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Living the 'pura vida' in Costa Rica
From thick, tangled rainforest and active volcanoes to monkeys, coatis and tapirs, this is a country with plenty to discover
In Costa Rica, pura vida is a way of life. There's a guessable translation – "pure life" or "simple life" – but it's only by visiting the country, with your feet on the ground and your senses wide open, that you can really begin to understand why it represents such an important part of Costa Rican identity.
Why go here?
Costa Rica is a marvel of nature and nurture. Few countries on earth are blessed with two oceans, over 100 volcanoes and a level of biodiversity way out of proportion to its size. You won't need long to understand that it's a land overflowing with life, and a country its people are very proud of.
Where to stay
Luxury in lush rainforest: the Garden View Casita at the Hideaway Rio Celeste
(Image credit: Rio Celeste)
Chances are you'll arrive in Costa Rica's hectic capital, San José. The best of the country lies beyond the city limits, but a night or two at the ornate Hotel Grano De Oro will put you conveniently within reach of some fine cultural landmarks, including the Pre-Columbian Gold Museum and the Jade Museum.
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North of the capital and in the hinterland of Tenorio Volcano National Park, Hideaway Rio Celeste offers accessible luxury in lush rainforest surroundings, home to coatis, tapirs, sloths and countless bird species. The spacious accommodation is in individual casitas, spread out across the complex around an attractive pool with a swim-up bar. The main restaurant has a crowd-pleasing menu of really very good dishes, and the open-air dining room is fun too, with its view of tropical plants and a colourful koi fish pond.
A little further south, Amor Arenal takes the wilderness concept to an even more luxurious tier, with open architecture and a world-class spa, while the smartly practically eco lodges at Buena Vista Del Rincon are an excellent choice for those on tighter budgets. The top pick of its four restaurant options is El Mirador, where you can enjoy potent Mai Tais and panoramic sunset views towards the Nicaraguan border.
Eating and drinking
Cocoa lessons: chocolatier Juan Carlos Sibaja hosts a tour of his plantation
(Image credit: Dominic Kocur)
Gallo pinto is a breakfast must-have. The dish's basic parts – rice, beans, chilli, diced vegetables – are staples of the mild and sturdy national diet, and found in or near most dishes, along with chicken or fish. At breakfast, it's delicious with scrambled eggs, plantain, and perhaps a little Turrialba cheese. Apply liberal amounts of salsa lizano when it's offered: this addictive condiment is like a fruitier, smokier, distant cousin of HP sauce. A side of fresh local pineapple and banana is always a good idea.
Gallo pinto may be the de facto national dish of Costa Rica but coffee is just as emblematic. The country's volcanic terroir is ideal for growing the kind of high-quality Arabica beans the world is hooked on. Visit the Doka Coffee Haçienda to learn everything about the process that goes into making one of its signature blends, best consumed in its purest, blackest form.
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Where coffee thrives, so too does cocoa. Costa Rica doesn't depend on the Americas' other sainted bean as much as it used to, but it remains ancestrally valued. At the Sibaeli plantation, you can get a real feel for that reverence. Eccentric founder Juan Carlos Sibaja, agriculturist, chocolatier and former pineapple grower, is a devoted advocate of organic methods, and offers enlightening guided tours of his cacao trees and the artisanal production processes used to ferment, dry, roast and grind their fruit.
What to see and do
Steaming sight: the main crater lake of Poas, the active volcano in Alajuela
(Image credit: Dominic Kocur)
Like anywhere in the tropics, Costa Rica's climate is moist and warm, with year-round extremes. Even in the dry season (December to April), stick to its Caribbean side if you want white-sand beach time uninterrupted by showers. Surfers will like the Pacific-coast town of Tamarindo, which has grown into a resort-like enclave for backpacker types. Also in Guanacaste province is Papagayo, a scenic peninsula with beautiful bays and protected beaches. For snorkelling and scuba-diving, head for the lovely sands of Playa Manzanillo, further south in Puntarenas.
The rest of Costa Rica is mostly a thickly tangled rainforest, punctuated by the occasional urban centre and a throng of lively rivers that tumble through the valleys and vegetation. Water is an essential ingredient of life and leisure, either from the clouds or currents: in Tonorio Volcano National Park, volcanic minerals make the Rio Celeste river and its waterfalls glow an alluring shade of turquoise. Try a tubing tour, where the gentle current carries you downstream on an inflatable.
Rainforest thrills: the spectacular zipline course in Rincón de la Vieja National Park
(Image credit: Vista Del Rincon)
Thrill-seekers will find satisfaction at Buena Vista Del Rincon in Guanacaste, nestled in the thriving Rincón de la Vieja National Park. It's a one-stop shop for some of the most thrilling ways to experience Costa Rica's rugged northern terrain. The highlight has to be the seven-part zipline course which takes you careering over spectacular gorges at nearly 100 feet. There's also an exhilarating water slide that shoots you through 400 feet of sloping, snaking jungle.
To moderate the adrenaline spikes, you can unwind in the thermal springs heated by the De La Vieja Volcano. It's a long and bumpy road to there from the visitor centre but keep your eyes peeled for the wildlife: howler and white-faced capuchin monkeys, two of Costa Rica's four monkey species, can be spotted on the way.
Talking of volcanoes, Poás in Alajuela, one of the country's five active ones, is a spectacular sight on a clear day. Peering into its massive water-filled craters, surrounded by scorched slopes in the middle of a cloud forest, feels extraterrestrial. In reality, it's a dramatic snapshot of the extremes of life – and death – on planet earth.
