Little-Known Destinations in Costa Rica

 

A passionate traveler, Lisa A. Post, president and owner of Edward J. Post Company, Inc., in Medford, New Jersey, enjoys visiting various locations around the world. To ring in 2016, Lisa A. Post traveled to Costa Rica. During her trip, the Medford native enjoyed a week of organic meals, excursions, and yoga experiences.

When people travel to Costa Rica, they often already have a list of popular sites and attractions they plan on visiting. However, the country keeps several amazing sites more hidden from popular knowledge. Below are just some of Costa Rica’s lesser-known attractions:

- Piscina de los Pobres: Despite being next to the Tabacon resort, and only eight miles from La Fortuna, the Piscina de los Pobres is a free natural hot spring. Marked by a yellow gate, the spring requires some hiking to reach, and visitors must be careful of strong currents.

- Sanatorio Durán: Modeled after New York’s Loomis Sanitarium, Sanatorio Durán was created by former president Carlos Durán Cartín. The facility could treat more than 300 patients, but fell into disrepair in 1963 after new medical advancements rendered it useless. Now, visitors can enjoy the old building during an easy day trip from San José.

- Cabuya Island: Found at the end of the Nicoya Peninsula, Cabuya Island is a cemetery that, according to locals, is haunted. The island can only be reached during low tide, and the occasional candlelit funeral processions create an odd glow over the water.

- Playa Ventanas: Located roughly five minutes north of Ojochal, Playa Ventanas features wide, flat waves. Locals often enjoy the area for picnics and soccer games. However, the spot is also home to unique caves that visitors can explore during low tide.

How “Pura Vida” Encapsulates a Relaxed Costa Rican Culture

Lisa A. Post, owner of the Edward J. Post Company, Inc., in Medford, New Jersey, offers insurance to the building trade through her surety bond business. A member of a range of professional and civic organizations, Lisa A. Post also maintains an enthusiasm for healthy living, exercise, and organic food. On January 1, 2016, she traveled to Costa Rica to relax at the Pura Vida Retreat & Spa. The spa experience featured sessions designed for the healing and strengthening of mind and body, which she highly recommends.

A notable Costa Rican phrase, pure vida is used to describe life. The Spanish words convey a meaning deeper and more poetic than their literal English translation of “pure life.” They encompass a way of living. Many admirers of the Costa Rican culture use “pura vida” to describe a personal philosophy that emphasizes an easy, effortless, and joyful approach to life, one that finds pleasure in the beauty of everyday activities.

Some fans of the phrase say that “pura vida” originated in Costa Rica’s surfer culture of the 1950s, when numerous devotees of the sport came from the United States to the tiny Central American country and fell in love with the relaxed lifestyle along its beaches. Whatever its beginnings, Costa Ricans have adopted “pura vida” as a sort of national brand, one increasingly found in brochures that showcase the delights that still await travelers to the country.                            

Costa Rica’s Diverse Coastal Marine Life

As head of Edward J Post Co., Inc., Lisa A. Post leads a Medford, New Jersey, company that offers surety bond relationships to clients throughout the construction industry. Lisa A. Post recently had the opportunity to travel from Medford to Costa Rica and enjoy a vacation in one of Central America’s most ecologically diverse countries.

Costa Rica is particularly known for its marine life and offers exceptional diving along the Pacific coast. Common species along the sandy ocean bottom include eagle rays and southern stingrays, while the reefs that lead to deeper waters are patrolled by reef sharks. The reef is also home to a number of moray eel species that thrive in its rocky crevices.

The Bat Islands are well known for bull sharks, which inhabit warm shallow waters and are known to be one of the most adaptable shark species. Able to survive in freshwater for extended periods, these top-tier predators dine on sea turtles, dolphins, and other sharks.