While it’s known for its world-class beaches, Costa Rica also offers volcanoes, thick jungle and mountainous terrain. A recent stint in the latter blew me away - quite literally.

The winds in Monteverde were massive and unrelenting, with gusts being gravely accentuated by the tin-based construction materials of the hostel. I can’t say I minded it though because 1.) it reminds me of home, and 2.) it was a relief to escape the balmy heat of the coast.

One morning we are sitting in the 93 degree heat of the Guanacaste coast trying (unsuccessfully) not to sweat on every surface we came into contact with, and by nightfall we were bundled under blankets as the wind and rain pelted down and we seriously questioned the durability of the hostel’s windows. This sudden change in weather shouldn’t come as a surprise as Costa rica isn’t exactly known for its subtleties. Nonetheless, Monteverde is a rainforest oasis and we were surrounded by luscious greenery at every turn. (Literally, we were surrounded by lime green walls in our hostel, lime green tiles in the shower, lime green on the chairs).

Here is a snapshot of how we spent our days exploring northern Costa Rica!

Things to Do in Monteverde

Sky Walk

For an experience above the cloudy rainforest canopy, the Sky Walk is not to be mist (…see what I did there?).

A series of eight suspension bridges guides you along the roof of the rainforest, consistently offering spectacular views of the surrounding lush green canopies. Beware, the bridges tend to sway in the wind and make for a modest adrenaline rush. By the time you leave, you will feel like you were enveloped in a mystical (or should I say mistical) jungle hug.

($31 USD per adult; $25 w/ student ID)

Beso Espresso

This little gem roasts their beans in-house and their coffee is well-priced. How do you say not to that? As a side note, one of the nice things (among many) about traveling with your best friends is that you get to try even more food and drinks, whether they like your reaching arms or not. The point being is that I can attest that the caramel and vanilla lattes are just as good.

Jungle Night Tour

While interesting in theory, it is a bit inefficient in practice. It’s challenging enough to spot animals in the daytime, let alone seeing them by arbitrarily flashing a light around in the dead of the night. By some miracle we saw insects, a snake, a sloth from afar, and a tarantula from not so afar.

($25 USD per adult; $20 if booked at your hostel).

explore arenal

hot springs

The city of Arenal isn’t anything to write home about, but it is a hub of hot springs and volcanic activity, plus it has decent ice cream available. Check out Tabacon Thermal Resort & Spa for a simple getaway. For a more rustic, authentic experience you need only to go down the road to the aptly named Free Natural Hot Springs River. We found a local guide to take us, and they brought along drinks, showed us how to properly do a mud musk, and got us there and back - all for around $7 USD.

RIO CELESTE

This gorgeous waterfall sits unassumingly in the Tenorio Volcano National Park and is best known for its fierce turquoise waters. At a little under 4 miles roundtrip, the trail is not difficult, but it is muddy.

According to locals, God dipped his paint brush in its waters and then painted the sky. According to scientists, when two clear rivers meet and a fancy mineral is exuded, then the reflection creates a striking blue color feast for the eyes

Relax on the guanacaste coast

Sámara

Prior to heading inland, we lazily made our way along the beaches of the Pacific Ocean. We started in Sámara, a tiny beach town boasting all the things that come with being, well, a tiny beach town. Our first few days were spent at a popular beach close to town, Playa Samara (creative choice in name, right?). On our last day, we wanted to change it up and took a 20 minute bus to Playa Carrillo. Here we were rewarded with clearer water, more shady palm trees to choose from, and a fraction of the crowd.

If you are looking for a place to relax and unwind, Sámara has your name written all over it. Plus, if you happen to like iguanas then you basically found yourself in paradise.

Tamarindo

If livelier party towns are your jam, then Tamarindo may be the place for you. If I had been blindfolded, airdropped there and told I was in Southern California, I wouldn’t have questioned it at all. I’m not saying it wasn’t great, but if it is authentic Costa Rica you are seeking, then you won’t find it here. What you will find is cheap booze, tourists, and busy beaches.

Despite this, Tamarindo is popular for good reason; the coast is easily accessible and most days are spent eating and imbibing on the plentiful sunny beaches. Surfing is also popular, and after trying my hand at it, I have concluded that it requires far too many muscles for my liking, but a fun learning experience nonetheless.

Aside from my impromptu hour of surfing (or, perhaps more accurately, attempting to surf), we spent a good portion of our time laying in the sunshine, cooling off in the ocean, watching unbelievably beautiful sunsets and enjoying drinks out of watermelons and coconuts - activities I am far more qualified for.

christmas in costa rica!

All in all, it was fun to show my friends all that Costa Rica offers. Luckily, it is a small country so we were able to experience a variety of landscapes: the cloud forest of Monteverde, volcanoes and hot springs in Arenal, the city hub of San Jose, the beaches of Guanacaste, and even celebrate Christmas in true backpacker-style.

Costa Rico truly packs a punch, and this one-week adventure only covers the central and western regions of the country.