A few months ago, I had the pleasure of spending a full week with my friend and her family when I was given the honour of officiating her wedding in Montezuma, Costa Rica. Coming off of several weeks in Northern India with G Adventures, the difference in body language, mannerisms and dress in a Latin country was a bit of a shock.
It was a wonderful week of exploring, boat trips, good food and beautiful scenery. For those interested in the region, I’ve added some tips at the bottom of this post, but the best way to appreciate Costa Rica is just to open your eyes and enjoy the view. And it was quite a view:
More from my week:
Ferry ride from Puntarenas to Paquera:
Iguana and the beach:
Monetzuma’s main drag:
Eye candy, Costa Rica style:
And, off course: food.
A typical Costa Rican breakfast of rice, beans, corn tortillas, fresh cheese, eggs and plantains:
and Huevos Rancheros, beautifully presented with sour cream and tomato sauce, the eggs buried in a tower of tortillas:
Chilis from the central market in San Jose:
Herbert the Crab:
Mushrooms from our Cabo Blanco hike:
Hiking the trail:
Me and urban chickens in San Jose:
La Paz waterfalls near Poas volcano outside of San Jose:
Butterflies in the sanctuary at La Paz waterfall garden:
Herbert the Toucan (yes, I’m now naming all animals Herbert):
And broccoli trees abound outside of San Jose:
For those who are heading to Montezuma:
1. We stayed at El Sano Banano, the sister hotel to the Ylang Ylang resort where the wedding was held. Rooms are reasonable (though keep in mind Costa Rica is expensive relative to other Central American countries) and include a great breakfast and coffee.
2. We ate at Cocolores as well, with huge, delicious portions and a friendly fat cat named Tiger.
3. Open mic night at Organico was a fun evening activity as well (we went on a Monday night), with people spilling out into the street with their beers to listen to the music.
4. If you want to rent an ATV, go to the travel and tour place just above El Sano Banano (across from the park) and ask for Peter. He had the best rates in town and was an incredibly nice guy to boot.
5. Definitely rent a car or ATV and head to Cabo Blanco for hikes in the forest. Quiet, beautiful and really worthwhile. If you drive along to Malpais and Santa Teresa, a good lunch option is Ginger Cafe. They had delicious sandwiches, salads and omelettes and substituted corn tortillas for bread since I’m celiac without issue. Their coffee was also strong and fresh — recommended.
Getting There
Pressed for time? Don’t want to organize all these stops on your own? G Adventures runs small group tours in Costa Rica. Check them out and get inspired to experience amazing.
