DESTINATIONS LATIN AMERICA |COSTA RICA
3
OF THE BEST
Costa Rica hot springs
Thanks to Arenal Volcano’s geothermal activity, the region is rich in hot springs. Here is a selection of foliage-fringed retreats where clients can mix wellness with wilderness.
CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT: Beachfront villas, Hotel Nantipa; visiting a hillside farm; thermal river at Rio Perdido resort; Tabacón Thermal Resort & Spa; Manzú restaurant, Nantipa PICTURE: Jean Paul Montanaro
over a couple of bottles of local Imperial lager, it was a short hop on a small Cessna plane to the Pacific coast where I’d spent so much time more than 30 years ago.
Flying over the lush landscapes
below to Tamarindo on the Nicoya Peninsula – preferable to the alternative of a five-hour drive and ferry crossing – gives a bird’s-eye view of the scale of Costa Rica’s lush green landscapes, an ideal introduction for first-time visitors. Surf haven Santa Teresa sits on the tip of the peninsula and is home to boutique Hotel Nantipa, which blends barefoot luxury with a strong sustainability ethos. Low-lit palm-lined paths snake around the gardens, leading to beach-chic bungalows and villas with leafy patios and plunge pools. Locally made furniture, energy sensors and solar-powered water heaters combine with Costa Rican ingredients such as papaya and
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herbs that are used everywhere, from the restaurants to the alfresco spa. The team is mainly local and tell me that just six trees were felled for use in the hotel’s construction. Guests are invited to embrace the eco-friendly vibe – they can grab a bucket for short beach clean-ups and are rewarded with a healthy smoothie. All-day dining at thatched-roof
Manzú restaurant suits the fuss-free vibe perfectly. Facing the white-sand beach, friendly staff served ceviche and patacones – golden fried plantain – accompanied by creamy refried beans and spicy margaritas. Dips in Nantipa’s freshwater pool, which is surrounded by tropical foliage, were a highlight of each day, as was yoga after dark when the sounds of nature added to the calming feel.
SURF’S UP My surfing goal led me to Playa Santa Teresa for a lesson arranged
by the hotel, where the warm, gentle waves of the Pacific Ocean are pleasingly beginner-friendly. First, we practised the ‘chicken-leg’ stance that ultimately helped us to jump up, balance on the board and ride the waves. That was the theory – though as with any lesson, the young pros make it look so simple and the reality is a few ego-blasting falls in the water and wipeouts under the waves. Then it happened. I rode my
board to the shore and the sound of whooping from the beach became the soundtrack to this memorable afternoon. I celebrated in true Costa Rican fashion – sipping the water from a freshly sliced green coconut. Another healthy highlight was a morning trip to a local hillside farm, also arranged via the hotel, where my arrival was greeted with a clucking crowd of hens and geese. I watched cheese churned by hand, learnt how to milk a
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travelweekly.co.uk
Rio Perdido Hotel & Thermal River Enjoy riverbank yoga and dips in the mineral-rich geothermal Rio Perdido (Lost River) at this Guanacaste wellness wonder in the heart of the rainforest.
rioperdido.com
The Springs Resort & Spa With hot and cold springs, this riverside resort set next to Arenal Volcano includes forest trails and spring-fed pools.
thespringscostarica.com
Rio Negro Hot Springs Located in Rincón de la Vieja National Park near Liberia, 10 hot springs, reached by hanging bridges, are naturally heated by the Rincón de la Vieja Volcano.
rincondelaviejapark.com
PICTURE:Armando Del Vecchio; Carlos Charpentier Live Images ltd
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