Costa Rica - Pura Vida!
Door: Marielle
Blijf op de hoogte en volg Marielle
26 Mei 2019 | Costa Rica, Dominical
Costa Rica is beautiful! Everywhere you look it is green and there are animals. Incredible! I start of in La Fortuna, nice low temperatures and rain to cool down after the many months of heat. Since I do not have a car and public transportation is not avaiable, I book a tour to see the surroundings of Vulcano Arenal with lots of hiking. It will appear not to be my lucky day... After a delayed pick up and missing the butterfly garden, the first stop is the Rio Fortuna waterfall. When I try to swim to cool down I find myself in the midst of a group of shouting American schoolkids that in an uncontrolled manner slide down the flow. One boy hits me on his way down and I slide down with him... It must have been a comical sight but I am furious. With a sore toe I continue the tour towards the Arenal Vulcano where we are supposed to do 2 extended hikes. Unfortunately we only do some minor hiking since the 2 Spanish girls in the group are not fit. The surroundings are magnificent so I am quite dissapointed. The guide Christian "Pura Vida" is very nice and takes all effort to please everybody, so when we visit the thermal hot springs at the end of the day he personnally provides a mud mask. Also my newly met friends from the Netherlands that I meet at these hot springs, get a mud mask. Costa Rican friendliness.
I exchange the touristic La Fortuna for the more quiet Santa Elena (Monteverde). To safe 8 hours of extra travel time I book an expensive shuttle-boat-shuttle transfer for crossing Laguna Arenal. Unfortunately it is raining so not much to see on my way. I stay at the Hammock House of Edwin which feels like a home. Everything has a price in Costa Rica but I think I have found a free trail (the Hidden Valley Trail) on the map. When I arrive after 1 hour of walking, I discover that it will cost me 15 USD to enter the trail... I decide to go to the only free attraction in Monteverde which is the Ficus Hollow Tree. After another hour of walking (where I do get face-to-face with small tucans!) I reach this phenomenon. Most spectacular are the people that are crazy enough to climb this tree.
To see wildlife it is advised to go at night into the rainforest. Armed with long trousers in my socks, a poncho, mosquito repellent and a torch we follow the Freek Vonk of Monteverde. The first animal he finds is a sloth! Also the birds sleeping in the trees of which you only see the bud from underneath are extremely cute. We also see frogs, a tarantula and a beautiful sky full of stars at the end of the evening.
I also visit the Reserva Bosque Nuboso Santa Elena. A little bus does a pick up and drop off for only 4 USD :-) When we get higher and closer to the Reserva it starts to rain... I still choose to do the longest hike which is an extremely muddy path where nobody is walking. I like it quiet but this is a bit too much with all the rain, mud and toxic animals around... I do slip few times but manage to arrive safely back at the ranger station. The rainforest is beautiful but I did not see many animals on my way.
At night I start to feel nauseous and end up being turned inside out... Last time I had food poisoning was in Mexico. It takes me 3 days to feel okay for travel again and am happy with Netflix.
The distances in Costa Rica are short but due to road conditions it can take ages to move around. To get from Monteverde to Santa Teresa I first take a very early bus to Puntarenas. With a fellow passenger I share a taxi to the ferry. The boat crossing takes around 45 minutes and after 2 more buses I arrive in surfers paradise. The Lost Boyz Hostel has a young crowd but is beautifully situated in between the beach and the forest. You can see and hear(!) the howler monkees from the dorm. The hostel organizes a family dinner every night, Alfie makes delicious meals and I meet some great people at the table. The beach of Santa Teresa is beautiful! I do a lot of walking while I stay here. The swimming is a bit more tricky with the high waves and strong current. With the local bus it takes 2,5 hours to cross the 10 km to Montezuma. I am very lucky when Anna and Andres have rented a car to go surfing at a nearby beach and are willing to drop me off at the Proyecto Hostel. Extremely kind! We have a nice afternoon at the Cabuya beach watching the hermit crabs. Unfortunately the waves are not good enough for surfing.
