my feet don't want to go to sleep

I was lucky enough to spend the month of January 2025 in Costa Rica exploring. I started in the most visited destinations and ended in the most remote. Traveling around Costa Rica is easy enough with a rental car or a bus ticket. Join the pura vida way of life and spend some time in this gorgeous country. Let’s start on the west coast.

Jaco

Located on the pacific ocean further south of the heavily visited Santa Teresa sits Jaco. I was there for New Years with my friend and her family. Like most Costa Rican towns, Jaco has a beautiful beach and adventure just around the corner. We took ATVs, ziplined across canyons, and repealed through waterfalls. There is a little town to explore filled with shops and restaurants. Personally I would skip Jaco and head south to Quepos. There are tour vendors everywhere and they all over similar experiences with pick up, breakfast occasionally, and the experience.

The day trip to Isla Tortuga was the most memorable. We saw a mom and baby whale on the way over! We spent the day swimming and hiking on the island. The overcast day not a bother considering the wildlife around.

To Explore: Carara Adventure Park and Isla Tortuga

Quepos & Manuel Antonio

Manuel Antonio is a town in the jungle just south of the town of Quepos. There is a bus for $1 that drives the main road every 20 minutes there and back so you can stay anywhere and see it all. The roads are windy and mountainous. Walking is not an option.

To Stay

Teva Jungle Hotel was my first hotel, well more of a hostel than a hotel. I switched to Alma Vida Hotel after. Since I do not plan far enough in advance I am unsure if the wifi will be strong enough to work or if the location will be what I need for the area. But you can benefit from my lack of planning with two places to review. Teva was adorable with a delicious cafe, free books, and hiking trails right onsite. Alma Vida sits on this large property with 3 swimming pools, a coworking space, and yoga. Breakfast is included here and was delicious. They had just opened and took over the Selina property. I had this gorgeous room with a balcony overlooking the jungle. The rainstorms from there were incredible.

To Eat

• Restaurante Marlin – walk out from the park and grab a bite to eat with the ocean right ahead
• Magic Bus – the best restaurant tucked away in the trees
• El Avion – a literal plane turned restaurant with a bar in the cockpit and incredible sunset views
• El Lagarto – great vibes and delicious food
• Karolas Restaurant – upscale for the area with jungle views and amazing ceviche

To Explore

Manuel Antonio National Park – the reason everyone comes to this town is for this park. Everyone sells a day pass with a guide. A guide is not required but I think your experience suffers without it. Our tour included transportation, tickets, and the guide throughout. Our guide took extra attention to find all the animals imaginable. When you don’t pay for the guide you spend all your time following the guides trying to see what secret animals they find in the trees. In that park are more hikes and gorgeous beaches. I spent the morning on the tour and the afternoon on the beach. Monkeys run around stealing sunscreen and phones when they can.

Isla Damas has a night tour worth experiencing. With transportation and dinner this tour takes you through the mangroves. My favorite tree because they are more than a tree they are an ecosystem. Seeing the jungle at night with all the wildlife shows nature in real time. Most animals are quiet during the day.

Cataratas Nauyaca was my favorite experience. I negotiated with the Teva Jungle Hotel’s receptionist to take me on a tour. Nothing was available for a solo traveler. He took me to the falls and even stopped for lunch after. From the parking lot it is about a 45 minute hike through the jungle along a road. You can pay for horses or a truck to take you if walking isn’t possible. Since we came early I experienced this all alone. There are two waterfall tiers. The water is pleasant and during the morning not crowded enough to really enjoy a swim. Watching the sun peak above the cliffside and light up the water will stay with me forever.

Uvita is a beach town just north of Manuel Antonio. It is known for whale watching and hippie festivals. My friends and I spent the day there. There is a sand beach that appears and disappears with the tide. The water runs in faster than you’d expect leaving you running for the dense palm trees on the edge of the forest. We snacked on empanadas and fresh juice smoothies after crashing around the ocean finding no whales.