Our first trip to Costa Rica was  in 2018 . International restrictions were lifted  so we headed back to Costa Rica this time staying for twenty days and adding the Caribbean  side of CR to our itinerary.  We started our trip in the capital San Jose .We picked up our 4×4 and headed to our first stop Quepos. After flying for fifteen hours the three hour drive to Quepos is kind of a nice “jumping off point ” for us to get our trip started .  There’s a beautiful apartment we rent for a few days owned by a lovely french couple Fred and Carl called La Maison Blanche .  They’re located in the El Cerro area of Quepos and their property is so clean , comfortable and with the most stunning views. I can cook , do our shopping , laundry and it’s 45 minutes away from Dominical which is this tiny surf side town that has an amazing array of cafes and organic shops , It’s just a cool vibe. It hit different because once you’ve been somewhere and you go back and find that the same people are working in your spots , it’s just so cool to me. I guess I’m not explaining it LOL It’s just a lovely feeling I had. We did stay in a beautiful resort Makanda by the Sea  http://Makanda.com   for two nights in Manuel Antonio . A really beautiful resort with amazing amenities. The staff was super kind , the food was wonderful and it was just nice to lounge in the pools and bar at night … Until the monkeys came !!! Oh and a scorpion found its way into my bathroom but other than that it was a fantastic stay!

Our next stop was Villas Alturas. http://villasalturas.com We were staying seven days on the pacific side then driving across the country and up to Tortuguero to stay the weekend (hoping ) to catch the turtles nesting. We visited Villas Alturas on our first trip and went to tour the sanctuary , (SLOTHS) but it was the Tamarindo margaritas and fish tacos that really lured us back . YES they were THAT good and we booked a villa with the most breathtaking view so we could eat and drink there for the next two nights while we went whale watching. If you’re going to be in the area this is the best accommodation in my opinion . The sanctuary is small and to be honest after visiting a few I’m not fond of them in general but for activities and a stop over before heading down to the Osa Peninsula if you’re headed that way I recommend it.We now needed to start heading east towards Tortuguero and this was a long tiring bumpy drive . NOT as bad as Africa was in some parts but you do need a 4×4 to get around Costa Rica if you plan on driving to see parts of the country for sure. Our last trip to the Oso peninsula had us crossing rivers (Luna Lodge!!!) so we were MUCH better equipped this time . Located in the Northeast Tortuguero is small and you really only need two days to visit . You take a small boat through the mangroves and canals and after 45 minutes you arrive to this tiny village . There’s literally one path that guides you and winds around the few shops and cafe’s . It’s on the canal side and there’s no driving it’s just walking or bicycles allowed. For accommodation we stayed right next to the beach  at Pura Natura  as our focus was to see the turtles . You go with a guide , at night around midnight and only red lights are lit so as not to disturb the turtles. This sadly was what I call the “dip in the trip ” for me….. I feel like on vacations there’s sometimes that one time or moment where something just feels off for you am I right ? For me is just wasn’t a pleasant experience being there . The saving grace was this beautiful spot we found about five minutes from our hotel called Taylor’s Place. It was this beautiful space we stumbled upon and the sweetest guy came out and greeted us . He was like come in ! He made us Pina Colada’s then told us he’d cook us something amazing . Yea he did! Alberto had steak with coffee sauce (he says it was tamarind but I swear Taylor said cafe LOL) and I had prawns . I’m telling you it was one of the best dinner’s I’ve ever had and we went back again the next night for more . He was super sunburned from fishing all day and prepared us the most amazing fish . Finding Taylor’s was really what I needed . This was our first trip after a six month lockdown in Italy and between that , studying, not seeing my family and just a lot of unknown stuff floating around my head was kind of all over the place. Tortuguero isn’t MY place at  all but If you’re curious about going do a little research first is my suggestion .

It was about four hours to get to Limon which is the main port city on the Caribbean side. It’s a bit chaotic and bustling , but if you need to get gas , stretch or essentials it’s a solid place to stop. We stayed in Puerto Viejo , and  Cahuita  for this last ten days of our trip. The sea is so beautiful here . Blue and green , warm , it’s so beautiful . We stayed at a few different places my favorite being La Paz Del Caribe  http://lapazdelcaribe.com run by a WONDERFUL couple  (Wade and Laurie ).  They are the kindest people and have this beautiful comfortable home in the jungle. They know their area really well and will give you the best recommendations for anything you could want or need. The breakfast is AMAZING such a perfect start to the day and they had a lovely local Joel take us into Cahuita National Park . THIS is when one of the most magical moments of my life happened ! We made our way into the park and a beautiful sweet sloth was sleeping in a tree. I stayed about an hour under her just mesmerized and truly it was magical. THIS was my purpose and WHY I came to Costa Rica. To be with my spirit animal this beautiful sloth . I know I sound all hippy koo koo but I love sloths , they have always fascinated me and this moment of just being silent , still and in awe of this in the wild made me feel calm and contented. I will never ever forget that moment. In my daily meditations If I ever feel tense or question things I always go back to my sloth moment to reflect and it brings me tranquility . WE then trekked on with Joel to an Indigenous village to forage for raw cacao , herbs and plants where I learned some rituals and about techniques for health and healing, which you all may now know has played a part in my studies merging science and holistic healing . I loved this area so much .  We stayed another 3 nights at  Geckoes Lodge  http://geckoeslodge.com  and it was beautiful and rustic . I did a beautiful photoshoot there as well .The food on the Caribbean side is more my personal taste.I loved trying all of the fresh seafood and curries . My FAVORITE place for breakfast was  http://www.breadandchocolatecr.com They had thee most amazing breakfast , soft scrambled eggs , pastries ,  and coffee. We always took a cake to go so we’d have one for dessert or a beach lunch . Heading back to San Jose we made one stop midway in Guapiles  and stayed at Casa Rio Blanco , and it was the perfect Pit  stop before we flew back to Italy .  The owner Harvey is so kind and gracious , a great cook , and his place is so comfortable with the river as you sleep and relax .San Jose isn’t a place we explored so let me know if you did and have any suggestions . I LOVE Costa Rica. I told my husband it’s one of the few countries I feel like I could settle in comfortably . It ticks off all the boxes for me . I love nature , it has the beaches , and the infrastructure we need , so don’t be surprised if I the next few years you’re re reading this AGAIN and I’m writing from Puerto Viejo or Dominical ! , Pura Vida XO Tera