2019-10-01 Wanderlust

wanderlust.co.uk October 2019 149

PROMOTIONAL FEATURE

For more information, head to visitcostarica.com/uk

PACIFICCOAST
ThoselookingforCostaRica’s
legendarypuravida–thepure
life–shouldheadtotheNicoya
Peninsula,towardsthenorthofthe
Pacificcoast.Thelocals’longevity
hasinspiredmindfulnessand
wellnessretreats,dottedamong
fine-sandbeachesandsmall
villages.AroundNosaraBeach,

easy-goingyogaandsurfhangouts

sitalongsideboutiquehotels.It’s

easytoliveapurelifehere,where

rainbow-huedbirdlifeflitsabove

you,includingwildscarletmacaws,

hummingbirdsandblue-crowned

motmots.There’softenasleepy

slothupatree,too.

Furthersouth,visitMarino

BallenaNationalParkbetween

JulyandOctobertospot

humpbackwhales.Andthe

jungle-fringedinletofGolfo

Dulceisgreatforsnorkellers,

wherewarmwatersattract

breedingorcaanddolphins.Inland,

theOsaPeninsulaishometo3%

oftheworld’sbiodiversity,aswell

asanotheroneofthecountry’s 29

nationalparks:Corcovado,where

hikingandhorseridingtakesyou

pastthejungle’sdiversewildlife.

CARIBBEANCOAST

TortugueroNationalParkisthe

glimmeringeco-jewelonCosta

Rica’seastside.Thiscoastal

rainforest,bytheoceantothe

north,isfamousfornestinggreen,

leatherbackandhawksbillturtles.

Buzzingwithwildlife,theforest

ishometomesmerisingcaimans,

basilisklizards,emeraldfrogs,

noisyhowlermonkeysandcurious

iguanas–allofwhichcanbe

viewedfromkayaksorriver-boats.

Foramagicalexperience,stayin

aneco-lodgedeepintherainforest.

Continuedownthe200km

coastlineandanAfro-Caribbean

cultureemerges.Jerkchicken

shackspopupandrumpunches

aresippedinlaidbackPuertoViejo

deTalamanca,aquainttownwith

artyhotelsandbeach-inspired

guesthouses. Snorkel, boogie

board and surf – or take to the

trees for zipline adventures, before

a white-water adrenaline rush on

the Pacuare River. Don’t miss

meeting with the Bribri community

at the Yorkin Indigenous Territory,

where locals are keen to show

visitors their agricultural way of life

among the rainforest.

CostaRicaisataleoftwocoastlines:

Caribbean to the east and Pacific on the west.

Which do you choose?

WHICH TO CHOOSE?
Both east and west offer adventure among
landscapes alive with slow-blinking sloths,
bright-beaked toucans and nesting turtles. The
Pacific coast has some of the best seafood in
the country, with well-established surf breaks

and more national parks. But the Caribbean

coast offers that laid-back charm, with dense

rainforests and Costa Rica’s only Afro

Caribbean culture. Our verdict? With less than

200km from the east to the west coast, you

don’t have to choose between them: visit both.

COAST TO COAST