Costa Rica: Ocean Waves & Sunsets

Early in 2019 I decided I wanted to go on a trip somewhere. With my best friend still in school, my best bet was to go solo. I figured a great way would be to go with a tour group. After browsing a few, I decided on GAdventures. My mom knew someone who said they were a good company. From there after browsing dozens of trips that all sounded incredible, I finally decided on Costa Rica! 

Over the eight days I kept a journal of my adventures. I tried to cut some of the less interesting details out but the final product still ended up being quite long. I have my post organized by day and labelled where I was on what days...

Day 1 (San Jose): After spending the night in the Montreal airport I was more than ready to be on my way. At 0715 I was off to country number six!

The plane landed at around 1200 Costa Rica time. Going through customs went quite smoothly. It appeared that my plane was the only one to land at this time. Security asked a few questions such as; what is your profession, where are you going, where are you staying, how long are you staying? After that I was through and onto picking up my bag and finding my drive. I had prepaid for hotel transport through GAdventures. There was an employee in a purple adventures shirt and she had a purple rimmed whiteboard sign with my name on it. Not purchasing the transport would not have been much of a problem. I was asked if needed a taxi every couple of feet. 

The drive took about 30 minutes. I was lucky not to arrive during rush hour. My drive was very friendly and had lived in Toronto for a few years. He told me a but about the country and as we got closer to the hotel location, pointed out a market area, shopping mall, and market.

I was still tired from all the travel, so I relaxed a bit in my room until my roomate (also from Canada) arrived a little after 1600. As the group meeting was not until 1900, we decided to explore a little. We walked up to the nearby shopping centre for a bit until settling down at the Starbucks across from out hotel. 

At 1900 we all met in a sitting room at the hotel. Our group leader had us introduce ourselves, say what we were most excited for, what we do, and our favourite animal. I was a little surprised but happy that my roommate and I were the only Canadians. Our group of 14 was comprised of people from Canada, USA, UK, Denmark, Switzerland, India, and Australia. A very diverse group. We were then treated with some very fresh melon.

Afterwards we went to a sports bar for a bite to eat and drinks before settling down for bed. 

Day 2 (San Jose-> La Fortuna): With an early start we were up and on the road for 0700 and on our way to La Fortuna. I was very excited to be on the road as this would be my first time seeing a rainforest.

Our first stop was at a restaurant for breakfast  where I tried the traditional rice and beans. Soon after we were on our way again. Our tour leader shared some information about Costa Rica such as; the biodiversity of the country has recently increased from 5 to 6%. Which is amazing for such a small country. We also learned that Costa Rica uses 95% renewable energy. 

The drive to La Fortuna was very scenic, especially while driving through the cloud forest. We passed through a lot of farmland with cattle and coffee fields. 

10-15 minutes before we would arrive at the hostel, we stopped near a river where we could see people swimming and jumping into the water via “Tarzan swing”. We took some pictures and enjoyed the views before continuing on.

As we were too early for check in at the hostel, they allowed us to store our bags in a locked room. Our tour leader went over some of the activities around La Fortuna. With so many options such as; white water rafting, wildlife tours, paddle boarding, kayaking, hanging bridges, etc,  it was very difficult to decide what to do. I wanted to do everything! 

The plan for the rest of today was to go on a hike near the Arenal Volcano and finish off at the hot springs. As the bus was not picking us up until 1500, we ventured out for a little tour of the town. It reminded me a lot of Banff with the small town buildings and Volcano/mountain seen clearly down the middle of the main street.

Then at 1500 we were on the way to Arenal National Park. In what seemed like a random location, our bus pulled over to the side of the road. No one understood why until our tour guide with a smile told us he had spotted a sloth! So out we went to try to spot it. The sloth was very high up in the tree. I have no idea how our tour guide spotted it. My phone was not able to zoom very well so I was glad I had brought my digital camera. I got a fairly decent picture. Our tour guide also allowed us to look through his binoculars to get a clearer view of the sloth. It was very exciting, I had come to Costa Rica not expecting to see one and yet here I was seeing one on day two!

At the volcano we ventured on our hike. This was not a hike to the top of the volcano, just along some black lava rocks and up towards a better view of the volcano itself. A sign stated that the volcano had last erupted in 1968. Unfortunately for us, the clouds were covering the top. It was still a very beautiful site and still very cool to see an active volcano in real life. Once we returned to the bottom we were treated to some fresh pineapple. For someone who does not like pineapple, it was very good. A lot more fresh and flavourful than what you find in Canada. 

We then completed another trail through the jungle and back to the beginning of the park. The trail had some beautiful forest views. I was not able to capture any pictures as the sun had already begun to set. 

