Pura Vida..
A few months ago, we took off for Costa Rica for my birthday. I had been dreaming of visiting this country -and its beautiful white sandy beaches, wild countryside and animals for such a long time. As you can imagine, I was so excited on the plane! We stayed for three weeks, which really allowed us to explore the country. We would have loved to sneak in a fourth week to see the South, but that will have to wait for next time. In the meantime, we still managed to cover most of the key points; Uvita (gorgeous), Puerto Viejo, Manzanillo & Company on the Caribbean coast, the zip lines and suspension bridges in the Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve (amazing), Arenal and its volcano and, to finish our road trip, the beautiful Nicoya Peninsula on the Pacific coast, on the vast beaches of Santa Teresa and Nosara. Best Birthday present ever !!
First impressions ..
Costa Rica is so beautiful. It’s rough and wild yet calm at the same time. It was unlike any trip I’ve ever done so far, but if I had to compare it in terms of sensations, emotions and impressions, I’d say it’s a mixture of my backpacking trip to Nepal – for its dusty, authentic and adventurous feel – and a relaxing vacation to the Antilles, except even better! In Costa Rica, you find gorgeous scenic views, an incredible fauna & flora and the same tropical climate as the Antilles but CR is much more rustic, with chaotic roads full of chicken nests, especially toward Nicoya, or even near Monteverde and Arenal. A few times, we even bumped into cows on the road in the middle of the night! ^^
>>We absolutely loved all of the Pacific coast, Uvita, Puntarenas and Santa Teresa, the surfer’s paradise where the famous expression Pura Vida really does apply. The water is warm, the waves are perfect, the light is incredible, the people are kind, and it’s a real feel-good place.
>>The Caribbean coast is really different and we liked it less – despite all of the positive reviews we read about it. We didn’t feel as safe here (a guy even tried to break into our car when we were inside!) and I felt less positive vibes. The same goes for the beaches, countryside and wildlife – they were disappointing compared to the other coast… but that’s just my opinion. It’s still a beautiful place!
Oxygen jungle villa @Uvita / Puntarenas
As we were on a road trip, we switched between lodges, Airbnbs, luxury boutique hotels and nights in the car. Our favorite spot, which I’m going to cover in more detail is a mini paradise we found in Uvita (Puntarenas). The Oxygen Jungle villa is a boutique hôtel perched high up in the middle of the jungle, with a panoramic view over the bay, and toucans and hummingbirds flying in front of the room! We stayed there for a few days and it was honestly the perfect spot to recover from the flight and relax. Actually, we would have loved to stay there for a full week! ^^
Who for ?//
It’s an intimate and cozy hotel which I’d recommend to couples as there is a really romantic, zen, nest-like vibe – perfect for a dreamy break. It would be perfect for a honeymoon, for example!
The Rooms //
There are 12 in total. 12 glass villas with a view of the jungle or the ocean. The rooms are so comfortable, with a minimalist decor. The jungle and the view take care of the rest! Sleeping with the sounds of the wild and waking up and seeing toucans is just priceless… Full immersion guaranteed! <3
>>I’d never seen toucans in real life… I was like a little kid!!! They are absolutely amazing birds, and to be up close to them was just incredible!! They come in the morning and in the evening too!
Food /
Flawless… Everything was delicious, refined and fresh. We had breakfast and all of our meals by the pool, with an incredible view down onto the jungle, as well as over the bay, which I just couldn’t get enough of.
We loved .. //
- The view
- The surroundings, the beaches at Uvita, which are more natural and less busy than others spots in CR.
- The wildlife. Butterflies, the colorful birds which are always around the hotel and the sloths in the trees – though they aren’t always so easy to spot!
- The zen energy and the nest-like feel which is super therapeutic after a day of sightseeing.
How to get there ..//
We traveled there from San José. It’s a few hours away by car, the journey is quite calm, via a tarmac road. The hotel is accessible via quite a steep slope (as it’s high up), and you can only reach it in a 4X4.
>>It should be noted that, if you’re planning a trip to Costa Rica, it’s better to rent a car – specifically a 4X4. This is a must as without one you won’t be able to access certain roads and you’ll avoid a nightmare if it rains, for example. We had to travel across flooded roads or small rivers several times and without our 4X4 it would have been a real struggle. We rented a great 4×4 with wifi via Sixt Costa Rica, which really made things easier. We picked it up straight for the airport at San José and they were super helpful, and gave us lots of good advice for our road trip. I’d really recommend them! In terms of price, while a 4X4 is double or triple the price of a standard car, it’s really important and will help you avoid finding yourself stuck on a slope in the middle of nowhere.
Prices.. //
- Plan at least 250€ minimum for a room @ Oxygen Jungle villa
- In terms of a general budget, I won’t lie. CR is quite an expensive trip, as with all South American countries, in terms of renting Airbnbs and cars, visiting parks, activities like zip lining and even restaurants. It’s not cheap – even though prices do vary depending on the seasons… but be sure to budget enough. When you rent a 4×4, don’t forget to take insurance, as well as extras like wifi, into account when budgeting. This is one of the biggest expenses! 😉
Conclusion.. //
I’d recommend Costa Rica and the hotel 😉
- The Oxygen Jungle is great for a zen stopover at the beginning or the end of a road trip in toucan country.
- In terms of the country itself, we really loved it and totally fell for the Pacific Coast (especially Uvita – I would love to go back there). There we discovered gorgeous sandy or pebble beaches surrounded by the jungle – just amazing and with incredible sunsets & energy. The same goes for Santa Teresa and Nosara. And for fans of horseback riding on the beach, Santa Teresa is definitely the place to go.To sum up – it’s a destination to add to the bucket list!
xxxxx
Credits //
- Photos @ Peter soubbotnik
- Big thanks to the Oxygen Jungle villa for having us & to the great Sixt Costa Rica team for making this trip so easy <3
- Translation @ Hanna Ikin
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