Costa Rica August 14–21: Sloths, Switchbacks, and Pura Vida

August 14: Airports, a Rental Car That Was Not It, and a Walmart Run

We left Las Vegas at 10 am and had a smooth flight to Houston. We had an hour layover, found some BBQ, and then jumped on the next plane to San Jose, Costa Rica. It was easy and quick to get through border patrol, then we grabbed some cash and our bags. We had to throw all the bags through an X-ray and then headed out to find the shuttle for our rental car.

We waited about 20 minutes and arrived at MEX Rentals. We were provided with a white Isuzu SUV that had seen better days. There wasn’t a single part of the car that didn’t have damage. The key fob didn’t work and we had to use the key manually. It was their only 4x4, so we hesitantly loaded our bags. Then they pointed out the gas gauge being on E and that was the final straw. We decided not to accept it. We weren’t venturing to a gas station as our first stop at 9 pm after traveling a good chunk of the day in a country we had never been to.

Luckily there was a competitor rental car place on site and we got quotes while the previous company called their manager. MEX offered us a newer 4x4 and could have it there in 20 minutes. They refused a refund because the machine was “off.” After 24 minutes, the new car arrived and we loaded our stuff. It was newer, had some cameras, and a key fob that worked. The only downside was tinted side windows that were impossible to see out of at night. We had to roll them down to see.

We decided to stop at a Walmart in another country since it was on the way to the hotel and we needed some supplies. It was a Walmart that you entered on the second floor with parking below it. They don’t provide bags and it had an Aldi/Costco warehouse feel. We grabbed our items and waited in a crazy long line to check out.

We then headed to Melrost Bed and Breakfast and checked in easily. The room was basic but clean and we had A/C and two beds. The water was hot but the pressure was uneven. The bed was comfortable enough and they provide a free breakfast of fresh fruit, juice, eggs, and toast. The only real downside was the paper-thin walls, but luckily it was mostly quiet overnight. It was only $56, so I can’t complain too much.

August 15: Church Ruins, a River Buffalo Show, and the Best Sloth Tour

We started the morning at 7 am with the free breakfast and it was pretty good. We packed and got on the road.

Our first stop was Cartago Ruins: the remains of the Santiago Apóstol Parish. First built in the 1500s, it was destroyed multiple times by earthquakes. Construction of a larger church in the late 1800s was abandoned after the 1910 quake, leaving the unfinished stone ruins that still stand today in Cartago’s central plaza.

The plaza was beautiful and a quick stop. It was easy to locate and had parking across the street, which was free since it was a holiday, Mother’s Day.

Right down the street was Basílica de Nuestra Señora de los Ángeles. It was first built in 1639 on the site where a small statue of the Virgin Mary was discovered. After repeated earthquake damage, it was rebuilt in 1924 in its current Byzantine-Romanesque style and remains Costa Rica’s most important Catholic pilgrimage site. It was a pretty large church with a rotunda outside that spirals down and back up to a blessed spring. Inside were several worshippers and lovely stained glass windows.

Afterward we attempted to find Ruinas de Ujarrás but it was a bad map location and we didn’t find it. We also didn’t put forth a lot of effort, but beware.

We continued on toward Centro Turístico Las Tilapias. Along the way our car gave us the low fuel reminder at 132 km to empty. It scared the shit out of us because of the obnoxious beeping and message, but then we realized we still had 132 km and stopped freaking out since we had way less than that to our next stop in a major town.

We stopped and got gas, then continued on to the restaurant near Siquirres. The restaurant was open air and had a river view. We also received a bit of a show from a water buffalo swimming and laying down in the water. He or she was cute and entertaining to watch.

I had shrimp rice and it came with French fries. It was alright. Our total for two meals and nonalcoholic drinks was roughly $26. The place actually got rather busy with families and most were locals despite the name.

Afterward we headed through Limón to Santuario de Perezosos de Costa Rica. The posted hours on Google Maps were 3 pm, the sign outside said 2 pm, and we arrived at 2:30 pm. It appeared busy, so we went to reception and found out they still had a 3 pm tour.

