Pura Vida! Dominical

Not 10 minutes north of Uvita on the Pacific Coast Highway, there lies another turn off for a great blink-and-you'll-miss-it surfer's paradise. Dominical is a hip and busy little beach town with a fun vibe where budget hostels, outdoor eateries and bars and dozens of surf gear, souvenir and trinket shops abound. 

A home base for backpackers and young tourists, Josh and I found Domincal to be a bustling metropolis compared to the lesser known Uvita! The white, sandy beach boasts warm temperatures during the day and a cool ocean breeze by night. Because the swells can reach up to 10 feet and there's the risk of a rip current, it is a haven for experienced surfers. We noticed hammocks tied to the palms that flanked the shore and learned that frequent visitors often sleep under the stars after a long day in the waves. 

Local artisans set up stalls along the beach to sell their wares, making Dominical the perfect place to pick up a few authentic souvenirs. But, buyer beware, as many of the colorful pareos, dresses and hammocks are not hand-made. 

Josh and I happened upon a Columbian girl selling gorgeous hand-woven earrings and bracelets. Every one was different, some flecked with beads or dangling feathers, and the patterns and designs were so intricate! Josh opted for a manly three-tone brown bracelet and I got a great pair of earrings. We had read in our guide book that bartering is not a generally accepted practice in Costa Rica because the sale of hand-made goods and food is an important part of the local economy. Keen on supporting local artists and tradesman, we were happy to pay a reasonable fee for our fashionable finds!

Although Josh and I just wandered up to Dominical to check out the scene, there is much to do in town and nearby. Shopkeepers offer kayaking tours along the coast as well as diving and snorkeling trips. Surf lessons are available in Dominical, but from what we learned about the local rip tides, heading south to Uvita and hooking up with Bodhi Surf School might be the best option for beginners. Travelers can also arrange a horseback tour to the nearby Nauyaca Waterfalls. We spent our afternoon strolling through the shops and galleries and watching surfers tackle the waves.

Following a recommendation from our friends Sam and Paula, we stopped into Coconut Spice for a delicious Thai lunch. Josh enjoyed his favorite dish, Pad Thai, while I noshed on some fresh and tasty spring rolls. We sat on the covered balcony with a view of the river and spent our lunch scanning the shoreline for herons and crocodiles.

Pura Vida! Bodhi Surf School - Costa Rica Surf Camp

While scouring the internet to plan our most recent adventure, I stumbled upon a travel forum thread about surfing in Costa Rica. A simple quote from a post struck a chord for me: Don't surf places, surf people. I can't recall the name of the website or the the reviewer, but I owe him or her a debt of gratitude. Ever since I read it, I've felt grounded and comforted by the weight of that line. Leave it to a wandering hippie surfer dude to come up with the direct yet eloquent travel motto I've been desperately struggling to put into words!

Since Josh and I launched our self-imposed volun-touring sabbatical a little over a year ago, people have often asked us how we choose where to travel, what to do while we’re there, where to stay, etc. Only now, after so much wasted time trying to wrestle fate and figures into tidy travel spreadsheets, can I fully appreciate the awesome, door-opening force of simple, one-on-one human connection. It is the one thing (besides online flight check-in and noise-canceling headphones) that we've relied on every time we travel. Initiating each of our trips by cold-calling a few locals has always (and often miraculously) landed Josh and I in the right place at the right time.   

We flew to Texas on a whim after a few emails with the Habitat for Humanity crew leader.  We trekked half-way around the world to meet up with a good friend, a family of inn keepers and a biking travel guide in New Zealand.  We drove cross-country to meet an eco-spa guru and mingled with the owners of some very comfortable couches. Though there's something to be said for the picture-perfect beauty of rocky trails, city centers and sweeping vistas, each place we've visited has held no greater bounty than its people.

Our new-found golden rule held true in Costa Rica as well! We drew the blueprints for our Latin America adventure after a brief online chat with the owners of Bodhi Surf School in Uvita/Bahia Ballena. While searching for volunteer opportunities and surfing lessons online, I discovered an ex-peace corps volunteer and his buddy, Travis Bays and Gibran Garcia, who were running a small, eco- and community-conscious surf school in a tiny fishing village on Costa Rica's Pacific coast. After hearing about our unconventional segue into voluntourism, these two took pause in the middle of their busy lives to help Josh and I plan our trip from soup to nuts!

