My WELLNESS COSTA RICA Experience with G Adventures
January 8-15 2022
Costa Rica had been on my bucket list for longer that I can remember, and so I decided that this was the year for it to happen. After 2 years Covid-19 and no travel, a Wellness trip with G Adventures seemed the perfect match.
Day 0: Flight from Ottawa to Toronto for an overnight at ALT Hotel YYZ.
Photo: King room at ALT Hotel Toronto Airport
Day 1: Back at YYZ
for my 7:10am departure to San Jose.
Luggage had been checked through (AC gave me the option to
check through or collect for the overnight) so I headed straight through
security. Lines were short, 20 minutes after arrival at T1 I was at my gate
with lots of time for some breakfast!
The flight was uneventful – albeit surprisingly FULL!
Arrival! Cleared customs, collected my luggage, and made my way past the multitudes of people vying for my attention until I saw the little purple G Adventures sign J My included transfer was here! After waiting for a few other passengers we set off for Radisson San Jose, and I checked into my room by 2pm. I had opted for the ‘My Own Room’ option so I had exactly that - my own room in each stop. I did have the option to be paired with another solo female traveler, but as much as I loved the small group travel experience, I also like my own space, and it was well worth the extra cost.
Our trip CEO Pamela’s sign announcing our welcome meeting at 6pm was displayed prominently. G Adventures' Tour Leaders are not just tour leaders – they
are Chief Experience Officers! They are all locally based, meaning they know
the area you’re exploring like the back of their well-travelled hand.
After settling in I went for a little walkabout to get myself a Costa Rica SIM chip (just in case...) and grabbed a snack from the hotel bar. Thought about swimming but the hotel pool was like a Polar Plunge!
That evening I met Pamela and the 6 others in the group: two other Canadians (mom in her early 50s and daughter in her early 20s), and 4 solo travelers 2 Americans (both women in their 30s) and 2 from the UK (one young woman who celebrated her 26th birthday with us and one older fellow). There were to be 11 of us, but 4 backed out at the last minute. After our intro meeting we went to the hotel restaurant for a great meal and opportunity to get to know each other. Except for the fellow who seemed to have his own agenda (which was perfectly fine - that is the beauty of a small group tour such as this), the 6 of us bonded incredibly well, right from the get-go J
Day 2: Early morning start in our private van.
G Adventures tours will often use local transport, but as
this was an upgraded tour we had a private to take us around (except for the
occasional taxi for transfer into town for dinner or the like).
First stop was the Planeterra Project Mi Cafecito where we were treated to an in-depth tour, great views, tastings and a delicious typical lunch of plantains, beans, and freshly caught tilapia fish. We felt good about all this eating and drinking knowing that we were supporting a G Adventures for Good project that helps 200 farmers and their families. Planeterra is the world’s leading non-governmental organization turning travel into impact in communities. You can read more about Planeterra here.
Photos (Clockwise form top left): Coffee beans drying; view from lookout; pouring coffee liqueur tasting; Coffee is always a good idea sign; typical lunch with tilapia; Mi Cafecito sig
We had amazing weather today - and throughout the tour. Apparently it is rare to see the top of the Poas Volcano as it is usually shrouded in clouds – our CEO was super excited and even the bus driver took photos!
Photo: Sandra pointing to Poas volcano; our van parked on road
By midafternoon we checked into our home for the next 2 days – Magic Mountain in the outskirts of La Fortuna!!
After settling in we gathered for the first included yoga class led by a teacher from a local studio. With Arenal in the backdrop it was truly magical – especially when our yoga teacher played her singing bowls. Can it be that we just arrived yesterday?
Photos (L to R): My room at Magic Mountain resort; yoga with Arenal volcano as backdrop
That evening we took a short taxi ride into La Fortuna town for dinner at Organica Fortuna where we were treated to some amazing food with lots of plant based options. My meal was called Peace and Love J
Photos: Organica Fortuna group dinner
Note that one of out group had a severe dairy/lactose allergy; she had absolutely no trouble with her food choices the entire trip. The vegan menu at this restaurant was especially good for her, but at all places she was accommodated with ease.
Day 3: Such an amazing, BUSY day exploring Arenal and La Fortuna!
Early morning wake up to join our pre-selected optional activity (zip lining, hiking the hanging bridges or canyoning). Pamela of course made sure we were all organized and well taken care of. I along with the other ‘mom’ in our group chose the hanging bridges park and were treated to an almost private tour - only 3 of us, a very knowledgeable guide and amazing views and wildlife.
