My husband and I have been talking about going to Costa Rica for over seven years now. Well, we finally made it, and let’s just say I have no clue what took us so long, and I can’t wait to go back.
Our excuse for the trip? Celebrating our ten year wedding anniversary (We went to Tahiti for our fifth, and we promised each other we’d get to go somewhere cool with fun waves every five years.) Flights were cheap, My mom came into town to watch Levi, so off we went. Just the two of us. With zero expectations or plans…other than to surf and relax.
Which is just what happened.
Everything else was an unexpected blessing.
I’ve learned I just love traveling like that.
Instead of doing a play by play of the trip, I figured I’d share some of my favorite pics, and a few thoughts, along with the basic info for the trip.
Vamos.
• We ended up staying at Hotel Playa Negra, in Playa Negra. This was the only planning we did, and the biggest decision of the trip. We just wanted to stay some place with fun waves close by, that was cheap, not too built up, and also kinda cool. Well, we stayed in a little bungalow with no a/c, no tv, and we filled our bathroom sink with ice to keep the beer cold. I loved it. The 30 second walk each morning to a beautiful beach with fun waves might’ve been my favorite part. Same with doing a cannon ball into the pool after each surf session.
• The sunsets didn’t disappoint either. Yeowza.
• The beach was super uncrowded, and I thoroughly enjoyed lounging in the tide pools during low tide. A few dogs came to join me, which made it even more fun. Some horses came out of nowhere one day when I was on a beach walk too. See, unplanned stuff like that is the best.
• The shells were phenomenal – just remember to put them back. If you need to know why, go walk on the beach at night. All those shells will be crawling around. Take only memories, leave only footprints.
• I also loved how there were no plastic straws anywhere, and I did not see a single piece of litter/trash on the beach. Hallelujah to that.
• Clothing: I alternated between Two Dkoko bikinis for surfing, they did not budge an inch in spite of the numerous set waves that were taken on my head. And they were pretty stinking cute and comfy. Michelle knows what’s up. Then it was pretty much a pareo tied up over a bikini, or cutoffs and a breezy top, or a breezy set. It was hot. Clothing was minimal. No need to pack more than a carry on.
• Food wise – we ate breakfast burritos and got coffee at Jalapeno Market every morning. Two words – Gringo burrito. Dos mas – eat it.
• There’s amazing food everywhere. Same with drinks. And I have a newfound love for Imperial beer, caipirinhas with fresh squeezed lime juice and Salsa Lizano. And arroz con camarones.
• Our days were basically comprised of this: wake up, surf, pool cannon ball, coffee, burrito, beach time/relax/cruise somewhere nearby/wait for tide to fill in…then maybe surf, then another pool cannon ball, then read book/take nap…then surf again, watch sunset, final pool cannon ball, eat dinner, watch the stars somewhere (beach or by the pool) then pass out.
• We pretty much stayed in Playa Negra or cruised up to Avellanas. The trip wasn’t super long and we just didn’t want to spend much of our days in a car.
• Five days went by way too fast.
• When it’s just my husband and I traveling together, it honestly feels like we went back in time. (Even if we’d spend a lot of time telling Levi stories and looking at pics of how much he’s grown.)
• Everyone was so friendly, and the whole trip was one part adventure, one part relaxing, and one big ‘ol breath of fresh, juicy and humid, tropical air.
Pura vida baby. Pura vida.
Hopefully it won’t take us another seven years to go back.
