My Adventure in Central America

Man, these sure have been a tough couple of years! Out of the many, many inconveniences and restrictions brought on by the Covid-19 pandemic, I’d have to say that the worst part for me was having been deprived of perhaps my one true passion – travel. Oh man, how I love to travel. Be it - sailing through the vast oceans of the world, or watching as the clouds drift by at 40,000 feet as you go halfway across the world; hiking up a mountain until you can barely breathe, pushing your way through the thick, untouched vegetation of the jungle, or lying on a tropical beach somewhere with a cocktail in hand – it is everything. It’s what makes me feel alive!

Well, after two long years of extreme discomfort and longing, staring at a spreadsheet day after day at my home office; having whatever was inside of those three vaccines pumping through my body day after day – the long anticipated good news finally came. Covid-19 was as good as over. Hell, Easter break being around the corner, having saved up two years-worth of vacation days – it was time! I cannot begin to explain the excitement and emotion that took me over. That was the moment I said to myself, “I have never been to Central America. I am going to Central America!”

Words cannot begin to describe the joy I felt as the plane took off, leaving behind the cold, frozen remains of a white, snow-covered Minnesota – the place where I was born and raised, moved away from as a young man, and then moved back to in my 30s. Home, by default – home, by necessity. I watched as the landscape beneath us changed; shades of white and grey faded and were instantly replaced by the vibrant ones of green, brown, yellow, gold. This was what I needed, this was what I wanted – change, distance, freedom!

My feet, for the first time ever, touched Central American soil after having landed in Belize. It was convenient having flown here - not only was this the closest Central American country to the US, but also it was the cheapest flight! In addition to that, I’d be able to make my way down south, visiting each country in order – from Belize all the way down to Panama! I had 3 whole weeks of absolute, limitless adventure and possibilities ahead of me. It was the happiest I’d been ever since my backpacking trip through Western Europe a decade back.

In beautiful Belize, I lay on its white, soft sands in the sun and cooled down in the fresh, turquoise waters of Caye Caulker. In Guatemala, I hiked the Acatenango volcano and was left in awe walking through the ruins of the ancient Mayan city of Tikal. In El Salvador, I jet-skied in the bluest waters of Lake Ilopango and took the most serene walk down the gorgeous, flower-lined Ruta de las Flores to discover quaint colonial towns. In Honduras, I climbed and jumped the Pulhapanzak Waterfalls and strolled through the Lancetilla Botanical Park admiring the exotic birds and orchids. In Nicaragua, I watched the sunset at the scenic Apoyo Lagoon Natural Reserve and skipped from one volcanic island to another at the Islets of Granada. In Panama, I went snorkeling at the San Blas Islands and from the 50th floor of a brand new high rise in Panama City I enjoyed a glass of wine with a view.

I’m sure you noticed that I skipped a country in the paragraph above; that I broke the geographical order of my previously-stated travel plans to go down Central America. Well, I skipped it for a reason. Costa Rica deserves its very own paragraph(s). Simply put, I fell in love with Costa Rica.

Oh, Costa Rica. Where to start? It is without a doubt, one of a kind with its diverse landscape comprised of the ever-surrounding mountains, ever-stretching plateaus, the densest jungles, and the most spectacular beaches. In every part of the country, every region or “canton”, as the locals (Ticos) call it, has its own micro-climate. One moment you’re at 11,000 feet on a mountain top at 40F blinded by fog, or in the thriving city center browsing through souvenirs at 70F with a really nice breeze in your hair, and then there you are sweating on the Caribbean coast at 90F, trying to cool down in its brisk, blue waters. Whatever your preference, whatever you could possibly want and need – Costa Rica is the place to go.

In Costa Rica, it would be an understatement to say that I took total advantage of and indulged in everything it had to offer. Hell, I climbed the Cerro de la Muerte with sore feet and froze my ass off; I got bit by bugs I hadn’t the slightest idea existed in the deep, thick jungles of Corcovado National Park; I gazed in wonder at the marvel that are the oh-so-far-distanced volcanoes of Arenal, Poas and Irazu; I biked through the friendly, green streets of Puerto Viejo breathing in its endless humidity and swimming in its fresh Caribbean waters; I went shopping in, had dinner at and enjoyed the hilltop views of the city lights of the plateaus of San Jose; I got sun-kissed (or sunburnt, some may say!) on the hot, scenic islands of Coco as I sipped on Piña Coladas; I played with the friendliest local monkeys in the green hills of Manuel Antonio peering over the South Pacific. And then – there was Jaco Beach.

Jaco Beach is a little beach town. In fact it could be said that it is the quintessential little beach town. It prides itself on its waves, on both its local and foreign surfers and all-consuming surfing culture, its many boutique hotels, delicious restaurants with cuisines from all over the world, and of course its thriving night life.

A dozen of my college friends and I, after years of trying and failing at planning a getaway, coincidentally decided to jump at the opportunity of the lifting of the Covid-19 restrictions and we all met up in Jaco. Before having left Minnesota, having had the referral from a trusted friend, we booked the services of JacoVIP to take care of our entire stay there. After my long, active adventure through Central America, this was what I needed. My college buddies, a little bit of luxury and pampering, and lot of partying. The group of us rented out this spectacular vacation home for a whole weekend – Tropical Paradise, it was called. Yes, the house had a name - I thought that was cute. Anyway, this house was INSANE – 20 bedrooms, a dozen bathrooms, private pool and all. Quite the paradise indeed. Oh man, did we have a good time! We had this super friendly girl assigned to us as concierge – this girl was AWESOME, she took care of everything we needed there at the house and in Jaco in general. We got massages (girly, I know, but something I desperately needed after all that adventure), went surfing (well, tried to at least!), watched the sunset on the beach (again, girly, I know – but so pretty), had a private chef come and cook us all this amazing seafood, a bartender making us cocktails, a DJ playing our favorite 90s tunes day and night – it was wild. These guys, the quality of service, this place – absolutely recommended.

After a three-week long, exciting adventure through Central America, Jaco Beach, Costa Rica was the perfect way to end my travels. It was an absolute blast! Well - safe to say I’ll be back again!