In the evening, we went to the beach to watch a large sea turtle laying her eggs. It is incredible to see her place hundreds of shiny white eggs, like little golf balls, into the nest she dug herself, carefully cover them, and then slowly return to the sea. Taking photos is forbidden. It was nighttime, and my youngest son, who is ten and still dealing with jet lag, simply fell asleep on the Caribbean beach. We also played football with the locals, and did you know that domino is almost the national sport of Costa Rica?

After our two nights in Tortuguero, our rental car was waiting for us, and the rest of the journey turned out to be surprisingly easy thanks to calm and well-maintained roads. Travelling by rental car gave us the freedom to go wherever we wanted. Distances are relatively short, and our longest drive, including stops, took around seven hours. For those who prefer not to drive, we also offer our “Costa Rica Conectando” with a convenient shuttle system.

Our rental car was ready upon our return from Tortuguero. Children under 1.45 metres or younger than 12 years old are required to have a child seat, and of course we arrange this for our travellers. Unlimited Wi-Fi is also always included when you book your rental car together with your accommodation.

We then continued towards Cahuita, staying along the Caribbean coast. We explored Cahuita National Park and started with a boat trip for snorkelling, although unfortunately the water was a little cloudy. We did see some coral, but coral bleaching has also had a strong impact here. Costa Rica is not Belize or Honduras, where I had already been diving before. Snorkelling and diving are possible, but the better spots are around Caño Island or in Northern Guanacaste, near Bat Islands and Catalina Islands. In reality, Costa Rica is not really a classic diving destination.

In August, water sandals are definitely useful because the trails can be very wet, and sometimes rivers simply cut across the path. The children loved visiting the Jaguar Rescue Center, even though there were no jaguars, but plenty of sloths and other rescued animals. Taking selfies with animals is forbidden. Costa Rica is truly a model for responsible travel: you stay on the paths in national parks, hotels use biodegradable products, and animals are never treated as tourist attractions.

Costa Rica is an incredibly accessible country, especially compared to Peru, where altitude and archaeological sites often require more physical effort. Here, the national parks are literally “a walk in the park”: safe, well-maintained, and easy to explore. For me, it is the perfect introduction to Latin America: safe, compact, easy to drive around, but also perfect with private transfers or shuttle services. Domestic flights are possible too, but they are relatively expensive, weather-dependent, and luggage is limited.

Our trip then continued south via the Nicoya Peninsula, one of the world’s five Blue Zones, to Santa Teresa, a small surf town on the Pacific coast. The ocean here is colder, rougher, and ideal for surfing and whale watching.

The drive from Santa Teresa to Monteverde was beautiful: from tropical jungle and ocean views to green mountains and cloud forests. The drive took around six to seven hours with several stops, including one with Marcelo, a ceramic artist who creates replicas of original vases and sculptures inspired by the Chorotega culture.

After breakfast, we headed to the Monteverde Cloud Forest, a protected nature reserve where we hiked for about two to two and a half hours. There is a convenient shuttle system to the parking area, and the entrance fee is very reasonable considering how well the parks are managed. The walking trails are clearly marked and beautifully maintained. Monteverde sits at around 1,400 metres altitude, and the hikes go up to around 1,700 metres.

We stayed there for two nights and ended the trip with a literal highlight: dinner at the treetop restaurant San Lucas. Dinner with a view and the perfect final memory of the journey.

The next morning, we drove to Alajuela before flying home. Pura Vida. We will definitely return, next time to discover the south of the country.