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After your busy few weeks in the wilderness and nature of Costa Rica, relax and unwind for a few days in the coastal paradise of Santa Teresa. Here, your Costa Rican dreams come to life as you go galloping down open beaches on horseback, listen to live music around the campfire at night, and practice yoga on the beach. It’s the perfect place to slow down, appreciate the ocean, and enjoy the bohemian vibes of the village. The primary hatching season is July to October, but there are plenty of other things to see and do in Tortuguero outside of these months. One of the main activities is a night walk in the Tortuguero Nature Reserve, where a guide will take you by boat into the depths of the rainforest.
Visit the majestic Rio Celeste Waterfalls which is a small detour on the way from La Fortuna to Monteverde. Please note that road 143 from Lake Arenal towards Rio Celeste is not good for car that are low to the ground. There’s also great nightlife in San Jose if you want to find some music before you head out into the city’s remote nature. Remarkable sunsets and we enjoyed the Matapalo beach — recommend lunch at Tico-Gringo followed by a dip in the pacific. Spectacular artwork, created especially for Villa Esmeralda by Paul and Susanne Leasure after a visit to this beautiful country, adorns the walls. The main house is currently offered as a weekly vacation rental.
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The Sea Shack had two bedrooms, a kitchen, an outdoor living space, and a pool. We booked this home for four nights over the week of Thanksgiving. As our departure date arrived we were bursting with excitement. As our shuttle dropped us off in Nosara my heart filled with joy. And as we walked up to the Sea Shack, I felt a comfort that I can only explain as home.
A one-day escape might give your brain a little creative jolt, as a change of scenery almost always does the trick. It’s the feeling that makes you long for where you came from, and for familiar sounds, places, and faces. Costa Rica is an incredibly diverse country with differing scenery, wildlife, and micro-climates.
Day 9 of your 3 weeks in Costa Rica: La Fortuna
“If you are looking for a first class place, private, secluded, and away form it all, you will not be disappointed in the Villa Esmeralda. Chris and Cindy have done a spectacular job in creating this vacation home. From the morning coffee to the evening sunsets over looking the Pacific, it is totally awesome.” — Wesley from Oklahoma. Views of Manuel Antonio Park in the North and Punta Dominical in the South encompass a sweeping 45 km.
However, 3 weeks is a perfect amount of time to see some of the greatest highlights and really get to know the culture of Costa Rica. This Costa Rica travel guide provides various activities, destinations, and transportation options. The public bus + ferry is definitely the cheapest way to travel to Santa Teresa, but it does take quite a long time (5-7 hours). When you get off the ferry at Paquera, take the bus to Cobano and change bus to Mal Pais . Time to head further south to the surfing hotspot of Santa Teresa!
Costa Rica Itinerary: Ultimate 7-day Travel Guide
If you've gone over your allowance in a Go Roam destination, you'll pay special lower roaming rates, letting you use your phone abroad at no extra cost, or you can buy an Add-on in My3. Identify a place or establishment that you can frequent on a regular basis. This can be a gym, a library, a coffee shop, a bakery, or a bookstore. In the beginning, you might not feel comfortable in these places. Especially if it’s a social gathering of people who already know each other; but keep showing up.
However, you will need a valid passport and an onward plane ticket to prove that you will exit Costa Rica within 90 days. Costa Rica is one of the most biodiverse countries in the world! Its popularity has seen it become more expensive in recent years, and it’s often referred to as the ‘Switzerland of Central America’. Join a tour to learn more about the animals in the forest or take part in another adventurous activity like canyoning or ziplining.
I was determined to make sure that the first experience did not deter me, so the next time they met, I showed up again and with time, I was able to join in the conversations. So, do not be discouraged if you are in the corner of the room holding a glass of wine. Show up again and again, and do not be afraid to start a conversation. The best time to travel to Costa Rica is from mid-December to April. This is the time with the most sunshine (between degrees) and dry days .
Because of the weather, this is the most popular season to visit Costa Rica, making it busy and expensive. There are many fantastic options when it comes to accommodation in Costa Rica. It might be camping on the edges of the rainforest, a beach bungalow, an artsy boutique hotel, or a backpackers hostel. Whatever you’re looking for, you’re sure to find it in Costa Rica.
If you’re unable to rent a car, don’t worry, as plenty of tour buses leave from San Jose, offering to take you to your destination. If your current plan started before 1 October 2021, calls and texts to the UK and between Go Roam in Europe destinations are included in your allowance at no extra cost. You can use up to 12GB of data, which will simply come out of your allowance. After that a surcharge applies up to your allowance limit. Buses leave from Quepos around 4 times a day and take approximately 2 hours, costing around 5 USD.
Under the cover of darkness, you’ll be able to see rare and beautiful wildlife, like the red-eyed tree frog. Puerto Viejo has a lively atmosphere throughout the day and night. If you don’t mind a bit of noise and music, stay in the center of town, close to all the amenities.
Today, when I go to the local farmers’ market, I can marvel at the selection without feeling overwhelmed. I know how to tell when passion fruit is ripe, which plantains will be sweetest, and if the watercress will be crunchy and faintly spicy. No longer an exotic vacation destination, Costa Rica has become my home, and its produce, my sustenance. This home, our home for the next 4 days, was tucked back in the jungle off the main road. We could easily walk to shops, restaurants, a small organic grocery store, and a fruit stand selling the tastiest mangoes the girls have ever eaten.
However, it’s a long drive, so it’s worth breaking up the journey with a stop at the waterfalls of Bajos del Toro on your way. Be aware that you’ll need a car with some clearance from the ground as the road can be bumpy here. After a few weeks, I changed the route I took to the library and started exploring short cuts. This way, I discovered other interesting places in the neighbourhood such as an antique shop, a small museum, and a bakery. I would make it a point to go into these places on certain days and I found that this gave me the confidence to talk to people and make friends. The fact that they recognised me made it easier for me to feel at home.
