Travel

We reveal why the ‘pura vida’ lifestyle is something we should all get on board with


Palm trees at Isla Tortuga, Costa Rica

As lockdown starts to ease, our plans for travel will centre around destinations that are guaranteed to lift our spirits.

But that’s not all we want from a post-lockdown holiday. 

The past few months have shown us how the natural world has thrived as pollution and carbon emissions have fallen, a testament to how crucial it is that the way we go about our lives needs to change if we’re to protect the biodiversity of our planet. 

So, when we’re looking for that perfect destination, a warm, happy atmosphere will be one aspect, but to visit a place that puts the welfare of its environment first and is forward thinking in its way of life will also be high up on the list.

Costa Rica offers all of this – and it’s all thanks to its pura vida lifestyle.

Pura vida

Puerto Carillo, Costa Rica

So, what is ‘pura vida’? 

In a nutshell, it means pure life, and when you’re in Costa Rica, the Ticos (the locals) will wish it to you as you go about your day. 

But it’s not just a saying – it’s a way of life. Costa Rica has been redirecting money into pensions, health and education since divesting itself of its army in 1948 in order to raise generations of healthy, happy people who value the importance of environmental welfare.

It’s a mentality that seems worlds away from our own country’s outlook, but when you visit somewhere as beautiful as Costa Rica, it’s easy to see why there’s such a drive to look after it. From its pristine Blue Flag beaches to its prospering coral reefs on each side of the country, it’s got all the components of a flawless tropical paradise.

Manuel Antonio National Park, Costa Rica - aerial shot

And it’s all been maintained through measures inspired by pura vida. For example, Costa Rica is well on its way to becoming a zero-emissions nation – something it’s doing to promote the wellbeing of the amazing flora and fauna that call the country home. 

Combine this with its 29 protected national parks, wholesome healthy cuisine which responsibly utilises its natural homegrown produce, and generally relaxed way of life, and you can see why it’s home to one of the planet’s Blue Zones, an accreditation given to the few places in the world where people live fuller, happier and longer lives than anywhere else.

So, after months spent in lockdown, a little slice of this happy living is definitely something we can get on board with. 

Small steps, big changes

A two-toed sloth in a tree, Costa Rica

The most obvious effect that this positive and respectful way of life has had is to create a heaven on earth for wildlife.

Although it’s only a small country, Costa Rica is home to 6.5% of the world’s biodiversity. There are also over 900 species of bird that are unique to Costa Rica, and 6,000 different marine creatures that thrive in the Pacific Ocean and Caribbean Sea either side of the country. Marino La Baulas National Park in Guanacaste is a must if you want to come face to face with the likes of leatherback turtles, one of the five sea turtle species you can find here. However, keen snorkelers will find amazing marine wonders wherever they dive in this region.

Regenerating its rainforests to 50% forest cover and running the entire country on 99% renewable energy has helped boost populations of creatures on land too, so you’ll be hard-pushed not to stumble across tropical birds, colourful tree frogs and monkeys as you’re exploring the lush parks surrounding Costa Rica’s 200 odd volcanoes, or trekking through areas such as the surreally beautiful crater lakes around the Poás Volcano.

Arenal Volcano National Park

But it’s not just the wildlife and the environment these measures benefit. Ultimately, the pura vida way of life is cyclical, and serves to support local communities who depend on these amazing natural environments as well as the creatures that dwell within them. 

Not only that, but this harmonious relationship has inspired Costa Rican culture, too – a calming, tranquil affair that will help you feel completely rejuvenated when you visit.

The ultimate way of life

Tabacon hot springs, Costa Rica

Everything in Costa Rica is simple: Ticos live off the land and respect it in return. But this practical approach doesn’t just serve to put food on the table or keep the country running; it helps boost people’s wellbeing, too.

Wellness is a very important part of Costa Rican life, and there are plenty of activities on offer which you can do in astounding natural surroundings to help you achieve some much-needed escapism – from life, technology and even your own mind.

Yoga, for example, has become increasingly popular in Costa Rica. Luxury eco retreats throughout the country’s national parks offer a sustainable retreat with intimate yoga classes overlooking incredible panoramas, giving you the chance to properly reset in the heart of nature. It’s a therapeutic kind of escape which has no impact on the environment and does wonders for your state of mind.

Alternatively, let your hair down at in the city of Turrialba in the Cartago province, where locals will happily take you on an enlightening horse trekking tour of their historical home.

While you’re broadening and relaxing your mind, feed your body with nourishing, healthy foods. Costa Rican cuisine is varied and nutritious thanks to its homegrown wealth of natural resources. Whether it’s impossibly sweet and plump fruit, such as papayas, guava and star fruit, to fresh-caught seafood or wholesome dishes such as casado (which means ‘a marriage of flavours’ and consists of rice, beans, plantain and a protein of choice), a week here will have your body feeling strong and completely cleansed. 

Papaya, Costa Rica

For an authentic cultural experience that’ll give you a taste for healthful Costa Rican gastronomy, head to San Jose and the surrounding local towns for the weekend streetfood markets, where you can watch Ticos prepare the meals they love, which bring together Spanish and African influences with wonderful fresh ingredients.

Then, to truly get to grips with the pura vida way of thinking, take yourself off into the wilderness to see firsthand all the good this cyclical lifestyle does. Forest baths in the middle of the rainforest, which are filled with calcium-rich, detoxifying waters, offer a unique way of soaking all your troubles away with views that are hard to beat. Or, try a bit of Earthing by taking your shoes off and walking barefoot through soft sand or cushioned forest floor, getting in touch with nature as it was intended.

Doing our bit

Gulf of Papagayo, Costa Rica

Costa Rica is a wonderful place to visit, and the good news is that travelling there for a holiday can help it even further in its own sustainability goals as well as the world’s – and all while putting a smile on your face.

All people who visit this little corner of paradise are encouraged to sign up to the Pura Vida Pledge. Inspired by Costa Rica’s feel-good approach to life, this pledge encompasses four small asks that every visitor can do to help protect the country’s natural environment and the amazing animals that live there. 

Whether you’re volunteering for a local cause while you’re there, carbon offsetting, respecting the environment or staying in sustainable accommodation, you will be doing your bit to help Costa Rica’s natural world while promote a greener, happier future for all the living things here – not to mention maintaining this country’s natural charm.

Not only that, but these small easy steps can be implemented anywhere – and if we all started applying this mentality to our future adventures, we might be able to help look after our most vulnerable species, and give the planet’s biodiversity a fighting chance.

Sunset in Atardecer, Costa Rica



WIN!

Fancy winning a seven-night holiday to Costa Rica for two in 2021?

Canal Bote, Costa Rica

The Costa Rica Tourism Board are offering one person and a guest the chance to win this amazing opportunity to experience your own Pura Vida in this beautiful country, including air travel and destination transfers as well as bed and breakfast accommodation. 

Click here to enter this competition.

To find out more about Costa Rica’s Pura Vida Pledge, click here

Terms and conditions apply, visit competition page for further details. 





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