Helping Gibran with Grupo Surf - Bodhi's own Local Youth Group

As we learned from Travis, the word 'bodhi' is Sanskrit for 'awakening' or 'enlightenment'. We soon discovered that this moniker perfectly portrays the ambitious undertakings of this progressive, family/friend operation. Travis and Gibran are not content to just earn a living playing in the water. Surf lessons are a means to their loftier goal - To awaken and enlighten others with 'experiences that connect individuals with nature and increase environmental and social awareness.' Yeah, it sounds a bit poetic and existential for a couple of surfer dudes. But after a week of tailing Travis and Gibran through Uvita, I can attest that these guys aren't just jumping on the 'green' bandwagon. They truly walk the walk, and they expect others to do the same. *Sign Bodhi Surf School's Ocean Guardian Pledge.* 

Travis and Gibran treated us to a walking tour of the community and introductions to other local business owners. After several years working for the Peace Corps in Uvita, Travis knows first-hand the trials and tribulations of this 900-person community. Due to the recent development of a newly-paved highway and the influx of tourism on the central coast, Uvita is in the process of transitioning from a quiet, self-sufficient farming and fishing village to a hub for foreign travelers. The area is a goldmine for tourists interested in everything from beach-side relaxation, to jungle adventures and eco-tourism activities. *Read a brief history of Uvita and Bahia Ballena.*

Every morning, as Josh and I ate our huevos at the hotel cafe, we'd watch a dozen pick-up trucks haul tour boats down to the National Park. Though many of the villagers are very proud to be able to show off their little piece of paradise, they understand that the increase in traffic comes at a cost.

Community Tour with Travis & Gibran

Members of Bodhi Surf School are actually leading the way in bringing best practices for sustainable marine tourism to Bahia. Pilar, (Travis's wife and Bodhi's yoga instructor) is working with the KETO Foundation Costa Rica and the Marino Ballena boat tour operators association to to coordinate their local marine sustainability efforts. In January, Bodhi also won the Making a Difference Award from SustainableTrip.org for their efforts in furthering social responsibility within the travel industry.

While staying in town, we pitched in by helping a local tour company, Bahia Aventuras, build a recycling station and label the native plants on their property. 

Painting Signs for Native Plants & Building a Recycling Station
with Mikayla, Ramer and Katie

As a country without an organized military presence, Costa Rica has been known to funnel substantial monies into education. Yet Osa area schools have a high dropout rate at the start of high school (between 6th and 7th grade). Children who do dropout of school typically start to work in the local 'informal' economy.  The youth of Bahia are no exception, and Bahia's children will need the skills to participate in the larger global marketplace, but it's a tough sell to keep them in school without supportive government requirements.

We were fortunate enough to have the opportunity to help Gibran run a surfing lession with Grupo SURF, a free youth group initiated by Bodhi Surf to help get local children engaged in surfing and community service and also keep them focused on their futures. Children of all ages and skill levels had a ball with the Bodhi team during 2 hours of surfing and a pick-up soccer game. 

But these kids aren't just in it for fun! Members of Grupo SURF helped us to plant trees and pick up trash around the community soccer field. We also learned about a project they're undertaking that involves tracking any trash strewn around town using GPS coordinates and then create a community-wide plan for litter clean-up and prevention. *Learn more about Grupo SURF's projects and achievements.*

Planting Trees around the Soccer Field in Bahia Ballena

And, on top of all this, Travis and Gibran even found time to teach Josh and I to surf! We spent time on the sand with Travis, learning foot placement and how to pop up on the board. Then we waded into the waves, with our soft-top boards in tow. As we lay on the board, Travis turned us toward the shore and shouted for us to paddle. With just a bit of expert instruction, Josh popped up and caught the first wave that passed! All the while, Gibran was on the sand, snapping great photos and video to send home with us.

After a second lesson with Gibran, Josh and I were both paddling into the waves, turning around on our own and finding our balance. We weren't sure that Bodhi could fulfull their mission of 'awakening our inner surfers'. But, after just 2 morning surf lessons on the Whale's Tail Beach, Josh and I built a connection to and comfortability in the ocean that will stay with us for life.

Travel is supposed to be fun and exciting! However, for me, the thought of landing in a different city or country, not speaking the language or knowing what to expect, still falls somewhere between nerve-racking and downright terrifying! I can honestly say that, having followed the golden rule of the wandering hippie surfer, Josh and I have felt safe, comfortable and cared for in every place we've visited. In fact, we're so accustomed to being immersed in the local culture on our trips, that we find ourselves reminiscing about the people we've met more often than the things we've seen and done. Real, global friendships have been forged that will not soon be forgotten.

So, for those of you planning to hit the open road, my fail-safe travel tip is best summed up in a quote:

Don't surf places, surf people.

Think of some amazing people; people you want to meet, to learn from, to be transformed by, to play with…  Then, go out there and find them! And, if you're not sure where to start searching for amazing people, I know of a few down on Costa Rica's wild blue Pacific coast who would be happy to inspire you. 



Morning Run with the Butterflies on the Whale's Tail Beach



 

Pura Vida! Manuel Antonio

In our TripAdvisor search for the best attractions on the Pacific Coast, we’d found a well-ranked guided tour of Manuel Antonio National Park. The 683 hectare reserve is listed as one of the most beautiful and bio-diverse areas in the world with a combination of rain forest, beaches and coral reefs. The smallest national park in Costa Rica, it is home to 109 species of mammals and 184 species of birds as well as numerous flora, fauna and marine life. We were excited by the chance to catch a glimpse of some monkeys and were thrilled when our new pals Sam and Paula decided to tag along.

