With books and films like Wild, Down the Nile, and Eat, Pray, Love inspiring us to travel on our own more, solo travel has been on the rise in recent years—and rightfully so! Solo travel can be so invigorating, freeing, and healing for the soul. If you need a little inspiration, take a look at the list below for some of the best destinations for solo travel.
For those of you who don’t know, I’m a wee bit (ok... kind of a lot) scared of heights. When I signed up to take a Costa Rican adventure vacation, I knew that something with heights was going to be involved. On our second adventure day, I was told that we were going to be doing some kind of jungle adventure. “Jungle adventure?!” I thought. I had no idea what was in store... I put my brave face on and decided to face this day with courage. (Check out my face and how brave I look!)
We did the Adventure Park Tour with ADR (same company as the water rafting tour) and it was definitely money well spent. The tour guides who led us on the adventure trip picked us up bright and early at our villa and drove us into the mountains. About halfway up the mountain, we switched vehicles going from a large van to a huge open-window SUV because the terrain was so bumpy. Suffice to say, it was so much fun because we were hanging off the back enjoying the crazy ride with our crew while taking in the view.
When we got to a stopping point, we got out of the car and the guides walked us through the jungle while explaining interesting facts about the wildlife around us. It was so peaceful (at this point) to take in all of the beauty of the nature. The sounds, the smells, the views... It was all stunning! PURA VIDA!
We arrived at the campsite and they gave us all of our equipment for the day—harnesses, helmets, gloves, etc.—and we were off! They led us through a well-designed trail that had different activities at each stop. They had set up ziplines, repelling, waterfall exploring, Tarzan swings, and even ziplines that you go over the water and then unhook yourself and fall in! I totally conquered my fear of heights this day! It wasn’t too bad for me, and the fun experience made it all worth it.
One of the best parts of this tour was the team that led us through the day. They were really good at explaining how to do everything (and do it safely), very educated on Costa Rica and the location, super funny and nice, and very accommodating to everyone’s needs. They even had an awesome photographer who followed us around all day to capture all the moments. This was a great 1-day activity and I recommend it for anyone who loves adventure or wants to try something out with a group or their family (plus they feed you at the end of the day). Wear comfy shoes and clothes!
Check out more of ADR’s tours HERE.
*Most photos this day were taken by the ADR photographer.
The Waterfall Tour in Costa Rica is world renowned for a reason. Mike, the expert/waterfall guru in Costa Rica, took our group around the area one day to explore and play at some of the most beautiful waterfalls in Costa Rica. One of the waterfalls was even voted by National Geographic as one of the best in the world! We were even given the opportunity to jump off of the waterfalls (from 6-75 feet!!), slide down a natural rock slide, and swing off of rope swings into the water.
The Waterfall Tour started bright and early and our first stop was a lovely little waterfall and pond in a quiet area of the mountains. I was told that it normally gets very busy on the weekends with local visitors, but today it was empty just for us! There was a rope swing set up at the side of the pond that we were able to climb up and access. My fear of heights kicked in majorly at this point, but I still did it! It was such an exhilarating feeling. Mike showed us all up by doing multiple back flips into the water from the rope swing, while the rest of us (ok—just me) were screaming and flailing our legs into the water.
Next stop was another beautiful series of waterfalls that we did some jumping off of (I did 2 at 6 feet and 12 feet) and we also slid down a natural slide. It was so picturesque to be in the middle of the jungle while playing on all of these waterfalls and rocks. I definitely recommend wearing good water shoes (not tennis shoes/sneakers) if you’re going to do this. I wore standard tennis shoes and mine were slippery, so I ended up having to take them off and walk around in my socks.
We stopped briefly for lunch at a small hole in the wall restaurant somewhere in the mountains that was owned by a family who operates a quaint little restaurant in the front of their home. As a Puerto Rican who believes my Grandmother’s cooking is the best in the world, I have to say the food they made for us was amazing. They grow a lot of the items right in their backyard and it was so fresh and delicious! I had some sort of arroz con pollo (rice with chicken) entree and it was to die for.
Mike mentioned that he was saving the best waterfall for last. I didn’t know exactly what he was talking about until we arrived at the final waterfall destination. This waterfall left me speechless. I was absolutely blown away by the beauty of this location. Words and pictures just don’t do it justice. It was honestly the most gorgeous waterfall I’ve ever seen in my life.
My favorite part was swimming out in the middle of the water by myself, looking up to the sky and waterfall, and floating there basking in the beauty. It was one of those unbelievably peaceful moments that I was filled with so much gratitude for being exactly where I was at the moment. My friends even snuck a picture so I can look at it and remember it forever.
The Waterfall Adventure Tour in Costa Rica was so much fun and definitely a MUST DO if you are a nature lover. It took the whole day from around 8am until 5pm and included meals and drinks. You can even bring a little backpack of things if you need, but I wouldn't recommend that because things get wet.
Water rafting in Costa Rica was one of the most epic adventures that my friends and I tried out while we were visiting Manuel Antonio. We went on a tour with the Amigos Del Rio (ADR), who was absolutely amazing with us!
They picked us up at our location, drove us into the jungle, and got us all ready with our equipment by the river. They sat us 2 guests per raft with 1 guide in the back. My friend and I both hopped in the front seat so we could be fully engaged in the action! Our poor guide even ended up having to do most of the work while the 2 of us were in the front laughing, talking, not paying attention, or screaming!
The first thing that was so amazing about this adventure was taking in all of the gorgeous scenery that Costa Rica has to offer. The tranquility, beauty, and excitement that you feel while water rafting down the river were breathtaking and indescribable.
The second best thing was that they have a photographer who follows your group around and takes amazing action shots of you while you are on the adventure! You don’t even have to worry about taking any photos or bringing your camera along. Better than risking your phone or camera getting wet!
I totally recommend Amigos Del Rio for water rafting in Costa Rica! Check out their info HERE.
*All photos were taken by Amigos Del Rio photographer*
The beautiful country of Costa Rica attracts visitors and locals alike to join in on the many unique adventures that the country has to offer. One of my personal favorite activities to do while visiting the gorgeous country was surfing!
If you’re staying near Manuel Antonio, Costa Rica and you’re looking to go surfing, look no further than Dante’s Water Sports. Dante and his crew were so amazing to our group while we were visiting. They picked us up from our villa, drove us to the beach, and immediately started our lessons on how to ride the waves.
Dante’s team is super friendly, professional, and helpful to newbies, intermediate, and professional surfer types. They provide you with a board and a surf shirt to use while you are out in the water. Since we were newbies, they taught us the basic elements of how to stand up on the board and paddle out, and then they took us out in the water for hours of fun! I even got up on my first try!!
After riding the waves for a while, we stepped back on the beach and they provided our group with fresh pineapple and water. Dante drove us back to our villa after the fun day of surfing in Costa Rica. I highly recommend Dante’s Water Sports for a fun activity to try while you’re visiting Costa Rica!
