on the outer roads until there are fewer and fewer man made distractions. Now you’re exposed to the new sights and sounds, roll down the windows, kill the radio and just listen to the sounds of the forrest. Troops of monkeys and countless birds call out, coatimundi and other small wildlife can be seen walking the roadside (due to tourists feeding them). Costa Rica is sensory overload and absolute peace at the same time, i am happily restless. Waking up and walking into town and visiting a local coffee shop and enjoying a cup of freshly roasted coffee (usually hours ago) as we plan our day. Next is the butchers shop to grab fresh meat and eggs with a final stop by the fruit stand to construct the perfect breakfast, all for around $8. Feeling properly fueled for the day, we head out. The Jungle awaits.
Wildife.
Costa Ricas biodiversity is abundant and present everywhere. Flora and Fauna galore, every living and fallen tree is an independent ecosystem that is part of a larger one, the forrest and jungles are alive. I prep for months leading up to our trip, reading through my collection of field guides ( listed below ) and reaching out to CR local wildlife enthusiasts and rehabilitation centers via instagram. All in hopes of gathering information and input on how to spot my bucket list species ( yes, I have an animal bucket list when we travel ). The countless hours of research and prep time hails in comparison to local tips.
For example, Amanda’s bucket list animal was a Three Toed sloth that we spent close to a week trying to find in the wild. When we stopped for our morning coffee ( on the fifth or sixth day ) the shop owner overheard us plotting our sloth quest. He walked up to our table and pointed to the tree across the street near the creek and said, “ Perezoso ( sloth ) in that tree, he comes by every couple days for a nap and a poop”. We took a short walk to the tree and in looked up in absolute disbelief to see a napping sloth. After a bit we walked back over to the shop to settle up and thank the owner for his pro tip and he then informed us of a mother sloth and newborn on the outskirts of his property and that we were welcome to stop by. We happily accepted his offer and made our way to his farm, ( with help from his son ) we spotted the duo. Sloths are very hard to spot in the wild and nesting sloths are more elusive, this was an incredible sight and i will always remember the series of events that led to this. As we parted ways, his son recommended that we take the back road into town and drive slowly, tocuans favor the trees along this route. We spotted a couple of Aracariis, 6 toucans and a troop of monkeys on our way back to town. The point of my ramblings is that locals know the land, it’s their home and they cherish the wildlife. Happy to help a sloth cross the road, stop traffic for Coatimundis or offer helpful sight seeing tips. Ive learned that most people are happy to help if you are appreciative and patient, this practice has afforded me many unforgettable experiences. Please, wherever you go, respect the wildlife and the people who protect it.
Our Favorite Towns (so far).
La Fortuna / Arenal - La Fortuna is a little town that allows for a true Costa Rican experience. Fortuna is about 1.5 hours east of Liberia inland and has everything. We rent an AirBnB downtown and walk to the butchers corner, produce stands and market every morning for food and shopping. You can book a tour for anything here and meet the locals. This is where I usually stay and establish my hub / routine. There is a coffee shop called the red frog cafe that has the best coffee I've ever had, no joke. We went on coffee farm, chocolate farm, organic fruit farm tours here and loved them all. You can also book Wildlife night hikes as well or just walk around the outskirts of town with a flashlight. Arenal is the next town over and it offers some good hikes and great water activities. If you want the laid back, not super touristy place, Fortuna in the off season is it. Many of the locals here have friends or family in the tourist game and will set you up with whatever you are looking for.
Monteverde - Very touristy and more expensive than other parts of Costa Rica. It is famous for the cloud forest in the area and worth the drive in. Watching the mist and clouds roll through the jungle canopy is a breathtaking sight. There’s an abundance of Chocolate and coffee tours to check out and wildlife watching. I recommend the coffee and chocolate tours and the wildlife viewing but know that the best hours for wildlife are late night and very early morning. There is a Hummingbird park that is worth checking out, I have never in my life seen so many hummingbirds in one place (or so many vibrant species for that matter).
Ricon De la Vieja National Park - Not far outside Fortuna and pretty excluded, this is a great area to spend a few days and relax. We stayed at Rinconcito Lodge they offer tours, zip-line, horseback and everything else. We had our own cabin type room and it was a short walk to the pool. Every morning we would walk the property and spot an abundance of wildlife. They are about 30-45 minutes away from the Miravalles Volcano and national park, if you want to check it out go early (5:30 - 6am) and see all the monkeys along the trail. We spent a few days up here hiking around the national park. If you go on the night hikes near the Rinconcito Lodge, be aware that most of the trail is extremely muddy and the main path back is a cattle run ( so its an absolute mess ).
