Costa Rica
A country that has been on our list for 15+ years now (since before we even met). We’ve checked the sandy beaches of Belize off our Central American bucket list but finally made it to the surfing lands of Costa Rica. We flew from Austin - Houston - Liberia via United Airlines. The distance between Texas - CR came as a shocker to us — just a short 3-hour flight and you’re in the exotic, jungly, mellow lands of the world’s happiest country. “Pura Vida” is the unofficial slogan of the country. Pura Vida translate to ‘pure life,’ which refers to the simple, cheerful outlook and lifestyle you’ll see in every single person you meet.
Our first week was spent in a small village on the Pacific Ocean known as Nosara. This place is magical, with 4+ miles of desolate white sand coastline and countless one-size-fits-all beach breaks. Whether you’re learning on your own, hiring a local instructor, or paddling out solo with experience, you’re sure to catch some nice waves.
The water is warm, the vegetation is rich, the sun is strong and the vibes are right. There are plenty of places to rent scooters/motorcycles/golf carts. We’d recommend Juan Surfo’s for surfboard rentals in Nosara — Juan is a local who grew up in Nosara and has owned his shop for over 20 years. Juan has a great selection of boards, fair prices and an easy going personality. This trip was spent with Annie, Max, Uncle Scooter, Jack, Grant, Helen and Pat Cooper. Uncle Scoot has been to Nosara 6 times and convinced Annie and I to join this time around. He rented an AirBnB for the family which couldn’t have been more ideal. Equipped with a swimming pool, cabana, main house that pumped AC, fast WiFi for your remote working needs and local howler monkey’s that lived in the treetops above the house. Walking distance to almost everything but I will say a motor bike is the way to go if you plan to explore the area a bit. The tiny grocery stores have an incredible selection of snacks, fresh juice, organic fruits/veggies, local meats, out of this world brownies and beer/wine for days. Bring your fancy wallet, Nosara is not cheap. Which brings me to really the only downfall of the area, EVERYTHING is expensive. They cater to the tourists and you pay tourist prices. I’m sure there are ways around this like stopping at a local grocery store on your way to Nosara from the airport in Liberia. Stock up on dinner/lunch cuisine to make at home. But for those who want a seamless, hands off experience you’ll just dine out at the 25+ local resturants without being disappointed on a single meal. They all cater to a healthy lifestyle, vegan/veggie options, organic produce etc.
I would call Nosara a pretty sleepy town, not much of a night life scene but great for adventuring, exploring, surfing and relaxing. We couldn’t recommend this town more to anyone who enjoys the simple things a coastal beach town has to offer.
Next stop, Tamarindo! Put your party pants on, you’ve landed in a much more live and bustling seaside town. To our knowledge this was one of the first Costa Rican surf towns to reach the masses. Here you will find oceanside hotels/resorts, people in the masses with everything over priced. We enjoyed live music, sunset walks on the beach, a run out to San Francisco point, sailing and island exploring on a catamaran, a jungle spa experience and amazing beach club date nights. If you’re keen for a big night out head to the Crazy Monkey on Friday night, 4 story tree house night club that didn’t disappoint, get there early for the open bar from 7-9pm!
Two weeks in Costa Rica was a sufficient amount of time, could we have stayed for longer? Yes and we would have loved to! Will be we back? Yes and we will be! Thankful for another great experience of world travels. The next Central American countries on our bucket list are Panama and Nicaragua. Stay tuned, pura vida!