Once everyone was changed into bathing suits we drove up the road to the hotspring. My initial thought of “hotspring” was a resort type area. Instead we went to the side of the road and walked down to the river naturally heated by the volcano. Our tour leader said he knew some good spots we could all sit. Once we found a location for all of us we sat around, lit some candles, had a volcanic ash face mask and relaxed in the water.

After a few hours we returned to the hostel to rest up for another exciting day. 

Day 3 (La Fortuna): Today most of us had a quick breakfast at the hostel hotel. I had a mango/passionfruit smoothie.

At 0840 myself and three others from my group departed to go white water rafting. I was quite excited to do so. This was one activity I was really looking forward to as I had never done it before.

The river we went to was only about 30 minutes or so up the road. Once there we got our life jackets and paddles, and were instructed on the commands we would be given once on the water such as; forward, left back, right back, paddle left, right, and get down. 

Then we were off. It was so much fun! So hard to describe if someone has never done it. The only thing keeping yourself aboard is yourself. Sitting on a side we had to put our inside foot heel in the corner and place the outer foot into a strap more on the inside. A couple of times I fell into the boat (thankfully not out of the boat). Once the river calmed, they allowed me to sit at the front of the raft. It was like I was the mermaid at the head of a pirate ship. Then three of us jumped into the water and enjoyed being swept down river alongside our raft. The scenery was absolutely stunning. I wish I could have taken pictures. Floating downstream reminded me of the Jungle Book, though a very different country. We even saw another sloth!  Soon after hopping back into the raft we stopped nearby for some watermelon and pineapple. We then finished off the adventure with some more rapids.

I learned that waterproof hiking shoes was not a very good idea. They worked just as well at keeping water in as keeping water out. I now know for next time.

On the way back to La Fortuna we stopped at a farm for a buffet lunch. They served us coffee as well, which I did try despite not being a coffee drinker. I heard Costa Rica was known for their coffee so I figured I might as well try it. My group mates said it was quite good, still not good enough to convert me to a coffee drinker.

The tour guide then took us around back to look at some medicinal plants and spearmint plants. We saw a line of giant caterpillars going down a tree in a line. We were told that this is so they appear like a snake to ward off predators.

Afterwards we got to see how sugar cane juice is produced and got to try some. This was actually my second time trying sugar cane juice, my first time being in Laos. 

Back at the hostel I participated in some yoga with my fellow Canadian. It was a bit tiring to do after a morning of white water rafting. It had started to rain at this time which added to a relaxing atmosphere. 

Our group then met a 1800 with our group leader and he taught us how to Salsa dance. Despite my protests I ended up participating. I guess it was kind of fun to learn considering the only dancing I like is DDR.

We then ate at Nanku. It was really cool when someone bought a steak. They brought it out on a steaming plate, poured oil over it and lit it on fire! I had never seen anything like it. I should have ordered a steak.

Afterwards it was bed for myself. 

Day 4 (La Fortuna -> Santa Teresa): With another early start we were on the road by 0630. The plan was to stop for a quick bite to eat and be on the way to catch the 1100 ferry.

The restaurant we stopped at had a nice little garden in the back with flowers planted to spell phrases such as “Pura Vida” and “Yo “heart” Costa Rica”. We got a group photo with the gadventures flag in front of the “Pura Vida”. The garden went up at a slant and the view from the top was very beautiful. 

The ferry was a lot bigger than I had expected. It allowed vehicles to park underneath. Similar to the NS-PEI ferry but not quite as big. Myself and a few others sat in the shade at a table on the top floor. It would be about an hour before reaching the other side.  The ferry had some stores to purchase food and drink if so desired.

Once landed, it would be another hour and a half to reach Santa Teresa. The bus to pick us up on the other side was a lot smaller than our previous one. Two group members had to go in a separate vehicle. It was a tight fit over some bumpy roads. We passed some time playing I-Spy and playing Disney music.

We arrived at our new hostel around 1430. The girls got to stay in a giant lounge type room that had a kitchen area, couches, library area, and a bathroom attached. There were two separate rooms with bunk beds fitting six and four people. At the time we thought the room was private but after we left we discovered that the kitchen was actually communal! We had been telling people to leave when we noticed them in our room.

After a quick meeting going over the plans for tomorrow we were off to the beach! The water was so warm. I was shocked at how warm. There are some beautiful beaches in Nova Scotia, but I can not enjoy them as the water makes my limbs numb. I was able to go straight in the water with no hesitation. The waves were really fun. The only time I had seen waves so big were artificial ones at Typhoon Lagoon. With the water at my waist the waves were going way over my head. I spent quite a long time swimming in the waves and trying to swim with them. 

Afterwards myself and a small group relaxed and watched the beautiful sunset. Despite living in a coastal province, it was my first time watching a beach sunset. It was a wonderful way to end a busy day of travelling.

