Pura Vida in the Tropics (part 1)

I do not know about you but whenever I try to picture paradise, I usually see tons of surreal bright colours, feel the warm sun rays on my skin, and hear the beautiful singing of the birds. I used to picture the same idyll when I imagined this relatively unknown, mystical part of the world known as Central America. One country in particular had always popped up in my mind. If you speak some basic Spanish, its name, composed of two magic words, will make you dream even before you have set foot there - Costa Rica or the “Rich Coast”!

The first phrase you will most likely hear (and see) when you get off the plane will be “Pura Vida”. It will perhaps remind you of “Aloha” in Hawaii and “Bula” in Fiji, as it can be used as “hello”, “good bye”, “all good”, “I am doing great”, “everything is cool”, “cheers”, “thank you”, “you are welcome”, “that’s life”, “no worries”, “I don’t care”, you name it! It could be a question, an answer, an exclamation, an adjective or a standalone word. Yes, it is that versatile and useful, and it is as close to “Hakuna Matata” as you can ever get!

Pura Vida, literally meaning “pure life” or “simple life”, is much more than just a phrase - the more accurate meaning would be “nothing but life”. It is a happy mantra that you will hear and see everywhere, every day and all day, in basically every type of situation and conversation, while exploring the country. It is a way of life, an unofficial motto, a positive vibe, and an inherent part of the DNA, spirit and culture of the country and its inhabitants (aka the Ticos).

People believe that the term “Pura Vida” came around after the release in 1956 of a Mexican movie entitled “¡Pura Vida!”, in which the main character uses the phrase throughout the story to stay optimistic and happy despite all the negative circumstances around him.

For the Ticos, Pura Vida implies living a very relaxed, carefree, slow and simple life, without worries, fuss or stress, no matter the circumstances. It simply means being grateful for what you have in life instead of dwelling on the things you do not. Bad things happen all the time - in life, everything is not sunshine and roses. However, rather than getting upset or angry, you can brush off this negativity by simply saying “Pura Vida”. Life is too short and we need to make the most of it, cherish simple pleasures instead of stressing over little things, and spend time with our loved ones! Pura Vida implies the existence of a permanent state of mind, in which peace and satisfaction with who we are, where we are, how we are and all that we have are perfectly balanced. It is a simple appreciation of life and the realisation that life is what you make of it. Does this remind you of its Asian equivalent - “karma”? ;-)

These simple words summarise Costa Rica and are probably one of the reasons it is known as one of the happiest countries on Earth.

Pura Vida means peace and prosperity

Despite its name, it is neither the richest nor the most productive country in Central America.

It is believed that this tiny place, bordered by Nicaragua to the north, the Caribbean Sea to the east, Panama to the south and the Pacific Ocean to the west, received its name by either Christopher Columbus - the first European to set eyes on Costa Rica in 1502, or conquistador Gil Gonzalez Davila, who allegedly saw the gold worn by indigenous people and made an incorrect assumption. Unfortunately for them and luckily for Costa Rica, there was little gold and the country was ignored by the Spanish Monarchy and left to develop on its own.

Today, it is one of the most stable, safe and prosperous countries in Central America. It permanently abolished its army in 1949, becoming one of only a few nations without a standing army. It has few poor or illiterate people and a great medical system. Costa Rica also has one of the longest life expectancies of any country. The Ticos, living a pure and simple life, are less stressed and therefore live longer. They might not have everything they need to be happy, but feel they have enough to be happy! The Pura Vida approach to life is definitely working!

At the end of the day Columbus and Davilla were not completely wrong. Costa Rica is rich - not in gold but in natural treasures. Its stunning beaches, fairy cloud forests, amazing volcanoes, waterfalls and hot springs, and rich fauna and flora have made it a popular destination for eco-tourists.

Pura Vida means eco-friendliness and connection with nature

Costa Rica occupies only 0,03% of the Earth’s surface, but concentrates around 6% of the world’s biodiversity. This tiny country is the habitat of around 10,000 species of plants and trees, 900 species of birds, 30,000 species of insects, 400 species of reptiles and amphibians, 1,000 species of fresh and saltwater fish, and 250 species of mammals, most of them endemic! It is no wonder that Costa Rica is often referred to as “the living Eden” by many scientists and naturalists from all across the globe. This diversity and richness of nature and wildlife makes it a natural paradise, a true Noah’s Ark, a green jewel!

The Ticos are connected to their nature and protect it in any possible way.

