Costa Rica
Diamante Valley
Costa Rica is a rainforested Central American country with coastlines on the Caribbean and Pacific. Though its capital, San Jose, is home to cultural institutions like the Pre-Columbian Gold Museum, Costa Rica is known for its beaches, volcanoes, and biodiversity— in fact, roughly a quarter of its area is made up of protected jungle, teeming with wildlife from spider monkeys to quetzal birds. Here is our guide to Costa Rica.
STAY
HOTEL AGUAS CLARAS Opened by artists and deemed a “modern bohemian hideaway” on the Caribbean Coast of Puerto Viejo. J7RM+3M3 500 meters south of Villas Caribe, C. Playa Chiquita, Limón Province, Puerto Viejo de Talamanca; hotelaguasclaras.com
FOUR SEASONS RESORT AT PENINSULA PAPAGAYO Set on a hill overlooking the beaches of the Gulf of Papagayo and Culebra Bay with a beautiful outdoor restaurant featuring a wood-fired oven, an 18-hole golf course, spa, and a gym. Liberia Guanaste 26Km al Norte del Doit, CR-G, Peninsula Papagayo; fourseasons.com/costarica
WALDORF ASTORIA PUNTA CACIQUE The secluded location on Punta Cacique offers guests the utmost privacy. Playa Penca, Ruta Nacional 159 km 3, Guanacaste Province, Carrillo; hilton.com/en/hotels/lirguwa-waldorf-astoria-costa-rica-punta-cacique
FLORBLANCA A Santa Theresa hotel set in the jungle. You might spot monkeys, iguanas, and pygmy owls from the comfort of your hammock or hot tub on your private patio. Daily yoga classes are offered by a shala. The resort is also home to Spa Bambu with a delicious coconut scrub massage, and a boutique with a selection of Tori Praver and Marysia swimwear and botanical skincare. They also have great surf instructors! North of Franks Place, 160 2, Provincia de Puntarenas, Santa Teresa; florblanca.com
HOUSE OF SOMOS A boutique surf hotel in Santa Teresa with live music. LOTE, 25 M AL SUR FRENTE A LORA AMARILLA, Provincia de Puntarenas; houseofsomos.com
NAYARA GARDENS A hotel set in wood-and-timber buildings surrounded by tropical forest with volcano views, and villas offering private plunge pools. 702 road 21007, Provincia de Alajuela, La Fortuna; nayaragardens.com
NALU NOSARA Located on the Nicoya Peninsula, comes a wellness-oriented, sustainable hotel by San José–based firm Studio Saxe. Calle Los Mangos, Guanacaste Province, Nosara; nalunosara.com
KURÀ DESIGN VILLAS A romantic eco-resort perched on a cliff above Uvita’s Whale’s Tail sandbar. Private Rd Puntarenas Uvita de Osa; kuracostarica.com
RIO PERDIDO Bungalows or “eco-luxe cabanas” set in an existing thermal water resort in the Guanacaste province by San José–based architecture firm Project CR+d. rioperdido.com
MINT SANTA THERESA Scandinavian minimalism, Greek architecture, and nature were the inspirations behind this hotel designed by Studio Saxe in Santa Teresa, a surfer’s paradise on the Nicoya Peninsula. 100 m east of Fercosta, Santa Teresa, Provincia de Puntarenas, Cobano; mintsantateresa.com
DINE | DRINK
MANTARRAYA Homemade horchata lattes, coffee, banana pancakes, and traditional gallo pinto breakfast bowls. Playa Hermosa Parking Lot, Puntarenas Province, Santa Teresa
SOMOS CAFE The best coffee and pastries in Santa Teresa. LOTE, 25 M AL SUR FRENTE A LORA AMARILLA, Provincia de Puntarenas; houseofsomos.com/cafe-restaurant-santa-teresa-costa-rica
CONVIVIO Order the homemade bread, jerk tuna, and squid dishes for the table. North of Banco Nacional, 25 meters, Puntarenas Province, Santa Teresa
LA CEVICHERIA As the name entails, a no-frills fresh ceviche-focused menu. 50m North of Rancho Itauna Provincia de Puntarenas Santa Teresa, Cobano
SELVIN’S RESTAURANT Selvin Brown opened his eponymous restaurant in 1982, and he has been serving up Caribbean food (an homage to his Jamaican roots) ever since. Order a bowl of the rondón, a coconut milk-based seafood soup that’s a staple of Afro-Caribbean cuisine, and the sautéed lobster prepared with butter, garlic, and onion. Mista Selvin Street, Limón, Punta Uva
ZWART ART CAFE Owned by a Canadian Artist who came to Santa Theresa to surf and never left. He now serves up veggie bowls, smoothies, and burritos. 50 meters north of Pizza Tomate, Provincia de Puntarenas,
ZULA RESTAURANT Owned by Israeli expats who serve authentic hummus and falafel in Santa Theresa. Zula Restaurant Playa Santa Teresa Puntarenas Province CR, Puntarenas Province
EL FACON GRILL & BAR A casual beachside restaurant serving Argentine dishes from the chef's wood-fire grill. Diagonal a la Lora Amarilla contiguo hotel Manala Santa Teresa; elfaconrestaurant.com
THE BAKERY A French breakfast staple in Santa Theresa. 30m norte de Banco Nacional, Provincia de Puntarenas, santa teresa
MERCADO CENTRAL The San José Central Market was established in 1880, and it occupies an entire block full of narrow alleys with over 200 shops, stalls, and restaurants called sodas. WWM9+V5F, Calle 8, San José Province, San José, Paso De La Vaca
