This page contains blog posts from a trip my wife and I took to Costa Rica in Feb/Mar 2023. The original idea had been to go to Antarctica, but the coronavirus pandemic put paid to that (and plan B – Cape Verde), so we went to the Canaries instead, postponing Antarctica for a year. Then the awful situation in Ukraine caused the cancellation of the postponed Antarctic cruise, so that had to be put back once again – plan C is now for that to happen in 2024.

Fortunately, Jane has a ready supply of excellent-sounding destinations on her list. So, while those two destinations are still in our longer-term future; these pages describe a month spent exploring Costa Rica, a country we had never visited before, with a comprehensive itinerary proposed by Pura Aventura, purveyors, they tell us, of award-winning sustainable holidays.

Now read on….

Do you know the way to San José?

Day 1 – Getting There

Day 2 – Xandari

Day 3 – Xandari to Luna Azul, Ostional

Day 4 – Luna Azul I

Day 5 – Luna Azul II

Day 6 – Luna Azul to Casitas Tenorio, Bijagua

Day 7 (morning) – Tapir Valley Nature Reserve

Day 7 (afternoon) – Tenorio National Park

Day (and Night) 8 – Still in Bijagua

Day 10 – Bijagua to Fortuna

Day 11 – La Finca Lodge (Arenal)

Day 12 – La Finca (Arenal) to Tortuguero. Tortuga Lodge, but no turtles

Day 12 – Tortuga Lodge. More Monkeying About

Day 13 – Tortuguero to Puerto Viejo. No Wildlife Photos!

Day 14 – Puerto Viejo I – many, many wildlife photos!

Day 15 – Puerto Viejo II – Rescue, Recovery, Refresh

Day 16 – Puerto Viejo to Aquiares – Choc full of passion and joy

Day 17 – Aquiares – Fully Washed or Natural?

Day 18 – Aquiares to San Gerardo. Interesting times

Day 19 – San Gerardo to Alturas: ¿Quetzal?

Days 20 and 21 – Alturas to El Remanso: It starts and ends with tea

Days 22 and 23 – El Remanso, the day

Day 24, Part 1: Cor! Covado

Day 24, Part 2 – First flight of Angel’s

Day 24, Part 3 – Second flight of Angel’s

Day 25 – Final flights of Angel’s and more (sodden) wildlife

Days 26 to 29 – Tranquilised

Day 30 – Tranquilo to Heredia

Day 31 – Heredia: coffee in even more depth

So: Costa Rica, eh?