Costa Rica’s Central Pacific Coast
A striking view of the Pacific Ocean greeted us our first morning in Costa Rica. Our balcony suite was the perfect place to sip our hot tea and coffee while drinking in the tropical paradise all around us.
We showed up in the cozy dining room at the specified time of 7:30 for breakfast, only to be met by an empty room. Within a few minutes our hosts, Stephanie and Esteban, were brewing a pot of coffee and preparing food, but I couldn’t help but wonder if the included breakfast was going to be a haphazard affair on par with a typical hotel continental breakfast.
My culinary concerns couldn’t have been further from the truth. We were soon feasting on freshly prepared Pico de Gallo mixed with rice and beans, scrambled eggs, fried plantain, homemade bread, and a plate of fresh fruit drizzled with honey and granola. Our hostess was certainly not a novice in the kitchen!
With satisfied stomachs we were soon on our way to our first stop: Crocodile Bridge. One glance over the concrete side wall affirmed that it was aptly named. We saw five crocs lazily lounging along the bank of the Tarcoles River. After watching them closely for about ten minutes, we determined that crocodiles are rather boring. They barely budged and remained unprovoked even by an incessant bird who pecked ever closer like a younger brother trying to annoy his sister. So on we moved to our next destination.
Thanks to Jenn and Matt, of the Two Weeks in Costa Rica blog, we had step-by-step instructions, along with a few pictures, that led us from the cheap public parking at Playa Mantas to the nicer neighboring sands of Playa Blanca. We spent a couple of sunny hours riding the waves, soaking up Vitamin D, and meandering along the rocks. It was a perfect morning for the beach, and on our way back through the pass to Playa Mantas a friendly Tico named Joshua gave us advice on where to eat lunch and what else we should do in Costa Rica.
Unfortunately, Joshua’s restaurant of choice, Los Mahi Tacos de Cholo, was inexplicably closed for the day (not that uncommon in this part of the world!), so we opted for the well-advertised TacoBar and their “Killer Fish Tacos.” It was a fun choice (can’t beat sitting on a swing!), the prices were reasonable, and the service was friendly. The food was nothing special, but it was good and plenteous.
We spent the next hour or so walking up and down the Main Street in Jaco, peeking in at various shops, but mostly just taking in the sites and sounds of the surf town.
Just up the coast a few kilometers was Playa Herradura, so we decided to check it out. The most compelling reason might have been because of the gelato shop I discovered via the Trip Advisor app and marked as a favorite for this trip… The road to the coast wound its way through the ritzy Los Sueños resort community and eventually dead ended us at the marina that showcased a fleet of luxury yachts. Tucked into a classy building with seating in the courtyard was Dolce Vita Coffee and Sweets.
Assuming the selections would be hideously overpriced (based on the surroundings!), we were pleasantly surprised to snag a scoop of homemade gelato for $3.50 and a coffee for $2.50.
A few of the other places we were considering walking around were already closed up for the day. With sunset around 5:15, many outdoor places close by 5:00, and they stop admitting visitors even earlier. This proved to be true of Carara National Park and Pura Vida Gardens and Waterfall.
We did walk briefly around the parking area at Carara National Park and discovered that it is heavily guarded by a plethora of rather large lizards!
So we headed back to the lovely Carara Ocean View Hotel to take showers and admire the sunset before concluding the evening with another delectable meal prepared and cooked to order by our talented hostess. We sat on the patio under the starry sky and watched cruise ships sail off in the distance, feeling duly spoiled to experience such a sweet time together. These anniversary trips are definitely a highlight each year!