Costa Rica has been declared the winner of the 2019 Champions of the Earth award, the UN’s highest environmental honour. More than 25% of its land is protected in national parks (there are around 30 of them, 3 of which are UNESCO World Heritage Sites!), reserves and wildlife refuges, which helps stopping and reversing the deforestation of its deciduous forests, mangroves, rainforests and cloud forests, and ensures the conservation of its coral reefs.

More than 98% of the country’s energy is renewable. Costa Rica also wants to become the first country to ban single-use plastics, including straws, cutlery, bags, bottles and cups made of plastic. It is rare to see plastic straws in the country - most of the straws are made of paper or the fancy and eco-friendly bamboo!

Once you have seen the jaw-dropping beauty of nature in Costa Rica, you will understand why the Ticos put so much effort in protecting it, and at the same time teaching their visitors a thing or two!

Pura Vida means beauty

With its lush greenery and vivid colours, nature in Costa Rica is nothing less than spectacular, and there is so much to see!

Costa Rica has more than 100 volcanoes, 5 of them active! Even though the famous Volcano Arenal has been dormant since 2010, you can still admire its picture-perfect cone and enjoy the surrounding wonders.

You can hike to a waterfall hidden in the jungle and have a nice swim in the cool water of its natural pool, or soak in the hot springs of the tiny city of La Fortuna (meaning the “fortune”).

Costa Rica has many sites with sweet auspicious names like this one - you will come across Golfo Dulce (“the sweet gulf”), Paraíso (“the paradise”), El Sucre (“the sugar”)… It will only make your journey even more dreamy!

Costa Rica also boasts the famous cloud forests whose Spanish name is “bosque nuboso”. This rare phenomenon occurs when tropical forests encounter a mountainous environment. The mountains stop the humid clouds that hover around the upper canopy of the forest, before condensing onto the leaves of the trees and slowly dripping onto the plants below.

This combination of high humidity, sometimes up to 100%, and low temperature creates this mysterious world of hazy mist, luxuriant forests and an incredible diversity of plants and wildlife. Plants such as lichen, orchids and bromeliads are abundant and play a critical ecological role - they grow on other plants in a non-parasitical way, and just like sponges collect and store the moisture from the air and the rain and slowly release it in the atmosphere.

Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve (literally the “green mountain”) with its waterfalls and wild begonias is a magical place, where you will encounter a magical bird - the resplendent quetzal!

You will feel like you are walking through the clouds, in a fairy world where the sun has a hard time breaking through and every step reveals a new wonder!

You will even be introduced to the happiest tree in the reserve!

Costa Rica has amazing national parks where the jungle meets the Pacific Ocean. The Marino Ballena National Park is named after the humpback whales that migrate from mid July until October, and again in December through March, from feeding and mating grounds in the north and south hemispheres to the warm tropical waters of Costa Rica.

You can walk for hours along the endless dreamy beaches of the park, with the Pacific Ocean on your left and the coconut trees on your right.

The most prominent formation found within the park is a sandbar that extends one kilometre into the Pacific Ocean, where during low tide you can enjoy a walk to a rock reef in the shape of a whale tail.

You will never get enough of the views!

You can also decide to go for the ultimate adventure - Corcovado National Park in Osa Peninsula. It is the largest park in the country, located far away from everything. You will need a 4WD to cross a few rivers and reach the small bay of Bahía Drake, from where a boat will bring you to the park entrance.

The boat ride is an adventure in itself...

Be prepared to remove your shoes as the landing is in the water, and then put them back to venture out into the jungle.

The park has been famously labelled by National Geographic “the most biologically intense place on Earth”. It has three different vegetation types within an area of 450 km² (including cloud forest, mangrove and swamp forest), and hundreds of species of mammals, reptiles and amphibians!

The deeper you venture in the jungle, the stronger the feeling of true wilderness will become - you have to be prepared to cross rivers, infested with caimans and crocodiles at any time - and sharks during high tide… You will not get enough of the mysterious sounds of the jungle!

Costa Rica also has a lot of mind-boggling beaches! Playa Hermosa (or the “beautiful beach”) is a 10-km stretch of black sand on the Pacific Ocean coast where you can admire a stunning sunset, the pinnacle of Pura Vida!

You can always find your own dreamy deserted beach, and simply enjoy the emptiness and the calm.

The best part of it all is that you can just step out of your hotel room and watch the sunset from your veranda, surrounded by bright-coloured hibiscuses...

Driving through this beautiful country also means coming across lots of wildlife…