Costa Rica has been on my mind for a long time, as has the desire to experience a male adventure. Like every father, I have long dreamed of going on a fascinating journey with my son alone and experiencing something that we could share just the two of us. This thought bothered me, and when the opportunity arose, I decided to implement my idea.
Trip
From Poznań, where Maksymilian studied, it is easy to get to Berlin, so we took a comfortable train to the capital of Germany. We had enough time to talk, which was very important to me.
After a nice evening in the center of Berlin and a night spent there, we went to the airport in the morning. We had an Iberia flight to Madrid, then a quick transfer and the next stage of the journey to the destination airport. The flight from Madrid lasted 11 hours. We took seats in economy class and although we are both large men, we had enough space. The service on board was very nice, there was a good entertainment system and a wide range of movies. As always, I watched it The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel. I highly recommend this movie!
We weren't bored in each other's company, and there was also time for a nap, so the flight passed faster than we expected.
Costa Rica – first impression
In quite good shape and in an excellent mood, we reached San José, the capital of Costa Rica. We stayed for 2 nights at the Costa Rica Marriott San Jose, a very nice hotel with a nice garden and a large swimming pool. You can have a nice time there.
We weren't particularly impressed with the city, but it's worth visiting it with a guide to feel the atmosphere. San José has some architectural gems and an interesting history, but it is nothing special. We continued on our way, not in any way, because we rented GS series motorcycles from BMW San José. Huge fun! In addition, we had great guides, thanks to whom we saw not only wonderful viewing spots, but also volcanoes.
At the end of the day we reached the point where we were transported by 4×4 to Pacuare lodge. The circumstances of the trip were unusual, even unbelievable. It started like something out of a Tarantino movie – an intersection of empty roads with a roadside bar where a few locals sit macho, drinking warm beer of questionable quality. They looked at us searchingly. Of course, nothing terrible happened, we just felt the local atmosphere.
The driver waiting for us, Hosé, smiled happily, revealing his missing teeth. He was nice, but he only spoke Spanish. Even though it is his native language, he has a very limited knowledge of this art. We eagerly got into the Toyota pickup truck and headed out extreme off-road riding, which lasted approximately 30 minutes. When we reached the river, it turned out that this was not the end of the journey. We were dragged over its foamy current in a rather primitive gondola. There wasn't much space in it, so we could only take small luggage. Our suitcases were taken care of by an agent who delivered them to us a few hours later.
Pacuare lodge
Pacuare Lodge is an extremely luxurious place. Guests are accommodated in spacious and very well-kept wooden houses with large terraces with hammocks, with large and comfortable four-poster beds and large safari-style bathrooms with indoor and outdoor showers. What is worth noting, the houses do not have electricity, so the light source is a few candles. Very large windows do not have glass, only mosquito nets, thanks to which you have the feeling of being in the middle of the jungle. You can hear nature, which is alive and very loud. Frogs, birds, ubiquitous lizards, Congo monkeys making threatening noises... As Axl Rose put it fantastically: Welcome to the Jungle! I slept there like a baby.
In Pacuare there is a cuisine that is worth mentioning Jungle Gourmet. Additionally, the lodge has a selection of good wines. In addition beautiful views, closeness to nature, a very nice and competent team, a selection of activities and authenticity – these are the great advantages of this place.
We spent an unforgettable 3 days there. We walked on ropes under waterfalls (the highest was 30 m!), attached to steel ropes we glided between tree branches like Batman or Superman and we wandered a lot in the jungle. A beautiful time, total relaxation and unity with nature! In Pacuare it was exceptional – an authentic adventure, but with a touch of luxury. You can, without giving up comfort, return to the sources, or at least that's the impression. It's great that there are still places like this.
A clash with Costa Rican reality
Check out and return to civilization. Just as? A rushing river. He was waiting for us 4-hour rafting with a picnic break in a charming place. Another challenge eagerly accepted. Slowly but surely we were getting closer to civilization. At one point Maks asked:
- Can you smell that exhaust smell?
In fact, there was a busy road nearby. During these 3 days, our nostrils and lungs became accustomed to this feeling. We breathed completely fresh, unpolluted air. Such a clash with civilization gives food for thought...
Our rafting ended in Siquirres. We reached the base and took a shower. The men with the car we had rented earlier were already waiting. Toyota Land Cruiser is the perfect choice for those roads! With batteries charged with positive energy and armed with a good GPS, we set off to Areal. We had to cover about 200 km, which unfortunately took us almost 5 hours. The roads in Costa Rica are chaos and there are heavy traffic jams, but the quality of the road surface leaves much to be desired in some places.
After covering the first part of the road quite smoothly, we had to stop. Jam. People here are impatient and the road is narrow, with ditches on both sides. Despite this, overtaking began. Suddenly it turned out that a two-lane road can accommodate a large American truck, two pick-ups, an off-road vehicle and 4 motorcycles, all moving in one direction. As you can easily guess, the drivers from the opposite direction also started moving. The situation is stalemate. Fortunately, the temper here does not manifest itself in any severe form and eventually someone gave in. From there everything went smoothly.
