This unique travel package had Nancy and Sam enjoying an authentic cultural culinary experience with John’s Picks guide Enrique Rojas taking them to the off-the-beaten-path eateries in the hills of the Central Valley (San José) where they stayed on the front and back end of their trip in the cozy confines of “Los Cielos” condo hotel. They also visited the Mercado Central as well received an educational tour of the Doka Coffee estate which included coffee tasting and a stroll through the butterfly gardens.

Thy hopped on a domestic flight to Puerto Jimenez, the main port town of the remote Osa Peninsula, where they stayed at the Hotel Encanta la Vida, an Eco-lodge located in Matapalo, located walking distance from the beach on the very tip of the peninsula. The hotel’s friendly staff set them up with a variety of activities including a visit to a wildlife refuge (sloths & spider monkeys), secluded waterfall hike, and a “tarzan” canopy swing tour.

Second beach destination was Playa Hermosa, a world famous surfing beach just south of the bustling tourist town of Jacó on Costa Rica’s Central Pacific Coast. They stayed at the Backyard Hotel where they enjoyed daily sunset happy hour and local pro surfers competing in the Saturday Surf Series contest. Nearby was Tres Piscinas waterfall hike. Sam got to do some deep sea fishing out of Playa Herradura, and locked in a large Marlin with the help of local captain Carlos Gollo.