If you’re like me and love adventurous travel & getting off the grid, exploring to your hearts fullest desires and immersing yourself in a certain culture, language and food- then this blog is a good resource for you!

I have been to over thirty countries and Costa Rica is in my top five list. The reason I hold it in such high regard is due to its unmatched bio diversity and nature, the captivating landscapes, unique flora and fauna, incredible wildlife species- some of which are endangered, and a culture and people that I absolutely adore. The Costa Rican people are masters of their homemade dishes which are uniquely combined to create delicious flavors. We spent time in thoughtful conversation with many new friends, while learning about their way of life. We truly came home with a new appreciation for friendships and relationships while minimizing the North American focus we have on material items. I will certainly always remember the tico way, which is, don’t worry, relax and take it easy- “tranquilo!”

I created our itinerary on my own and my husband and I explored fourteen cities while backpacking in one month; the following eight amazing places were the highlights of our trip!

Samasate, Puerto Viejo

You will need to fly into San Jose upon first arriving to Costa Rica. We stayed at a hostel that was walking distance to many others and a street full of night life and unique people. Somehow we found ourselves on a side of town only locals were hanging out and I stood out like a sore thumb. Good thing my husband looks like a “Tico”, a nickname for local Costa Ricans. They spoke Spanish with him everywhere we went- he doesn’t know much Spanish, so I would always be the one to answer! They always had the funniest look of confusion as to why the blonde was answering and not their fellow “Tico”. We all always had a good laugh out of it. We ended up at a small roof top party at a hostel down the street from ours. There was a bunch of other backpackers- it’s fun to see where everyone is from and where they’re off to next. We aren’t big on capital cities- we prefer just one night. we couldn’t wait to be secluded and start exploring and hiking. I chose to start our one month journey at a small rustic resort in the middle of a rain forest reserve, comprised of wood bungalows (it took 4.5 hours to reach Samasate in a shared shuttle).

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We were instantly acquainted with the far-flung, remote retreat we had chosen. As soon as our shuttle reached the “gates” of the rain forest reserve, a pick up truck from Samasate picked us up for our commute up the muddy mountain. It was dark, it was humid and the sound of the jungle was predominant. My heart was jumping with joy as I was being bounced around the rusty truck, holding on for “dear life” or so it seemed. My husband on the other hand was completely quiet- a bit of culture shock at first? Well that’s normal for some folks. It was completely safe, I may add! It’s just different than all the comforts of transportation we have in the US. So we arrived atop of the reserve to our bungalow, greeted nicely by the staff. Since we arrived late, they saved two dinner plates for us and some wine. Our bungalow was tall and fixed right in the middle of the jungle with a private bathroom and front porch. The paths between each bungalow are nicely landscaped but you have to watch out and duck under all the spider webs- they are every where!

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Our first morning waking up in the jungle was like a dream, the sound of the Howler monkeys all around and an array of tropical birds were the alarm clock at 5 am. Our activities during the three nights and four days included hiking, a two-hour yoga session, relaxing in the outdoor hot tub and exploring all the animals and plants right in our mist. I loved this terrace overlooking the rain forest, like you see in the picture. It’s where I started each day with my cup of coffee, saying my prayers and appreciating the reality of where I was. I recommend Samasate for either the beginning or end of your trip. It’s the perfect laid back place to start your adventurous journey or rest from all that you have seen and done at the end. https://www.samasati.com/

Puerto Viejo- At the coast

Puerto Viejo is a lively town which attracts many surfers, adventure travelers and backpackers. It’s casual, cheap and is situated right along the beautiful Caribbean Coast. The water is crystal clear, the sand is soft and there is an abundance of trees on the beach for natural shade.

In Puerto Viejo and most other local towns in Coasta Rica, you can find delicious fresh food of all kinds for only 1600-2700 Colones which equates to about $3-5! One of our favorite meals was “Casada” which means “married” in Spanish. It’s a big plate of either chicken (pollo), fish (pescado) or beef (Asada) with rice, beans, salad and plantains. It was our “go-to” and often big enough to share. Casada is such a simple dish but with the unique spices, flavors, it’s very flavorsome. We love it so much that we make Casada at home often!

We stayed at a hostel, set in a garden along the coast called “Rocking J’s”. It’s fit’s a hipster, eclectic vibe. For backpackers on a budget, you can rent a hammock for for $6, a tent for $7, a shared room for $12, private rooms for $26, and beach view King room suits for $60 and a Queen suit room for $70. We went with an open air room on the beach on the beach. I’ll describe this room as “Bob Dylan meets the Byzantines”- a motley type designed room with brightly colored mosaic tiles and natural stones. The bed sat up a few stairs and was cased with a gigantic window which stays open to the fresh ocean air. I couldn’t help but to wonder what kind of creepy, crawling things could fly or crawl in at any given moment! Nothing surprised us, thank goodness. This place was truly unique- a place for art lovers, people who like to stay up around a fire, meet new friends, take walks on the beach and explore.

