Costa Rica [May refresh]

nature adventures | pura vida spirit | culinary encounters | wellness experiences

Costa Rica

If you were flown in blindfolded, you’d still be able to tell you were in the Costa Rican rainforest. Even absent the sights of the shade-giving forest canopy, gargantuan tropical plants and florid blooms, there’s a full sensory bath unique to this natural wonderland. The overlapping sounds of parrots and songbirds, the electric buzz of the brazen emerald-green cicadas, the life-affirming aroma of wet and fertile earth and the feel of the misty air on your bare arms are all part of it. And when you’re standing there, in the middle of the world’s loudest quiet, you might catch an extra-sensory notion that you’re a part of it, too.

As you start planning your Costa Rica vacation, you'll likely notice something that sets the destination apart from other warm-weather getaways. Options to plunk down at a pampering beach resort for a week do exist, but Costa Rica vacations are more apt to have you moving from one sensuous nature preserve to another, giving you a chance to absorb a ton of beauty, variety and adventure in one trip.

Another special appeal of this carefully preserved nature haven is its 800 miles of tropical coastline. Bordered by the swim- and surf-ready Pacific Ocean on the west side and the Caribbean Sea on the less developed east coast, Costa Rica provides every opportunity to take an invigorating swim, paddle, surf or soak. Witness tree-dwelling crabs, ring-tailed coatimundi, crocodiles and egrets, among many other animals, as you kayak the mangroves in Terraba Sierpe National Wetlands on the southwest coast. Take a guided whitewater rafting tour on the Tenorio River about 35 miles east of Liberia. Snorkel the crystal clear waters at Playa Hermosa on the northwest coast, or take some surf lessons at Jaco Beach on the central Pacific coast. Wherever your plans take you in Costa Rica, the chance to experience the country's pristine waters is always close at hand.

On land

On the water

Breathe deep in

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Rural areas

Outside the city, you'll feel the heartbeat of Costa Rica. In the sweeping, thriving, rural landscapes that are central to its identity, the Pura Vida mantra really comes to the fore.

In the city

Costa Rica getaways often begin in Costa Rica's capital, San Jose (SJO), since 15 U.S. cities offer direct flights into it. The city offers many outlets for exploring the country's culture and history. Museums like Museo Nacional de Costa Rica and the Pre-Columbian Gold Museum offer insight into the past. The Central Market is made up of myriad browseable stalls offering local produce, snacks and souvenirs. Take a stroll through Barrio La California to see colorful public artwork by local graffiti artists.

Fresh-picked plates

Tico cuisine is sometimes described as Latin American comfort food for its unfussiness and ability to satisfy. Gallo pinto is the national dish—a simple mix of white rice and black beans with finely chopped veggies—and it will likely come with every breakfast you eat while in the country, often served with eggs, plantains, corn tortillas and natilla (sour cream). Chorreada, or sweet corn pancakes, might also appear on your morning plate.

Coffee and chocolate

Wellness as a way of life

Regardless of where you stay, a Costa Rica getaway will likely have a salubrious effect, simply by way of the clean air, soothing green landscape and experiences in nature that come with the journey.

Wellness hotels & retreats

Fresh produce is not the only thing that makes Costa Rica good for your health. With its emphasis on conserving natural lands and encouraging active adventure travel, it's easy to see why Costa Rica has grown as a wellness destination over the last few decades. And in response, hotels and resorts focused on wellness experiences have sprouted up literally all over the country.

Nature adventures

The Pura Vida spirit

Culinary encounters

Wellness experiences

Plan your trip

Of course, this is just one ecosystem of Costa Rica’s dozen, and each is bursting with plant and animal life. To expound on that, the country accounts for only .03% of the world’s landmass, but 5% of its biodiversity—in other words, it’s a haven for 167 times its fair share of flora and fauna.

Not surprisingly, nature is Costa Rica’s core, and its culture, cuisine, wellness practices and adventure opportunities all radiate outward from it. A week here can have a purifying effect that will quickly demystify the country’s catchy “Pura Vida” mantra. Keep scrolling for a glimpse of what that could look like on your getaway.

Costa Rican, or, in the local slang, "Tico" culture combines indigenous, Spanish and African influences, which can be seen, heard and felt in everything from the traditional style of dress, to the popular merengue music on the radio, to the mix of Spanish colonial and organic architecture. The peaceable country demilitarized in 1948 and began investing more in environmental protection, accessible public healthcare, free universal education and other social programs, which have all resulted in growth of wealth and well-being among the Costa Rican people.

