Ultimate Costa Rica: Hannah's Favourite Moments

By Hannah Douch

Last updated: 26th March 2025

You never forget your first trip outside of Europe. Costa Rica is one of those destinations I have dreamed about for years; just the name transports me to an emerald cloud forest with sloths hanging in the treetops, or the crashing waves at sunset, or cascading waterfalls that reach jaw-dropping heights…

But I doubted whether I could really do it, if I could travel to the other side of the world alone. Turns out, I was underestimating myself. The slightly daunting (yet incredibly exciting) reality of travelling is that you’re never going to feel fully ready. Part of the magic is booking that trip of a lifetime and doing it anyway.

Despite how nervous I felt on that first day, absolutely everyone made me feel so comfortable, safe and reassured on the Ultimate Costa Rica group tour. Check out my favourite moments below! 🦥

Searching for Wildlife 🐒

Maybe it’s from growing up in the UK where the most exotic animal you’ll find out in the wild is a badger, but still, the creatures we saw in Costa Rica were pretty mindblowing. From the little Capuchin monkeys (like Marcel in Friends) crawling through Manuel Antonio National Park to tiny leaf insects climbing up a tree in unison like workers on the morning commute, it was all unlike anything I’d ever seen before.

One special highlight was spotting our first sloth, the official animal for Costa Rica, at a distance while visiting an ethical sanctuary. Another was bird-watching on an early morning in Sarpipiqui, and then who could forget about the night safari walk in Monteverde?

While we struck gold more than a few times, part of the fun of the night safari walk is how wrong our guesses could be. It’s a snake! It’s a spider! Actually, nevermind, it’s a stick. My career as a wildlife specialist was over before it ever began. Thankfully, we had an actual safari expert leading the way, and were able to see sloths and birds sleeping up high, as well as a tarantula hidden away in hibernation.

Staying inside the Monteverde Cloud Forest 🌳

It’s no secret that Costa Rica is pretty green. Home to 5% of living species on the planet and every landscape you could think of, from sweltering jungles to wild beaches and steamy volcano craters, Costa Rica is a world unto itself. If there is one natural wonder that Costa Rica is famous for, it has to be the Monteverde Cloud Forest. 

Cooler than a traditional rainforest, cloud forests are a rare, tropical ecosystem where wildlife can thrive to the fullest. While hiking along the trails, you’ll find trees covered in moss everywhere you turn, and a dreamy haze of mist floating through the air. It genuinely looks like something out of a fairytale.

As a protected wildlife reserve, overnight stays are traditionally reserved for the park rangers and student researchers. On Ultimate Costa Rica, they make an exception just for us. The rustic cabin we stayed in was so cute and cosy; so when we weren’t exploring the wildlife or losing count of all the coatees running around, we were playing football and card games. It was like a home away from home!

Ocean Kayaking in Paquera 🚣

After Monteverde, I didn’t think anything could top it. And then we pulled into Paquera. We were only here for a few hours, but I can still picture those shaded palm trees leading out to inky blue waters. Greeted by the warm sunlight, we headed out onto the great lake with our kayaking boats and gear, ready to collect any litter at the edges.

I have to say, going kayaking for the very first time in Costa Rica is pretty hard to beat. Bonus points for the positive impact we made that day. It quickly became a competition of which pair could fill their crate the fastest; all together, we collected 80kg of trash from the ocean!

Sunsets in Santa Teresa 🌅

Come for the rainforests, stay for the beaches! Costa Rica’s coastline is pure magic, and nothing can prepare you for the spell it sets you under. Stepping onto Santa Teresa’s sandy stretches, and right at golden hour, is a moment I can’t really put into words. No seriously, I didn’t know beaches could look like that (even pictures don’t do it justice!).

First thing on the agenda was running straight into the ocean for a swim. Santa Teresa is famously a surfer town, and boy you can feel it with how powerful those waves are! Swimming around, I did kind of feel like a mermaid. What more could you want in life?

Embracing “Pura Vida” 💚

Translating to “Pure Life”, Costa Rica’s iconic motto is all about taking a deep breath and appreciating the little things around you. It’s true. This trip was just as much about connecting with the culture and feeling grateful to even be here, as it was about all the places we visited. From our cooking class led by our kind-hearted hosts to enjoying freshly brewed hot chocolate and salty, cheesy arepas (little dough pockets) at the cacao farm, community-led experiences were at the heart of this trip. All these small moments of joy have since transformed into some of my favourite memories in Costa Rica.

And then, of course, there were all the incredible people that I was lucky enough to share the experience with. There were my guides, Amber (possibly the coolest person I’ve ever met, who goes skydiving just for fun!) and Angelica (a ray of sunshine and an encyclopedia for all things wildlife). There was our driver, Erick, who was so funny and cheered us all on to sing karaoke on the coach. Last but not least, there was my group: such a fun mix of personalities in the best way possible, but each and every one of them so warm and caring.

TRIP

Ultimate Costa Rica

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Looking back, this is a trip that’s changed my life. Don’t let nerves hold you back from visiting the destinations that you’ve always dreamed of. Waiting on the other side are adventures that you never knew were possible.

Listen, I’m not saying that Ultimate Costa Rica is calling your name… but it totally is. Or if you want to explore other destinations that we go to, check out our Central & South America tours. Let's go! Vamos!