We paid $30 per person. Our guide was Santiago and he had real enthusiasm for what he did. He answered all our questions and had excellent English. We toured with another family, so he would explain the stories of the sloths to them and answer their questions, then he would do the same for us in English. Normally this would annoy me, but I had animals to stare at and trust me, you kind of want the extra time with sloths that move very infrequently.

We weren’t able to pet them, but Santiago did get some photos for us inside the fence. We also heard the backstory on each sloth and learned a lot about the animals in general. It was an excellent experience.

They also had a gift shop full of unique sloth items and it benefits the sanctuary, so even if you just love animals and don’t want to pay for the tour, consider buying a souvenir.

We spent a little over an hour on the tour and then wandered the gift shop a bit. From there we headed to Limón to check into the Airbnb, a two-bedroom apartment. The best part was the greeter, a sweet little dog named Rosita.

Our host was communicative and the apartment was decorated beautifully with A/C in each bedroom. The place was clean and we had a fridge and freezer. We planned to remain here for two nights, so it would be a nice little retreat.

After we got settled we decided to eat at Plaza Gastronomica Bay Park. It was about a four-minute drive and had parking across the street. Inside is an open-air plaza with four restaurants. You can order from all of them, so we ordered shrimp gyoza and a seafood platter.

The food wasn’t life changing and the seafood platter took about 30 minutes. The service was pretty good. The downside is you pay each vendor separately. The gyoza was $10 and the seafood and drink were $32.

If nightlife is your thing, they were getting ready to have some music and right down the street was a place called El Patio which was hopping. We decided to retire for the night and get an early start the following day.

Wide view of the Santiago Apóstol church ruins in Cartago with open plaza in front and mountains in the distance
Fountain sculpture in Cartago plaza near the ruins with palm trees and bright blue sky.
Front exterior of Basílica de Nuestra Señora de los Ángeles in Cartago with ornate white façade and statues against a blue sky.
Water buffalo standing in a green river near the roadside restaurant outside Siquirres.
Entrance area of the Sloth Sanctuary in Limón with open gravel lot and buildings.
Close-up of a sloth hanging from a branch inside an enclosure.
Interior garden courtyard inside the Cartago ruins with manicured hedges, flowers, and tall stone walls.
Arched stone corridor and garden path inside the Cartago ruins with tropical plants.
Historic stone walls and arched windows of the Santiago Apóstol church ruins surrounded by lawn and flowers.
Interior of the basilica showing wooden ceiling, marble columns, altar, and rows of pews.
Calm river surrounded by dense tropical trees near Centro Turístico Las Tilapias.
Sloth resting on a wooden platform with leaves at the rescue center.
Sloth looking up with mouth slightly open while perched on a wooden beam.
Sunlit stone archway inside the Santiago Apóstol ruins with greenery and blue sky beyond.
Small garden nook with picnic table framed by ivy-covered stone arch inside the Cartago ruins.
Colorful stained glass window inside Basílica de Nuestra Señora de los Ángeles depicting a religious scene.
Plate of shrimp rice served with French fries, salad, and a drink at the open-air restaurant.
Sloth lying on green grass behind a fence at the sanctuary.
Portrait of a sloth’s face inside the rescue enclosure.
Sloth climbing along the side of its habitat structure at the sanctuary.

August 16: Coffee + Chocolate, A Crowded Tour, and Puerto Viejo Finds

We got on the road at 6:30 am. Our first stop was Caribeans Chocolate and Coffee. I had an egg, cheese, and ham omelette, a cold chocolate drink, and a cinnamon roll. Everything was delicious and the staff was delightful. They had a few places to park in front plus street parking. It’s open air with some tables. You can also do chocolate tours and or buy chocolate here. They also have high-quality shirts and coffee available to drink or purchase, whole beans or ground.

Afterward we headed to the Jaguar Center. When we arrived there were only a few groups of people. Our car got a bit boxed in and we needed to make a decision. We decided to do the tour. They offer two tours daily in Spanish, English, French, and German. We decided to bite the bullet and pay $56 for two adults.

We had about 25 minutes to wait and boy did the place fill up. The French tour even sold out. They set a maximum of 22 per language and then divide into smaller groups. We sadly were divided unevenly and we got the group with three extra people, which was problematic for seeing the animals.