Day 5 (Santa Teresa): A group of us had decided to go to Isla Tortuga to go snorkeling. This had been another activity I was excited to do. I had only ever been snorkeling in Disney, never with fish in their natural habitat! Despite Tortuga not being the Tortuga from the Pirates of the Carribbean movies, I was still excited to explore another new part of Costa Rica. 

The group of us took a bus to a little beach town called Montezuma. From there we met with other people participating in the snorkeling and hopped aboard a speed boat.

It was a very hot day, thankfully the boat had cover from the sun. Once we started going the wind took away some of the heat. We got some nice coastal views along the way. Some beautiful sandy beaches. We even passed a waterfall, that we were told you could walk to. When we were almost to Isla Tortuga we spotted some bottlenose dolphins! They stopped the boat so we could watch them play in the water. I was too slow to get a picture of them but a group member managed to get a decent shot. Another first to add to my experiences in Costa Rica: my first time seeing dolphins!

On our way again we stopped at a rock formation known as “Rainbow Rock” for its arc like shape. Soon after we were there. After dropping of supplies they took us to the first of two snorkeling locations. 

We spent 30 minutes at each location. The first being more sandy and the second having a more rocky terrain. The water was not the clearest but it still very cool to see the fish. I dove down a few times to get some better views. One of the guides dove down as well and would bring up sea life for us to see such as; starfish, sand dollars, and even a puffer fish! He also showed us where a sunken boat was. I dove down to see it. I found I was unable to go very deep before my ears hurt from the pressure. 

At the second location, we were told if we were lucky we may be able to see some reef sharks. One of the guides dove down to try to find some and bring them out from under the rocks, as thats where they would be sleeping. No such luck, the water was not clear enough for us to see them. 

We then went onto Isla Tortuga where we were treated to some lunch. I had the chicken fillet. Like everything else in Costa Rica, it was very good. 

While most of my group members went to lie down on the beach I went to explore a bit. The island was not that big so it did not take me that long. I just liked to be up and moving. I did find a very good souvenir shop where I managed to pick something up for my brother. I also got a couple things for myself. 

With my exploring done, I joined my friends and sat down to read before we would be picked up at 1500.

Now back in Santa Teresa, the plan for the night was to have a bonfire. We went out to eat first at a Taco place. I had a nutella crepe (reminded me of Quebec). 

At the beach, we used our phones as lights as the sun sets very early (around 1730). We collected some sticks and logs to use as fuel. You could see so many stars. It was really quite amazing. Back home I would have to go specifically to a dark sky reserve to see so many stars. It really was a wonderful way to end a day.

Day 6 (Santa Teresa): Once again, another early start. Myself and the three others doing the surf lessons were picked up at 0700. 

As the beach outside our hostel was a bit extreme for beginners (though my new friend from Australia pointed out the ones here still were not the biggest he had seen), we went a little ways up the road to a beach with smaller waves.

The instructors taught us how to get on the board on the sand. We laid down on our stomachs, with our toes in the sand we would push up to a plank like position, place our back foot up in a 90 degree angle and then the front foot further in front at a 45 degree angle. Once we got the hang of that it was on to the waves!

After a few tries I was eventually able to stand up on the board. I was quite proud of myself. I had only tried surfing one other time and I had not been able to stand up. It took a few more times after that to be able to stay up longer. There are so many things to remember, I found myself doing one thing at a time at first. In the end I was almost making it to the shore on my surfboard.

After the two hours of lessons we sat down for some fresh pineapple and then headed back to the hostel. It had started to rain at this time. Our lesson ended at the right time. 

When the rain let up, we went to have some brunch. The roads in Santa Teresa are all dirt, so with the rain the dirt roads turned to mud. It was very difficult to walk in flip flops and the mud ended up all up the back of our legs. 

Later on when the others joined us we headed out to the infinity pool. The pool was located up a hill so it allowed us a very sublime view of the ocean. The perfect place to view a sunset. When you go you pay a tab of 25 USD and then you can order drinks and food. Across the pool we could see monkeys playing around in the trees. Not something you see in Canada! From the rain earlier it was not the clearest sunset but we still had a fun time hanging out around the pool. 

The plan afterwards was for everyone to go out for Reggae night. I initially was thinking of joining as it was the last night of our entire group together. They did not end up leaving until 2330 so I decided to stay in. I was planning on being home soon after 2400, so I did not see the point in myself going so late. I wished everyone else a fun night and stayed in with two others who also decided not to go. 

Day 7 (Santa Teresa -> San Jose): With the bus not picking us up until 1200, many of us spent the morning enjoying some last minute beach time and the waves. With check out time at 1100 we ended up going back a bit earlier to pack and store our bags. I then chilled by the pool. 

