Vacation is good for the soul. I highly recommend it. After nine feet of snow this past winter, it was necessary to travel somewhere warm, no actually, HOT. If you have a low budget, like us, (and live on the East coast) here is how you do it: search for the place that has the cheapest flights in the Caribbean, book them, and figure out the rest later. Let me save you some work. It's not the Dominican Republic, Jamaica, or Turks and Caicos. I tried those. Puerto Rico is one affordable option. See last year's trip. But, this year we wanted to go somewhere new, and that's when Morgan stumbled upon Costa Rica. He has always wanted to go and with flights under $400, it was a done deal. May couldn't come soon enough. And then it was here.
We chose to go to the Mal Pais / Santa Teresa area, which is on the Nicoya Peninsula.
We chose to go to the Mal Pais / Santa Teresa area, which is on the Nicoya Peninsula.
We chose this mainly because we found a hotel in our Lonely Planet guide book that was rated as a top pick and happened to be having a special: buy 2 nights, get the 3rd free. Hello "rainy" season! (It didn't rain at all while we were there). It was a little more rustic than it appears on the website, but breakfast was included, it had a pool, and the restaurant had ocean views. So, not too shabby.
Because my husband loves riding local busses (and because of the whole low budget thing), we took the 5 hour bus ride from San Jose to Mal Pais. Randomly, I met a guy a couple of months ago that had been to Mal Pais the year before, so he gave me the heads up about the dirt roads and the fact that everyone rides ATVs. Thankfully, the 5 hour bus ride was broken up by a 1 hour ferry ride. It took off right at sunset.
Because my husband loves riding local busses (and because of the whole low budget thing), we took the 5 hour bus ride from San Jose to Mal Pais. Randomly, I met a guy a couple of months ago that had been to Mal Pais the year before, so he gave me the heads up about the dirt roads and the fact that everyone rides ATVs. Thankfully, the 5 hour bus ride was broken up by a 1 hour ferry ride. It took off right at sunset.
So, the first day was long: 2 3-hr flights, a 2-hr bus ride, a 1-hr ferry ride, and another 2-hr bus ride. But we got in at 8:30 pm and the hotel restaurant didn't close until 9, so we headed up a LOT of stairs (our hotel was built into the rainforest hillside across from the beach) to the hotel bar and had some drinks. And some fried yucca balls. And the most amazing plantain chips and guacamole.
We crashed early, which is why I guess I woke up ready to go at 7 am the next day?! First things first: the most important meal of the day.
And a pretty sweet view. This is a real rainforest with monkeys, iguanas, and lizards!
Our neighbor's roof also had an iguana, yikes.
Stairs to our room and the honesty bar and the pool outside our room.
After that, it was pretty much beach, eat, drink, beach, eat, drink, sleep, repeat. If you like beaches and food, you'll enjoy the pictures. Oh, and we learned how to surf.
Artsy beach photo
Amazing lunch spot on the beach: Caracoles
First, we ate their amazing food.
Then we used their comfy hammocks.
Then back to the hotel for sunset drinks at Papaya Lounge.
Caprioska con muddled berries and Caipirinha con maracuya
And the waiter laughed when we asked for a sunset photo. Clearly, everyone asks him that and it does not work. Photography 101..
Smoothies post-surf at an adorable French cafe called Couleur Cafe.
All of the food we ate was so fresh, healthy, and delicious. This is an entree from a restaurant called Pure. Grilled Mahi Mahi with tomato & cucumber couscous inside of zucchini.
More delicious food :)
An entire Red Snapper!
Patacones (fried, smashed plantains) and guacamole - so yum!
Salad topped with sesame-crusted tuna, pineapples, avocado, cucumbers, & tomatoes.
Veggie Tacos - they're so generous with their avocados!
Delicious Fish Tacos from The Bakery.
And delicious drinks :)
Pura Vida
Back in the shade where I belong.
Back to our favorite lunch spot: Caracoles.
A bunch of monkeys chilling in a tree.
Bye bye beach. Off to the city.
Back to the ferry.
But first, snack time.
Sunset and silver lining.
We spent one day in the capital of Costa Rica, San Jose. We perused the Farmers' Market and ate and drank some more before heading back home.
San Jose selfie. Bye bye Costa Rica!