Living Pura Vida
“Study nature, love nature, stay close to nature. It will never fail you.” -Frank Lloyd Wright
"Pura Vida" is Costa Rica's cultural philosophy. It's literal translation is "pure life" and symbolizes a care-free, grateful, and positive approach to life. You'll hear locals use the phrase as a greeting or a way to express gratitude, and even as a slogan that demonstrates their commitment to embracing life's simple pleasures. This approach to life made a lasting impression on us during our eight night stay in March 2024 and Costa Rica quickly became a very special place to us. It is truly one of those bucket list destinations that everyone should experience at least once in their life. The culture, the people, the food, the sunsets, the wildlife, and the gorgeous landscape made it a standout trip for our family.
When planning our trip, I knew I wanted to spend our time exploring Costa Rica's Pacific Coast. This region, known for its lush rainforests and beautiful beaches, has a well-defined rainy and dry season. The dry season lasts from December to March with April being a transition month while the rainy season usually runs May to November. We visited during the month of March and based on our experience, you can't rule out an occasional shower but generally you can expect sunny and drier conditions.
We spent our first four nights in the rainforest near La Fortuna at Nayara Tented Camp and it was the highlight of the trip. Nayara Tented Camp is really, really special. Perched on a mountain top with stunning views of the Arenal volcano, Nayara Tented Camp is nestled in a tropical rain forest and is a luxurious and magical escape. It's secluded and an opportunity to immerse yourself in nature and truly embrace the pura vida lifestyle.
Note that the Tented Camp has a sister property nextdoor called Nayara Gardens which is at a lower elevation and offers more compact villa accomodations. For a more upscale experience that you won't ever forget, I highly recommend splurging for the Tented Camp.
We booked the "Nayara" tent which includes one king bed and two twin day beds in a spacious tented suite. There are also larger tents and residences available to accomodate larger groups. The tents include a hammock, private mineral hot spring pool, luxury bathrooms and linens, an outdoor shower and incredible views. Also included is daily outdoor yoga (a highlight), complimentary guided nature walks (also a highlight - loads of sloth and monkey sitings!), and other onsite classes. Our family of four took a complimentary tortilla making class and it was so special! A chef at Nayara guided us as we prepared authentic homemade tortillas and then we were invited to sit around a table to eat and learn more about the Costa Rican culture. We also made a point to explore the grounds and walking trails and spent time enjoying the pool and swim-up bar.
The resort is almost entirely open-air and the dining areas are no exception. We were very impressed with the dining options and ate all of our meals onsite at Nayara. Breakfast each morning was included with our room and was served in the Ayla restaurant which is located in an elegant tent with views of the main infinity pool, rainforest, and Arenal. The breakfast was fresh, extensive and hearty with both buffet and freshly prepared menu options. We really enjoyed starting each day here! We also visited La Terraza and Asia Luna, two other restaurants onsite for dinner and both were really good with lovely atmospheres. Note that because the resort and its sister property are fairly spread out, the resort offers complimentary golf cart rides around so a ride is always only a phone call away!
The staff at this resort is next-level and is part of what makes it so special. The Nayara team is so wonderful and attentive and kind. Everyone from the housekeeping staff to the golf cart drivers to the servers and front desk staff - all consistently went out of their way to be pleasant and helpful. Frankly, we were blown away with just how friendly and kind the people of Costa Rica are.
In advance of our trip we enlisted the help of the concierge to assist us with booking some fun excursions. Specifically, we booked a half day private hanging bridges tour with Project Expedition and a ziplining adventure with Sky Transit Trek. Add both of these experiences to your itinerary. The tour at Mistico Arenal Hanging Bridges Park with our guide Alonso was incredible. I would not do this tour without a guide. Without him, we wouldn't have spotted a fraction of the wildlife we saw. He also brought high-powered scopes and ensured we took advantage of all the cool photo opps. A picnic lunch was included for us to enjoy after and then we returned us back to Nayara to hang by the pool. The ziplining adventure was almost a no-go when our youngest woke up early that morning with a stomach bug. When I tell you the housekeeping staff were saints, I mean they were literal saints and helped us get our suite cleaned up :( Thankfully, my daughter recovered quickly and the concierge was able to move our reservation to the following day. The ziplining experience was one for the books and something we won't ever forget. Children under the age of 8 are not permitted so this is an activity to do with older kiddos. The eight line course starts 600 feet above ground and zips through the rainforest in between treetops and canyons. The longest line is close to 2,500 feet and the guides supply you with all the safety equipment necessary. We were having the time of our lives until the sixth line where my youngest and I were zipping tandem and got stuck 100 feet from the landing platform. We dangled hundreds of feet above ground until we were rescued by one of the guides. Harrowing and traumatic for both my daughter and I to say the least. Like I said, an experience we'll never forget!
As hard as it was to leave the rainforest and Nayara Tented Camp, we were excited to make our way to the beach in the Guanacaste province. A private transfer took us from Nayara to the W Reserva Conchal where we spent the remaining four nights of our trip. This hotel had great reviews and the accomodations were nice, but in my opinion it's much better suited for adults. The nicest pool with the best views was adults only and I found the overall vibe to be too modern and club-like, especially in the main areas. But, the rooms were nice and met our needs and there was a family pool adjacent to the beach to enjoy. We didn't know this until we got there but all of Costa Rica's beaches are public, even those that are on resort property. The lack of privacy took some getting used to initially as there were lots of local artisans selling wares, masseuses selling massage services, etc that we encountered. However, the weather, the views, the powdery sand, and the crystal clear waters more than made up for this. And the sunsets are stunning. When we go back someday, I plan to book us at the Four Seasons Peninsula Papagayo or the new Ritz Carlton Nekajui property which are both more privately situated along the coastline.
Our favorite excursion during our time in Guanacaste was our Fun in the Sun Beach Combo with Pacific Coast Discovery booked thru Project Expedition. This half-day excursion included a private boat cruise exploring the beautiful waters of the Bahia Culebra, snorkeling, and a fresh grilled lunch on the beach. This is where we witnessed the most monkeys during our trip and where we were able to get pretty close and interact. Magical for the girls and adults alike!
We did most our meals onsite at the W because there weren't a lot of other options closeby. The food and drink at the W was good for the most part, although lunches were not super memorable. Breakfast was included with our stay and they were plentiful with lots of nice freshly prepared options, pastries, salads, fruits, and smoothies, etc. I wish we could have made it to the Andaz or the Four Seasons for a meal but they were just too far for us to make work.
If I had to do the trip over again, I would have booked us for five nights in the rainforest at Nayara and three nights at the beach instead of splitting our time equally. For us, the rainforest and the tented camp was just so unique, special, and magical. We had the experience of a lifetime.