I recently returned home from an absolutely mind-blowing vacation on the southeastern coast of Costa Rica. Even though I was there for a yoga retreat and thought I’d be spending my days meditating with my butt in the air doing Downward Facing Dog, I actually ended up spending most of my time doing non-yoga activities. After receiving a lot of questions about my trip, I decided to jot down my recommendations for things to do near Puerto Viejo, Costa Rica.
Stay in an open air bungalow.
I cannot recommend Tierra de Sueños Lodge in Playa Chiquita enough. The lodging is simple but beautiful. Meals are healthy, made fresh on site, and locally sourced. And the staff is just amazing and so helpful.
The bungalows are open air, so the sounds of the jungle literally sounds like a meditation soundtrack.
Take a yoga class or five.
Start your day with it. I’m not joking. Yes, I’m a yoga teacher so I’m biased, but even the non-regulars loved it. Costa Rica is a popular yoga retreat destination, and I saw yoga classes available in multiple locations. If you’re staying in a small town on the coast, definitely look up class options!
Go snorkeling. It’s a Costa Rica must. Seriously.
The water is GORGEOUS. It’s warm, beautiful, and absolutely so wonderful to snorkel in. If you go with a tour guide and you’re lucky, you might get to see sting rays and even a small shark. I was not that lucky, BUT I loved the experience.
Horseback riding on the beach should be on your Costa Rica bucket list.
I’ve only been on a horse a handful of times in my life and it’s not normally my go-to when I’m on vacation… but being on horseback was the highlight of my trip! It was incredible! The horses were loved and well-cared for, and our guide was wonderful. We rode for about 2.5 hours and went through jungle trails and rode through the water on the beaches. It was an unforgettable experience.
Get up early and watch the sunrise from the beach.
I am not a morning person, but I would gladly get up at 4:15am to regularly watch the sunrise from the beach in Costa Rica.
Just, you know, be smarter than me and bring a coffee mug with you if you’re as caffeine-dependent as I am.
Watch the sunset from the beach.
Obviously. I mean, if I’m recommending a sunrise, clearly I’m going to tell you that the sunset is also worth enjoying at the beach.
Go on a night hike.
Disclaimer: Don’t go wandering in the jungle at night alone. Do a night hike with a tour guide. This is a jungle. There are vipers, jaguars, coral snakes, poison dart frogs, and other creatures you don’t want to come into contact with by yourself unless you know what to look for and how to avoid areas these critters like to hang out.
With that disclaimer out of the way, bear in mind that wildlife is generally far more terrified of us than we are of it. In fact, it’s often hard to spot the cool creatures because they hear or smell you coming and they slither, wiggle, and run far out of sight. If you’re lucky, you might catch a glimpse of the backside of some magnificent animal as it disappears from view.
As much as I loved the night hike, I was actually a tiny bit disappointed because I didn’t see any snakes. Yes, I’m aware that I’m likely a nutcase for admitting this, but I think snakes are quite fascinating and beautiful, and I was really hoping to see a bright yellow viper!
What we did see were TONS of different frogs (including poison dart frogs!), plenty of tarantulas and other giant spiders, and huge, beautiful insects.
If wildlife isn’t your thing, there is no shame in skipping this Costa Rica bucket list item.
Book a white water rafting tour.
If you love adventure… DO IT!
I have no personal photos to share because the guide recommended leaving the GoPro and phone and anything else valuable in a locker. It turns out that was GREAT advice because those were some wicked rapids and I went flying over backwards and hit the water at some point… and another guy in our group did the same and sacrificed his GoPro to the river gods.
But despite the lack of photo opportunities, this tour was hands-down a definite bucket list item for me that I will gladly do again! The tour guide took this gem of a shot… it was probably right before I got chucked out of the raft.
Dance to a calypso band.
You don’t have to dance, but at least go watch one. We decided to hire a band to play at the lodge on our last evening of the yoga retreat. It ended up being such a great party that even the staff at the lodge joined in! It was an absolute blast, and even the non-dancers enjoyed the live music.
Spend some time at Manzanillo Wildlife Refuge.
Not only does the area have an amazing beach, but the views, well, they look something like this…
Additionally, the jungle through the trail gives views of some pretty spectacular wildlife. We did our night hike at the same park, and in addition to the creatures I mentioned above, I spotted a caiman in the water not far from where I was standing. I may have hauled pretty quick when I realized what I was looking at!
Have you been to Costa Rica? What were your favorite activities?