Sam & Paula (our surrogate parents from Oregon)

On Tuesday morning, we woke early and took in another delicious ‘tipico’ breakfast at La Colina’s poolside restaurant. We enjoyed huevos (eggs), gallo pinto (the national dish of rice and beans flavored with onions and peppers) and fresh fruit to the morning music of songbirds and cicadas. Our tour guide, Edgar from Manuel Antonio Expeditions (www.manuelantonioexpeditions.info), met us in the hotel parking lot and the four of us piled into the Yaris to start our National Park adventure. 

Just down the winding hill from our hotel, flanked by jungle and a mile and a half of white, sandy beach sat the vibrant tourist town of Manuel Antonio.  The town is a typical tourist’s haven, cram-packed with tiny storefronts boasting colorful pareos, ceramics, woven bracelets and trinkets. There are also several open air cafes, bars and eateries with local seafood on the menu. Across the main street, you could hear persistent whistles and shouts beckoning from the beach – locals make a living selling freshly tapped coconuts, jet ski rentals, surfing lessons, parasail trips and renting umbrellas to shade gringos from the scalding Costa Rica sun.

Downtown Shops and Cafes

Manuel Antonio's Public Beach

Cash for Coconuts

We weaved our way through the busy main drag to a parking spot, careful to avoid hitting locals, tourists and dozens of stray dogs. Following Edgar to the park gates and past the throngs of other visitors, we counted ourselves lucky to be on such a small, personal tour!  

Before we even began our hike, Edgar spotted an iguana up in the trees and pulled out his scope so we could have a better look. During our 3 hours with Edgar, we were impressed by his knowledge of Costa Rican flora and fauna as well as his love for the job and sense of humor. His keen eye and quiet patience allowed us to get candid photos of the 2- and 3-toed sloth, a few playful monkeys, and many exotic birds and insects.  

Funky White-Faced Monkey

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The Fungus Among Us

Triumphant Tropical Trees

Sunning Iguana

The thick forest of Manuel Antonio grows right up to the ocean’s edge and our leisurely walk led us to 3 pristine, secluded beaches within the park.  We stood for quite a while marveling at Costa Rica’s Long Island, a giant rocky cliff just off the coast, inhabited by thousands of gulls and pelicans. 

Surrounded by Nature

Protective Plants - Closing Up When Touched

Pelicans on the Point

After the tour, we thanked Edgar for a wonderful experience and parted ways with him. He was off to his second job, working afternoons at a nearby resort hotel. The four of us stopped at the corner grocery for beers, yogurt and granola and took a break in the shade. 

Then, making the most of our daily admission fee, we changed into bathing suits and made our way back to one of the quiet beaches in the park. We spent the afternoon talking work and travel, playing in the waves and watching tiny crabs make their way across the hot sand. We took care not to sit under the shady Manzanillo trees that lined the beach. We had fair warning that touching the toxic bark or the sap could actually burn your skin!

Sandy Seclusion

There's an Iguana on my Beach Towel!

Creepy Crawly Crabs

Pura Vida! Jaco

Just after we turned in for the night at our hotel in Jaco (bphotel.com) , it started to drizzle. Then the rain became a steady patter on the sidewalk outside. We could hear the storm escalate from a drenching, to a downpour and finally to a full on deluge before the earth-shaking thunder began to break. After his exhausting drive from San Jose, Josh fell fast asleep, oblivious to the wild weather brewing outside our door. I, on the other hand, was wide awake, checking the internet for severe storm warnings, waiting for someone to sound the evacuation alarm, fully convinced that the entire mountain of jungle we had just driven through was about to come crashing down and send this tiny beach town straight out to sea!

The storm finally passed and I was able to get some shut-eye. When we strolled down to breakfast in the morning, the receptionist shamed me with stories of the rainy season - unending 10-day, hurricane-force rains that shut down the entire town and turn the roads into rivers! After trading our hotel meal vouchers for some excellent breakfast at a local dive we walked to Jaco beach to watch surfers brave the waves. 

Jaco is becoming infamous for rough surfing waters as well as rough streets. Because it is the closest beach to San Jose, many locals visit every weekend. But, unfortunately, as it is with all well-known party cities, the influx of local travel to Jaco has turned it into a hang out for hooligans promoting drugs, petty crime and prostitution. Josh and I didn't see any shady characters or feel one bit unsafe during our 1-night stay, but we did hear about a shooting at the local Best Western the night after we left. 

After one night in Jaco, we packed up and made the (much easier) drive down the newly finished Pacific Coast highway toward Manuel Antonio. We stopped at a roadside restaurant in Parrita for lunch and were impressed again by the delicious selection – fresh pan-fried fish, roasted chicken, steamed veggies, rice and sweet fried plantains! 

When we arrived at our hotel in Manuel Antonio (La Colina www.lacolina.com), we were surprised to find a collection of pixie-like, teak-trimmed tree houses, sitting high on a hill, overlooking the valley below and the vast, blue Pacific. The boutique hotel also features a restaurant with southwestern cuisine and ceviche, a swim-up bar with fantastic natural fruit drinks and a lazy resident pup (Potato Head) who could pass for Peanut's Latin American cousin.