Hotel Aguas Claras, Costa Rica
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Welcome back to Travel Diaries, where one of our editors shares all the whats and hows of their latest trip. Save these in your back pocket (or a special travel inbox folder) to return to when the travel itch creeps in. This week, editor Sarah Stocking is sharing the highlights of her 5-day trip to Caribe Sur in Costa Rica. For the full itinerary, click here.
Caribe Sur, on the very southern tip of Costa Rica’s Caribbean coast, might be my top mentally-I’m-here place. Seriously, it looks like the exact location I dreamed about as a teenager, imagining the way my life could look if I chose surfing, sun and bicycles as the reasons for my existence. Costa Rica is chock-full of adventures and things to do – here are our 16 favorites – but if you want to know my personal ideal itinerary, come explore the rainforest with me.
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Book your flight into Puerto Limón, which is about 50 minutes from Puerto Viejo de Talamanca. Either rent a car or book a shuttle. There is a bus that is cheap, but it takes about 2 hours. If you’re staying at Hotel Aguas Claras, staff will arrange transportation for you.
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April is the prime nesting season for green turtles, and I promise it's an experience you don’t want to miss. But if surfing is more your thing, December through March is when you’ll catch the best swells (and the most people).
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Book a vacation rental near Punta Uva. Top tip: staying in the jungle is just as wonderful as staying by the sea. Or stay at Hotel Aguas Claras, a gorgeous collection of beach bungalows owned by long-time local and artist Elizabeth Steinvorth, and you’ll be enchanted with Playa Chiquita just steps from your door.
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The area stretches from Puerto Viejo de Talamanca (this is where the party is) down to Manzanillo. There are a string of stunning, secluded beaches like something out of The Blue Lagoon that you can walk or bike between.
Roofs are thatched, walls are optional, sloths are hanging, and the macaws are squawking. So grab your flip-flops and a bathing suit and hop on this banana bike ‘cause we’re going to the rainforest.
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Arrive: Usually, it's late afternoon when I arrive, so I like to settle in, take a deep breath and remember I’m on Tico time. This is when I sit on the deck and sink into the environment. The spider monkeys swing through in the afternoon. I like to see if I can spot my first sloth and start to make a list of all the birds I’ve noticed. Yes, when I go to Talamanca, I become a bird-watching enthusiast.
Happy hour: I head to DaLime Beach Club on the Hotel Aguas Clara’s property before it closes at 5pm. The cocktails are divine, but I order a Hibiscus tonic (I’m a mocktail girly). Reggae tunes are often playing, and I just settle right into the mellow vibes.
Dinner: Papaya, the on-site restaurant at Hotel Aguas Claras, is perfect for day 1. It's local, organic and healthy, and it fits right in with all the things I love about coming to Caribe Sur. The menu is ever-changing, so I order whatever looks fabulous, and I’m never disappointed.
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Morning: I go to Gypsea Cafe just down the way in Playa Chiquita. The coffee is delicious, and the eggs Benedict are decadent.
Spend the day: I wander the beach in Playa Chiquita all the way to Punta Uva. There are several isolated coves along the way. There's no need to rush; I’m saving my energy for the evening anyway.
Dinner: Time for an early dinner at Selvin’s, the top Caribbean spot in the area. I often get the Chicken Caribeňo, which I crave when I’m not in Caribe Sur.
After dark: The highlight of the trip is the turtle tour in Gandoca. Book ahead. There is a quiet meditative feeling that washes over me when I get the chance to watch a turtle lay her eggs. It is incredibly intimate, not something you often feel with wildlife. The turtle’s process is slow, and my breath slows to match her pace. The process can take up to 3 hours.
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Photography credits: Courtesy of Hotel Aguas Claritas
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