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Living the Pure Life in Costa Rica
by Debra Rose

Mother Nature spilled her paint-box on this land. The literal translation of Pura Vida is “Pure Life,” a common greeting and response to polite inquires in Costa Rica, as in, “Como Esta” (How are you)? “Pura Vida” (Well). The Latin American Aloha

Pura Vida Houses

Pura Vida Palm

Taking a trip to Costa Rica is now synonymous with a jaunt to any island in the Caribbean, no longer unknown or undiscovered, and now a predictable destination for even novice travelers. Well-traveled surf spots such as Tamarindo and Nosara on the Western Coast of the country that border the Pacific Ocean are a hub for American tourists, overflowing with English-speaking restaurants, hotels, establishments and surf schools. Until recently, Costa Rica was still being touted as an exotic, newly uncovered hidden gem in the frequently unstable string of countries it is flanked by. A democratic nation without an Army that enjoys a high literacy rate, “The Switzerland” of Latin America has noble intentions.

Pura Vida Spa in Alajuela, Costa Rica exemplified the importance of living the pure life while striving to evolve with the booming eco-tourism phenomenon. Kicking-off the induction to the “Green Season,” the charming term for the inevitable rainy season notorious to the tropics at the end of April, we prepared for the worst and hoped for the best. Fire red ginger flowers, lazy hammocks, airy yoga studios and the distant valley of San Jose greeted us upon entering Pura Vida Spa. With their trademark yoga classes twice daily, wholesome meals of local organic ingredients, accommodations such as pagodas, villas and tent chalets overlooking a coffee bean plantation, Pura Vida was as healing as it was beautiful. Built-in excursions such as white water rafting and zip-lining through the canopy fed our sense of adventure and paired well with the need for relaxation in the form of spa treatments such as Shuatzu Massage, reflexology, and Watsu. Unlimited Costa Rican coffee was the crown jewel in Pura Vida’s oasis.

The first thing you may detect at Pura Vida’s mountainside estate is the cool, clean breeze, a stark contrast in climate from San Jose’s thick, humid air that brings an awareness of being close to the equator. Alajuela Province is nearly half an hour north of the capital, tucked away in the mountains, and 5,000 feet elevation atop the sights and sounds of the jungle. An hour away from the rain forest, lagoons and semi-active Volcano Póas, the twelve-acre property of Pura Vida encircled with coffee fields punctuates the rich history and intense impact coffee has on Costa Rica’s past, economy and future. Simply being there was a relaxing, transporting experience. Then it poured.

The rain resembled being spraying with a hose; short, powerful bursts that end as quickly as they begin. Taking shelter in the open-air dining room, we watched the eucalyptus tree’s trunk change color in the rain and noticed the roof of the canopy sway in the wind. Viewing San Jose from Pura Vida Spa was like gazing at stars in the night sky, bright specs of light below that could not be seen with direct focus.

Going to sleep when the sun drops is foreign for city dwellers, yet Pura Vida’s scenery underscored the urge to retire early, especially as the first yoga class begins at six every morning. Locals gave friendly and accurate guidance that “one does not sleep late in Costa Rica.” Naturally waking at five each day to the sounds of the jungle and warmth of sunrise peaking through the windows, we brewed fresh, locally grown coffee before class. Bordering the yoga studio were coffee fields from which the beans were harvested that glittered with morning dew, lined with lush banana trees, birds of paradise, tall palms and Technicolor toucan birds. Crowing roosters and chirping birds were the backdrop of our sun salutations and gentle poses before breakfast.

A traditional Costa Rican breakfast of rice, beans, and eggs combined with tortillas, sweet pineapple, papaya, baked grain bread, chopped nuts, yogurts and granola was light and rich fuel for the morning. Meals were generous offerings of fresh fruit salad, steamed and sautéed locally grown organic vegetables, rice, beans, tofu, chicken or fish, fresh baked bread and balanced desserts that were just sweet enough without revealing their “healthy” components. Three varieties of indigenous Costa Rican coffee were brewed all day and nearly twenty varieties of tea were available. Guests repeatedly requesting recipes prompted Pura Vida Spa to publish their first cookbook. Our meals complimented our healthy yoga regimen. Offering beginner and intermediate classes, varied instructors brought gifts of restorative classes, along with a blend of postures and focus on alignment, flowing poses and meditation. The natural beauty of our surroundings, human friendliness, and opportunity to explore Costa Rica was the core of the Pura Vida experience.

Pura Vida effortlessly wove opportunities to visit the spa for a variety of treatments, to sit in a Jacuzzi overlooking the mountains, swim in the pool, and shop in the gift shop, relax on the balcony of the pagoda or have coffee in the main dining room. When not venturing away from Pura Vida, we had a menu of treatments to choose from, such as steaming in an Aroma Spa with eucalyptus oil, Deep Tissue Massage, the decadent Costa Rican Hot Stone Massage, Lymphatic Drainage Massage, Shiatsu, and the indulgent Exfoliating Tropical Body Treatment, to name a few. Daily excursions in the surrounding area offered La Paz Waterfall Gardens in Jardin de Cataratas, joined by a trail through a cloud and visit to see native Costa Rican butterflies in the largest butterfly observatory in the world, with over twenty species of butterflies.

A Canopy Tour (zip-line) in San Jose de la Montaña was a series of platforms suspended atop massive oak tress that zip through aerial trails on 650 feet long zip lines that cross rivers and canyons, 180 feet off the ground. After exchanging “why are we doing this?” we were strong and went through with it. Conquering the fear was much more difficult than zipping across a hundred feet of line between cliffs using only your gloved hand as a break, above water and through the canopy that brushed faces on some of the lines. Trust in the cables, the guides, and in oneself not to make any mistakes and to hold on when needed to is crucial; the more hesitant and resistant, the worse the fear to concentrate and leave each platform. A pivotal moment in a calm vacation, the zip-line course is an exhilarating accomplishment that playfully conquers fear.

White-water rafting on the Pacuare River, an 18-mile class 3-4 river, followed extensive training on how to rescue our crewmates and navigate the falls. Eight of us with our guide joined the other handful of rafts traveling through valleys of falls dense with steep lines of green and rainforest vegetation, even making rescues for a few unsuccessful rafters. The highlight of the day was stopping for a picnic lunch made for everyone by the handsome and talented guides. Our guide Alvaro and the other guides donned chefs hats and aprons, turned the rafts over, covered them with table cloths and produced a fabulous spread for lunch as a delicious reward after three hours of hard rafting. After two more hours we encountered level 3 and 4 rapids, swam in natural, tranquil pools surrounded by rock and waterfalls in a peaceful section of an otherwise raging river. Tanned, tired and adrenaline rushing, we reached the final destination and heard funny stories from Alvaro.

Sipping coffee of the last day at Pura Vida was bittersweet. The relaxing pace, healthy lifestyle and sense of calmness that saturated our environment cultivated a place to enjoy and not be taken for granted as we could do if this was our daily life. The beauty of Pura Vida was to be savored, remembered as a treasured place to visit and not a permanent destination in which to live. I carry a piece of Pura Vida, much like the rock found in the river bed in which we rafted, to serve as a reminder that its never too late, in addition to being mandatory, to take time out and live the Pura Vida. However brief it may be, it may just become a part of all of us, too. To learn more about the Pura Vida Spa in Costa Rica, visit their website at www.puravidaspa.com

La Paz Waterfall Gardens: www.waterfallgardens.com

Canopy Adventure: www.canopycr.com

Costa Rica Expeditions: www.costaricaexpeditions.com

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