Family Adventure in Costa Rica
In a matter of ten days we went from horseback riding up a volcano to soaring on ziplines at dizzying heights above the rainforest floor to basking in the sun on a beach adjacent wild monkeys and iguanas. We had come to Costa Rica looking for adventure and the country did not disappoint.
As novices to Central America and non-Spanish speakers, we opted to take a friends advice and hire a driver to take us around; getting lost on rough roads in the countryside with three young children just didn’t seem too appealing. The private driver was fairly inexpensive and proved to be a wealth of local knowledge, so all in all it proved to be a good decision.
Our first stop was Arenal, an active volcano and popular tourist destination about 3 1/2 hours north of San Jose. The weather was cool and drizzly which came as quite a surprise to my family despite the fact that I had told them repeatedly prior to the trip that we were headed to the rainforest. Across the street from the hotel, we were able to saddle up and head out for a couple hours of magnificent horseback riding through the countryside.
Although the thick fog prevented us from seeing too much at the top, getting there was quite memorable. I cast aside the pangs of worry that kept creeping into the pit of my stomach as I watched my 10 year old novice horseback rider gallop away across an open field and guide his horse down slippery pathways through the dense forest, thrilled to pieces with himself. We even came away with a great family photo our guide took of us, our horses standing in a pond, the five of us proudly perched in our saddles, unaware of how ridiculous we all looked in our Bob the Builder head safety gear.
It was about this time that I began to realize Costa Rican safety standards were slightly different than those of the United States. My husband kept looking at me in a state of shock as I allowed my children to do things I never would allow back home. I felt we were invincible…what could possibly go wrong in Costa Rica?
The day after horseback riding, I reluctantly agreed to rent quads. I am NOT a fan of quads and won’t let my kids near them at home, but since all of my common sense seemed to have left me on this trip, I said sure, why not. My 10 year old rode his own, my daughter rode with my husband and my 8 year old son rode with me. It seemed safe enough as we followed behind our guide along some dirt roads through the countryside. I was even beginning to enjoy it. Until, that is, my son, who was steering our quad, hit a very large rock causing our vehicle to go out of control and nearly veer off a cliff. The look on my husband’s face as he saw how close we came to going over the edge quickly put an end to our little joy ride.
Back at the hotel, we were pleasantly surprised to discover some beautiful hiking trails through the rainforest a short stroll from the pool. Aside from the aggressive red ants that managed to find their way into my daughter’s shoes and sting her feet, thus beginning what looks to be like a life long fear of ants of any size or color, the hikes were a nice introduction of what was to come in the Monteverde Region. Close-toed hiking shoes will surely be packed for the next visit.
We had heard all kinds of stories about how bad the roads were between Arenal and the Monteverde Region, but I didn’t quite believe them until we were actually driving on these pseudo-roads. I still don’t really understand why they don’t just fix them. In other parts of Costa Rica, we traveled on smooth, well-maintained highways, but up in this northern part of the country, it was like stepping back in time. We would have had an easier time getting through on horseback. Fortunately, the scenery made up for the lack of comfort.
Eventually we found our way to the one and only El Sol. Walking up the path to our log cabin, the panoramic mountain views stopped us dead in our tracks…not a home or light to be seen as far as the eye could see. The explosion of colors that overtook the sky each night as the sun was setting was spectacular beyond words. We rallied for position on the deck, snacks and cocktails in hand, determined not to miss a second of the days end unfolding.
What you won’t find at El Sol are some of the more refined comforts of home such as hot water and animal-hair-free bedding. It is advisable to get yourself on friendly terms with a whole variety of creepy critters before you arrive. I joke not when I say a crumb dropped to the floor and a cartoon like army of ants appeared out of nowhere, hoisted the crumb and marched it off into the walls of the cabin. Spiders the size of quarters were on our dining table when we flipped the light on, quickly scattering to places unknown, resulting in two very sleepless nights huddled together with my children as they cried and I assured them, not too confidently, that the spiders would not bite them as they slept. Myself, I slept with one eye open, certain there were spiders crawling all over me. I had nightmares for weeks.
Between my panic over the spiders and my highly allergic reaction to Cat Stevens, the resident cat who took a liking to us and decided to sleep in our cabin, I didn’t exactly get a lot of restful slumber during our stay, but I left El Sol with images I won’t soon forget…bullfrogs the size of Frisbees who came out at night in our pool; the friendly albeit strange owner who we were convinced was an outlaw avoiding capture by setting up shop in the most remote area she could find; the local family down the road who graciously fed dinner to a bunch of strangers; the incredibly comfortable hammocks; and of course the breath taking mountain views.
When we could pry ourselves away from watching the sunset and playing with Cat Stevens at El Sol, we ventured down to the rainforest to try our hand at the ziplines, since a trip to the Monteverde Region would not be complete without this famous activity under our belts. For someone who has a slight (ok not-so-slight) fear of heights, this was no small feat. There were a series of 17 different ziplines to cross, starting out with short distances only a few feet off the ground and climaxing with a breath taking 600 foot traverse 400 feet over the rainforest ground. If I had known about that last one before we set out, I’m not so sure I would have signed us all up so enthusiastically, especially as my husband and I stood by helplessly watching all three of our children being strapped together with a guide for their final flight. That wire just looked like an awfully small thing to be standing between the lives of my children and the forest floor. Not to worry though…they all had their Bob the Builder helmets securely strapped on (I’m convinced everyone in Costa Rica must buy their safety gear from the same toy company). I must admit though, the feeling of flying across that rainforest strapped to a thin cable wire was the closest I will ever get to feeling what it is like to be a bird. It was amazing. Not that I’d ever want to do it again, but amazing nonetheless.
By this point, we had had our fill of adventure. We were all looking forward to relaxing at the beach, which is how we decided to spend the last few days of our trip. The drive to Manuel Antonio took about 4 hours, all on modern roadways. The town is a typical beach town complete with flea market vendors along the sidewalks, en pleine air restaurants and bars lining the street, and lots of local flavor.
I initially reacted with shock when I saw a three foot long iguana basking in the sun just steps away from me at our villa, but by the end of the first day, the sight was so commonplace I barely even stirred. I even sat at breakfast one morning feeding slices of tomato off my plate to a hungry iguana sitting on the ledge. The water at the public beaches here look deceivingly calm, but the combination of dangerous riptides and a severe lack of lifeguards, led us to the Manual Antonio park just a short walk away from the public beach. We found much safer swimming alcoves there that were quite beautiful and very private if you go early in the day.
Walking through the park we met an array of monkeys, some friendly and some a bit aggressive, but all entertaining. If you’re lucky you may catch a glimpse of some Toucans or even a sloth. We even had an entertaining run in with a raccoon, who boldly came up to us as we sat on the beach and rifled through our bag looking for snacks, undeterred by our presence.
In a nutshell, Costa Rica is magical. The people, the scenery, the wildlife, the incredible natural beauty…all result in a place that beckons you to return. I’m already dreaming of a way I can go back and explore some of the more off the beaten patch gems this surprisingly diverse little country has to offer. My kids and I are finally in agreement about something; Costa Rica was the best family vacation we’ve ever taken.
Categorized In: costa rica | costa rican travel | family adventure | family travel | iguanas | monkeys | nature photography | travel photography | wildlife photography
