Costa Rica: A Golden Gateway To Pura Vida 

Our Adventure to Costa Rica

Our youngest son received a children’s book on rainforests from his kindergarten teacher, which led us to Costa Rica. The country and its people are warm, welcoming, and willing to share abundant natural beauty, wildlife, and tasty food. Our trip consisted of 9 days and 8 nights during the December holiday season, split between LaFortuna, Monteverde, and the Pacific Coast between Manuel Antonio and Jaco. While we could have stayed longer to see more of Costa Rica, experiencing three different regions, each with its character and microclimate, was truly memorable for our family.

LaFortuna via Poas Volcano

We could see the lush green landscape and surrounding mountains when we landed in San Juan. We decided to head straight to Poas Volcano (which is only about an hour) on the way to LaFortuna. The weather was warm and sunny and it was such a scenic drive past coffee plantations and local villages in the countryside. The elevation change was dramatic and we could feel the temperature cooling off a bit as we reached the National Park. There is an entry fee and it's best to pay for tickets online beforehand. From the parking area, it’s a short walk to the summit of this volcano. Along the way, you can smell the sulfur. We did not realize that Poas has the world’s 2nd largest crater for an active volcano at 1.5 km wide! Most visitors do not realize that Costa Rica is a land of volcanoes…112 to be exact, many of which like Poas and Arenal, are still active.

It’s no wonder Arenal Volcano is the most famous volcano in Costa Rica. It has the cone shape of a quintessential volcano, visible from afar as it rises from the surrounding flat landscape of La Fortuna. Combined with the hot thermal springs that flow underneath, the region is a big draw for relaxation and therapy. Our home base in La Fortuna was Arenal Springs Resort, which we highly recommend. The family-friendly eco-resort sits in the shadow of Arenal and has cabins arranged around al fresco dining, kid's play area, and walking trails. The pool is served by a hot thermal spring with various temperatures and includes a swim-up counter serving food and drinks.

One of our favorite excursions in Costa Rica was Don Olivio’s Chocolate Tour which goes well beyond the standard chocolate and coffee tour. If you go, you will probably leave with a full stomach, snacking on fresh fruit like pineapple, papayas, oranges, starfruit, and even fresh-squeezed sugarcane juice. But the best part was the fresh coffee (hot chocolate for kids) and organic chocolate made from 90% cacao, 8% sugar cane, and 2% vanilla - all grown on their farm.

We also spent a few hours at La Fortuna waterfall (or Catarata La Fortuna) which is set in a stunning tropical gorge carved out by the water over time. It’s popular for good reason, so go early if you want to enjoy a pleasant hike in this tropical oasis. The impressive waterfall itself is about 200’ tall and feels powerful from the bottom. Wear water shoes if you want to go swimming in the nearby pools or walk around on the rocks. The hike down is only 500 steps down but the return trip was a good workout.

Monteverde and the cloud forest

From La Fortuna, we traveled to Monteverde (elevation 4,662’ above sea level) by road and ferry, crossing Lake Arenal. The cloud forest region is a lot like the Pacific Northwest – evergreen due to the precipitation and moisture-filled clouds that hover over the forest canopy on an almost daily basis. We stayed at Monteverde Lodge which offers an on-site restaurant, El Jardin, that serves fresh, high-quality meals that everyone can enjoy. The view from the terrace overlooking the gardens is great and the well-maintained hiking trails on the property snake down and around the hillside. We were fortunate to even see monkeys and a coatimundi from our hotel room. The Lodge is located within walking distance of town where there are plenty of options for dining and souvenir shopping. Some of our favorites include Choco Café Restaurant and The Open Kitchen.

Another great tip: Walk to the must-see sunset from Mirador Valle Escondido Preserve.

There are many ways to explore this unique microclimate, which is home to many forest reserves. We chose Selvatura Adventure Park to zipline through (and over) the tree canopy and explore the lush green cloud forests via the hanging bridges. The longest zipline segment was almost 1km long! One could spend the whole day there exploring the Butterfly House, Reptile House, and Sloth Sanctuary.

Manuel Antonio National Park via Jaco

The beach town of Jaco served as a home base for our experience of the Pacific Coast. It's known as a surfing mecca with big waves at beaches like Hermosa Beach. We stayed in a quieter side of town and did some horseback riding on Jaco Beach during sunset, which was incredible. Jaco is also a gateway to national parks. To the north, Carara National Park has crocodiles at Tárcoles River and scarlet macaws. To the south, Manuel Antonio National Park is small but beautiful. It’s considered to be the country’s most popular N.P. and for good reason. Where else can you find stunning non-commercial beaches in a tropical animal sanctuary? If you go, we would recommend booking tickets on the SINAC website well in advance and hiring a guide once you get there. That’s the best way to maximize animal sightings along the hiking trails. We were able to see two and three-toed sloths, Capuchin monkeys, howler monkeys, crabs, frogs, and lots of iguanas. The touristy atmosphere at the front gates can spoil the locale, but look past it. The beach alone is worth it! The tropical jungles were a very different kind of biome and microclimate that we were able to experience, compared to the cloud forests.

Just outside the Park, up the hillside, there are lots of hotels and restaurants that boast some incredible views of the Pacific. Love Indian Cuisine is one such spot that’s owned and operated by a Canadian expat. After a great meal that capped our trip to Manuel Antonio, we headed back to San Juan the next day and flew home.

A visit to Costa Rica is indeed Pura Vida: Pure Life!