Our tour guide had little experience with crowd control, so some people stood in front of the animals for the entire duration of the stop, and one of the rules was that we weren’t allowed to linger. It was an unenjoyable aspect of the experience. I also didn’t want to push my way up.

Some exhibits were big enough for everyone, but if the animal wasn’t where you were standing, then good luck.

The guide tells you the reason each animal is there and they had a bigger array of animals: crocodile, stork, toucans, macaws, sloths, snakes, etc. No big cats.

They also have an animal hospital onsite and they receive animals daily. This area is off limits and I understand since the plan is to release as many as they can into the wild. The “residents” are not safe to return. These are the animals that you get to see and hear the backstory on.

Our guide was verbose and talked a lot. This just wasn’t my favorite experience, probably even more so after the intimate visit at the sloth sanctuary. The tour was about 1.5 hours, and the first 15 minutes were kind of a lecture and introduction period. It just didn’t feel natural. The end was a speech about tipping.

I will say the gift shop had some unique finds, so kind of cool to see. We rushed out since we didn’t expect to spend two hours there.

We headed to Manzanillo. It’s an old historic fishing town. It had nice beach access and was less busy than Puerto Viejo. We walked around a bit but it really is a place to just come to the beach. It also seems to be a hot spot for locals and few tourists. It did have mini marts and restaurants, but we planned to eat the rice and beans that were recommended twice to us in Puerto Viejo.

We drove back north and stopped at Casa Mandala, which was a good home décor and clothing store. It featured art from local artists and although I didn’t buy anything, it did have unique stuff and was well worth the quick stop. They had a parking lot right next to it, so it was super easy.

We headed back to Puerto Viejo and the difficult task was finding parking. Parking in this country appears to have one rule: avoid the very few no parking signs and don’t block gates, driveways, or artisan stalls.

After finding a spot on a side street we headed up the road and found Cocomar Comida Caribeña. We decided to get the lobster meal and you know I got the side of rice and beans. Everything was good, although the rice reminded me of southern-style rice and beans back in the States.

This is a small restaurant and although it wasn’t busy when we arrived, all the tables were occupied by the time we left. The staff was wonderful and we enjoyed the experience.

Afterward we hit a series of shops. We had Bambu Store and Tienda Del Mar on our list. Bambu was clothing focused and Tienda Del Mar was art themed. I found a funky little outdoor hanging fish candle holder in beautiful colors that I just loved, so I made it mine.

If you walk a bit further southwest, there are artisan stalls set up selling mostly jewelry and simple beaded items.

We walked back toward the car and stopped at Bread & Chocolate for a slice of chocolate cake. I also had a homemade lemonade. Both were delicious and well worth it.

Then we left town and headed for Playa Blanca. We pulled off the side street and discovered traffic, a road blocked by barricades, and the other road blocked by parked cars. The streets had a ton of pedestrians and people dressed in costumes that appeared to be for dance troupes. We aborted the mission and the chaos.

We drove about 1.7 miles up the road, pulled off on a dirt road, and headed to Playa Negra. This was a relatively secluded beach with gorgeous views. The sand was soft and it was peaceful.

After sweating most of the day we headed back to the apartment and regrouped before setting out for dinner at Sol Mar. I ordered pasta with shrimp and lobster. My friend ordered something else and it was the oddest meal of the trip, or any trip for that matter.

My friend got her food and finished it completely. We asked about mine and they said it was coming from another kitchen and needed more time. It finally arrived about 45 minutes after I ordered. Luckily it was very good in a buttery sauce.

I will say the service was pretty prompt and the view was beautiful since we were right on the water.

FYI: the pasta and pizza are a separate kitchen than the meats and other items. Just be prepared not to eat together if you order from both. It was not communicated to us and caused the confusion.

We returned to the apartment, relaxed, showered, and went to bed.

