Hey y'all! This was a week full of traveling which has left me tired but content. We left San Jose on Wednesday morning after morning classes and traveled to the west coast. First, we went to Los Suenos for one night which is close to a very famous beach, Jaco Beach. Next, we went even further south to Manuel Antonio National Park and stayed one night there, and we ended with two nights in Punta Leona, back up the coast. It was an amazing five days and throughout all of it we got to see five beaches, monkeys, sloths, raccoons, and more!
Los Suenos
This resort was the most beautiful hotel I have ever stayed in (and most expensive). Los Suenos is actually an area that includes a hotel as well as many, many very expensive vacation homes. The beach here was not exceptional because there is also a very large marina so the water is not very clean, but it was beautiful to look at. The rooms were clean and lovely, and the breakfast was amazing. Major food perk for those of you who love sushi as much as I do, they have a sushi bar right in the lobby!
The amenity that this hotel is known for are the pools. There is a network of pools that is absolutely beautiful. There is a swim up bar, the water is the perfect temperature, and the beach is very close to you can hear the waves and smell the salty breeze. The hotel also hosted many events, like bingo, dance classes, or activities for kids around the pool deck, so there was always something to do. And of course, since it is Costa Rica, there was wildlife up close and personal. Iguanas were everywhere here, walking around the pool decks and sunbathing on the beach. All-together, a relaxing and luxurious experience.
Manuel Antonio National Park
If you have done any other research about Costa Rica, you have probably seen a ton of people telling you that Manuel Antonio is a must-see. And they are right. Costa Rica has 27 national parks (which is a LOT for such a tiny country), and I have not been to any other national parks here, but I can tell you this one is different. We stayed at Hotel San Bada which was lovely and, if you want to visit the national park, prime location. The hotel is literally in front of the gates of the park. Also, there is a rooftop pool AND sushi bar. It literally does not get better than that.
The park itself costs $16 (USD) to get in to, but it is worth every penny, especially if you spend the day there. Between the beaches, the wildlife, and the nature, it is heaven on earth. The beaches were pristine and the water was incredible. The monkeys were everywhere and very, very close.* Another animal that we saw was a baby sloth, which was adorable. These animals are very difficult to spot, so many people will be outside of the gates asking if you want a guide. I do not know how much these guides are, but they are not necessary. There are guides everywhere, and you can simply listen to what they are saying and where they are pointing. All you really need a guide for are the sloths since they blend in. The monkeys are very vivacious.
*TIP: The monkeys WILL steal your things if you do not watch them! This also applies to some of the other animals/places, like the raccoons in Punta Leona. They are very famous for it.
Above: The first three pictures are of the public beach in Manuel Antonio, while the next four are in the park.
Punta Leona
Punta Leona is similar to Los Suenos in that it is a large area consisting of a hotel as well as residential/vacation housing. While it was not quite as luxurious as Los Suenos, it was still a lovely place to spend two days. The major perk of Punta Leona was that there was access to two beaches, one walking distance and one a short (and free) bus ride away. The first beach was honestly a little dirty, with lots of trash on the beach and in the water, but it was also home to a small marina, so this is not surprising. The second beach, however, was AMAZING. It is called "Playa Blanca" (White Beach) and for good reason. There was also a little restaurant/bar there so if you wanted to spend the whole day you could. The water was clear (I could see my toes at 5 feet) and it was very calm.
The hotel offered lots of activities like crocodile tours, zip-lining, etc. which we did not take part in because we are towards the end of our trip and also college students, but the resort was very kid friendly. There were two large pools, one of which featured a shallower section specifically for kids. My favorite part of the resort was the beach with the trash, because it allowed me to watch the most stunning and vibrant sunset I have ever seen.
Above: The top row is the beach closest to the resort and the bottom row is the beach that requires a short bus ride.
Places and Things:
Los Suenos: https://lossuenos.com/ ; About an hour and a half southwest of San Jose
Manuel Antonio/Hotel San Bada: http://www.hotelsanbada.com/ ; The national park is directly next door to the hotel; this is further from San Jose, about 3 hours by car*
Punta Leona: https://hotelpuntaleona.com/ ; Also about an hour and a half southwest of San Jose (Los Suenos and Punta Leona are very close)
*TIP: Most of these places can be accessed by public transportation if you wanted to take a bus. InterBus is a reliable source of transportation that is also an option ( https://www.interbusonline.com/ ). You may have to take a taxi to get directly to a hotel from these bus stops but it should get you most of the way.
Overall, we had an incredible long weekend and I cannot wait to return to these places with my family in the future! Thanks for reading and as always, if you have any questions or comments, comment or send me a message!
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