3 Reasons Costa Rica is the #1 post covid destination

It’s veranillo here in Montezuma. Our “little summer” full of thunderstorms and sunshine is usually the best time of year to come to visit since everything is lush and green and there are fewer tourists than high season. 

But… this year is different. Beaches are open from 5-2.30pm only. Montezuma Yoga is still closed. It feels so strange. 

But we also know this isn’t a new normal. This isn’t forever. Our town will come to life again and people will start traveling again.

Have you started dreaming about when you can start traveling again? 

Sigh, me too… But even if you can’t travel to Costa Rica now, it should be at the top of your list when the borders reopen. As of August 1st we are welcoming travelers from Europe, UK and Canada into the country. This list will be updated weekly.

Costa Rica and Covid: The safest country in Latin America (and the Caribbean!)

Here’s the big question: when and where is it safe to travel?  

If the world leaders don’t have the answer to that question, I don’t either unfortunately. 

But is Costa Rica a safe destination? Yes definitely.

Even before the pandemic, Costa Rica ranked as the safest country in Central America and the Caribbean by the Global Peace Index.

But if you want to talk specifically about covid-related safety, Costa Rica’s leaders were quick to react to the pandemic and closed borders in mid-March and then got really serious, really fast about minimizing contact between people. 

The decisions they made weren’t exactly popular, but they worked. 

As of mid-July Costa Rica has only 7,596 cases and none in Montezuma. Health and safety concerns have been top priority since the beginning.

Here at Los Mangos, all rooms will be thoroughly cleaned and sanitized before guests’ arrival and cleaning and hotel staff wear masks and gloves if necessary.

But avoiding hazardous situations is only part of staying healthy these days. The other, probably more important part is embracing what nourishes you…

Reconnect in nature and a tight-knit community

It’s no secret that Costa Rica is for nature lovers. 

The word got out back in the early 90s (that’s when I first traveled here!) about how stunning nature is here and the number of people who’ve fallen in love has grown exponentially since then.

All this outdoor space leaves a lot more room for social distancing without the constrictions, sure. But nature is way more than a buffer for the coronavirus, especially in Montezuma.

Here, we’re at the edge of the jungle overlooking the sea, cut through by rivers and streams and surrounded by wildlife and dense gorgeous green. 

Howlers monkeys whooping in the treetops at dawn, a cacophony of birds around sunset, oh and the occasional iguana or yoga cat… 

Spend even a week here and you’ll find the same laughing artisans on the streets selling their jewelry, the same talented fire throwers at night, the same friendly faces of the locals at the beach or the waterfall or serving dinner in local restaurants.

Costa Rica is a small county, and Montezuma is a pretty small town of about 500 people. Our sense of community is tightly woven into our everyday lives.

If you felt cooped up inside and disconnected from your yoga studio and community this year, relaxing in unspoiled nature and soul-soothing community might be exactly how to reconnect.

Discover Conscious, Transformational Travel

I’ve never been a big fan of cruises or all-inclusive resorts but now even more than I was before, I’m looking for ways to make my travel meaningful.

As we begin to hit the road again, we have the opportunity to let world leaders know exactly what we think of their values.

Who handled this crisis with their people in mind? Who takes care of its citizens? Who is actively trying to create the type of world you’d like to see more of in the future? 

Go there. Invest in those local economies. Make your vacations matter to more than just you.

As you look into travel options, think about who you want to support and also what will best support you.

If you’re anything like me, you probably made some commitments to yourself during the quarantine to grow and challenge yourself personally and spiritually.

Now, when we’ve been through… well, everything that we have so far this year, I think most of us are ready to look for even more depth in our travel too. 

Transformational travel is intentionally travelling to stretch, learn and grow into new ways of being and engaging with the world.

This is 100% the kind of travel I want to embrace in the future. What about you?

Costa Rica needs people like you 

Costa Rica, and Montezuma especially, is going to be an amazing place for travel after the coronavirus, but it’s also a place that needs you now.

Here, we live in a country that relies heavily on its tourism industry and that means right now as we turn the corner into the rainy season, people are really struggling. 

Don’t underestimate how much you could help by booking your tours and lodging in advance. If you’re ready to start planning a trip now, you could make a tremendous difference for a family or small business here.

We offer several yoga packages here in Montezuma in collaboration with other local business owners and not only will we make all necessary adjustments to ensure your safety, your deposit is fully refundable in case travel still isn’t possible. Zero risk booking in advance with us.

We’ll be closed for the rainy season in September and October but we reopen in November and you can book any of the following packages:

In the end, when you pick your first post-pandemic travel destination, only you know how to best nourish yourself and reconnect with what will help you process the big changes we’ve all been faced with. 

But I truly hope you’ll consider reconnecting here with us in our beautiful home where the jungle meets the sea in Montezuma.

with love,

the team of Montezuma Yoga

photo credit: Howler Monkeys image by Eric James Walsh