Costa Rica

Costa Rica (Dominical) 2012 Trip Summary

Dominical

Our first trip to Costa Rica was in 2012 with a big group of friends. We rented a very large home in the jungle about 30 minutes inland from the tiny surfing town called Dominical. We didn’t rent a car, but we were able to arrange for rides when we needed them through the home’s property manager. The home also came with a private chef, and we were able to specify which meals we wanted on which days.

Although we mostly just enjoyed our time at the house, we did a day trip to Manuel Antonio Park, an afternoon at a secluded beach just north of the town of Dominical, an ATV & Zip Line tour, and a deep sea fishing excursion!

Our overall impression of Costa Rica was SO wonderful - the people were friendly, the food was fresh and delicious, we felt safe everywhere we went, and the nature all around us was beautiful.

As non-surfers, I’m not sure we’d need to go back to Dominical for any reason, but the trip was great and we made some amazing memories with friends!

Nosara (Playa Guiones)

In 2018 we were lucky enough to be invited to spend a week in Costa Rica with friends who own a townhouse in Nosara. We can now confirm after our 2026 visit, there has been a TON of infrastructure development since then, with many of the main roads being paved and many more restaurants & stores popping up particularly in North Guiones. Fortunately, they’ve restricted construction along the beach, so all buildings are still set back some number of meters and the beach remains undeveloped and natural.

Playa Guiones offers one of the most consistent and gentle surf breaks in the world - perfect all day, all year for beginners to intermediate surfers. Restaurants offering farm-to-table food are abundant, and yoga studios, retreats, and institutes can be found around every corner. If Yoga, Surfing, Relaxing at the Beach, and good food is your thing, this spot should be top of your list to visit.

The options for getting to “Guiones” as the locals call it, include renting a car (perfectly safe and easy to drive from Liberia if you choose this option). Small plane flights are also available from both San Jose and Liberia airports and take <25 minutes. Alternatively you can hire a driver for the 2.5 hour trip (from Liberia), and then once you arrive in Nosara, you can walk everywhere or rent a golf cart for the duration of your stay. Surf/Paddle Boards can be strapped to the top of golf carts for easy transport to the beach, in case your lodging is far enough to make walking with boards difficult.

Our daily routine consisted of waking up and heading to the beach immediately for an hour or so, then either returning to the unit for breakfast, or stopping at one of the cute cafes along the way for a bite. Then our group generally checked emails and did some work mid-morning, followed by lunch and pool time in the afternoon. Before sunset it was time for another trip to the beach for surfing, boogie boarding, and lounging. At sunset it seemed the whole town (locals and tourists alike) all gathered on the beach for a sunset cocktail or beer, after which everyone headed home to clean up. Dinner was either at our home or at one of the many local restaurants, followed by games at the house. It was the perfect, relaxing week filled with lots of laughs with friends.

Summary

Our memories from Costa Rica are wonderful. It feels like a wild, natural country with just enough infrastructure to make it safe, comfortable and fun for visitors. The Spanish spoken there is very easy to understand and makes communication easier (even with just beginner level skills). Additionally, many Costa Ricans speak English, so communication in general isn’t a problem. From rainforests to volcanoes to wide open beaches without any buildings in sight - nature is all-encompassing there. Similarly, the food all seems locally grown with ample healthy options. Playa Guiones has grown significantly since our 2018 trip, though in 2026 the roads through town are still not all paved. Its popularity with US based vacationers and ex-pats is evident in the restaurants, stores and beaches where Engligh is the primary language spoken. We would definitely recommend Costa Rica to any friend looking for a safe, easy international vacation with their families.