Proyecto Hostel is located at a clif, spectacular! I spend many hours watching and listening to the ocean crashing into the rocks. The natural pools are a bit dangerous though. When I together with Rafael (whom I meet for the fourth time! The first time we met was in Belize :-)) take a dip we are almost washed out of the pool into the ocean... I loose my sunglasses but luckily we find them back. An experience not to be repeated ;-)
Main attraction in Montezuma is the waterfall. A short hike up the rocky river ends at the waterfall where the swim in the cool water is a big reward after all the sweating to get up there.
I also visit Cabo Blanco Absolute Natural Reserve. The local bus drops me off around 1 km from the entrance. The walk is pleasant but not very exciting. It is extremely warm so after 3 km into the park I decide to turn around since I am also not sure whether I can catch a bus or get a ride back to the hostel. I might have to walk... When I leave the park a car immediately offers me a ride. I get out at the bakery just outside the park to try the famous chocolate cake which is maybe not in taste but for certain in size (it is huge) exceptional! When I continue walking down the road, it does not take long before another car stops and within no time and with no effort I am back at the hostel.
I book a boat crossing to Jacco to safe an 8 hours detour via Puntarenas. It is indeed very quick and after 2 additional public busses I am already in Manuel Antonio. I stay in Ho(s?)tel TEVA which also has dorms. The dorm is empty so I have a private room. It feels like a resort with a swimming pool and dancing classes (like in the movey Dirty Dancing only with a Costa Rican Parick Swayze). There is no kitchen and the food is expensive. I read somewhere that they have a backpackers bowl and ask for that (not on the menu), this is delicious and only costs 5 USD :-)
I was warned for Parque Nacional Manuel Antonio to be very busy but have a completely different experience. I take the local bus and enter without a guide as one of the first visitors in the early morning. The paths are almost empty and I see a sloth, a capuchin monkey from up close, a green snake eating a frog and many other animals. The beaches are beatiful. After crossing almost all paths and when it starts to rain heavily, I catch a bus to Quepos for lunch.
Hostel Cascada Verde is located up in the hills in Uvita with views on the rainforest. An open hostel with nice outside spaces. Very peaceful. I normally walk but with a backpack up hill could be challenging in the heat. After doing my grocery shopping in the small village I therefore find a reliable looking taxi driver. The German owners have set up a screen (a white sheet) for the European Song Contest. When Duncan Laurence needs to perform for the Netherlands I am excited to finally see the white light bulb coming from the sky which was extensively described in the Dutch newspapers. And the most incredible thing happens, The Netherlands win the European Song Contest!!!! After 44 years we finally win again. Tears in my eyes and jumping of joy :-) Ale, another guest, invites me for the dinner he is preparing for the owners and their daugther Lucy (7). How nice! Also the next night I do not need to cook and have a nice evening with conversation in German and playing with Lucy. I promise to cook dinner for Ale when he is visiting Amsterdam.
I visit the waterfall Cascada Verde which is reached by a beautiful green path. I also walk all the way down to Parque Nacional Marino Ballena and over the beach to the "whale tale" which consists of rocks on which the sea crashes. Beautiful.
After a warm farewell and a hug from Lucy I leave for Bahia Drake (Drake Bay). The boat ride over the river is stunning but when we leave the river and enter the ocean the waves are crazy... The captain waits for a high wave to cross and I am holding my breath. Luckily he knows what he is doing... After a wet landing it is only a short walk to Martina's Place. Though a small village there are 2 supermarkets and even restaurants. I have 2 instant friends at the hostel, Bruno and Lucy, big dogs with a thick fur which seems very uncomfortable to me in this hot and humid climate. When I go walking on the beach the next few days they follow me around everywhere. Even when I leave Drake Bay they accompany me to the boat and wait until I have boarded.
After one day of nothing I do a day trip into Parque Nacional Corcovado. The overnight trips are incredible expensive and since all around the hostel you can hear and see wildlife there is no added value. Aranka and Angelique from The Netherlands, whom I met in the hostel and had lots of fun with are also on the tour. Our guide Javier is very attentive and sees many animals. We see a sloth, an anteater, a crocodile, a bairds tapir (really close!) and monkeys (spider, howler and squirrel). A huge park at the edge of the world, really amazing!