Guanacaste Province - Playa Conchal, Playa Flamingo, Tamarindo - all of these places are next to each other ( hour or so ) drives and are cool little beach towns. I recommend Tamarindo above all. We had a private villa with a pool for about $65 dollars a night. We walked into town everyday and drank, ate and hung out on the beach. All the bars put on great happy hour specials (take advantage of it) BOGO Mojitos. We would wake up early and follow the howls of local howler monkey troops then head into town for coffee and breakfast. If you get an AirBnB I recommend stopping at the grocery store and cooking at home (much cheaper). Tamarindo is like north shore Hawaii with crocs, monkeys and a variety of great restaurants. Walk the beach at night and spot some crocs and large hermit crabs. Take a minute to look at the stars, the light pollution is basically non existent. This town has a great night life and is pretty safe. Avoid some of the tourist trap spots and don't eat the ceviche if is smells like warm fish. Cut loose here and keep an eye out for skunks and scorpions, the little skunks cross the dirt roads at night and will blast you if you get to close and you will find scorpions in your villa (just shake out your sheets before bed and block the door base with a towel at night. You can buy a UV Light on Amazon for $10. They cause the scorpions to glow under the light and make them easy to spot, and make bioluminescent fungi grow in the jungle.
Ostional Wildlife refuge - Cool spot to check out if passing through but if you are here September through November, check the Ostionall Turtle Lodge site to see if the turtles have landed! Thousands of sea turtles come to the beach and lay their eggs, this is one of the few places in the world where you can see this. It is about as spectacular as Joe Exotics purple blouse. Also check the cow nose ray migration updates to see if they’re passing through. If so you can dive with them, I was able to catch the migration and it was overwhelming.
Tarcoles River- Out of the way but if you are near stop by and check out the Tarcoles Crocodile Bridge. This has an Indiana Jones Temple of Doom vibe. No Joke. Fun Fact, if you go to the town of Tarcoles (southwest of the bridge) know that there are crocs in the water, even if you can’t see them. We were wading/ fishing near the bank ( we saw a couple locals doing it ) and shortly after we left our spot and climbed back up the hill we looked down to see this. Those footprints belong to us and a few locals.
Food & Drinks.
Food: Costa Rica doesn't have much for local dishes beyond Arroz con Pollo, Ceviche & patacones ( from what i found ). You can and probably survive on these alone when you are anywhere that is not a big tourist community. There are all the typical american tourist restaurants but try and avoid them, the food isn't anything special, its not fresh and it's over priced. Local eateries of cafe’s are cheap and pretty tasty, MSG is still used in many sauces so check the label (if you care) and most dishes are dairy free. Arroz con pollo or Frioles (rice, chicken or beans) are staples and plantains are used in many dishes. Patacones are twice fried plantains and are delish! Seriously, search out the local spots, they are using local meats and ingredients plus it's all fresh. The local business owners are excited to have you and are very generous hosts. The local grocery stores are a great place to shop and cook at home.
As for coffee, look for the little local coffee houses. They usually buy their beans from a nearby farm and roast them that morning or the night before. The coffee is unlike anything I’ve had stateside, there is no need to pollute this beverage of the gods with cream or milk. Straight black with maybe a dash of fresh cane sugar is my preferred choice.
Beer: Imperìal a delicious local beer best with salt and freshly squeezed lime juice aka Michelada. A 4.5% ABV American lager that hits just right at anytime, an absolute life saver after a long hike.
I honestly emphasize local on my recommendations because there is an obvious difference with the quality of food and service. The owners and staff live Tico Time and far more relaxed, they will often sit and chat for a bit if you’re open to it
Some of our favorite spots:
Red Frog Cafe ( Fortuna ) - Red Frog Cafe Website Our favorite cafe in Fortuna. The meals are fresh and priced fairly but its the coffee that brings us here. The owner brings in new beans every morning then roasts them on the spot, drink it black with fresh pressed cane sugar, it is spiritual.
Pico ( Tamarindo ) - Pico Bistro Website Our Tamarindo favorite, located on the beach and offering a menagerie of vegan dishes. Like many of the cafe’s in costa rica the roast their own coffee here causing me to limit my caffeine intake. Fret not, take a short stroll down to the beach and ride out the caffeine crash under a palm tree. Check for parrots first, they have a tendency to be noisy and messy.
