Costa Rica Roadtrip - From San Jose to the Pacific and back

On September 26th, we arrive in San Jose, Costa Rica in the evening. After our road trip in Iceland and city trips in North America, the real adventure is about to begin. In Central America, it is rainy season and we are greeted by the weather gods at the airport. Since the car rental company is reluctant to let us drive on the muddy roads with a compact car, we get a free upgrade to a small 4x4 SUV. Just as we are about to leave, the car won't start anymore and we get a replacement vehicle right on the spot. Same model, this could be interesting. We call it 'Huevo Nino', because it feels like driving on eggshells. On the way from the airport to downtown San Jose to the hostel, it becomes clear that speed limits in Costa Rica are purely decorative. People drive by feel. Pura Vida! Before going to sleep, we go to a soda (snack bar) and have rice and beans for the first time, which is Costa Rica's national dish; it is served for breakfast, lunch, and dinner!

On Wednesday, we drive to La Fortuna. It's pouring rain and there are intense thunderstorms. Great! Towards early evening, the rain subsides a bit and we muster the courage to go out again. Near Tabacon, we find access to a hot stream from a volcano and the little excursion was worth it. The water is really warm and we don't want to get out anymore.

The next morning, we set off early because the weather in the rainy season is always very good in the morning. We drive to the Arenal Volcano and embark on our first hike through the Central American jungle. It's unbelievably green and we are all alone on the 'path'. Due to the high humidity, we are completely soaked in no time. Not a pleasant feeling, something we probably have to get used to. During the hike, we cross hardened lava flows because the Arenal is one of the most active volcanoes in the world. Now we understand why there are so many evacuation routes here. When we get back in the car, torrential rain starts. The 'roads' turn into rivers and we see several accidents and landslides on the way to Monteverde. Luckily, nothing happens to us.

In Monteverde, we get a free upgrade to a deluxe double room instead of a standard double room with shared bathroom. These are the advantages of traveling in the low season. In general, the Ticos are very generous without expecting anything in return. Pura Vida! For the night, we sign up for a guided jungle walk. It's still raining lightly and the air has pleasantly cooled down. During the walk, we see some animals like a tarantula, green viper, toucan, sloth, frogs, and 'lingos?'

On Friday, we head to 100% Aventura, the provider with the longest zip-line in Costa Rica. Our male counterpart feels obliged to participate despite his well-known fear of heights. We are a bit late for the first tour, so there is no time for second thoughts. We zip-line from treetop to treetop along steel cables. Sometimes we are at incredible heights. After a Superman flight at about 1 million meters (Stephan tends to exaggerate when it comes to heights ;-) ), we finish with the Tarzan Swing. Nina jumps joyfully into the void, while Stephan has to be pushed by the friendly staff and his primal scream probably scared away all the creatures from the Monteverde rainforest forever. We have captured it on the GoPro for posterity and have laughed to tears multiple times. Afterwards, we buy tickets for a walk on the hanging bridges in the cloud forest. This is also highly unsuitable for people with fear of heights. Such a walk should definitely be done with an experienced guide, as you won't be able to spot any animals on your own, except maybe snakes crossing your path.

Our route takes us further to Puntarenas (the Miami Beach of Costa Rica), but after a walk on the beach, it starts raining heavily again and we spontaneously continue to the next stop. Last-minute bookings on site are no problem in the low season. On the way to Quepos, a landslide blocks our path and we have to wait until the trees and rocks are cleared by heavy machinery.

On Saturday morning, we go straight to Manuel Antonio National Park. It is one of the most biodiverse national parks in the world. Despite conflicting forecasts, the weather remains fantastic all day. While hiking, we see an incredible variety of animals (even without a guide) and end up in a paradise bay. While taking a self-timer photo with the camera, we are careless and a raccoon steals our lunch from the backpack. These cute creatures really have no shame. We put on our swimwear and plunge into the Pacific. Meanwhile, the raccoon has brought reinforcements and Stephan runs back and forth between the water and the towels to defend our territory. By the way, pushing helps and earns you the necessary respect! When hunger sets in, we start heading back. Of course, we both got a wonderful sunburn. In the evening, the rain starts again and we chat a bit with our host Steven, an emigrant from Arizona, and chill in the hammocks on one of the many rooftop terraces of the accommodation.

Originally, we planned to go rafting on Sunday, but due to the bad weather, the rivers are too dangerous, so we spontaneously book a catamaran trip. The sun is scorching once again and we actually see some whales in the ocean. Afterwards, we go to a snorkeling spot. However, due to the current and the waves, the visibility is not that good and Stephan is strongly reminded of Cuba in 2007. The lunch on board is very delicious, and thanks to the open bar, we don't get seasick either. After the tour, we drive back to San Jose to return the rental car. In a detour caused by Google Maps into a one-way street, we are stopped by a police car with flashing lights. Stephan absolutely refuses to speak Spanish because he can't. The police officers flatly refuse to speak English because, apparently, they can't either. After several failed attempts at communication, we are allowed to continue. Pura Vida!

Next, we will explore the Caribbean side of Costa Rica, but this time with public transportation. Let's see how far we will get! :)