From the gorgeous landscapes and volcanoes of Guanacaste to the surf of the Pacific

Lodging at Hacienda Guachipelin

Weather patterns differ wildly at Rincon de la Vieja National Park where east meets west on the Continental Divide.

The province of Guanacaste is mainly tropical dry forest. There are many ranches here and wind farms.

Corral at Hacienda G

Rincon de la Viaja National Park

you can bike or hike to this gorgeous water hole and soak

Hike to this waterfall

The smoke in the forest from the geo thermal boiling muds!

Surf and boogie board rentals abound…and surf camps!

Surf’s Up at Playa Guiones. Surf schools galore!

Beware: Do not rent a low car. Roads are unpredictable in Nicoya.

Beware: Use Waze app for navigation. Google Maps does not work and will send you to nowhere!

Local tuk-tuks are rentable at Playa Guiones, which makes sense.

Sundown…a lovely happy hour on the beach.

The idyllic sunset in February.

Beautiful Bodhi Tree resort offers yoga retreats and daily yoga classes for all (even if you’re not a guest)

Our local AirBnB pad with 2 bedrooms and an outdoor shower and kitchen!

The pretty Harmony Hotel, opened in 2004. It’s dining room is open to all even if you are not a guest.

I love the interior design at the Harmony Hotel. There is also a terrific, intimate bilingual book store at the hotel!

Harmony Hotel’s tiki bar

Guess which exotic fruit?

What cool, innovative design for an outdoor shower.

Playa Guiones is spectacular for exercise before the sun gets too hot.

Chapter 1

Fly into Liberia Int’l airport in the province of Guanacaste, Costa Rica

Rent a car at the airport

Make sure you have maps on hand for navigating the roads and highways

Drive less than an hour to Rincon de la Vieja National Park and stay at the fabulous, family-run Hacienda Guachipelin. https://www.guachipelin.com/

Hike with guides, visit geo thermal sites, tube in the rapids, horse ride, mountain bike, lounge at the pool, dip in a water hole, soak in the natural hot springs and eat local dishes in the open air.

Chapter 2

Drive over to the west coast’s Nicoya Peninsula to the Nosara area, specifically to Playa Guiones. Ojo (keep an eye) on navigation.

Guiones is a fabulous beach town consisting of maze-like dirt roads, great eateries, surf schools, yoga centers, bike and board rentals, tuk-tuks as taxis, an organic market. The beach is well-protected from development thanks to impressive local efforts. Visit the nearby Ostional National Wildlife Refuge to witness the sea turtles nesting. https://www.nosara.com/guiones/

Upon arrival at Ostional, you must hire a registered local guide to safely escort you around the beach at night. There are volunteers and rangers protecting the turtles. Admission with a guide is about $15 USD per person.

Practice your Tico slang: pura vida, mae, tuanis, birra, goma, dar pelota, chunche, que torta!