The Palms Resort
Playa Flamingo, Costa Rica, July 30- Aug. 3, 2018
After a 3-4 hour drive from Arenal, we landed at our final destination - Playa Flamingo on the northwest Pacific coast. The highlight was The Palms resort, where we had Villa 18 - a beautiful two bedroom, two-floor condo only 50 steps from the Pacific Ocean and two warm pools right outside our patio. We had an amazingly comfortable king bed and JD had his own king bed loft! The resort had a beautiful flat beachfront, an infinity pool overlooking the ocean and a wonderful wait staff, which brought each of us a watermelon drink upon our arrival and introduction from Mark.
Sunsets
Playa Flamingo, Costa Rica, July 29-Aug. 2, 2018
Every night, right outside our resort, we had the most dramatic sunsets - one night after a rainstorm and others after a day of sun.
5-Activity Adventure Tour
Hacienda Guachipelin near Rincon Volcano, Costa Rica, July 31, 2018
We booked a full-day (9 hours) of adventures at the Hacienda Guachipelin resort in the northern part of Costa Rica - very close to Nicaragua. We started with repelling down a waterfall and a tarzan swing into a waterfall, followed by an hour-long tubing trip down the Rio Negro. Then we had an amazing lunch buffet (with a tasty barley and rice drink!). Then we did nine ziplines through a canyon, down slides, swinging across the canyon and up hanging ladders. We ended with a horseback ride to a waterfall/swimming hole and a mud bath and nine pools inside a jungle-covered natural hot springs.
Restaurants
Coco Loco in Playa Flamingo: great little beach spot; it was only about a 5-minute walk down the beach to get there; we ate here 3 times; including Haleigh and I with coconut ice cream in a coconut shell and warm chirro's with chocolate sauce just steps from the Pacific Ocean.
SurfBox in Playa Flamingo: probably the best place in the area; healthy food; also got breakfast to-go there
Angelina's in Playa Flamingo: decent italian place on the second floor of a retail area called the Plaza
The Palms Resort in Playa Flamingo: okay food delivered to our patio by the pool one afternoon
Lola's in Playa Avenal: down a 5-mile bumpy gravel road (read, not worth it), but it was a neat spot; okay food
