So like.. I’ve been to a lot of places, right? But Costa Rica? That’s different. That’s the kind of place that stays with you. And I mean stays with you. Like, you’ll be sitting at your desk at work three months later and suddenly you’ll just.. smell the rain in the cloud forests and you’re back there.

I’m serious.

The thing about Costa Rica that most people don’t really talk about is how it just does this thing to you. It’s not like other tropical destinations where you take pictures and leave. Costa Rica has this way of like.. settling into your bones. Getting comfortable there. Making a home.

Pura Vida Isn’t Just a Slogan

Okay so everyone knows about “Pura Vida,” right? The whole saying. And honestly, when I first heard it, I was like “yeah yeah, I get it, they’re chill.” But that’s not… that’s not what it really means.

Pura vida literally means “pure life” but like, it’s more than just words. It’s a thing. It’s how people actually live there. You see it in the way the barista makes your coffee – there’s no rush. You see it in how people greet each other on the street. Even if they don’t know you. Even if they’ll probably never see you again.

I stayed in this small town called Ojochal on the southern coast, and there was this restaurant owner – Carlos – who just.. he got it. He understood the whole concept better than anyone I’ve ever met. Every single day he’d ask how I was doing. Not like a “how are you” in passing. Like, actually asking. With real interest.

That’s pura vida.

The Biodiversity Thing Is Actually Insane

Look, I know what you’re thinking – “yeah, tropical countries have lots of animals.” But Costa Rica is like… it’s wild. Literally. And I can’t stress this enough..

They have like five percent of the world’s biodiversity. FIVE PERCENT. In a country that’s only the size of West Virginia or something. How is that even possible?

I went on this hike in the Monteverde Cloud Forest and I saw sloths just hanging there. Actual sloths. Just vibing in trees. And toucans – these birds with absolutely ridiculous beaks – just flying around like it’s completely normal. And for them it IS normal, but for me it was like being in a nature documentary except I was actually IN it.

The funny thing is, you don’t even have to go searching for wildlife necessarily. I found a poison dart frog in my hotel bathroom once. Just.. chilling there. Blue and red. Looking like a tiny angry snack. I screamed. I’m not ashamed of that.

The People Are Different

And I don’t mean that in like a weird way. I just mean that Ticos – that’s what they call themselves – they’re genuinely kind in this way that feels almost.. I don’t know how to describe it. Authentic? Like it’s not performative.

I got really lost trying to find this waterfall in Arenal, and this guy – I forget his name now – he literally just got in his truck and drove me there. Didn’t ask for money. Didn’t act put out. He just was like “sure, why not, let’s go.” We spent two hours together and I never even got his full name. But it was one of the nicest afternoons I’ve had in like.. years.

There’s also this understanding there about what matters and what doesn’t. And money? Money doesn’t really matter that much. I know that sounds kind of stupid coming from someone who had to save up for the trip, but like.. once you’re there, you feel this shift. People aren’t grinding away for some distant goal. They’re living right now.

It’s actually kind of embarrassing how much we rush around everywhere else.

Okay But The Nature Stuff Really Is Incredible

So I haven’t even mentioned like the waterfalls and beaches and all that yet. And I should because honestly..

La Fortuna Waterfall – this massive waterfall near Arenal volcano – is like, legitimately one of the most beautiful things I’ve ever seen. It’s this heavy flow of water just cascading down into this perfect blue pool, and you can swim in it. THE WATER IS LIKE THIRTY METERS DOWN AND YOU CAN SWIM IN IT.

I went with my friend Marcus and we were both just standing there for like ten minutes not saying anything. Sometimes you don’t need to talk. Sometimes you just need to be in a place and let it happen to you.

And the beaches.. man. The beaches are different depending on where you go. Like, the Pacific side has these amazing sunsets – orange and pink everywhere – and the Caribbean side has this turquoise water that looks like it’s fake. Like someone photoshopped it to be more beautiful than it actually is, but then you get there and it’s REAL..

Puerto Viejo was probably my favorite spot. Laid back, good food, lots of reggae, kind of a mix of Caribbean culture and Costa Rican charm. I didn’t leave for like a week. I just existed there.

The Food Situation Is Actually Pretty Great

People don’t talk about Costa Rican food enough. Like, I went there expecting like.. I don’t know what I expected honestly. But the food is genuinely good.

They have gallo pinto which is like beans and rice but the way they make it? It’s different. It’s better. They throw in peppers and onions and it becomes this whole thing. And casados – these plate meals with rice, beans, salad, plantains and meat or fish – they’re just solid. No fuss, no weird fusion stuff. Just good food that fills you up and tastes right.

And the coffee. Oh god, the coffee. I’m not usually the coffee person, but Costa Rican coffee is like.. it’s a whole experience. It’s smooth and rich and it doesn’t taste bitter like bad coffee.

I drank like three cups a day and didn’t feel weird about it.

Why You Should Actually Go

Look, I could talk about this forever. I could tell you about the zip-lining through the cloud forest or the hot springs near Arenal or the sloths – I haven’t talked enough about the sloths – but honestly the real reason you should go is just to like.. experience it.

Experience a place where people aren’t rushing. Where nature isn’t something you have to pay extra to see – it’s just everywhere. Where a conversation with a stranger at a coffee shop can actually matter.

Costa Rica does this thing where it shows you how to live differently. How to prioritize different things. And yeah, you come back and probably slip back into your regular patterns, but it changes something in you..

I don’t know. Maybe I’m just being emotional about it. But I look at my calendar right now and I’m already saving for my next trip.

Pura vida isn’t just something they say there. It’s something you feel.