LA LUNA A modern Mediterranean restaurant in Nosara. Km. 2.7 Carretera Quepos a, Provincia de Puntarenas,; lalunarestaurants.com
ART | CULTURE | ACTIVITIES
REFUGIO NACIONAL MIXTO DE VIDA SILVESTRE GANDOCA-MANZANILLO A National Park on the ocean with hiking trails and animal spotting. Look out for howler monkeys, colorful tree frogs, rare green macaws, countless geckos, and sloths hanging high up in the trees. You might even see dolphins jumping in the water if you’re lucky. 8PW+8WR, Unnamed Road, Limón, Manzanillo
ARENAL VOLCANO Volcán Poás is easier to visit (it’s virtually a drive-in) and Volcán Rincón de la Vieja is wilder, but Arenal is unmissable. The only thing that beats the thrill of seeing Arenal erupt, is seeing it erupt from the comfort of a hot spring, especially at Tabacón. arenal.net
MUSEO DEL JADE Home to the world’s largest collection of American jade, located in San José. 13 bis, y, Av. Central, San José Province, San José; museodeljade.grupoins.com
MUSEO DEL ORO A pre-Columbian gold museum in San José, located in a subterranean building underneath the "Plaza de la Cultura,” and owned by the Banco Central de Costa Rica. museosdelbancocentral.org
TEATRO NACIONAL The National Theatre of Costa Rica is located in central San José. It opened to the public in October of 1897 with a performance of Johann Wolfgang von Goethe's Faust. Avenida 2, C. 5, San José, Catedral; teatronacional.go.cr
MUSEO DE ARTE COSTARRICENSE Located in the old air traffic control building of what used to be the airport, showcasing the works of Latin American artists. San José Province, San José, Sabana; mac.go.cr
CORCOVADO NATIONAL PARK 164 square miles of rainforest in the Osa Peninsula, fringed by empty Pacific beach, and home to five species of cat (jaguar, puma, ocelot, margay, and jaguarundi) plus tapir, sloth, monkeys, boas, and almost 400 bird species. Osa Peninsula, Puntarenas Province; Costa-rica-guide.com/nature/national-parks/corcovado/
MONTEVERDE CLOUD FOREST A popular choice, complete with a sky tram, skywalk, and canopy zip lines. Puntarenas Province, Monteverde; cloudforestmonteverde.com
PARQUE NACIONAL MANUEL ANTONIO A small but scenic National Park in the Central Pacific Conservation Area on the Pacific coast. Puntarenas Province, Quepos; manuelantoniopark.net
LA FORTUNA WATERFALL In the Alajuela Province at the base of the dormant Chato volcano near the Arenal Volcano. Alajuela Province, San Carlos; cataratalafortuna.com
SURF Tamarindo, Santa Teresa, and Nosara are the premier spots to surf. Del Soul has a great surf school in Santa Teresa!
SHOP
BAZZAR NOSARA Owned by fashion stylist turned designer, Gonca Gul, and selling bohemian kaftans and global goods. 300 mts. oeste del Hotel Café París, Downtown Guiones, Guanacaste Province, Nicoya; bazzarnosara.com
TIENDA GREEN WORLD An organic grocery store in Santa Teresa. Santa Teresa, Diagonal a Hotel Luz de Vida, Villa Bonita Dr, Provincia de Puntarenas
THE TEA ROOM A local herbal pharmacy and apothecary. Plaza las Palmas, Provincia de Puntarenas, Cobano; thetearoomcr.com
SPA | WELLNESS | FITNESS
PURE JUNGLE SPA The signature treatment is a chocolate body wrap given the abundance of cacao plantations scattered throughout the region. The spa also offers massages and facials, which incorporate fresh, all-natural ingredients— such as papayas, virgin coconut oil, cocoa butter, and pineapple— that are hand-mixed on the spot. Across from Rocking J's Hotel 256., Limón, Puerto Viejo de Talamanca; purejunglespa.com
TABACON THERMAL RESORT & SPA Close to the hiking trails of Mirador el Silencio reserve and Arenal Volcano lies this tropical spa resort with natural hot springs, and an open-air spa in a leafy, palm tree-filled garden. Noreste de Centro de la Fortuna de San Carlos 13 Km, Provincia de Alajuela, Nuevo Arenal; tabacon.com
HAPPILATES A reformer pilates studio in Santa Teresa. New Plaza next to Hotel Nantipa, 2nd Floor, Santa Teresa, Costa Rica
BELIEVE SURF & YOGA Power pilates and yoga classes are offered at this surf resort in Santa Terea. Resort, Maramar, Santa Teresa main road, 150 meters north from El Facon rest Just after, Puntarenas Province; surfandyogacostarica.com/yoga
HOTEL NANTIPA Book a massage at the wellness center of this small luxury hotel in Santa Teresa. Their therapies are offered in outdoor settings including open-air treatment rooms surrounded by lush palms, on the beach, or poolside in the privacy of a bungalow or villa terrace. Local ingredients like uchua, papaya, and avocado are used to enhance the experience and maximize relaxation. Numu’s menu includes a wide range of options from body massages to wraps and scrubs. de, Main Street, Puntarenas Province, Cobano; nantipa.com/numu-wellness-center