Living in a land teeming with sandy beaches, lush rainforest, and thermal springs, the Tico people of Costa Rica are amongst the happiest and healthiest in the world — but what’s their secret?
You will hear the phrase ‘pura vida’ a lot if you visit Costa Rica. It’s in every hello and every goodbye — but it is more than just a saying. When translated, it means ‘pure life’ or ‘simple life’, and Costa Ricans — also known as ‘Ticos’ — embody that to the full. This approach to life is one of the reasons that the Central American nation is home to one of the world’s very few ‘Blue Zones’, where locals enjoy longer, healthier, and happier lives.
I spend some time travelling the country and getting a taste of the ‘pura vida’ life for myself, connecting with the culture and experiencing wellness in a fresh light. I come to fully understand why Costa Rica is one of the happiest countries in the world.
Hotel Nantipa, Santa Teresa
My first stop is the small surfing town of Santa Teresa for a stay at the beachfront boutique Hotel Nantipa. Tucked along the western side of the Nicoya peninsula, this area is known for its pristine, powdery sand beaches and perfect surfer waves.
To reach my blissfully barefoot destination, I take a jumper plane from the international airport of San José. My heart is practically beating outside my chest as we take to the skies in a tiny, rickety plane, though knowing the flight is only 20 minutes long helps ease my anxiety a little. Glancing through the window, the stunning sights calm me even further. Below, I see a luscious green canopy, greener than anything I’ve ever laid eyes on. As the journey progresses, this blanket of green kisses the blue of the ocean and it feels like I am watching a moving piece of art. Before I know it we are landing, and my fear of falling from the sky fades away.
My nervous system relaxes a little more each day of my trip. Maybe this is because I am thousands of miles away from my hectic life in London. Or maybe it is to do with my daily routine at Nantipa, which involves waking to the sound of monkeys outside our room, enjoying long naps swaying in hammocks with views of the ocean, and eating fruit so deliciously sweet that I fear I will never be able to enjoy fruit anywhere else again.
Whilst the concept of experiencing wellness outside the spa is nothing new, I am unprepared for the treatments which await me at Nantipa’s open-air spa. At dusk, I am serenaded into a trance-like state by the hum of birdsong, the gentle croaks of tiny frogs, and the ever-present trickle of water. The treatments at Numu (the indigenous Costa Rican word for ‘sun’) all focus on outdoor settings, and are dished out in the hotel’s tranquil tropical gardens or on the beach, set to the natural soundtrack of Pacific Ocean waves lapping the shore.
As hard as it is to pry myself away from Nantipa and the friendly town of Santa Teresa, my next stop, at the volcanic region of Arenal (home to one of the largest craters in the world), proves to be just as mesmerising, in an entirely different way. Here, you can experience a multitude of activities, from hiking and zip-lining to swimming in cascading waterfalls so enchanting you will hardly believe they are real. Just beneath the majestic volcano sits the sleepy town of La Fortuna, home to an abundance of natural pools and hot springs. Though we had been blessed with nothing but blue skies up until this point — a rare occurrence for the start of the rainy season — it turns out a tropical storm is the most beautiful way to experience naturally flowing hot springs.
Tabacón Thermal Resort & Spa, Arenal
The heavens open and the clouds pour warm, sticky water which scents the air with earthy notes. We enter Tabacón Thermal Resort & Spa at just the right moment. Home to a mineral-rich network of beautiful pools and thermal springs, this paradise proves the most restful antidote after a day of adventurous activities. Compared to the hot, sunny climes of the Pacific coast, temperatures are milder here, in areas like Arenal, and we are more than ready to soak our bones in the warm, soothing volcanic waters.
The private resort offers day passes to relaxation-seeking visitors, though it’s clear that maintaining the site’s precious natural surroundings is the chief priority of this tranquil rainforest reserve. As you walk the route passing the many flowing springs, surrounded by plants of every shape and colour, you almost forget you are in a resort at all. No two pools are the same, each with differing temperatures and a spectrum of various health benefits.
The thermal waters are packed with minerals which are believed to promote relaxation, relieve stress, and ease pain in ailments such as poor circulation and arthritis. I for one certainly feel happier, more well-rested, and distinctly refreshed after enjoying the natural flowing pools, fringed by fragrant flora and fauna.
Unexpectedly, my body also experiences an emotional release. Tears stream down my face like drops of tropical rain when I see two brightly coloured hummingbirds dancing above me in one of the thermal pools. To witness such beauty in a nature-immersed setting was overwhelmingly special, and something I will never forget.
Countless studies have shown that simply being in close proximity to plants can help to enhance happiness, lower blood pressure, and increase a general sense of wellbeing. As one of the most ecologically diverse destinations in the world, Costa Rica is a must-visit wellness destination.
Wherever your travels take you in Costa Rica, from embracing oceanside relaxation on white sandy beaches, soaking up minerals in tropical thermal pools, or boosting your health with invigorating rainforest treks, I have no doubt that you will be returning home with a renewed lease of life, touched by the magical healing powers of the ‘pura vida’.
At dusk, I am serenaded into a trance-like state by the hum of birdsong, the gentle croaks of tiny frogs, and the ever-present trickle of water.
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