TURRIALBA, Costa Rica
It was 6:01 a.m. when we heard them barking, an insistent 鈥渉uh-huh-huh-huh鈥� floating through the rain forest canopy and over Pacuare Lodge.
鈥淗owler monkeys,鈥� said Steve, squinting at his watch. Then a toucan weighed in, two long, raspy 鈥渟creeches鈥� close to our deck, in the Rio Pacuare Forest Reserve, in eastern Costa Rica鈥檚 Barbilla National Park.
Up in a flash, we grabbed the binoculars and dashed outside, where a chorus of honks, chirps and whistles ushered in the dawn.
鈥淪hhhh!鈥� Steve said, hopefully, peering over the railing into the underbrush. 鈥淟isten! Was that a growl?鈥�
Wildlife on parade is a predictable event at most Costa Rican eco-lodges.
Coatis, capuchin monkeys, birds and butterflies lead off, followed by sloths, bacillus lizards (Jesus lizards because they 鈥渨alk鈥� on water) and green frogs, with howler monkeys, tapirs, armadillos and tarantulas at the rear. But big cats, ocelots and pumas? Once in a green moon.
鈥淛aguars? Maybe, but don鈥檛 count on it,鈥� said travel planner Alison Carey, three months earlier when she called to talk about our trip.
A Latin America specialist with Scott Dunn Personal Journeys, Carey and her colleagues research and book custom, personalized adventures for individual travellers.
We鈥檇 been to Costa Rica before, but just briefly, on a cruise ship stopover. This time would be different, we agreed. Hence the call to Scott Dunn Personal Journeys, a leader in the growing trend toward custom travel.
鈥淵ou鈥檒l like Pacuare Lodge,鈥� said Carey. 鈥淚t鈥檚 on the river, an easy, four-mile raft ride downstream. It鈥檚 known for wildlife, and wild cats, too, though they鈥檙e rarely seen. It鈥檚 isolated, but that鈥檚 part of the appeal. You know what they say: Costa Rica is one of Central America鈥檚 safest countries.鈥�
Was it? Sporadic upheavals have plagued Central America for decades, from corrupt governments and armed insurrections to civil wars and more recently, drug trafficking. What makes Costa Rica different?
Then our itinerary arrived in the mail, a spiral-bound notebook listing dates, places and our contacts at each, with blank space for notes. The last three nights would be on our own, joining well-heeled friends for a reunion at Villa Manzu, a palatial mansion on the Papagayo Peninsula.
But the question lingered.
鈥淚s it true? Is Costa Rica Central America鈥檚 safest country?鈥� I asked Abel, the Scott Dunn driver who picked us up at the Juan Santamaria International Airport, in San Jose, the capital.
鈥淲e think so,鈥� he said, heading for the Finca Rosa Blanca hotel, north of the city. 鈥淚t鈥檚 because we have no military,鈥� he continued. 鈥淭he money pays instead for schools, high school and college, and for health care and doctors. And it鈥檚 all free,鈥� he said.
鈥淥f course, there are always people who don鈥檛 want to work and are tempted to steal. But most people here have jobs,鈥� he added as we reached the hotel, a restored, 14-suite Spanish Colonial house and coffee plantation, with a pool and a popular open-air restaurant.
On time for the day鈥檚 coffee plantation tour, we thought we鈥檇 learn about coffee. But the two-hour uphill walk with naturalist Manolo Munoz was as much about sustainable farming as it was about a good cup of joe.
Guiding us among the coffee trees, planted in volcanic soil between banana and poro trees in a mixed-species forest, Munoz explained that trees add important minerals to the soil. 鈥淎 mix of sun and shade grows better 鈥榗herries鈥� [coffee beans] than the big commercial farms do,鈥� he said.
That evening, as the sun slipped between the palm fronds and Miguel, the hotel waiter, came around with menus, I decided to see what he鈥檇 say. 鈥淯h, Miguel, why do people say Costa Rica is Central America鈥檚 safest country?鈥�
鈥淏ecause we don鈥檛 have an army,鈥� he said. 鈥淎fter the civil war, in 1949, the government decided that paying for education, hospitals, culture and parks was more important than guns and soldiers.鈥�
Local police handle regional crime and a national government-supported 70-member team of 鈥渃ommandos,鈥� a trained 鈥渟ecurity and intervention鈥� group, is available for extreme emergencies. But beyond that, no army.