A single itinerary might have you spotting sloths, howler monkeys, toucans and macaws during walks through Manuel Antonio National Park on the Pacific coast (bonus: there's also a beautiful beach there); hiking to the the country's most active volcano in Arenal; soaking in the famous Tabacon Hot Springs; traversing ziplines and suspension bridges strung high over vaporous green valleys in the Monteverde Cloud Forest; spotting sloths in Guanacaste's Sloth Sanctuary; and sunning on the sand in beach-blessed Tamarindo.

Many lodges, hotels and ranches offer a chance to get to know local farming techniques, experience Costa Rica's wilds, support small businesses and interact with Costa Ricans for a true cultural experience and exchange. At these accommodations, you may meet local chefs preparing foods using ancestral techniques or enjoy folkloric dance performances (like Punto Guanacasteco, in which male and female dancers wave skirts, hats, scarves and batons in a flamboyant dance symbolic of courtship). You may witness former cattle pastures being taken back by the rainforest, head out to catch dinner with a local fishing guide or tour gardens growing traditional medicinal plants — and the papaya you'll eat at breakfast.

Costa Rica's rich volcanic soil, mountainous landscape and plentiful rainfall make it an ideal place for growing delicious coffee. In a way, the country is banned from making bad coffee, since Tico law dictates only high-quality Arabica beans (and not less flavorful Robusta beans) may be grown within its borders. Enjoy the fruits of this commitment each morning at your hotel and with tours that take you on a java journey from seed to mug. Try Cafe Britt about 20 minutes from the San Jose airport, Doka Estate just a bit further north or Don Juan in Monteverde, where you can embark on a 3-in-1 tour that also covers sugarcane and chocolate production.

On the subject of chocolate, Costa Ricans have long placed great value on cacao as well — quite literally, since the beans were used as currency by the Chorotega people (the most powerful American Indian tribe of northwest Costa Rica until the colonial period). Get a mouthful of history at artisanal chocolatier La Casa del Cacao in San Jose; with the Rainforest Chocolate Tour in La Fortuna; a tasting tour at Sibu Chocolate (known as Sibö in the U.S.) in San Isidro de Heredia; or a chocolate-making demonstration by members of the indigenous Bribri community at the Yorkin Reserve in Puerto Viejo on the Caribbean Coast.

Casado is another fixture, and it's not as much a prepared dish as a platter, filled with chicken, beef or fish and a host of sides, including cabbage salad, plantains, tortillas, rice and beans, all served atop a banana leaf. Ceviches, hearty soups (like beef-centered olla de carne and the Caribbean coast's flavorful coconut milk- and seafood-based rondón); plus snacks like gallos (Tico tacos) and chifrijo (chicharrones and beans with other mix-ins) should all be on a the list of must-try dishes for any gastronomically curious traveler. Of course, Costa Rica's abundance of fresh fruits and vegetables make eating healthy an easy feat. Be sure to pick up a batido (smoothie) showcasing locally picked cas (also known as Costa Rican guava), mamóns (small tangy-sweet stone fruits), passion fruit, mangos, dragonfruit and soursop, just for starters.

Some of these pamper guests in 5-star luxury, with world-class spas integrating local mud, herbs and flowers in their treatments; personal wellness concierges; and elevated restaurants utlizing locally sourced ingredients (Four Seasons Resort Costa Rica at Peninsula Papagayo and Hacienda AltaGracia are good examples). Others offer a down-to-earth approach to wellness, providing rustic bungalows nestled in the forest, daily yoga, breathwork and meditation sessions, saunas and nutrient-dense meals. Samasati Yoga & Wellness Retreat on the Caribbean coast and Blue Osa on the Osa Peninsula are just a few of the many choices.

You can lean into that beneficial Pura Vida lifestyle by building the following into your travel plans: a hike to a waterfall, followed by a rest under the cascading water for nature's very own hydrotherapy massage (Nauyaca Waterfalls is a good one for this); soaking in natural, mineral-rich hot springs (like Rincon de la Vieja); finding a comfortable spot on a fallen tree for a meditation session guided by the sounds of the rainforest; spending a few hyper-focused hours getting the rhythm of the surf, then relaxing on the sand as the sun goes down (any beach on the Pacific Coast will get you a great sunset view). Rehydrate after any and all of these Pura Vida activities with coconut water straight out of the shell, and the word "stress" will start to sound like a foreign one.

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nature adventures | pura vida spirit | culinary encounters | wellness experiences