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Costa Rica, beauty
and bars
By Tom Carey
On-line Forty-Niner
Costa Rica's beauty
and allure is so great that in recent years more than 30,000
Americans have migrated to the tiny country Central American
country.
About two hours
from Costa Rica's capital and airport lays a quiet little
surfing village, Playa Hermosa. Known for its great surf,
affordable living and adventurous lifestyle, Hermosa has become
a popular getaway for young tourists.
"Driving out
of the rain forest to Playa Hermosa you can't believe how
quick the scenery can change," said Ryan Johnson, a Cal
State Long Beach senior majoring in finance. "At one
moment you are crossing a bridge with gators under you and
the next you are driving through a tunnel made out of overgrown
trees. It's so beautiful and makes me want to keep going back."
The small size
of the town makes it easy for people to make friends and relax.
"After a couple
of days there it seems like you know everyone," Johnson
said. "It makes things so much more laid back and friendly."
The surf at Playa
Hermosa and its neighboring beaches are world-class. Hermosa
is a giant beach-break that stretches about five miles long.
The waves are at least head-high 350 days of the year.
The waves are hollow,
fast and powerful and can break surfboards as if they were
toothpicks. The vibe in the water is very mellow and the locals
there are courteous and friendly. Just don't drop in on them.
Playa Hermosa,
which is located in the central Pacific coast of Costa Rica,
is home to dozens of transplants, many of whom found the appeals
and temptations of the area too great to leave for home.
Richard Garson,
owner of the Loma Del Mar Surf Camp, has been running tours
in Playa Hermosa for nearly two decades. Nestled in the hills
overlooking the beaches of Hermosa, Loma Del Mar is just far
enough from the row of hotels and restaurants to give you
the sense that you are not the average tourist.
"Our camp
is different from the others because we have experienced tour
guides that take you to the best surf spots with a minimal
crowd," Garson said. "We also video every session
and post frame grabs from it on our Web site, rovercam.com."
If you don't like
surfing, the number of other activities in the area is endless.
Horseback riding is available at the Loma Del Mar ranch and
is included in the daily rates.
Tour guides are
also available for nature hikes through the rain forest to
secluded waterfalls that neighbor Loma Del Mar.
For the adrenaline
junkie, canopy swings zip you through the jungle, making you
feel like Tarzan. The swings are actually a system of ropes
and pulleys that send you gliding through the air from platform
to platform like the screamer monkeys that inhabit the forest.
While in Hermosa,
make sure to stop by the Backyard Bar for a guaro sour, the
favorite local drink, or a game of pool or foosball. The bar
is the town favorite of the local kids and visiting surfers
because of its laid-back atmosphere, cheap drinks and great
food.
For the traveler
on a budget, a few places are available for about $20 a night
right on the sand. Cabinas Las Olas is the poor surfer's paradise
with rooms for $15 a night. Surfers wake up, look outside
their window at the perfect waves and either grab their surfboard
or walk downstairs to the Hard Chargers Café for breakfast.
The nightlife in
Costa Rica is crazy. Five minutes from Hermosa is the town
of Jaco.
Jaco is full of
mischief with a discoteca, a casino, and even a strip bar,
appropriately called Hollywood, for the dirty men out there.
The scene is safe and cab rides are cheap to prevent people
from drinking and driving.
Flights during
the months of December and January can be found for around
$400, making Costa Rica an affordable possibility.
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