When the bus came to pick us up we said our goodbyes to a friend who was staying a bit longer in Santa Teresa. The bus was an hour or so to the ferry which was once again another hour. After landing, we took some taxis to the bus station. It was a quick drive, only 5-10 minutes. This time we would be on a public bus. It was a double decker with luggage storage along the bottom. Before jumping on the bus we said goodbye to another two friends. Our group was dropping quickly one by one.  

The bus itself was comfortable and had storage above if needed. The ride was quicker than I had expected, we were in San Jose by 1900. From there we took the taxis once again to the hotel where our journey had first started. After storing our luggage in our rooms our tour leader took us out to find something to eat. The restaurant was really neat. It was almost like an outside cafeteria. There were places to sit on the main level, downstairs, and upstairs. Once we found a place for us all to sit, you could choose from a few different places to order. They gave you a buzzer so you could return to the table. Once the buzzer went off, you could return to the place you ordered from and pick up your food. I got a meat lovers pizza. As some people were leaving early tomorrow we made our goodbyes and gave our tour leader a thank you card. With everyone so tired from the long day of travel, we went to bed.

Day 8 (San Jose): I woke up early, so I decided to make sure all of my bags were packed and ready to go. My flight was not until 2320, but I wanted to make sure I was good to go. Soon after I noticed a two group members post in our group chat that they were heading out for breakfast. Myself and one other decided to join them. We ended up finding a cute little cafe that was kind enough to open a little early for us. We said some more goodbyes to the two of them as their flight was early today.

By 1100 we all had to check out. The hotel was kind enough to let us store our bags in a locked room. Now our group was down to five. The five of us went out to eat at an Indian restaurant where I tried a lot of new food I probably otherwise would not have tried on my own. 

After the meal, our little group was down to four. For such a big city it did not seem like there was much to do. Even our tour leader did not have much to recommend. We decided on walking to a market to see if there was anything souvenir worthy. The walk there was not the most scenic. Not many picture worthy shots. At the market there was not much to look at either. Maybe there were others that were nicer and we just picked the wrong one, I am not sure. We did not spend long at the market before trying to find a place to sit. On the map it showed a Central Park, so we headed there. For a park there was not much green space and it was quite crowded. We found a place to sit on the ground and tried to figure out what to do next. We thought maybe a movie. We ordered an uber and headed for the mall that was just up the street from our hotel. We soon learned that there were no English movies or with English subtitles until later, so that idea was out. We walked around the mall for a while looking around at some of the stores. We then spotted an arcade. We bought some coins and played some games for a while. We won ourselves 273 tickets. Which bought us a pack of cards and a balloon. Satisfied with our winnings we decided to head back to the hotel. First we stopped by a market store for some snacks. Unfortunately our balloon did not survive the trip. It was “accidently” broken. 

So until our taxis arrived to take us to the airport we sat around and played cards and chatted a bit. I had booked my airport transport through GAdventures so I had to go alone. The three others left before me around 1900. I was to join them soon after with my taxi at 1950. 

Soon after boarding my plane it was adios to Costa Rica.

Bonus: 16 hours in Toronto: My flight was an overnight one and got me to Toronto just before 0600. While I was back in Canada I still was not home. With a 16 hour layover I decided to do a bit of exploring. This would be my third time in Toronto so I was not worried about hitting the really touristy spots. However I had seriously underestimated how cold it would be and there were warnings of a snow storm hitting Toronto today (just my luck). My first stop was to a Tim Hortons for a little breakfast and hot chocolate to warm up. From there I went across the street to the Eaton Centre. A warm building to figure out what to do now that my initial plans were being spoiled by the cold and snow. 

I ended up going to the Adidas store and with the black Friday sales still going on, I was able to get a good deal for a Christmas gift. For myself I got some socks, t-shirts, and a hot topic exclusive Gandalf funko pop from Hot Topic (as we do not have one in Nova Scotia). After that I decided I should leave the mall before I ended up spending too much money. The decorations in the mall were nice though, giant deer and a huge tree that was three stories high. 

While the used book store I wanted to go to was too far away to walk with all the snow and slush on the ground, I looked up a closer one on the map. Of course it was closed. So I tried to find another one. My map was being finicky so no such luck in finding it. Going around in circles I decided to at least find the Toronto sign, which I did not remember being there my last two visits. Finally with some success I found it. If it was not so cold I could have spent some time ice skating. The gloves I brought were only thin and I could feel my fingers going numb. I elected head back to the airport. 

I love how easy getting to and from the airport is. Just jump on the train and it takes you straight to downtown in 25 minutes.

I spent the remainder of my time chilling in the lounge watching the Mandalorian and watching the updates continue to delay my flight. At least I got to wait in comfort, I suppose.