My Visual diary

During March 2023, I had an almost once-in-a-lifetime chance to feel 20 again. I had just quit my job and had the free time and mindset to travel to Costa Rica with a friend.

Playa Avellana

Back in 1998, Yael, Michal, and I, along with four more friends, served together as artillery instructors in IDF. We spent 21 months living, eating, crying, laughing, and sleeping together. We have kept our friendship over the years, experiencing parties, broken hearts, weddings, childbirths, divorces, funerals, and all life events together.

In 2019, Yael and her family decided to follow their dreams, moved to Playa Avellanas in Costa Rica, and opened a hotel. After more than 3 years of not seeing each other, Michal and I decided to come and visit. We only had ten days and a lot to catch up with Yael, so we had to plan our time wisely.

Soul Shine Costa Rica. Good vibes only

Our Home

Naturally, we stayed at Soul Shine Costa Rica, Yael’s hotel. With a swimming pool, seven sweet and spacious bungalows, a shop and a restaurant serving brunch seven days a week, it was sometimes a bit hard to motivate ourselves to take the ten-minute walk to the beach. However, we managed, and it was worth it.

Soul Shine, great pool, rooms and brunch.

Playa Avellanas is a surfers beach 20 minutes south of Tamarindo. The clear water and wide beach are inviting and one can spend an entire day there, either on the beach itself or at Lola’s, drinking cocktails, having a great meal or taking a yoga or surf class.

Lola’s and Playa Avellanas

During our days in Playa Avellanas, we took day trips to Tamarindo and other beaches in the area. We stopped in beautiful locations and enjoyed some great meals at the local restaurants. Pura Vida at its best!

Playa Minas, one hour drive north from Playa Avellanas

Playa Nosara, two hours drive south from Playa Avellanas

Golden hour talks at Playa Pelada, 15 minutes drive from Nosara

Food and Drinks in Playa Avellanas and Tamarindo Area

Soulshine, Playa Avellanas – The best place for your breakfast/brunch. Great coffee and amazing food. Yael is the best host ever and is always happy to share insights and recommendations about the area.
Lola’s, Playa Avellanas – Lola’s is a fantastic beachfront restaurant where you can sit and enjoy the sun, great food, and drinks. From lunch to dinner, from morning coffee to sunset cocktails, Lola’s is your place at Playa Avellanas.
Breaking Bread, Tamarindo – Great Bakery, Coffee, Breakfast, and Lunch.
La Luna, Playa Pelada – Definitely one of the best sunset locations. Nothing is as fun as drinking great piña coladas, eating guacamole, and watching the beautiful sunset with good friends.
Masala, Brasilito – Amazing Indian food, 30 minutes’ drive from Tamarindo.
Mycelium, Playa Negra – Chef restaurant by Chef Kamu. The food is both beautiful and tasty, and so are the cocktails!

Cocktails at Masala, DIY Guacamole at La Luna, beautiful bread at Mycelium

Good friends drinking Piña Coladas and watching the sunset at La Luna

Monteverde & Santa Elena

Monteverde, known as “the green mountain,” and the charming town of Santa Elena nearby, was a great “getaway” to enjoy different views and nature at its best. Just a 3-4 hour drive from Playa Avellanas, we arrived at this paradise of wildlife and cloud forests.

Sunset from the Monteverde and wildlife night tour

Our home
Santa Elena is a small and touristic town near all the attractions of Monteverde. There are many places to stay, restaurants, and souvenir shops, among tourist agencies offering different activities in the area. We stayed at Miztli Lodge & Adventure, a sweet and cozy hotel, halfway between the center of town and the parks on the mountaintop. The hotel offers a breakfast of your choice on its terrace with an outstanding view.

During our time in Monteverde, we enjoyed some of what the area has to offer:
We took a night tour that allowed us to witness the magic of the forest after dark, observing nocturnal creatures and experiencing the serene ambiance of the nighttime wilderness.
We hiked through one of many beautiful trails in the Santa Elena Cloud Forest Reserve, experiencing the misty atmosphere and diverse range of flora and fauna.
However, the undeniable peak of fun and adrenaline levels was during the zip-line tour at Selvatura Park, where we soared through the treetops in 13 different zip-lines.

Misty cloud forest and happy adrenaline smiles

Food and drinks in Santa Elena & Monteverde

The Open Kitchen – A great place for lunch and dinner, offering Mediterranean dishes, along with local and worldwide plates.
Tree House Restaurant – A restaurant and bar built around a huge tree. We only had cocktails and dessert there. However, with live bands and a great atmosphere, I definitely recommend paying a visit there.
Taco Taco – Mexican food and Margaritas; great for lunch or dinner.
Cafe Colibri – A small and simple coffee place; it’s the location that matters. Located in the Colibri birds feeding center, you can have coffee, visit the souvenir shop and watch the beautiful birds.

Colibri birds feeding at Colibri Cafe

Ten days are not even close to being enough for Costa Rica; it was a very small taste of everything this beautiful country has to offer. Costa Rica is a combination of nature, super nice people, and pura vida vibes. I was there with the best partners in crime, and I will definitely come back for more.