Large sloth statue at the entrance of Caribeans Chocolate and Coffee in Puerto Viejo.
Crocodiles resting along the edge of a green pond at the Jaguar Rescue Center.
Interior wall mural at Cocomar Comida Caribeña with diners seated at tables.
Rustic coffee counter and pastry bar inside Caribeans Chocolate and Coffee.
Sloth relaxing in a hammock-style platform inside an enclosure at the rescue center.
Sandy beach in Manzanillo with gentle waves, rocks, and tree shade along the shoreline.
Agouti standing on a dirt path inside the wildlife rescue property.
Small colorful wooden building in Manzanillo along the roadside.
Lobster meal with rice, beans, corn, and vegetables at Cocomar in Puerto Viejo.
View of Playa Negra with waves rolling in, dark sand, and tree branches framing the beach.
Ham and cheese omelette with a cold chocolate drink at Caribeans Chocolate and Coffee.
Exterior mural and storefront window of Casa Mandala featuring vibrant circular artwork.
Colorful street scene in Puerto Viejo with shops and palm trees lining the road.
Silhouette of a person standing on the beach at Playa Negra looking out at the ocean.
Rescued monkey inside a large enclosed habitat at the Jaguar Rescue Center.
Slice of chocolate cake with a glass of lemonade at Bread & Chocolate.
Overhanging tree branches and driftwood along the shoreline at Playa Negra.

August 17: Off-the-Beaten-Path Farm Tour and Hot Spring Heaven

We had another 6:30 am start and communicated with our Airbnb host that we were taking off. We got on the road and made our first stop: Puente Río Chirripó. It’s a bridge located right by the change from the 32 to the 4. We crossed the bridge, pulled off to the side, and then walked to the center. There is a river below where blue water meets brown water.

From there we headed to Finca Sura. We arrived and inquired about tours and were told the next one was at 10 am. It was 9 am, so we decided to have breakfast at the restaurant. Breakfast included eggs, fresh fruit, fresh mixed fruit juice, bread, rice, and beans. It was all $4. The tour was $20.

We waited for our guide and started just after 10 am. We had seven French tourists with us as well. We spent about two hours walking around the farm learning about the various products they produce: cinnamon bark from the trees, turmeric, ginger, cacao trees, pineapple, passion fruit, mangosteen, etc.

We got to see how they dry out cacao beans, corn, and more. We smelled and touched fresh turmeric and ginger. We tried pineapple, mangosteens, rambutan, and others. We saw the cinnamon trees and tried the bark, which they grind into cinnamon as we know it.

We also learned about some of the birds seen on the property. The property itself was peaceful and lush.

The tour ended with manually extracting sugar cane juice and drinking it as a group. Then we headed to the restaurant for pineapple bread.

It was well worth the time and money and I HIGHLY recommend it. The experience was personal and our guide had amazing crowd control and made learning interesting and fun. I left with a lot more knowledge than I came with.

They do tours daily at 8 am, 10 am, 2 pm, and 4 pm. The restaurant has delicious, affordable, farm-fresh food. They also have cabins onsite that you can rent. I’m so glad we went off the beaten path to find this place.

We left and when we hit the main road there were vendors selling fruit, so we picked up a pineapple for later.

Then we stopped at Recreo Verde. This is another lodge with cold spring water pools and hot mineral springs onsite. They charge $15 for a day pass, which gives you access to the pools, bathrooms, and changing areas.

The spring water pools were very cold and the mineral thermal pools were perfect bath water. They also had a waterfall onsite and many semi-secluded picnic areas.

We spent some time in the pools, walked around a bit, and enjoyed the restaurant.

Tip: it is easy to walk. Once you park, just walk to the other pools. They provide a map and it appears to be rather large, but you can walk from one pool area to another in less than five minutes.

The restaurant had a nice mix of food. I opted for basically a chicken Parmesan sandwich, which was pretty good. The chicken was crispy. It was served with breaded potato wedges. The service was also good. Our waiter attempted English with us and they had English menus available.

The meal was about $13 with a Coke included.

We stayed for a while and then attempted to find La Marina Wildlife Rescue Center, but we were unsuccessful. We didn’t try the hardest, but we never saw a sign and GPS didn’t seem correct on Google Maps.

We headed toward our next city, La Fortuna, and our Airbnb host recommended La Pradera Souvenirs, so we decided to stop in.

It was MASSIVE and full of all kinds of souvenirs: art, figurines, shirts, hats, coffee, hot sauce, etc. We wandered for 30 minutes and each purchased a piece of art.