Photos (left to Right): Broad-billed Motmot; view from bridge; hanging bridge
Lunch on our own in town or at the hotel, then we met up again and headed to nearby Lake Arenal for an included stand-up paddleboard (SUP) yoga class. I’d never even been on a SUP before and so was a little apprehensive, but caught on pretty quickly. It was one of the highlights of the trip. By 3 we were done and headed back to the hotel for a quick change before our last activity of the day – a visit to a local hot springs Eco Thermales for a therapeutic soak the thermal spa, drinks, laughs and a delicious buffet dinner. Ahhhh...
This morning we left Arenal and La Fortuna behind for Guanacaste province and the Rincón de la Vieja National Park. Pamela arranged a picnic lunch (more delicious food from Organica Fortuna) and a stop at Llanos del Cortes Waterfalls to eat and swim – so refreshing! En route from lunch, we made one more stop for an afternoon yoga session in a local studio (AMAZING!!!) before arriving at Borinquen Thermal Resort. There was some free time to relax and explore the lush grounds of this eco-resort, with an included dinner to round out the day.
Day 5: R and R
Home to two volcanoes, Rincón de la Vieja is the epitome of Costa Rica: lush jungle, extensive flora and fauna, bubbling mud pools next to volcanic thermal waters. There were options to take a day tour for hiking and adventure, but for us today was all about R and R – and some muddy fun J A scrub with volcanic mud, a soak in the natural hot spring fed thermal pools, and a swim in the beautiful free form pool.
Photos: (top - left to right) group covered in volcanic mud with steam from pools in background; view to thermal pools; view to pool
(bottom) Sunset view from Sandra's room
Day 6 Playa Carillo
Bright and early, we left Borinquen resort for our last stop, Hotel Nammbu in Playa Carillo. Pamela’s recommended taco lunch at a local Samara restaurant, complete with deliciously potent margaritas, was delicious. After checking into our super spacious and gorgeous rooms there was time for a quick trip to the beach (despite being called a ‘Beachfront’ hotel, the beach was a loooong set of stairs away…) before more included yoga and a gorgeous sunset..
Tonight was Covid test night for me! (as a Canadian I was
required to have a negative molecular test within 72 hours of boarding my
flight). After dinner I returned to my room, unpacked the kit lingering in the
corner of my suitcase, and got started.
I had some complications with detecting the QR code needed to get started and had to use my backup code (they include 2 in the box) which I also had trouble detecting.. It was tense for a few minutes! Once the code registered I was put in a virtual queue and only waited a few minutes before I was helped by a Telehealth professional. Our connection was poor and we had difficulty hearing each other but she was ready for anything (we ended up using the chat feature in the app) and within a few minutes the test was done and I was left to await results, which arrived within 30 minutes (negative - phew!)
- Ensure bright lighting and secure internet connection for optimal ease
Note: As of April 1, 2022 negative tests are no longer required to enter Canada for fully vaccinated travelers
As travel requirements are changing rapidly as a result of COVID-19, it is the traveler's responsibility to regularly check the restrictions put in place by the border authorities of the country they are planning to visit as well as the Government of Canada website . This includes travel restrictions and self-isolation plans as required under Canadian federal, provincial, and territorial jurisdiction. Please visit www.travel.gc.ca and She
Day 7 Surfing!
Morning beach time for me! The sea was incredibly clear and warm, and I’ve never walked on such soft sand. A few of our group elected to go whale watching – and were rewarded with great wildlife viewing.
Lunch by the pool was followed by an afternoon surf lesson! Our instructors were kind and patient – and assured me that knee surfing was actually a thing lol.
More afternoon yoga was scheduled -
but I opted instead for cocktails by the pool and another sunset, before
getting ready to head in to Samara for our last group supper.
Pictures (clockwise from top left): People on beach in distance; Sandra 'knee-surfing' :-) ; Pool at Hotel Nammbu overlooking Playa Carillo; Sunset view from Sandra's room; Group dinner in Samara.
Day 8 Homeward bound
I passed a relaxed morning with self-guided yoga in my room and a last walk on the beach; our van was on the road by 10:30 for the drive back to San Jose. Our tour came to an end as we reached San Jose Airport, SJO around 4pm. I bid farewell to the group and grabbed a taxi to my hotel for one last night away from home.
Until next time Costa Rica …
Photos(left to right) : Yoga mat facing room balcony at Hotel Nammbu; Costa Rica 2022 drawn in the sand; Pura Vida Costa Rica logo