In Costa Rica, we learned, education, health and the environment are more than a campaign promise. They are the framework for a peaceful future.
No wildlife conversation lasted more than 10 minutes before the topic turned to Costa Rica鈥檚 many species, and how they have adapted to the country鈥檚 12 climate zones, each at a different altitude, from sea level to the summit of frosty, 3,820-metre Cerro Chirripo Volcano.
Rafting through the Pacuare River鈥檚 narrow gorge, to Pacuare Lodge on the river bank, we could see the difference between the trees along the river gorge and those on the mountainside above, where the howler monkeys live.
Alone in the forest, Pacuare Lodge is self-sustaining (electricity is limited to several hours daily), rustic and luxurious. Candles light the upstairs bar and hall, and the dining room downstairs and adjoining deck, where all meals are served. Most of the bungalows have some screened walls, bringing the outside in. The first group were built along the river; the luxury suites climb the hill, each a five-star treehouse.
Our days were busy with discovery hikes, wildlife prowls and trips to the nearby Indigenous village, with an occasional plunge pool dip and nap in our hammock. Leisurely dinners with like-minded guests made the rainforest silence that much more serene.
A startling contrast, indeed, to our next destination, Nayara Springs Resort, on a highway near Avenal Volcano National Park, in central Costa Rica. Greeted by a uniformed bellboy, we thought we鈥檇 made a wrong turn.
But this popular vacation village and honeymoon retreat only masquerades as a hotel. In fact, it offers urban sophistication in a rainforest setting. With its sumptuous suites 鈥� and swimming pools, shaded patios, bars and pubs, a spa and gym, restaurants and shops 鈥� connected by a maze of heavily landscaped serpentine paths, each is hidden from the next. A five minute walk beneath the trees 鈥� with resident birds and 30-odd sloths overhead 鈥� was a stroll in the woods.
As our Scott Dunn-planned trip ended, we said goodbye to our driver, Andreas, who delivered us to Villa Manzu. And there was the mansion, overlooking the ocean, a modern, sandy-coloured stone building flanked by grassy lawns and trees, pools and patios.
Art and artifacts lined the corridors and walls. The kitchen-plus-barstools adjoined the living and dining rooms; the theatre, two bars, party room and eight luxurious bedrooms with bath completed the luxury. A path to the cliff-side barbecue circle faced the sunset.
With a staff of 12, including butler and three chefs, this luxurious hideaway, on five acres, guarantees privacy for those who can afford it: celebrities, tech-company millionaires, movie moguls, industry titans and sports greats. For us, being there was dumb luck.
鈥淢ake yourself at home,鈥� said our hostess, with a warm hug, inviting us to take in the scenery or use the heated pool.
鈥淢eet our butler, Luis Morera, who makes the most marvelous cocktails,鈥� she added.
Other options included 鈥渢alking ingredients,鈥� with the chefs, or asking about wine-pairings. We could borrow a kayak or fishing gear and walk down to the beach, take a car to visit the Beach Club or play golf. 鈥淰illa Manzu has guest privileges.鈥� Arrive by yacht and tie up in the harbor. Or fly: 鈥淭he driver will meet you at the airport.鈥�
The Villa sleeps 20-plus adults and/or children. Because this is your house, everything鈥檚 included: Meals, wine, cocktails, snacks, sports equipment, fishing gear, a car, guides, and as always, Costa Rican hospitality.
Anne Z. Cooke writes about travel and its effect on global warming. Contact her at travelswithanne @cs.com; or Twitter at @anneontheroad.
The Nitty Gritty
If you go: Scott Dunn Personal Journeys, a leader in the newest trend in travel, researches, plans and books personalized vacations and adventures. scottdunn.com.
All lodging prices may vary with discounts, dates and availability.
The lodges:
At Finca Rosa Blanca, double rooms start at $254 US per night; fincarosablanca.com/en
At Pacuare Lodge, rates for two in a bungalow with meals, most recreation and non-alcoholic beverages start at $766; three nights are recommended. pacuarelodge.com
At Nayara Springs and Nayara Resort, bungalows for two start at $351, but vary with discounts and availability. nayarasprings.com.
At Villa Manzu, the all-inclusive rate for the house is priced per night. Multiple guests, groups and families can share the cost. Call for dates, availability and current prices. villamanzu.com.
Going there: Fly into Juan Santamaria International Airport, in San Jose. For Villa Manzu, in Guanacaste Province, fly into Liberia Airport.