Then we stopped at a supermarket and picked up some items for dinner at the apartment.

La Fortuna had amazing views of the Arenal Volcano down the entire main street. It’s an impressive sight.

Our apartment for the next two days also had an amazing view and we arrived just prior to sunset, so we hoofed it to the end of the street after unloading the car and watched the sunset. It was gorgeous and kismet that we arrived at that moment.

We returned to the apartment, which is old but clean and well equipped with A/C in the bedrooms. We prepared our dinner and relaxed the rest of the night.

I also got to relive my Brazil suicide shower experience.

Sadly, the pineapple we picked up earlier was just a bit too ripe and not nearly as good as the one we tried on the tour.

August 18: Volcano Views, Butterflies, and Dessert (Eventually)

We signed up and paid for an 8 am tram ride at Sky Adventures. It was about 30 minutes from town and had a decent-sized parking lot. We parked and walked up the stairs to reception. They gave us our tickets and we had about 20 minutes to kill.

There was a restaurant and a deck with an awesome view of the lake and the volcano. We shopped around the gift shop and used the restroom, then started to line up for the tram.

The tram ride was about five minutes and had some pretty views of the rainforest and the lake. At the top was a platform and restrooms. They had a hand sculpture with a lake view behind it and a great view of the volcano. The clouds weren’t being helpful though and covered it most of the time we were up there.

They also had a 20-minute loop hike through the rainforest. We didn’t see much wildlife, but after we returned the first set of zip liners arrived and we were able to watch them.

We then rode the tram back down and headed on our way. The guides were personable and volunteered to take photos of us.

On the way back to town we stopped at a place that caught our eye the previous day: Original Grand Gallery. It was full of art by local artists with excellent prices and far better than the mega souvenir shop we went to yesterday that was full of overpriced crap. This had items priced fairly and some unique finds. I recommend coming here to support a real small business.

We headed to the Butterfly Oasis where they have a decent-sized dome full of butterflies. This was $15 for self-guided and $40 for guided. We opted for self-guided and were shown the trail.

The trail was very well maintained and the dome was about a five-minute walk. Inside were a lot of different species of plants, flowers, and of course butterflies. We spent a good amount of time just watching them and enjoying the environment. Then we exited and took the remainder of the trail over a water crossing and looked for howler and spider monkeys without success.

We did see a squirrel, lizards, butterflies, and birds. It was a peaceful walk with mostly only the sounds of nature, though one area had some construction noise from a neighboring property.

The trail was well maintained throughout and took about 30 to 45 minutes. It’s covered in small and medium-sized rocks and mostly flat.

Afterward we headed to La Finquita From Farm to Table. This was challenging because there was nothing at the Google Maps location, but since it was a gravel road we continued to the end, which was Jacamar Trails & Farm.

There was clearly a restaurant, so we got out and asked the staff. It was indeed the place we were looking for.

It is an open-air restaurant with garden views and nonstop bird activity. I ordered the steak with red wine and herb sauce and it was excellent. It came with a salad and corn tortilla. I also got a side of “chips” and sauce. Both were great.

The meal for two people plus drinks was $42. The service was excellent and they had menus in English. The environment made it special.

We headed back to La Fortuna center and found a fruit stand called Frutas y Verduras Sarchiseños. It had a variety of fruits and vegetables.

We also toured the Parque de La Fortuna, which was small with lush greenery and plants and flowers. It had a lot of shade and was cute, but nothing special. The backdrop did include Iglesia Católica and the volcano. The inside was going under renovation and workers were painting the ceiling.

The last little place of note is Galeria Estudio La Fortuna. This is on the main drag across from the park. Inside is reasonably priced art made by at least 25 local artists. The prices are set by the artists and some were dirt cheap compared to the tourist stops.

We were pretty tired from all the early days and didn’t need to shop anymore. We also didn’t want to spend more money on activities in this town, since a lot of them are a huge tourist trap, nor did we want to drive far out of town. So we went back to the apartment to rest for a bit.

It also started raining shortly after we got back, so it worked out for the best.

Around 4 pm we headed out for dinner. It was raining, so we decided to drive and luckily found a spot right in front of the place we chose: Restaurante Fortuneño.