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A great way to explore the town is to rent bikes and go to different beaches such as Playa Bonita. There are plenty of restaurants to choose from, local festivals, bands and street food- all of which are awesome ways to discover the culture. We even met a dog that followed us an entire day, we named him Toro (he’s in the black and white photo above). Two to three nights is a good amount of time to explore this town for backpackers or explorers on the go.

Tortuguero, the Limon Province

Making our way up the coast, we arrived at our dock that sat on one of the many freshwater channels hugged by wetlands and beaches which are home to many green sea turtle nests. Tortugero is part of Torugeuro National Park which translates to “Land of the Turtles”. Our expedition started as our boat left the dock, we took off fast through the scenic canals lined by the plush rain forest of tall trees- up and close with Costa Rica’s Flora and fauna. I was amazed by our boat driver and how patient and interested he was to stop and show us every animal in the trees or reptile that he spotted. Before we even arrived at our hotel we saw Spider monkeys, Caimen, the Jesus Christ Lizard and exotic birds.

We stayed at a super cozy little bed and breakfast right on the water. We were greeted by “Mama” who showed us our room. The accommodations were clean and it was nicely decorated. Just steps outside our room door was the main street where we could walk around the village and explore. Our first stop was a local “Soda”, which is a small family style restaurant with the delicious cuisine typical in Costa Rica. You can find Soda’s everywhere, also be sure to try Pinto Gallo (eggs, cheese, beef or chicken in sauce with beans and rice).

To put this village into perspective for you- there are no paved roads or cars, no hotels or fancy restaurants. This is a place you want to visit if you’re into wildlife and you you want to hang with the “Tico’s”. Tico is nickname for a local Costa Rican. We got around by foot, bike or boat. We ate at small and simple restaurants called Soda’s. There’s aren’t any hotels, just boutique bed and breakfasts- how perfect! The people are friendly and life there minimalist and genuine. There isn’t an emphasis on material things and it was clear to see that people are happy without an abundance of stuff like Americans. The highlight of Tortuguero for us was the nature tour where we went out on boat in the depths of water canals and mangroves. We saw abundant wild life such as sloths, crocodiles, monkeys, lizards, birds and beautiful landscapes.

La Fortuna, Puntarenas Region

From Tortuguero we crossed over away from the Carribean Coast toward the West which is about a 4 hour shuttle ride. The mission of this leg of the trip was to see one of the most incredible non-profit Nature Parks in the world. Home to the famous waterfall “La Fortuna”, the Arenal Volcano and wildlife. We immersed ourselves for a whole day in the 210 acres of tropical wet forest. We started by taking the 530 steps toward the waterfall which is 70 meters high! Once you reach the bottom you can swim or explore- some people stop and have a picnic propped up on some rocks. The water is so cold but so refreshing!

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From there we took a nature tour and I highly recommend spending the money for it. You can just buy tickets right there in the park. Our guide showed us animals and creatures we would have never seen on our own. In the picture below our guide is showing us a tarantula nest! We also saw the Blue Jeans Frog,

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There’s just so much to see! On top of all of this wondrous nature and hiking, there are also dozens of hot springs in the area so be sure to add on some time in your trip to visit one of those.

In 1968 the Arenal Volcano erupted which created a new natural resource for the town of La Fortuna.

Monteverde, the Osa Peninsula

National Geographic calls it…

“The Jewel in the crown of the cloud forests.”

Around and down to the West more, we reached Monteverde AKA “Cloud Forest”. An eclectic little town tucked away in the mountains, I really liked this adventure to take a break from the sun. It was rainy and chilly the whole time. We found a quaint little hostel walking distance to town where they had many restaurants with great food, a grocery store and little shops.

In this town we decided to do two excursions, otherwise there isn’t much else to do. The first one was Zip Lining, Superman and the Tarzan swing. It was crazy fun but it was the scariest thing I have ever done! The Zip Line that we did is the longest in Central America. To fly so high above the forest for so long is definitely an adrenaline rush. The next day we signed up for a coffee farm tour. We learned the history of coffee, the values of the community, how coffee has shaped the way their community and the immense process it actually takes to create a finished cup of coffee. It was fascinating and of course we were able to try samples all along the way. I loved this experience and it makes me appreciate what I took for granted before- a hot cup of coffee every morning.

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Manuel Antonio, Nicoya Peninsula

It was supposed to take around 3 and 1/2 but actually took 5. The roads are not usually in the best condition so always prepare that it will take more time than expected. This drive was very scenic and we stopped to watch HUGE wild crocodiles, cute sloths and beautiful birds.

We heard not to come to Manuel Antonio because it’s too touristy. We didn’t listen and I’m so glad. We found this amazing bed and breakfast off the beaten path called Mono Azul. The hosts are an American couple who carry the same warmth I saw in every Costa Rican. Their property consisted of a restaurant, two pools a bar and just a handful of rooms. There was also wild life in the garden area and fruit trees that you could pick from! The bed and breafast is not walking distance to the town or the beach so that’s its only downfall if you’re looking for convenience to the beach.

