Experience the ‘pura vida’ culture in Costa Rica

While we seem to be lost in a culture that prescribes meditating and mindfulness as an antidote to the stresses of modern life, Costa Rica has had the cure all along. Pura vida – the pure life – means appreciating the beauty of life in the present moment. It’s an eternal optimism and a local greeting which is entirely ingrained in local culture. In fact, it’s almost impossible to leave the country without feeling revived, refreshed and entirely renewed. In this emerald land of cascading waterfalls, tropical jungles and isolated beaches, anything is possible. Read on for our guide to experiencing the pura vida as you travel to Costa Rica.

Travel to Costa Rica for its pura vida culture

Whether you’re looking to shoot the rapids, hike some craters, enjoy peaceful walks through sun-dappled forest or relax on the beach – there’s an amazing pura vida experience for everyone.

Find beachside bliss

Lucky Costa Rica is blessed with not one, but two coastlines – a shorter Caribbean coast laced with mangroves and white-sand bays, and a longer, wilder Pacific coast where surfers come to play. You’ll have a real variety of beaches to explore, from pristine bays backed by nature reserves to laid-back surf town sands and remote stretches where sea turtles lay their eggs and dolphins play in the surf. As you walk barefoot on Costa Rica’s beaches, feeling the sand between your toes and drinking in the fresh oceanic air, you’ll be fully immersed in the essence of pura vida.

One of the most beautiful stretches of coastline lies within the Manuel Antonio National Park, a protected stretch of rainforest in the middle of Costa Rica’s Pacific coastline. A little further north is the Nicoya Peninsula, popular for its range of beaches. Experienced surfers head for the formidable waves at Playa Hermosa, while the much calmer coves around Montezuma are ideal for beachside pottering. Over on the Caribbean coast, Punta Uva is a classic white-sand hideaway with coral reef snorkeling off the beach.

Feel the rush

Costa Rica is a top adventure destination with all manner of thrills and spills to get the adrenalin pumping. From zip-lining through rainforest canopies to whitewater rafting, hiking, mountain biking and kayaking, the great outdoors here is one big adventure playground.

Taste Costa Rica’s ‘magic beans’

Coffee: the story of the grano de oro (golden bean) took root in the 18th century, and since then it has played a pivotal role in Costa Rica’s history. The fertile, volcanic soil gives the bean a mild and softly acidic flavor. Today, Costa Rican coffee is ranked as some of the finest in the world. You can follow the process from seed to cup with a tour of one of the plantations dotted throughout the landscape.

Chocolate: the Europeans arrived in the Americas in search of gold, but the indigenous people already had a currency far more valuable: cacao – another small, brown bean with its own starring role in the nation’s history. While we’re all familiar with the end product, a brown bar of tempting chocolate, the yellow football appearance of a ripened cacao pod is somewhat alien. The tender white flesh that encases the invaluable beans has a tangy yet sweet flavor – offering a completely new perspective of the world’s favorite treat.

Gallo pinto: you can’t step foot in Costa Rica without trying the nation’s take on rice and beans. According to local lore, the origins of the dish begin in the tiny town of San Sebastian. The story goes that a resident called Don Barnabe boasted of his prized gallo pinto (spotted hen) which he was planning to cook for the town’s Christmas celebrations. Gossip spread and the proprietor found himself face to face with a crowd of townsfolk eager to taste the promised dish. Barnabe’s solution was to pay homage to his now renowned gallo pinto by frying up copious amounts of white rice and black beans, ensuring that everyone had something to eat.

Wonder at the magnificence of nature

Discover a mystical world where fine white mist curls itself around the trunks of towering trees, flashes of color catching your eye as a resplendent quetzal or tiny hummingbirds flit by. The Monteverde Cloud Forest is one of the finest examples of Costa Rica’s spectacular flora and fauna, making this verdant sanctuary an unmissable destination for nature lovers. The country is home to 5% of the world’s biodiversity, a fact which it takes great pride in maintaining, thus rendering itself a world leader with cutting-edge conservation tactics and well-managed eco-tourism.

Go chasing waterfalls

The tropical playground of Costa Rica is verdantly green and lush, with forests cut through by rushing rivers and waterfalls. Exploring these pristine environments and experiencing their vivid beauty is part of the pura vida way of life. Enlivening your senses by tuning into the sights, sounds, smells and feel of the natural world will bring you one step closer to living this uniquely Costa Rican concept. One way to do so is by wild swimming in Costa Rica’s waterfall pools, especially after a long, hot hike. Diving straight into these refreshing waters cannot help but make you feel intensely alive.

Plunge into rejuvenating waters

The near-perfect symmetry of the Arenal volcano is a surreal sight: a colossal pyramid rising above a blanket of forest. The natural landmark provides an impressive backdrop for the nearby towns of La Fortuna and El Castillo, all the while simmering quietly in its resting phase. Hidden at its base is a collection of thermal hot springs, crashing waterfalls, twisting rapids and refreshing pools, creating the perfect natural spa – an amazing example of the pure life the Costa Ricans so happily embrace.

Venture forth after dark

Another way to enliven your senses is to experience Costa Rica’s wild places after dark. A good portion of the forest wildlife is nocturnal, so there are some fascinating encounters to be had after dusk. On a guided night walk into the rainforests of La Fortuna or Manuel Antonio, you’ll discover a whole new world of wildlife, from bugs to bats. When our sense of sight is restricted, other senses come alive, especially our hearing; your heightened senses will pick up every rustle of leaves and flap of wings on a nighttime forest adventure.

It’s under the moonlight too that female sea turtles make their way up the beaches to lay their eggs. The prime place to see this nocturnal activity is the Tortuguero National Park, on the Caribbean coast between March and October. If you’re strolling a starlit beach, keep your eyes tuned for displays of phosphorescence; it’s especially prevalent around the beaches of the Nicoya Peninsula.

Make it happen

Ready to adopt the pura vida lifestyle yourself? Head over to our destination page for plenty of local expertise, itinerary ideas, and even more insight before you travel to Costa Rica.