Little Lucha ( Tamarindo ) - Little Lucha Website A pinche taqueria in Tamarindo, with a damn fine margaritas. Dia De Muertos meets Luchador themed decor serving street tacos, what more do you need?
Falafel Bar ( Tamarindo ) - Falafel Bar Website Best falafel, hummus and shakshuka I’ve ever had, hands down. Funny how it is located in Central America.
La Oveja Surf Camp ( Tamarindo ) -La Oveja Website Surf camp / hostel but they have cheap pool and BOGO freshly made Mojitos during happy hour.
The Open Kitchen ( Monte Verde ) - Open Kitchen Website A hip coffee house / fram fresh cafe with a view. Fairly priced and very friendly staff.
Farmers Markets - We purchased fresh fruit, Patacones and other treats at markets throughout our travels and did not get sick. Use common sense and avoid food or fruit that doesn’t look clean or that has been sitting out in the heat for a prolonged period. Most vendors take pride in their goods and offer good quality products.
Activities and Attractions.
Tours: I recommend researching what you want to do ahead of time but make your itinerary flexible. There are tours and experiences that i would have never considered or thought of but discovered while there. If you can find a great deal online ahead of time book it but we found booking tours while we were in country ( with our AirBnB hosts or Hotel ) was cheaper and had more options.
Chocolate Tours - We have participate in 4 chocolate tours because you make chocolate from scratch and are able to eat your fill. Self control does not show up for these tours, the chocolate is real and locally grown. This ruined other chocolate for us. The tours run around $25 per person, they are very informative and fun. The Rainforest Chocolate tour in Fortuna was our favorite.
Coffee Tours - Harvest, roast and drink fresh coffee. Learn the lingo and roasting styles better than an uptight barista. Plus ( much like the chocolate tours ) there is no limit on the coffee you consume. Don Juan Coffee tours in Monte Verde is my recommendation for a complete experience. Most run about $20 per person.
Hikes - I recommend any of the big attractions in town, there is a reason they’re so popular. Any of the volcano hikes in Arenal or Miravalles are great. The suspension bridge and jungle hike in Arenal or any of the jungle hikes in Monteverde do not disappoint. All the the national parks are spectacular as well. There wasn’t a hike that disappointed, but i’m hiking to spot flora and fauna, I don’t care about the distance or weather. I am not going to go into too much detail here because there are many, so I recommend researching hikes that offer what you are looking for. Know that most hiking trails charge a fee and have hours of operation. Keep an eye out for snakes, they don’t litter the trail but we spotted snakes regularly, just be aware of their presence and move along ( they’re not looking to hurt you ). My main recommendation is to head out as early as possible, there will be far less people and the wildlife is more active. The trails do get packed later in the day making it hard to navigate and wildlife becomes scarce due to the loud hikers.
Wildlife - Why I come, there is beautiful biodiversity here. Take advantage of it but don’t exploit it, any of the sloth spots or serpentariums are a low budget zoo. They do take care of the animals here but they are wild caught and it takes the grandeur out of seeing them. If you have kids or don’t care to go looking in the wild, these places are fine. Look at the yelp reviews, its is obvious witch ones to avoid and which places are actual sanctuaries. I found that many of the hotels and AirBnBs have trails that run along or within the property that made for great wildlife watching. We had the best wildlife viewing tour recommendations from our hosts, below are some night hikes that we enjoyed. Opt for the later hikes, this increases your chances of seeing the more elusive animals.
Farms - We didn’t see farms advertised often they were more of a suggestion from our hosts and locals we met. Visiting some of the local farms was not something i anticipated doing on vacation but we were happy we did. It was exciting to see how the local farmers were practicing sustainable and organic methods (as they have been doing for decades). Their knowledge of the land and animals was unrivaled, most of these farms allowed us to come back at night to search for nocturnal creatures. We often invited to sit and dine with the families for lunch or dinner and encouraged to help prepare the meals.
Take a Drive - Just drive around the countryside and stop in little towns or natural attractions. This is why we rent a car each time, we don’t want to be limited by a tour group or bus. This gives you an opportunity to explore on your own and at your leisure.
I don’t recommend booking any charters or tours from street vendors or tourist shops, they are considerably more expensive. Your AirBnB hosts or Hotels get better deals with reputable outfitters.
Gear I use most on this trip.
Cameras: Canon T5i, GoPro Hero 7 Black & iPhone.