We decided to just walk to the town a few miles instead. On the way we met a friendly local and he pointed us in the direction of what he called a secret, amazing beach that only the locals know about. We walked about two miles up and down windy roads with far stretching views of the sea below. We came to a rain forest and took the small path that only had a tiny arrow pointed to the left. As soon as we reached the end of the path- we experienced a picturesque cove with with many trees and howler monkeys.

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And here is the popular Manuel Antonio Beach….

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Manuel Antonio has a wide variety of restaurants for every budget. They have options from a simple hostel to a upscale hotel with roof tops views. Aside from the beach there are activities galore that include kayaking, a jungle walk tour, a sugar mill farm tour, hiking, butterfly botanical gardens tour, bird watching and more! I would recommend Manuel Antonio to both the adventurous back packer and families alike.

Corcovado, the Osa Peninsula

Corcovado is explorers’, the adventurers’, the backpackers dream…

A multitude of species….

Let that sit in for a moment. If you ever imagined yourself taking a speed boat further and further away from the mainland, from vast open waterways and through incredibly impressive canals, the sound of wildlife species growing louder and louder and a powerful awareness of the pristine wetlands all around you….this is Corcovado.

This bio diverse system includes some of Costa Ricas most endangered inhabitants such as the Red Back Squirrel Monkey. Corcovado also supports jaguars, squirrel monkeys, the howler monkey, three-toed sloths, crocodiles, toucans, scarlet macaws, over 40 species of frogs, 370 bird species and over 10,000 insect species. and much more. It includes thirteen major ecosystems such as beach habitats, coastal marine habitats, mangrove swamps, lowland rain forest, highland cloud forest, and jolillo palm forest.

The way we chose to get there was by the passenger ferry to Puerto Jiménez from Golfito. For this town, we didn’t even have our accommodations booked yet. Corcovado is the most untouched and remote place we have ever been. We walked up the dirt road with our new friends from the Netherlands. It felt like another world- and it pretty much is! The sounds of so many insects, monkeys and birds was all around. There were little “sodas” which serve homemade dishes and cooked from their home kitchen and serve to the guests for about $5 a plate. Every restaurant is open air- you never have to worry about breathing in recycled AC. Here’s one important key tip: they do not take credit cards anywhere and there is no bank or ATM so you must bring all the cash you need. We got in a pickle and actually ran out of cash the last night.

National Geographic once called Corcovado….

“The most biologically intense place on earth”!

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A local told our new friends about an impressive 13 mile hike through the jungle and along the coast. You don’t have to ask me twice! Up at 4:30 am with the sound of the monkeys, some simple eggs, beans, toast and coffee and we were ready to get on the move. The directions in Costa Rica are always affiliated with some sort of nature such as an area of particular trees or a body of water- there usually aren’t any signs. Our directions were to find the tiny opening in the brush and just keep following the coast until you reach the big open beach. We’ll know we’re at the end when we find the big opening to a beach with other people snorkeling.

This was the hike of a lifetime. The trails were along the rain forest with Buttress Roots, make- shift bridges, mangrove swaps and various areas of exquisite coast-line. It took us six hours and we never saw one person except for at this little farm and soda we came across. When we arrived at the beach we got our snorkel gear out and went for a swim. We were offered to share in a picnic with a group we came across. They had pineapple, beans, rice, fresh baked bread and fruit juice. They also offered us a ride back to our side of the beach on their boat. That was so kind of them!

I was taken back on how generous and welcoming this sub-culture was there on that remote rugged region. There was this overwhelming sense of genuineness from each individual. We even got gifts from locals we met and they bought us cervezas when we ran out of cash. This was truly an unforgettable & unmatched experience of our lives. I feel enthusiastic to return to this unforgettable peninsula again one day.

Montezuma- The Puntarenas Province

To make our way up to the other side of the Puntarenas region- it took an entire day with various forms of transportation with several boats, a bus, a shuttle and a ferry.

Montezuma is a super cool little town on the beach with reggae vibes, a hipster feel, a lot of live music and friendly people. Sadly, this was the last town of our 30 day journey. While in Montezuma it was fun to walk around and explore the restaurants and shops. On the second day, we took off on our own hike again. Up windy hills, through trails and trees we ended up at a remote beach with huge waves.

There are plenty of excursions offered in Montezuma. We chose to do a snorkeling trip. I highly recommend! They stopped several places to discover beautiful fish, turtles and sting-ray’s. The rest of the day was spent on a remote beach with wild pigs and a barbecue for lunch.

That was an amazing day! Wow, what a way to end the trip.

We made our commute back to the U.S. the next day and a part of my heart has been there ever since.

Traveling opens an array of stimulation from tastes and sounds to unbelievable things your eyes will see. You will meet strangers that feel like family. You will learn incredible life lessons that no book can teach. Therefore, I choose to collect experiences that will last forever and not material items that will soon be no more. Adventure travel, always?

Yes, please!

Have you visited Costa Rica? If not, I hope I’ve done my job with inspiring you. 🙂 I loved creating this itinerary from scratch and I’m happy to help you with yours.

Happy travels,

Heidy Christina Rucker