Thank you to Southwest, Teva, & Ali & Jay for being sponsors for this trip

I would like to just say how grateful I am for the opportunity to take this trip. This is one of the first of many in me expanding my blog into the travel niche. I’d also like to mention the importance of getting away and recharging. I completely understand that traveling, especially international travel, is not cheap. But, if you are able to, I would HIGHLY recommend getting out of your state at least one time, every year to start. You won’t regret it.

WHERE WE STAYED

We opted for AirBnb vs. a hotel for budget reasons and for space. And it was the best choice we made for this trip. Not only did our home have the cutest furnishings (I can appreciate when an AirBnB ensures that the culture of the country isn’t lost within a space), but it was also spacious AF! The home was situated in a condominium gated compound that had 24 hr security. So we were never concerned about safety. The price was also super reasonable ($113/night) considering that we stayed for a whole week. Since Costa Rica is currently in it’s green season (experiencing heavy rainfall throughout the day), prices on accommodations are cheaper.My favorite part of the house was the outside patio area. There was a hammock and seating arrangements on the lower area, and when you took the stairs up, there was another hammock like situation with additional seating that overlooked the compound we were staying in. During one of the mornings, I went outside to read my devotional and take some notes and it was so tranquil. Being surrounded by nature really does enhance certain experiences.
Wearing: Ali & Jay Full Bloom Jumpsuit | Boohoo PVC Mules | Africa Earrings (from a local market in LA) | Lulu Guiness Shades

THINGS TO DO/ACTIVITIES

Our first full day of exploring led us to Jaco beach to do some exploring and sightseeing. Jaco Village is right in the heart of Jaco Beach and is bustling with vendors and food spots. Majority of the vendors here speak fluent English so communication wasn’t an issue at all.Wearing: Rachel Roy Denim Jumpsuit | Teva Midform Universal Geometric

Horseback Riding

I was hyped when one of the suggestions for this trip was to go horseback riding, and on a beach! I had never done it before so excited was an understatement. This was such a tranquil experience and I actually teared up as we approached the beachfront. Horses are quite gentle (although mine decided at one point that he rather play in the sand than have me on his back). Thank you @theridingadventure and our guide, Diego, for being so hospitable!Wearing: Boohoo Bardot Top | Forever 21 Cropped Jeans (similar) |Teva Midform Universal Geometric | J Crew Swimsuit (sold out in blue)

Bike Riding

We spent one of our late afternoons biking through Jaco Village. We were able to rent the bikes from Biciclo Bike Shop in Jaco for only $6 for the entire day. So cheap! And for the week, it’s $20! I wish we would’ve known about this earlier in our trip because I def would’ve rented for the whole week we were there.Wearing: Ali & Jay Sweet Rose Mini Dress | Amanu Custom Sandals | Mango Straw Hat (sold out; similar)

Waterfall Tour

We wanted to be as adventurous as possible on this trip so we decided to do a waterfall tour which consisted of hiking, zip lining, and rappelling through one of Costa Rica’s rainforest. We were lucky enough to have our activities comped courtesy of
Costa Rica Waterfall Tours. Our tour guides were honestly the best. They made sure that we were all comfortable with each activity we were doing, made us laugh throughout the journey, and were extremely hospitable. The icing on the cake was getting rained out while in the rain forest right as we were hiking back up!

WHERE TO EAT

During our first full day of exploring, we stopped at a nook of a restaurant called Restaurante Pura Vida #3 (I’m assuming there is more than one, but this one is right off of 34 highway headed to Jaco). Right as we parked, we got caught in a mini rainstorm that lasted for about 10 mins. Probably the best meal I had on this trip! They served the most tender pieces of beef I’ve ever eaten. And the rice & beans were very reminiscent of Caribbean rice & peas. Our food costs around $7.

Jardine’s Cafe 05 was about a 10 min walk from our AirBnB where we had our breakfast right before we went to our waterfall tours. The owner of the restaurant was super sweet and accommodated the changes to our order different orders. Breakfast ran us about $6 without beverages.

After our bike riding session in Jaco Village, we ended up at Malecon restaurant which was basically right on the beach. Unfortunately, the food here was only ok. My chips for my salsa and guac trio were stale. The ceviche was bland. But their drinks were delicious! And the view of the ocean was beautiful. Drink prices were around $8-$10, while my chips and salsa was around $5.

On our day trip to Quepos, we stopped at the Z Poolside Bistro (fair warning, this place was much pricier than we were expecting, but we were also super hungry so we sucked it up). But we passed A LOT of different restaurants while in Quepos that all had different flairs so you can definitely find something that fits your fancy. Our waiter was very accommodating which made up for the hefty price tag.

BEACHES

In a country like Costa Rica, you’re bound to see a fair share of beaches no matter where you are staying. The Pacific side of Costa Rica is not necessarily renowned for its beaches, but for me, any tropical beach is a far cry from the ones we have in Los Angeles. Scroll through to peep my favorites that we visited.

Wearing: Ali & Jay Beach Club Afternoon Maxi (sold out in white) | Chantal Maison Swim

Recap

Overall, this trip was just what I needed. I’ve been feeling pretty bleh as of late and just felt this feeling of being stuck. Getting away helped put a bit more vigor in pursuing the things I want to pursue, but also understanding that it’s ok to be stagnant sometimes. Just because someone may seemingly be in a constant state of moving and getting things done, that doesn’t make me any less, me. It doesn’t make me any less successful or any less worthy. Thank you Costa Rica for being everything that I hoped that you would be. 

Until next time…

Photos are a mix of professional shots by Megan Tsang, and iPhone captures