Costa Rica, An Unforgettable Experience

Monteverde, Costa Rica

Photographer—elliotkerachsky

“Why settle for being just a place you visit when I could be a feeling that settles into your skin, like warm sunshine after the rain?” Costa Rica teases once you arrive. And with roundtrip flights from major U.S cities like Philadelphia starting at $404, this visa-free escape is closer than it seems. The air here isn’t just something you breathe; you can taste it. Thick, sweet, laced with salt, ripe mangoes, and something earthy, like the jungle it’s mostly made up of whispering, “Welcome, take a deep breath.”

The beaches here demand that you shut your eyes and inhale, taking in all of the prettiness and the lively energy they exude. Tamarindo is where sun-kissed surfers chase waves with the kind of devotion poets write about. Reggae beats drift through the air like an invitation, and fresh coconuts are cracked open right in front of you. Because hydration should always be—glamorous.

Manuel Antonio National Park is preciously wild. The jungle stretches its arms right onto the sand, and the locals? Well, they have tails; monkeys swing through trees with a confidence that makes you clutch your snacks a little tighter. Sloths move so slowly they might be existing in a different timezone altogether. And then there’s Playa Conchal, where the sand isn’t even sand but crushed seashells, glittering under the sun like the ocean’s own jewelry box.

Step away from the coast, and into La Fortuna, where the rainforest swallows you whole. Everything is green and alive. La Fortuna is the kind of place that reminds you how small you are, in the best way. You hear the waterfall before you see it; a deep, thunderous roar cutting through the jungle. And then there it is—200 feet of pure power crashing into an emerald pool, mist curling at the edges like something out of a dream. The water is ice-cold. But you step in anyway, because nothing about this place is meant to be experienced half-heartedly.

There is also Monteverde with the thrill that promises to leave you grinning like a kid triumphantly learning to ride a bike. This is where you zip-line through clouds, threading between ancient trees with mist clinging to your skin like nature’s own special effects. 

The Pacuare River, on the other hand, doesn’t flow. Rather, it tosses you through white-water rapids while the jungle looms on either side, dramatic as ever. And then there’s Arenal, a volcano that still hisses beneath the surface. Hiking through its trails, you feel the heat rising from the earth, a reminder that this land is still very much alive, just like you are.

But Costa Rica offers more than just adventure. There are little things that aren’t so little. Like the people with their generous smiles, their voices rolling out ‘pura vida’ like it’s more than just a greeting. In Costa Rica, you’re reminded how uncomplicated it was to be a child because life flows as gently as a hammock in the breeze.

Sitting in a tiny soda, eating gallo pinto (which is just rice and beans, but somehow the best you’ve ever had, by the way), while the scent of fried plantains wafts through your nostrils. And the coffee is so velvety it feels like a hug from the inside.

Wandering through San José, you find yourself looking through street murals exploding with color and market stalls overflowing with tropical fruits so bright they make the souvenirs jealous. Here, you can watch artisans in Sarchí carve wooden masks, their hands moving with the patience only taught from one generation unto the next.

Let’s not forget the nightlife of Costa Rica. Night falls fast, wrapping everything in velvet darkness with the stars so close they feel like they’re letting themselves in on a secret. The jungle doesn’t sleep. Tree frogs chirp like tiny percussionists, waves whisper sweet nothings to the shore, and somewhere, a marimba plays. Its melody drifts through the warm air like a lullaby. And that’s when it hits you that Costa Rica doesn’t try to impress.

It doesn’t need to. It just is—impressive. A place where nature is loud, life is simple, and adventure is always waiting to pull you in. Whether you come for the beaches, the forests, or just to breathe air that tastes different, one thing is for sure: you won’t leave the same way you came.