This place was by far one of the cutest places we’ve seen in Costa Rica. Hell, it even gives Las Vegas a run for its money. It had a lot of white with vines, plants, macramé, wooden lampshades, florals. It was just so cutesy.

They had an extensive menu with seafood, steak, pasta, and salads. They even had a vegetarian section and a wide array of desserts.

I got the ahi tuna, which came with mixed vegetables and asparagus risotto. Everything was delicious and two meals equaled $46 with nonalcoholic beverages.

We decided to get dessert at Chocolate Fusión. This place does interesting combinations of chocolate including fruit, beer, chai, and more. They also sell cakes, cookies, tea, coffee, ice cream, and other confections.

When we arrived they were temporarily closed with a sanitation vehicle out front pumping out the restaurant. They told us it would be about 30 minutes. We waited outside on a bench and when they reopened, we went to town.

I bought a dulce de leche phyllo dough square, a chocolate-covered peanut butter cookie, chocolates, and ice cream. The ice cream and the square were both good. I’m saving the other items for tomorrow.

Breakfast of champions. Haha.

It was still raining so we returned to the apartment to pack for an early wake-up tomorrow.

August 19: Monteverde Magic, Bats Behind Glass, and Funky Monkey Poop Boutique

We left at 6 am for our three-hour, 72-mile drive to Monteverde Cloud Forest. Geographically it’s even closer, but there isn’t a direct path. The options are to take a ferry across Arenal Lake, hire a driver, take public transportation, or drive yourself.

The drive itself is two-lane switchback roads and in some places they are covered in potholes. We navigated it in the predicted three hours and, in comparison to Guatemala, it was a cake walk. There really isn’t a need for 4x4 if it’s dry, but high clearance may make the potholes a bit more bearable. It is mostly paved with some gravel.

We pre-booked our reservation since they limit the number of tourists per day. We were able to book the day before for $26 per person. I’d recommend doing the same because it’s one hell of a drive to not be able to enter.

We arrived just after 9 am and parked in their provided lot for $5 USD, which includes a shuttle to the main entrance. The shuttle comes every 15 minutes with a break from 12 to 12:30. The parking area has clean restrooms and also includes the ticket office.

The shuttle came a few minutes later and we headed up to the top. We decided to do Sendero La Cuecha. It was about a 15 to 20 minute hike to a small waterfall. The trail is considered steep, but it wasn’t too bad. It went up, then down, then up again, and so on. The waterfall is pretty but nothing spectacular.

We actually came on a clear day with very little cloud coverage. The hike itself is through the rainforest with well-marked paths and the option to hire a guide who carries a telescope to give you closer looks at wildlife. We didn’t see a lot, but we enjoyed the surroundings and peacefulness.

We headed back and checked out the Monteverde Hummingbird Gallery by Café Colibrí. It’s basically a store with four hummingbird feeders outside and a lot of hummingbird activity. We were enchanted for 15 to 20 minutes before peeking at the gift shop.

We then checked out Raíces Restaurante and ordered shredded chicken with homemade corn tortillas, black beans, and salsa. It was actually delicious and the meal plus a caramelo latte was $13.

Right next door is Fauna Glass, where a glass blower is onsite making artwork. They also have an official gift shop with some of the coolest T-shirts designed by a legit artist. I picked up one with a tree growing from an anatomical heart.

We then caught the shuttle back to the car and headed to The Bat Jungle. This is a bat rescue and they offer a lot of information about bat conservation, fun facts, and a faux bat cave.

Self tours are $7 and guided tours are $15. They offer both Spanish and English tours and have an up-to-date website with times. The money goes to the rescue and they also have some cute bat merchandise to further support the cause.

You then enter the faux cave where the bats are behind glass. They provide flashlights with instructions to shine the light around the bats and not directly at them. We spent a ridiculous amount of time observing them.

I thoroughly enjoyed the experience and highly recommend checking it out. It is well worth the price of admission.

We headed back down the mountain toward Jacó. This was a much better road and at times four lanes. We made a few stops on the side of the road for viewpoints. They aren’t marked, but they had areas with larger shoulders for us to easily park.

