The Debate is Over: Southern Costa Rica Tops the Charts
Go north or venture south?
It’s a question that’s been asked since the dawn of time.
Perhaps history can provide us with a bit of guidance here ….
The Kanza tribe, for example, harnessed the power of the wind and embraced the breeze as an ethos. Guided by the Siouan aca, or “south wind,” the Kanza celebrated these warm, southern gusts by holding elaborate, warrior-themed ceremonies where everyone had fun.
We doubt they held such parties during nasty northeasterlies.
And we don’t have to rewind history that far back to prove, yet again, that southern charm topples northern chill almost every time.
South Park is a fantastic television show. We all know that. Northern Exposure? Not so much.
Lynyrd Skynyrd, an all-time rock band. Nickelback? A less-than-ideal listening experience.
Alabama football, a legendary college program. Northwestern football? They once lost 34 consecutive NCAA Division I games, a run of futility that was more miserable than any March in Minnesota.
The south of Italy and France, both dreamy locals. Moscow and Riga? Buuuurrrr!
On and on it goes, but you get the gist.
Where’s all of this headed, you inquire? Just trying to prove a minor point, is all. Because we here, at YouGetHere Vacation Rentals, get asked all the time: should our family visit the north of Costa Rica, up near Guanacaste? Or should we visit the south, down by Dominical?
It’s simple: Go south, dear friend.
The southern Pacific coastline of Costa Rica is more jungle-laden than the north of the nation, which is drier with much stronger winds. There’s more wildlife in the south, partly because there are far fewer people around. Beautiful beaches, such as Playa Dominicalito, Punta Achiote, the Whale’s Tail Reef and Playa Ventanas, while all popular, don’t draw excessive crowds like in Tamarindo. You’ll have plenty of space to spread out on the sand down here.
And we’ll say it: the surfing is of a higher quality, and much less crowded, in southern Costa Rica than in the north. Sure, they have Witch’s Rock and Playa Negra up there, both fine options. But we have a mile-long lefthand pointbreak (Pavones), multiple righthand pointbreaks (Matapalo) and powerful beachbreaks (Playa Hermosa and Dominical). The secret spots, we’ll leave a secret.
Doesn’t it take much longer to get to the south than the north? Not really.
The drive from San Jose airport (SJO) to Dominical town lasts about 3 ½ hours. The coolest portion of the journey happens at Tarcoles bridge, where you can stop and gawk at very large crocodiles in the river below. This will be your first introduction to the real Costa Rica.
There are also commuter flights from SJO to Quepos / Manuel Antonio, and those flights are only in the air for 20 minutes or so. Check SANSA or Costa Rica Green Airways for affordable in-country flight options. From Quepos, you can drive or shuttle to Dominical in 30 minutes.
In addition to offering more of a rainforest vibe and epic, uncrowded beaches and waves, the southern zone continues to produce heart-pounding tour activities. ATV adventure rides, river rafting, paragliding, sportfishing, ziplines and kayaking are all popular local options. Furthermore, there are a slew of waterfall walks, hiking trails, horse rides and birding opportunities for outdoor adventurists.
If international dining is your main thing, there are at least 50 different options for good food from Dominical to Ojochal. Each evening down south, there are culinary delights being whipped up at Citrus (Ojochal), The Bamboo Room (Ojochal), Los Laureles (Uvita), Gusto (Uvita), Scala (Escaleras) and La Parcela (Dominical). And that’s just scratching the surface of what’s available locally. Come try the comida for yourself!
Pacific zone of Costa Rica delivers the best bang for your tourism bucks
At YouGetHere Vacation Rentals, we believe the southern region truly has it all — wildlife, the ocean, rivers and mountain ranges all in the same space. In less than 45 minutes, for example, you can venture from the shores of Dominical beach to the top of Escaleras mountain, more than a 2,000-foot elevation climb, where the entire world feels like it’s at your fingertips.
Best of all, you can do all of this exploration without battling crowds and pushy vendors that sometimes plague the northern areas of the country.
So, when you’re ready to pack up and head south for a well-earned tropical vacation, contact YouGetHere Vacation Rentals at [email protected]. We have an outstanding portfolio of luxury rental villas that are suitable for all types of groups. Getting you and your crew set up in an epic vacation home is what we do best, and we’d be happy to assist in any way.
Now that’s southern hospitality.