pura vida!

Lush forests, refreshing coconut water, a sleepy volcano, majestic horses and cows that roam freely, what kind of place is this? It’s Costa Rica!

Everyone, I am back with another travel guide and this time it is Costa Rica! I recently visited this very beautiful country with my sister and didn’t know how much I would love my time there! The people, food, vibes, everything was so amazing!

If you haven’t decided or are thinking of visiting Costa Rica, I am here to persuade you to consider this as your next travel destination!

Today I wanted to share what kinds of activities I did and some tips for anyone looking to visit this magical place!

---

outdoor adventures

I’ll be honest, when it comes to trips, I don’t usually take the lead in planning out activities. I just went with whatever Daman had in mind which were some really cool activities!

Daman and I stayed in Liberia, Costa Rice where we realized early on that it’s a must to see their natural beauty. We ended up doing two main outdoor activities which was a hike to the Arenal Volcano and seeing La Fortuna Waterfall. The best part is that these two activities are not too far away from each other.

One of my favorite things I’ve done was horseback riding! It was a first for me, and I had so much fun! I’ll share more details as you keep reading.

*It is up to you on whether you want to book these activities beforehand or on the day of!

Arenal Volcano Hike

The Arenal Volcano is sleeping, which means that although it is dormant, the volcano is still active and can explode anytime! But don’t let this stop you from visiting, because the volcano is truly one of Costa Rica’s main attractions.

We went to the Arenal Volcano 1968 Reserve and once you reach the hiking area, you can choose 3 different trails that each lead to a different view of the volcano. Daman and I chose the yellow trail, and as someone that doesn’t like hikes, this one was fairly easy despite the intense heat.

I was leading the hike and only worried if I were to come face to face with a wild animal, but there were none. Instead, I saw some hardworking ants!

While hiking we walked on the path of the volcano’s eruption that occurred in 1968. The lava from that time left a gray trail that we followed, and the supposed “greenery” near the path are still burnt with black ash till this day. It was eerie and spooky in a way because it was also so quiet around that path, as if all the animals were even frightened to be there.

Once we finally reached the top, it was a stunning sight to see! At times the volcano didn’t even seem real, it was so cool and made me realize how tiny I am in this huge world we live in.

While walking down, you can see the volcano in other pretty angles and at the end of the trail, we reached a cafe where they played live music and had some really delicious food!

tani’s hiking tips:

• wear sunscreen
• bring a metalic water bottle
• mosquite repellent
• a mini handheld fan (which I should have done because it was so hot)
• wear comfy clothes and sneakers

La Fortuna Waterfall

Imagine swimming near a natural waterfall? That’s what you can do at La Fortuna waterfall! I believe it is so much more beautiful in person, I think pictures don’t do it justice.

The way to the waterfall requires going down many flights of stairs, and since you can swim near the waterfall, many people wear their bathing suits.

I just sat near the waterfall on a rock and took in the serenity and beauty of it all with my eyes, but I did dip my feet in the blue water which was very cold! Just be careful because when going in the water, the rocks below are extremely slippery due to algae! Also don’t be a dummy and swim towards the actual waterfall.

You might think that going up the stairs when leaving the waterfall is difficult, but it really wasn’t. Daman and I walked up the steps in 15 minutes and that included little breaks in between.

Food

Something I miss very dearly about Costa Rica is the food!

Everything we had was so delicious no matter where we went! Daman and I mostly went to the local restaurants that was near our hotel.

Usually, it is very safe to walk at night in Costa Rica when you are in a busy area, but I wouldn’t walk at night in the forests though!

I believe the people in Costa Rica are aware that many people travel all over the world to visit, so there were countless souvenir shops and a variety of restaurants around us.

I remember eating a fresh empanada, plantains, and some really amazing pasta! Daman and I also went on the very famous chocolate/coffee tour where we got to learn how coffee and chocolate is naturally made! It was really amazing to see cocoa beans and taste different kinds of chocolates!

Horseback Riding

This had to be my favorite activity on our trip, a horseback riding adventure that takes you atop a valley that overlooks Costa Rica!

I love animals and am always thinking of their wellbeing when I see any around me. The horses that we rode were taken very good care of and were so cute. My horse’s name was Scorpio, and he was so gentle and hardworking!

The guides for the horses were also helpful and kind, I was honestly a bit nervous because I had to lead my horse along the whole journey, but it went well as all of our horses followed each other as the guides were leading the way.

As Scorpio was walking atop the hills, I felt like I was in a movie. The beautiful valleys and the view of the volcano was so magical, I for a second thought I was in a dream.

When we reached the top of the valley, we all had fresh coconut water to hydrate and take in the view. It was especially fun coming down the valley, as all the horses started to run!

Horse-back riding truly is a new favorite activity of mine, and I would definitely add this as a part of your adventure when visiting Costa Rica!

tani’s horse-back riding tips:

• keep your back straight while on horse! You can get back pain if you keep a bad posture.
• remain calm with your horse, if they run or start eating grass randomly just be patient.
• I got a terrible sunburn on my legs after we were done, even though I put on sunscreen! So all I can say is maybe not wear shorts or double up on the sunscreen!
• wear sunglasses!

---

Summary

Overall, I would definitely go to Costa Rica again for its beauty, charm, and amazing vibes. It may seem like Daman and I did many adventurous activities together, but we also took the time to relax.

We went to a spa/resort one day where I got to swim outdoors and had the chance to take a dip in a natural spring within the forest!

I also want to mention that it can be helpful to know some Spanish. We were able to get by with speaking in English sometimes, but knowing a little bit is essential when you go to local areas.

Despite the intense heat, everything was perfect about this trip. I actually haven’t travelled to another country besides India, (and Canada but that doesn’t count) so this was an exciting experience for me.

Initially, I used to feel like I didn’t deserve going to these amazing places, but I realized that life is too short to limit yourself. I went ahead and took this trip with Daman, and I have no regrets at all!

Travelling is a privilege, if you are wondering where you want to visit for serene beauty and peace of mind, I would book a ticket to Costa Rica! What do you think? Let me know in the comments!