Lenses: EF 100mm f2.8 Macro, EF 200mm f5.6, EF 17-40mm f4.
Lighting: Litra cube with diffusers & Canon Micro Twin Lite MT-24EX, Petzl Nao Reactive Head Lamp, Black Diamond Icon Head lamp, Pelican 350 GID Light and UV Flashlight.
Accessories: GoPro Karma Grip, Peak Design Capture Pro, Peak Design Shell, Peak Design Slide Summit Edition and additional power bank.
Packs: Mountain Hardware Scrambler RT 40, REI 18L Rucksack, Patagonia Sling
Wearables: It’s hot humid and wet. Any quick dry shorts and socks along with comfortable T-shirts. I found Nike Dri Fit Tanks and shirts to be a good choice but wear sunscreen underneath or on exposed skin. For our night hikes I wore Howlerbros Shoalwater tech pants ( very comfortable and durable ), a light weight long sleeve shirt and Holwerbros Aguacero Rain Jacket ( non cling velcro and zippers in pits to help with ventilation, it gets hot ).
Footware: Sandals in the tropics are always my go to but i really recommend shoes and watching where you step. I was photographing sunbathing iguanas while in flip flops and happened to be near a colony of fire ants, needless to say it was a shitty experience so i try and wear shoes majority of the time. Shoe of choice for comfort and function is the Keen Venture waterproof hiking shoe, holding up through the mud and the moisture.
Helpful tips.
Shots: Check the CDC a few months before traveling and see what shots or treatments you may need. I would make sure yo are up to date on Tetanus, I have been caught up in barbed wire and other rusted materials a few times while hiking and had to get a booster.
No addresses: download google maps ahead of time and take photos of the hand drawn maps you are given. People send out coordinates to help you find your destination, we left our phones in airplane mode and connected to wifi ( where available ) to start maps. many of the local directions are descriptive; turn right at super christian market 5 then cross the bridge and turn left at the pink house and drive until you see two horses, so pay attention.
whatsap: Download this app most people communicated via whatsap.
wifi: Most cafe’s, hotels and AirBnB’s offer it.
Car rental - I highly recommend renting a car and doing it directly with a local rental company (3rd party booking sites are not in contact with the rental companies down there and offer false rates) it's going to cost you $500 at the least. Anything below that is a scam, they have to adhere to a national tax and insurance policy that causes the higher rates. Go with Vamos Car rental if you fly into Liberia. Book ahead of time. vamosrentacar.com They are honest and upfront. They offer shuttle services to the airport and hotels. You can pay for taxis and shuttles throughout the country but they add up and don’t allow you to stop and check out little towns, markets and wildlife.
Money: bring USD and Colónes but credit cards are accepted most places. We prefer to use cash because most shops and street markets will barter and prefer cash.
Documents and itineraries: I take a photo of our passports, identification and save PDF’s of everything to a online secure dropbox every time we travel in case we part ways with our valuables. This way you can still access funds and check into tours or hotels without your wallet.
Overview:
It's safe outside San Jose. Don’t flaunt money and be smart when drunk in public. Barter in the small street markets and shops. Ask locals for any assistance needed and bring a good camera, there are many things worth documenting. Searching areas on instagrams location search is a good way to see how the weather is and whats going on currently, sift through the “influencers” and look at recent posts. I've tracked down sloths this way and BOGO mojitos, and great restaurants this way.
Resources / Guides: Mostly Reptile and Amphibian guides
Amphibians and Reptiles of La Selva, Costa Rica and the Caribbean slope by Guyer & Donnelly
A guide to Amphibians of Costa Rica by Leenders
Serpientes de Costa Rica by Solórzano
Costa Rica: The Complete Guide: Ecotourism in Costa Rica by Kaiser
The Birds of Costa Rica: A field Guide by Garrigues and Dean
Tropical Plants of Costa Rica by Zuchowski
Closing Thoughts
On our most recent visit were we were exploring a farm when a bus arrived and tourists started spilling out, our guide sighed and said “touristas”. He was seemed displeased and I felt slightly awkward seeing how we were tourists. He quickly informed us that we were travelers not tourists, we came to learn and observe their culture and had treated him with respect. This stuck with me and I have adopted it as my traveling motto “Be a traveler not a tourist”. Brush up on your spanish and try, be respectful and courteous, you are in Tico country. Don’t be loud and boisterous, blend in, take it in. Costa Rica has so much to offer if you listen.