I went the nontraditional trip route this past November and booked a Groupon for a Costa Rica excursion. From horseback riding to zip lining to dancing the night away at a beach side karaoke bar, this eight-day adventure had it all. Here’s my itinerary.
Getting There: The $650-per-person Monkey Tours Groupon didn’t include airfare, but I went the Priceline route and was able to book a $475 round-trip ticket from Reagan National Airport (with one stop) to Liberia International Airport
Where To Stay: The closest hotel from the airport is a short (and free) shuttle away: Hilton Garden Inn Liberia Airport. Take a chill night there to regroup, hop in the pool, and be sure to order ceviche from the bar (likely the first of many fish dishes you’ll have on the trip). The next day you’ll be recharged to shift gears, hop on a tour bus, and head to the nearby Hacienda Guachipelin. Adjacent to the tree house-themed hotel is an adventure company that can help you book an entire day of nearby excursions, including tubing on the Rio Negro, a horseback ride, and covering yourself in clay and taking a dip into a series of natural hot springs.
The next day we were off to El Establo, the highest-end hotel on the trip that sits way up in the Monteverde cloud forest. The greenery you’ll see is out of this world, and after a series Sky Walk suspension bridges, you’ll ascend thousands of feet in the air via Sky Tram. From the open gondola, we saw lots of tropical birds (and sometimes you can spot jaguars and ocelots, too). There’s also a bar at the very top, where we stopped for a round of tequila shots.
What Else To Do: A river tour through Palo Verde National Park was insane, and while we sunned on the deck of the boat we spotted dangerously-close crocodiles, howler monkeys, and iguanas. Crazy fact: Iguanas are actually herbivores (yep, all they wanna eat is flowers), but they’re also called “chicken of the trees” because they are slow, meaty and taste like chicken. The mangrove swamps also attract loads of birds, including storks, egrets, and spoonbills. From there we made a quick pitstop to Guaitil, a tiny town where residents have been creating pottery using the same techniques for more than 5,000 years. The impressive bowls and trinkets were priced around $25.
The balance of the trip was spent at Hotel Villas Playa Samara, where we upgraded to an all-inclusive villa situation that granted us access to food and drinks around the clock, as well beautiful beachfront views with white sands. A swim-up pool bar was a popular pitstop. We kayaked on the last day of the trip, washing ashore to a hermit crab-covered island. There we threw on scuba gear and spotted gorgeous tropical fish underwater.
Where to Eat and Drink: Be sure to stick a straw in a freshly-picked coconut from the beach at Samara. As for the nightlife downtown, expect to mix and mingle with pro surfers and expats. One bar on the main Via Arriba strip is run by Katie from New York City, where we all watched Election Night coverage (and were consoled by visitors from around the world). Micro Bar, a tiny bar packed with lots of beer on draft, is a cute spot around the corner.
Sports bar Arriba has a fun Monday dance scene, while the Flying Taco has a Wednesday night karaoke party with locals grilling authentic jerk chicken tacos near the bar. For the daytime, hit up Locanda Hotel Playa Samara, an amazing beachfront hotel with a tiki vibe, live parrots, and a (fake) tiger reception booth. Definitely grab a delicious pizza from their wood-burning oven while taking in the sunset under a palm leaf-covered lounge. And in true island fashion, happy hour means cocktails are two-for-one all day.
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