This country has to be one of the prettiest, scenic places I have ever been. We hired a car at the border of Nicaragua and Costa Rica so that we could take a road trip across the country.
Costa Rica is a land of volcanoes, rainforests and cloud forests, huge waterfalls, and mighty rivers. It is bordered by beaches and lies between the Caribbean Sea and the Pacific Ocean.
Wildlife here is abundant with the most colourful toucans, loud howler monkeys, capuchin monkeys, tree frogs, hummingbirds, spider monkeys, crocodiles, and butterflies.
We were lucky also to have seen numerous sloths. These infamous creatures mirror the Costa Rican way of life, having become somewhat of a popular animal because of their slow and lazy approach to life. I think we all have something to learn from observing these delightfully slow creatures in their natural habitat.
We stayed a few nights at La Fortuna, a small and leisurely town tucked into the base of the Arenal Volcano. Our accommodation was a few kilometres out of town in a neat little hotel called the Volcano Gold Loft. This little place in paradise was close to the volcano and the awe-inspiring waterfalls, lush tropical rainforest, and world-renowned hot springs of the area.
Our next stop was in Guapile, where we stayed at the Casa Ria Bianco B and B, a rustic wooden cabin in the jungle.
The adventurous members of the group booked a white water rafting expedition on the Pacuare River, the second-longest river in Costa Rica.
From here, it was to the mountains. We stayed at a luxurious place called Rio Celeste Hideaway. It truly is a natural paradise, surrounded by lush tropical rainforests and exotic animals.
On the Caribbean side of the country, we stayed four days in a little coastal town south of Limon, before heading off to Bocas. Casa Luna Beach House is on the Playa Negra in Puerto Viejo de Talamanca. The pictures at the end of the post illustrate the magical nature of the village.
