Pura Vida! at Costa Rica
Why Costa Rica?
Nestled between the Pacific Ocean and the Caribbean lies a beautiful country, Costa Rica, which boasts of its tropical rainforests, turquoise blue waters, spectacular wildlife and so much more. My wife and I being avid nature lovers, we felt this was the best way to explore this little corner of the world. We were greeted with smiling happy faces saying Pura Vida! Well, Pura Vida!! You ought to remember just two words here and you are assured of making friends all along your Costa Rican holiday. Pura Vida literally means Pure Life! It’s the Costa Rican way of good life!
Every nook and corner is accessorized with beautiful landscapes that makes you want to capture all of it on camera. But I believe that such moments are etched in your memory for a lifetime. There is no dearth of options when it comes to exploring, eating and staying in Costa Rica. We planned our holiday through Cosmos Vacations and by far, it was one of our best holidays we’ve experienced.
This Tropical paradise boasts of hot springs which are natural jacuzzis and Arenal Volcano is undoubtedly one of the best the country has to offer. Relaxing at the Tabacon Hot Springs was rejuvenating for our minds, body and soul. Situated in this lush rain forest with streams of hot water flowing and little tumbling waterfalls kind of reminded me of these dreamy paintings sketched as a child.
The Arenal Hanging bridges are located in a highly diverse forest with tall trees and exotic flora and fauna. Walking across these hanging bridges and so up close with nature gave us a feeling of oneness. The aromas of the earth, the birds chirping, faint sounds of insects, truly awakened our senses.
Monteverde – A Cloud Forest Reserve was yet another place that left us bewildered with its sheer beauty, so impressive! Our Naturalist walked us around this large canopy of trees into the forest. He mentioned that the animals were watching us even though we may not spot them with our naked eye. We did spot a three toed sloth, tarantulas, snakes and exotic species of frogs and birds all along our walk. It gives you goosebumps but all for the love of nature! We did visit a butterfly garden here with thousands of butterflies of different colors fluttering around us. We came across humming birds of vivid colors fleeting around and amazing you with their acrobatic manoeuvres. Such tiny little creatures with energy faster than the speed of sound!!
We had stares from little Capuchin monkeys as we zip lined through these lush forests from one tree top to the other. Such adrenaline rush, I tell you. Sometimes flying around the natural jungle, away from the concrete jungle that we stay in, is what totally excites me and my wife.
While on holiday here, do not miss a trip to a coffee estate, from picking of coffee berries to roasting and grinding and finally we get to see how the best coffee is processed. We had a coffee tasting session too. Getting your hands messy was all worth it.
The Food!! If you’re in a tropical country, you have such a great variety of tropical fruits to snack on. The Costa Ricans love their Gallo Pinto and serve it at breakfast, lunch and dinner. There are loads of vegetarian options too. And so many diverse varieties of salsa to go along with your burrito. My favorite remains the Gallo pinto. Our driver was kind enough to share his secret recipe with us. My wife loves cooking this delectable dish, while I enjoy eating it! The Costa Rican coffee is one of the highest exports in the country. The locals love their coffee strong, so when in Costa Rica eat and drink like the locals do. On our tour, Cosmos made sure we had it all.
From gorgeous stretch of white sandy beaches to misty volcanoes, cloud forests, hot springs, exotic wildlife, coffee farms and so much more, this country is and will always be my favorite!
To travel is to inspire and to get inspired. Wherever you go, go with all your heart and comeback with memories to last for a lifetime.
Till we meet again! PURA VIDA!
By Kaushak Maheswary
Kaushak is a passionate travel enthusiast and has traveled all round the world. He prefers to stay close to nature, most of the times. He and his wife travelled to Costa Rica on COSMOS Gateway to Costa Rica.
