Because I’ve always wanted to…
Summer Greetings to you All!
Here at laterallife, we continue to roam around the world to bring you the latest and greatest to inspire you to escape this perennially damp climate of ours. I have been most fortunate to spend the last two weeks exploring the Northern Mozambique Coast followed by two stunning lodges on the shores of Lake Malawi – all will be revealed next month but if anyone wants a summer beach holiday on the shores of one of Africa’s greatest lakes, you know where to find us!
Steve has just returned from a comprehensive 3 week trip around Costa Rica traversing from the Central highlands to the four corners of the Pacific and Caribbean coastlines, more on all things ‘Tico’ below.
On a final note, we’d like to share a great sabbatical feature and a snippet about little old us in the newly launched International Lifestyle Magazine
Laterally yours,
A Flavour of Costa Rica…
Costa Rica is rightly known as a nature lover’s playground, the natural park of Central America with over 30% of its territory protected forest and around 5% of the World’s biodiversity. If you love being active and outdoors, you will love Costa Rica. It offers family adventure at all levels from river floating to white-water rafting, zip-lining (apparently invented here), lakeside mountain biking, volcano hiking, therapeutic hot-springs, Pacific surfing, virgin sandy beaches and a sense of well-being that few other countries in this region can rival. Culturally we have uncovered experiences in the central highlands where you can mingle with the locals – in their homes and businesses, learn about the sustainability efforts in the Osa Peninsula – the wildest region of the country and only accessible by boat or air – and chat with a Cabecar Indian shaman above the Pacuare River. Below we’ve highlighted a few of the more lateral regions and some suitably luxurious accommodation for you to peruse.
For a sample itinerary aimed towards couples and families with teenagers or older and featuring some of the properties highlighted below please click here.
When: Year round. Drier Season (it can rain at any time) – December-April
Wettest Months – September-October
With so many microclimates and changes in elevation you can expect 2 seasons in one day at any time of year with temperatures ranging from pleasantly cool to hot and steamy.
Bajos del Toro – El Silencio Lodge
Less than two hours north of the capital San Jose, Bajos del Toro is a world away from city life and an enchanting place to begin a trip to Costa Rica. This is cloud-forest territory with the nearby Bosque de Paz Reserve and the Juan Castro Blanco national park where there is a good chance of spotting the elusive Quetzal. Bajos del Toro provides a cultural insight to quaint village life with hands-on experiences which are ideal for families. At El Silencio, enjoy one of 16 luxurious bungalows nestled in a 500 acre private reserve. Service and food are some of the best you’ll find in the country and our only advice is don’t rush your stay here. www.elsilenciolodge.com
Pacuare River & Lodge
The Pacuare region provides some of the most scenic jungle landscape and proliferation of wildlife in Costa Rica. The unique journey to reach the Pacuare River Lodge is by white-water rafting on class II-III rapids for 90 minutes and departure by river is on class III-IV rapids over a 4 hour exhilarating adventure. The lodge’s Linda Vista Suites are a truly remarkable feat of luxury – almost everything from bath tubs to king size mattresses arrived by raft – and provide secluded luxury which is sure to exceed any expectation; these suites even have a private infinity pool. Suitable for over 12 year olds only.
www.pacuarelodge.com
South Caribbean Coast – Le Cameleon Hotel
Formerly it was just the Bob Marley pilgrims or the most indie of backpackers who ventured to the rustic town of Puerto Viejo but this region is starting to attract a more sophisticated level of tourism and a stunning alternative to the more popular Pacific beaches. Cahuita National Park borders the Caribbean ocean and a walk along its well-marked trails or a snorkel around the coral reefs will uncover a plethora of monkeys, iguanas, coati, toucans and blue parrotfish. Visit the sloth and jaguar sanctuaries, meander the beachside markets and stay at the delightful Le Cameleon Hotel whose beach lounge lies on one of the most attractive stretches of golden sand in the area. www.lecameleonhotel.com
Turrialba – Hacienda Tayutic
A couple of hours drive from San Jose, the Turrialba Valley which is flanked by the Irazu and Turrialba volcanoes is an alternative base to begin or end a trip to Costa Rica. For adventure there is excellent biking, hiking, kayaking and rafting nearby. For a more gentle experience there is superb bird-watching, visits to coffee and tropical fruit plantations, village walks and butterfly gardens. Hacienda Tayutic is a working coffee, macadamia and sugar cane farm providing just 7 individual rooms in a luxurious ‘guesthouse’ environment. The views across the valley are incredible and the panoramic lounge and dining areas welcome a time-out from the sightseeing to simply relax. www.tayutic.com