Costa rica couples retreat

Entirely late posting about this trip for so many reasons, but we’re here now and as the cold settles in my hometown, I am fondly reminiscing about the amazing couples trip I took to Costa Rica back in March (told ya’ll I’m late).

First, this trip started with the planning. Our 4-couple family/framily mix started planning a few months prior to solidify the perfect house and details for the trip activities. Having great travel partners is critical and this group is solid. Our home was booked through VRBO and the communication with the concierge was incredible. I used a bit of a different booking strategy with this home, so check out the tip in the Travel Hacks

We arrived in Costa Rica after a seamless flight and headed to our private transportation that was arranged through our home concierge. Our rental home was in the Guanacaste Province which was closer to the Liberia Guanacaste airport (LIR) that we flew into vs. the capital city of San José. Many excursions and notable sights are closer to the airport, while the area we stayed in, near Tamarindo, is known for the best beaches. To experience both, splitting your trip to spend a few days near the airport to take in the sights, could be a good option.

 Our transportation allowed us to stop at a local supermarket to grab food and supplies before we finished the trek to our property. The winding road to the house took about 10 minutes to get up and it was a rocky ride not made for people with um, gentle stomachs. You need an experienced driver to navigate at night so be prepared. 

When we made it to the top, the house was incredible. The listing photos did not do it justice, but you can check them out here yourself 

We wasted no time settling into the main house and my husband and I opted to take one of the bungalows that are detached for our sleeping quarters. The bungalow was a treehouse style oasis in the middle of the jungle. While it came with its share of critters, including red ants that luckily weren’t fire ants, it was a fun experience. The outdoor shower was the perfect touch to round out the natural vibe. After everyone unpacked, we spent our first of many evenings on the spacious back patio, complete with pool, jacuzzi and a view from the heavens. During our stay we used 2 private chefs, Chef Carmen and Chef Frank of Belly Fed Better, for meals and were not disappointed, because who really wants to cook on vacation if you don’t have to?

On our first full day, we decided to take in a couple of excursions planned by Yellowfin Tours. We used this group for most of transportation and excursion needs and were not disappointed. 

The drivers were always friendly and on time and offered up information about the area we were staying in addition to just touring. It’s important to note that the drivers appreciate cash as all credit cards incur a 12%+ service charge for usage. However, make sure your cash is new and pristine because they will not accept any tears in legal tender in Costa Rica. I almost ironed some of our cash because every establishment was very strict on what they would accept. 

Our first excursion took us to a ziplining and ATV adventure. The zipline was in a monkey sanctuary  so in addition to having over 5 great lines, you had a chance to see some Costa Rican wildlife. There is a gift shop on site to buy small trinkets, snacks and most importantly bandanas if you want to ATV. There was a bit of hiking between the lines, so definitely wear sturdy shoes, but it’s worth it for the views and adventure. After ziplining, we had a chance to ride ATV’s and see a private beach. I hopped on the ATV and quickly realized it was not my calling. I decided to hang back at the sanctuary while the rest of my group sped through the rough and had a great time. They came back completely dusty and damp from the tour, so definitely take a change of clothes if you plan to do anything after your trip. We opted to have dinner since we were already out and dined at the Patagonia del Mar. The restaurant is connected to a marina and hotel property and has a lovely al fresco dining area. The menu looked delicious, and I think our group may have ordered one of everything they had after our busy day. Headed back to our home and after the winding road to the top (in the dark YIKES!), enjoyed cocktails and movies on our patio.

The next day, we enjoyed morning pool time, but then opted to take out a private charter boat to experience what the water had to offer. The Rickdiculous is a fishing boat that also does tours and was one of our favorite parts of the trip. The afternoon on the water was mostly calm and absolutely breathtaking. The staff prepared a delectable lunch while we sunbathed and did water activities, like snorkeling and paddle boarding. Nothing could beat the sunset on the water with a cocktail in my hand and framily all around. We grabbed another dinner on the way home, this time at a quick Italian spot. The evening was once again spent, hanging by the pool, believe me this was a theme. That evening, I ended up being so comfortable that I fell asleep outside. Listen, I am not a nature kind of lady, but the cool breeze, and possibly the Tito’s, lulled me into a blissful sleep that almost made me a believer in camping.

Due to the location of our rental home, sunsets were beautiful, but it was difficult to capture a sunrise. My husband and I decided to visit nearby Las Baulas National Marine Park to take in what was supposed to be one of the best sunrises in our area. While we didn’t quite capture what we expected, the beach area was gorgeous, complete with a sea turtle sanctuary. Sea turtle tracks were evident all throughout the area. We returned to our home and spent the full day hanging by the pool while waiting for our chef to come cook our last official dinner for our total group as a few of us departed early. Belly Fed Better cooked a meal that truly lived up to its name. Every course was more delicious than the last and the outdoor dining area was the perfect setting for our evening. There is truly nothing like spending time amongst your loved ones, but when you include 5-star dining and eclectik cocktails, it’s a whole other level.

The following day was our last and though a few of our party had to return to real life, the rest of us ventured to the famed Tamarindo Beach for a day of sunbathing and coastal views. The surf is ROUGH, so the water is not swimmable unless you are experienced, but I had fun wading and getting knocked down by the crashing waves. We eventually settled at Playa Flamingo where the sunset completely blew away the one, we’d seen the day before. Absolutely the most perfect end to a day that I’ve ever seen. We enjoyed dinner at Coco Loco where the seafood was very well cooked. After dinner, we walked over to the night market and enjoyed checking out the local vendors before heading back to our last evening at our exquisite rental. 

In the morning, we had our last chef prepared meal of breakfast tacos and then headed back to the airport to go our separate ways. The trip was definitely one for the books and I would absolutely return to Costa Rica because there’s so much more to see.