We arrived at our hotel, Hotel Tramonto, which had a pool and beach access on Hermosa Beach just south of Jacó. We unpacked and regrouped, choosing Amara for dinner, only to find that it was closed.

We moved on to our second choice, Manglar Bar and Restaurant. It’s in the northernmost part of Jacó with its own parking. I ordered a pineapple jalapeño margarita and Maui mahi tacos, which came out to about $25. The tacos were massive and delicious.

We wanted a tasty treat and headed to Rebelissimo Gelato Genuino. This is a cute gelato shop with tropical décor and the gelato was worth every calorie. I’m a basic bitch and got cookies and cream with salted caramel. They did have a lot of fruit flavors and interesting mixes. It cost $7.

When looking for dessert, a store caught my eye, mostly because I thought it had to be a poor translation: Funky Monkey Poop Boutique. It was right by the gelato store, so we wandered over.

It wasn’t a mistake because it definitely had the logo and name on the wall.

Inside was the best shop we found in Costa Rica and a really nice owner. We loved this place and if you’re smart, you’ll stop in. It got its name as a twist on the expensive coffee from Indonesia and they also have their own coffee that is locally produced. I, of course, bought a bag.

They also had super unique gifts, hats, snacks, and we spent the most money here for items to bring home. Everything inside is made in Costa Rica, and do yourself a favor, buy the pineapple licorice.

Combined, we bought four bags plus three bags of the Funky Monkey coffee among other things.

Seriously, go if you are in the area, that is if you have a sense of humor and are looking for some truly unique souvenirs, not the crap sold other places. Plus, the prices are pretty fair compared to what we’ve seen elsewhere.

It was a great end to the night. We walked to the car in the rain, drove back to our hotel, and snapped some sunset photos from Hermosa Beach. Despite the rain and clouds, it was still pretty gorgeous.

August 20: Uvita Whale Tail, Mermaid Statue Verified, Macaws, and No Power

We had another 6 am start time for a two-hour drive to Parque Nacional Marino Ballena to see Uvita, the whale tail. We were trying to make at least part of low tide. The lowest tide was just before 6 am, which is the best time to view it.

We arrived just after 9 am and paid 4,000 colones to park and $7 USD at the park.

The walk to Uvita takes about 15 minutes, but you are unable to see the full whale tail unless you have a drone. They don’t have a viewing tower or anything. We could see the tail formation and a bit of the middle was covered in water. The water was beautiful with clear skies and a misty effect.

I’m torn on whether it was actually worth the two-hour drive though.

We were greeted by a sweet little pup, so bonus points there. He followed us for a bit and then went off to see other people.

We went back to the car and attempted to find breakfast. First was a vegan coffee shop that only took cash and had limited options for my gluten-free friend. The next was Jaffa, but despite being advertised as open, an employee told us it wasn’t open yet.

We then attempted The Dome, which had a pretty large breakfast menu. I ordered the eggs Benedict and a pineapple strawberry smoothie. The service was a bit slow and the waitress was very apologetic, explaining that her brother had just gotten in a motorcycle accident in front of the restaurant. We totally understood.

The food was good and it was about $18 USD.

We headed toward Tortugas Costa Rica, which we knew was a long shot, and it was. No one or anything was there. It did have a park with individual parking spots, picnic tables, and beach access. The water here was kind of brown at the shore. It was called Playa Palo Seco and recommended for watching sunsets. It was a pretty nice setup for a picnic.

Our next stop was La Sirena de Esterillos, which had mixed reviews. Some mentioned a mermaid statue and others said it was gone. We rolled the dice and found it to be there.

At low tide you can walk up to it, but we arrived at high tide and it was perfect because it belongs in the ocean. It had Ariel, Little Mermaid vibes. The beach here was also beautiful.

We headed back toward Jacó and stopped at the Delta gas station and noted the trail for El Miro. We decided not to walk the 2 km since it seemed like it was gearing up to rain, but I’m glad we solved that mystery.

Essentially, if you’d like to see El Miro, park directly across from the Delta gas station and you will see a set of stairs. That’s what you want.

As we backtracked, we decided to hit Mirador de Jacó. This is a Jacó sign that overlooks the water and the main part of town. It has a lot of cut animals on the sign and it was well worth the stop.