And now I am relaxing in Dominical. Not much to do here if you are not a surfer. Really nice hostel and quiet town with lots of foreigners running businesses so I enjoy cappuccino and salad with quinoa ;-) In the meanwhile I am restarting my life in Amsterdam and already have my first job interview planned! For the last few days I will go hunting for the sun and move to the Caribbean side tomorrow (or the day after ;-)). Hope you enjoyed this one-before-last travelblog from Costa Rica and wish you Pura Vida!
Hasta luego y abrazo!
I exchange the touristic La Fortuna for the more quiet Santa Elena (Monteverde). To safe 8 hours of extra travel time I book an expensive shuttle-boat-shuttle transfer for crossing Laguna Arenal. Unfortunately it is raining so not much to see on my way. I stay at the Hammock House of Edwin which feels like a home. Everything has a price in Costa Rica but I think I have found a free trail (the Hidden Valley Trail) on the map. When I arrive after 1 hour of walking, I discover that it will cost me 15 USD to enter the trail... I decide to go to the only free attraction in Monteverde which is the Ficus Hollow Tree. After another hour of walking (where I do get face-to-face with small tucans!) I reach this phenomenon. Most spectacular are the people that are crazy enough to climb this tree.
To see wildlife it is advised to go at night into the rainforest. Armed with long trousers in my socks, a poncho, mosquito repellent and a torch we follow the Freek Vonk of Monteverde. The first animal he finds is a sloth! Also the birds sleeping in the trees of which you only see the bud from underneath are extremely cute. We also see frogs, a tarantula and a beautiful sky full of stars at the end of the evening.
I also visit the Reserva Bosque Nuboso Santa Elena. A little bus does a pick up and drop off for only 4 USD :-) When we get higher and closer to the Reserva it starts to rain... I still choose to do the longest hike which is an extremely muddy path where nobody is walking. I like it quiet but this is a bit too much with all the rain, mud and toxic animals around... I do slip few times but manage to arrive safely back at the ranger station. The rainforest is beautiful but I did not see many animals on my way.
At night I start to feel nauseous and end up being turned inside out... Last time I had food poisoning was in Mexico. It takes me 3 days to feel okay for travel again and am happy with Netflix.
The distances in Costa Rica are short but due to road conditions it can take ages to move around. To get from Monteverde to Santa Teresa I first take a very early bus to Puntarenas. With a fellow passenger I share a taxi to the ferry. The boat crossing takes around 45 minutes and after 2 more buses I arrive in surfers paradise. The Lost Boyz Hostel has a young crowd but is beautifully situated in between the beach and the forest. You can see and hear(!) the howler monkees from the dorm. The hostel organizes a family dinner every night, Alfie makes delicious meals and I meet some great people at the table. The beach of Santa Teresa is beautiful! I do a lot of walking while I stay here. The swimming is a bit more tricky with the high waves and strong current. With the local bus it takes 2,5 hours to cross the 10 km to Montezuma. I am very lucky when Anna and Andres have rented a car to go surfing at a nearby beach and are willing to drop me off at the Proyecto Hostel. Extremely kind! We have a nice afternoon at the Cabuya beach watching the hermit crabs. Unfortunately the waves are not good enough for surfing.
Proyecto Hostel is located at a clif, spectacular! I spend many hours watching and listening to the ocean crashing into the rocks. The natural pools are a bit dangerous though. When I together with Rafael (whom I meet for the fourth time! The first time we met was in Belize :-)) take a dip we are almost washed out of the pool into the ocean... I loose my sunglasses but luckily we find them back. An experience not to be repeated ;-)
Main attraction in Montezuma is the waterfall. A short hike up the rocky river ends at the waterfall where the swim in the cool water is a big reward after all the sweating to get up there.