A bit of relaxation
We arrived in Tabacon around 20 p.m. We were to spend the night at the Nayara Springs Hotel, where, as it turned out, it was simply magical! Very nice staff, great atmosphere and beautiful gardens. Even the basic rooms were impressive, not to mention the suites with swimming pools! Plus a unique Wine Club that you didn't want to leave. Maks especially liked the sushi bar, so we ordered a roll there. They were really delicious! We then went to another restaurant for our main meal, also very tasty. Satiated and happy, after the shower we fell asleep like little children. It was a very interesting day, ending in an extraordinary place.
The last days spent in the jungle had taken a toll on us, so after a hearty breakfast we decided to relax. Although Nayara offers a very nice and well-equipped SPA center, I knew there was something even better nearby. We went to the Tabacon Hotel, which was only 3 minutes away by car. Local The SPA, worthy of the best hotels in the world, is located outdoors, in a lush, fragrant garden with a huge space. It has a unique water park with hot springs for everyone and all ages. The park is also crossed by mini rivers with cascades. I couldn't believe that it was a real river, artificially divided into branches, especially since the water temperature was 40-44 degrees Celsius!
Papagayo Peninsula
From rainy Tabacon we went towards the Papagayo Peninsula. The journey by rented car took us about 5 hours. GPS worked well, so there was no chance of getting lost. However, huge traffic and constant traffic jams can be tiring.
About an hour's drive from Arenal, we visited quite an attraction suspension bridges over the rainforest in Mistico Park. There are 5 different routes for those interested, with the longest one taking about 2 hours. Of course, we chose the longest one and, thanks to our guide, despite the heavy rain, it was a very interesting experience.
Papagayo it a privatized peninsula with luxury villas, a golf course and two great hotels. It is worth emphasizing that we have changed the climate zone here. From the central part, which is rainy most of the year, we moved to the dry part, where rainfall is not too heavy and occurs mainly from May to August. In addition, they are not all-day long, but rather sudden and short-lived. During the period we were there, in the evening the temperature dropped to around 30 degrees Celsius, and during the day it exceeded this limit.
The hotels I mentioned are Hyatt Andaz 5*, where we spent 1 night, and Four Seasons 5*LUX, where we had the opportunity to stay for 2 nights. The closest to Papagayo is the international airport in Liberia, only about 30 minutes.
Hyatt Andaz
The lobby at the Andaz hotel at the entrance arouses great emotions! We got there after dark, which combined with the light illumination gives us a beautiful view a spectacular impression of entering another world. The hotel staff is cheerful and always tries to remember the individual preferences of customers.
The hotel is located directly by the sea, so you can reach the beautiful beach in just 5 minutes by car. The beach is intimate, sandy and covered with small trees, so a bit like on a lake. There is also plenty of beneficial shade there. Another advantage of Andaz are 3 fantastic swimming pools with beautiful views, good cuisine and luxurious rooms and suites, all with windows overlooking the ocean. The attractive spa has a private area for adults with a fantastic swimming pool and ocean views. Moreover, there is an 18-hole golf course nearby. The hotel also has a very nice bar with a sea view and live music. Definitely luxurious, but casual. It's worth mentioning that it's also slightly cheaper than the neighboring Four Seasons.
Four Seasons Resort Costa Rica
After a pleasant day in the charming Andaz, we went to the hotel Four Seasons (approx. 10 minutes by car). It is located at the end of a peninsula, which is maybe 200 m at its narrowest point. There are very nice beaches on both sides of the hotel. The windward side has excellent conditions for water sports. The second beach is windless, calm, with a very gentle descent to the warm ocean. It is separated from the hotel by a green zone maybe 10 m wide, with trees providing a soothing shade. There are happy monkeys playing around, but you have to be careful because they can look into your bags.
The hotel has 3 restaurants and a bar. In three, three-story buildings there are rooms of one standard, with large balconies. You can also stay in one of the beautiful villas with 1, 2 or 3 bedrooms, each with spectacular views. There is the previously mentioned 18-hole golf course next to the hotel.
El Silencio Lodge&Spa
After leaving the Four Seasons, we headed back to the rainy zone for the final leg of the journey. We planned to spend the night before departure in the rainforest, in the unique El Silencio Lodge&Spa, picturesquely located by the river. Guests can enjoy comfortable and tastefully furnished apartments in detached houses. The bathrooms are additionally equipped with a jacuzzi located on the outdoor terrace and indoor and outdoor showers.
The quality of food is very important there. There is a large vegetable garden and 4 small ponds with trout swimming in them. Crystal clear water affects the quality of meat. I have never eaten such delicious trout! In addition, "happy chickens"whose life purpose is to cluck and lay eggs. There is also a very nice SPA on the property.
Interesting fact: this is the first hotel in Central America belonging to a prestigious chain Relais & Chateaux.
Costa Rica – summary
After a fantastic, but unfortunately only one night, we went to the airport in San José. The ride took us just over 1 hour. And that's how our Costa Rican adventure ended. We came back happy, richer with new impressions and experiences. We saw amazing, beautiful places in such a distant and yet close country, a place created for tourism. Costa Rica made a huge impression on us.
What is more important, however, is that this time spent together has brought us even closer. I don't have to guess how my son will answer the question who his best friend is. He knows he is mine too. This trip will remain in our memory forever, as a shared, men's adventure. And we are already planning the next one!
Author: Marek Mazur