As we were taking photos, we heard birds and noticed a steep path leading to Rompe Olas Jacó. The path took us through a tree canopy and about 20 macaws were in the trees. We watched them for a while and then spotted a coati. It was a pretty cool find.

We also found beach access with large rock formations. After a bit, we headed back to the car and drove to the hotel, only to find we didn’t have power.

We sped up our dinner plans and headed to El Hicaco Seafood, which we found closed. Next door was El Novillo Alegre Jacó. We were told El Hicaco closed due to a new city ordinance about being too close to the water.

El Novillo had a similar menu and I got the seafood frutti di mare. It came with some delicious breads with spreads. The food was good, the service was excellent, but it had a price tag of $45 with a nonalcoholic beverage included.

We headed back to the hotel to find no power again and started looking at options for new hotels. We prematurely packed while we still had a little daylight since none of the lights in the room were working.

Luckily, the power came back on just after we packed. At least that was a necessity for our travel day tomorrow.

The rest of the night we relaxed for our awaited drive to San Jose and flight home.

Wrap-Up: What Costa Rica Was Really Like

Costa Rica has been a delightful experience. The people are warm and helpful. They truly embrace the Pura Vida life.

The driving is similar to other Latin American countries. People pull over wherever they want, they pull out in front of you, some drive incredibly slow, and others incredibly fast. The roads for the most part are in good shape. Potholes and speed bumps are the biggest challenges.

The food is fair to good. It isn’t cheap here. Expect to pay rural or small city prices in the US.

You don’t need a lot of cash, but I’d recommend having some small USD bills and local currency. We survived off the equivalent of $80 USD, roughly 33,000 colones with airport conversion.

If you drive, you need colones to pay tolls and street vendors. Credit cards were accepted at all gas stations, mini supers, mega supers, and restaurants.

Some cities are designed to be cash cows for tourists and most tours in those areas are going to be $50 USD or more. If you spend time off the beaten path you can find cheaper experiences that are far more intimate.

And for animal lovers, there is a bunch. Every city has some kind of sanctuary since zoos are not allowed in Costa Rica.

Bottom line, it’s high on my list for enjoyable trips. I hands down recommend it.

🗺️ Explore Our Costa Rica Trip on Google Maps

See each stop from our road trip plotted on an interactive map, from sloth sanctuaries and jungle roads to volcano views and beach towns.

View Our Costa Rica Trip Map

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Final Thoughts on Our Costa Rica Adventure ✨

Costa Rica has been a delightful experience. The people are warm and helpful. They truly embrace the Pura Vida life.

The driving is similar to other Latin American countries. People pull over wherever they want, they pull out in front of you, some drive incredibly slow, and others incredibly fast. The roads for the most part are in good shape. Potholes and speed bumps are the biggest challenges.

The food is fair to good. It isn’t cheap here. Expect to pay rural or small city prices in the US.

You don’t need a lot of cash, but I’d recommend having some small USD bills and local currency. We survived off the equivalent of $80 USD, roughly 33,000 colones with airport conversion.

If you drive, you need colones to pay tolls and street vendors. Credit cards were accepted at all gas stations, mini supers, mega supers, and restaurants.

Some cities are designed to be cash cows for tourists and most tours in those areas are going to be $50 USD or more. If you spend time off the beaten path you can find cheaper experiences that are far more intimate.

And for animal lovers, there is a bunch. Every city has some kind of sanctuary since zoos are not allowed in Costa Rica.

Bottom line, it’s high on my list for enjoyable trips. I hands down recommend it.

Top Tips for Costa Rica 🧭

  • Carry some colones if you plan to drive. You’ll need them for tolls and roadside vendors.
  • Credit cards were accepted at gas stations, supermarkets, and most restaurants.
  • Book popular attractions like Monteverde Cloud Forest in advance. It’s a long drive if they are sold out.
  • If you want more personal and affordable experiences, go off the beaten path.
  • Expect US-level pricing in many areas, especially tourist towns.
  • Wildlife rescues are everywhere. Zoos are not allowed in Costa Rica.
  • High clearance is helpful on rural roads even if you don’t absolutely need 4x4.