Surfing + Guaro = Costa Rica

Free private guide (kind of), discounted hotel room, discounted surf lessons, cheap booze (they have booze in Costa Rica, right?). Ummmmm, YES, I will participate in this vacation. I am lucky enough to have a best friend who worked at a ski & snowboard academy, because there is little likelihood that I would have been able to snag this sort of set-up through my own connections. Reid (my friend's co-worker) had been taking yearly trips down to Jaco, Costa Rica since he'd volunteered to work for a surf camp in L.A. Traveling with this type of pseudo local at a discount is an experience any true traveler couldn't pass up.

The western resort town of Jaco, Costa Ric is definitely a tourist destination and apparently expatriate mecca, but I think we were a far enough drive outside of the the town where I never got that "I'm going to punch the next frat brother who sings 'Sweet Caroline'" sensation. To be honest, even when we were in town it didn't seem like a typical spring break destination. I was only really aware that there were a lot of souvenir shops and "The Beatle Bar" had a lot of prostitutes waiting for American tourists, but hey, they played March Madness basketball games on the big screen, so I totally forgave Reid for taking us there.

It may seem I am being harsh in my memories of Jaco, but truly I loved every experience I had while I was visiting. The hotel we stayed at, Hotel Terraza del Pacifico, was directly on the beach (beach isn't great for sunbathing, but the pool is pleasant and view is amazing), and while not a 5 star accommodation definitely had a friendly staff and some beautiful views of the sunset:

(*Picture courtesy of Meriel's superior photography skills)

While sunset and beach vacations are all well and good, I really have a hard time sitting around relaxing - horrible, I know. The freakin' beautiful thing about a Costa Rican vacation is that the country is not only a mecca for "hardcore" surfers, but it is also really accessible to those posers (like myself) who are attempting to learn:

(*Up! Ahhh - so much concentration)

(*Dern - You Jack!)

(*Further proof I did it more than once - see different bathing suit bottoms!)

In all seriousness, by early April the water off of the western coast is like bath water - making it really easy and enjoyable for just about anyone to get into the sport. Ha - unless your name is Meriel and you like Imperial beer and guaro a wee bit too much. Side note: guaro is local liquor, that although it made me go slightly insane, is delicious when mixed with Fanta or Sprite:

(*Meriel, not throwing you under the bus. We all enjoyed "Ladies Night", just not as much as you.)

"Costa Rica, no rules."

"Costa Rica, no rules." Uhhhhhhh yeeeeaaaah. That isn't exactly what I wanted to hear as I was signing a safety waiver for a zip line tour of a rainforest canopy. I'd also really have liked to pretend I thought he was joking, but it had been a pretty long, fun week. Well, you only live once, right? These dudes were at least making us sign waivers, which had to show some level of professionalism. They also seemed to have a sense of humor, so I would probably die laughing...

(No joke, the monkeys were that close)

Well, I was most certainly not disappointed by the experience, and I clearly lived to tell the tale. My most succinct reaction: I think it is actually the closest I will ever get to being a monkey - well, a 5'8" monkey with no grace or coordination. The tour took us through the top of the rainforest canopy through a set of zip lines and platforms. Coordination wasn't even a requirement. Ha - I can still see one of the tiny little tour guides cringe as I came barreling toward the platform. I will admit that at one point I felt a twinge of vertigo, but that passed quickly as my carabiner was swiftly strapped into the next rope, and I was pushed down toward a platform I could roughly make out in the canopy of the next tree.

 

I would say if you are even the least bit adventurous, then it is an experience that should not be missed. Sure, you can absorb some of the nature from a hike or a horseback ride, but the perspective and view from the tippity top of a tree CANNOT be beat.

(I was apparently too scared to take a picture of anything except birds - boo me).

Tour providers are really easy to find. We stayed on the western coast near the town of Jaco (get surf town - that's another story), and we probably drove past over a dozen different signs for companies offering zip tours. If you are wary of safety, then I would recommend simply asking your hotel for recommendations, or going to any tourist gift shop will also have brochures.