Countries are re-opening and making it easier for healthy travelers to visit. We are thrilled to announce Costa Rica (a personal favorite destination of mine...) will join Mexico and the Dominican in being fully open with NO Covid test needed to travel.
Fly in and get straight to exploring this amazing place. From sugar sand beaches to azure waterfalls, you can name your adventure within Costa Rica. Some of my favorite places I have frequented (yes, visited more than once...) include:
Rio Celeste
In Tenorio Volcano National Park (less tourists...), wanders Celeste River. It borders several hot springs and have one large waterfall which is accessible after an hours hike. Legend has it that Rio Celeste got its distinctive color after God finished painting the sky and dipped his paint brush in the river. The more scientific explanation is that volcanic minerals produce the striking color due to the merger of two steams, which cause a chemical reaction that is visible. Not only is a fun hike, it is nearly unbelievable to see in real life.
There are a few new hotels near Rio Celeste, but the Celeste Mountain Lodge is more my speed. With an all-inclusive option that gives breakfast, lunch and dinner in the main lodge dinning hall where you sit at picnic tables with the other guests and eat what was picked fresh from the organic gardens and cooked by the chef.
Monteverde
The cloud forest is peppered with hanging brides and walkways that intermingle with the jungle that surrounds. I highly recommend spending a day or two wandering the forests and taking in the bio diversity it has to offer. If you are feeling adventurous, the zip line through the cloud forest is one of the best in the world. (We tied it with Queenstown, NZ)
There are luxury hotels like Hotel Belmar to glamping sites around the cloud forest. Or opt for one of our favorites, Hidden Canopy Tree Houses. Thats right, a tree house.
Arenal
There is something about standing on an active volcano to make you feel like you are a small part of something very big. Arenal is not only abundant in lush tropical foliage and friendly monkeys, it also boasts some of the best hot springs in the world. My favorite, Tabacon, is worth visiting each and every time we pop into the country. The springs were designed keeping the natural shapes and materials in mind, so you will find lava stone spring beds, hot and cool springs, and pathways that weave around massive trees. It's worth the price of a night at Tabcon hotel, or stay nearby and visit on a day pass. We also love Arenal Observatory (where they watch the seismic activity of the Volcano) and rooms have a massive picture window view of the volcano - which is cool when the lava is flowing.
Tamarindo
Tamarindo has a nice beach with an awesome surf break perfect for newbies. The town is full of places to stay ranging from hostels to top luxury homes. The food is plentiful and your a short drive from some other amazing snorkeling beaches and surf breaks. Its easy to reach this beach from Liberia if you fly in / fly out from there.
If you have not figured it out yet, I opt for unique places to stay instead of normal hotels. In Tamarindo, if we are not staying with Witches Rock Surf Camp, then we are at Ocho Artisan Bungalows. The dreamy rooms leave no imagination to the fact you are in a tropical jungle oasis of luxury and nature perfectly combined.