I also visit Cabo Blanco Absolute Natural Reserve. The local bus drops me off around 1 km from the entrance. The walk is pleasant but not very exciting. It is extremely warm so after 3 km into the park I decide to turn around since I am also not sure whether I can catch a bus or get a ride back to the hostel. I might have to walk... When I leave the park a car immediately offers me a ride. I get out at the bakery just outside the park to try the famous chocolate cake which is maybe not in taste but for certain in size (it is huge) exceptional! When I continue walking down the road, it does not take long before another car stops and within no time and with no effort I am back at the hostel.
I book a boat crossing to Jacco to safe an 8 hours detour via Puntarenas. It is indeed very quick and after 2 additional public busses I am already in Manuel Antonio. I stay in Ho(s?)tel TEVA which also has dorms. The dorm is empty so I have a private room. It feels like a resort with a swimming pool and dancing classes (like in the movey Dirty Dancing only with a Costa Rican Parick Swayze). There is no kitchen and the food is expensive. I read somewhere that they have a backpackers bowl and ask for that (not on the menu), this is delicious and only costs 5 USD :-)
I was warned for Parque Nacional Manuel Antonio to be very busy but have a completely different experience. I take the local bus and enter without a guide as one of the first visitors in the early morning. The paths are almost empty and I see a sloth, a capuchin monkey from up close, a green snake eating a frog and many other animals. The beaches are beatiful. After crossing almost all paths and when it starts to rain heavily, I catch a bus to Quepos for lunch.
Hostel Cascada Verde is located up in the hills in Uvita with views on the rainforest. An open hostel with nice outside spaces. Very peaceful. I normally walk but with a backpack up hill could be challenging in the heat. After doing my grocery shopping in the small village I therefore find a reliable looking taxi driver. The German owners have set up a screen (a white sheet) for the European Song Contest. When Duncan Laurence needs to perform for the Netherlands I am excited to finally see the white light bulb coming from the sky which was extensively described in the Dutch newspapers. And the most incredible thing happens, The Netherlands win the European Song Contest!!!! After 44 years we finally win again. Tears in my eyes and jumping of joy :-) Ale, another guest, invites me for the dinner he is preparing for the owners and their daugther Lucy (7). How nice! Also the next night I do not need to cook and have a nice evening with conversation in German and playing with Lucy. I promise to cook dinner for Ale when he is visiting Amsterdam.
I visit the waterfall Cascada Verde which is reached by a beautiful green path. I also walk all the way down to Parque Nacional Marino Ballena and over the beach to the "whale tale" which consists of rocks on which the sea crashes. Beautiful.
After a warm farewell and a hug from Lucy I leave for Bahia Drake (Drake Bay). The boat ride over the river is stunning but when we leave the river and enter the ocean the waves are crazy... The captain waits for a high wave to cross and I am holding my breath. Luckily he knows what he is doing... After a wet landing it is only a short walk to Martina's Place. Though a small village there are 2 supermarkets and even restaurants. I have 2 instant friends at the hostel, Bruno and Lucy, big dogs with a thick fur which seems very uncomfortable to me in this hot and humid climate. When I go walking on the beach the next few days they follow me around everywhere. Even when I leave Drake Bay they accompany me to the boat and wait until I have boarded.
After one day of nothing I do a day trip into Parque Nacional Corcovado. The overnight trips are incredible expensive and since all around the hostel you can hear and see wildlife there is no added value. Aranka and Angelique from The Netherlands, whom I met in the hostel and had lots of fun with are also on the tour. Our guide Javier is very attentive and sees many animals. We see a sloth, an anteater, a crocodile, a bairds tapir (really close!) and monkeys (spider, howler and squirrel). A huge park at the edge of the world, really amazing!
And now I am relaxing in Dominical. Not much to do here if you are not a surfer. Really nice hostel and quiet town with lots of foreigners running businesses so I enjoy cappuccino and salad with quinoa ;-) In the meanwhile I am restarting my life in Amsterdam and already have my first job interview planned! For the last few days I will go hunting for the sun and move to the Caribbean side tomorrow (or the day after ;-)). Hope you enjoyed this one-before-last travelblog from Costa Rica and wish you Pura Vida!
Hasta luego y abrazo!
