Colorful Costa Rica Photo Blog
Tour Name: Costa Rica
Tour Dates: November 5 – 13, 2025
Tour Director: Laura Bomberger
Pura Vida!
Throughout our trip to Costa Rica, God’s creation was on full display, leaving a renewed sense of “awe” and appreciation for the simple—yet powerful—things in life!
In reflecting on our trip, it seems most fitting to do so through the five senses, as each sense played a key component in our experience.
The Gift of Sight
- Seeing Costa Rica’s cascading volcanic mountain ranges, lush rainforests, and incredible wildlife and learning how these fragile ecosystems (and the plants/animals within) are so beautifully intertwined and dependent on one another for life. God certainly is in the details!
- Witnessing the way Costa Ricans steward their land and use every square inch for calculated agriculture and farming (I’m still amazed at their ability to grow thriving vegetables on the side of steep mountains)
- Wildlife sightings, anywhere and everywhere…the crocodiles, caimans and boa constrictor on our Tortuguero boat cruise; monkeys with their babies swinging from the trees at our jungle hotel; the toucan perched high above at the pineapple farm; the classic Blue Morpho butterflies flittering about, and of course, our impressive, red-eyed frog nighttime find
The Gifts of Sound
- Being lulled to sleep by the sounds of birds and frogs chirping in Tortuguero and being starkly awakened by the roar of the Howler Monkeys in the morning (who knew a small monkey could sound like King Kong!?!)
- Walking in peaceful silence and listening to the “orchestra” of the Monteverde Cloud Forest animals in their natural habitat
The Gift of Touch/Feel
- A very bumpy, yet authentic, ride through the rural roads of Costa Rica enroute to Monteverde. Some of us may still be feeling the effects of that ride
- The frequent, yet perfectly timed, liquid sunshine in all forms…3-minute downpours followed by sun, intermittent showers, mists with sunshine and rainbows, etc.
- Soaking in the natural hot springs in Arenal and enjoying the soft feel of my skin afterwards from the natural volcanic minerals
The Gift of Taste
- Eating the DELICIOUS food, particularly the Gallo Pinto (rice and beans), Guananawa juice, platanos, chifrijo (traditional dish), and, of course, pineapple in all forms!
- Playing “Russian Roulette” at the organic farm as we blindly tasted the various herbs and plants (that bitter plant was one to remember)
The Gift of Smell
- The “smell” of clean, fresh air in the Cloud Forest of Monteverde; fresh coffee brewing at the coffee plantation; and the many delicious dishes being made over a wood-burning oven during our culinary class in Arenal
The more I travel, the more I’m convinced that the people I meet along the journey are the true highlights of my trips, so I’d like to add a sixth sense to my list, which may be the most impactful….
The Gift of Relationships & People
- On this trip, Jacky, our local Tour Guide, was definitely a highlight. She did an incredible job of welcoming us to her home country; caring for us with such kindness, humility, and compassion; and teaching us with such intelligence, fun, and perspective. Perhaps most impactful was her daily challenge to “see each new day as a gift – and to be present in the moments of today!”
- I was also struck by the demeanor and contentedness of the Costa Rican people. There didn’t appear to be a “striving,” but rather, an appreciation for the environment around them, the ability to use and expand their minds, and a commitment to care for themselves/family. This observation was further solidified when we learned that, for Costa Ricans, known as being some of the “happiest people in the world,” “happiness” is equated with having four simple, yet powerful, things: rice and beans (sustenance), a place to call home (stability), a job (purpose), and kids that are in school (education).
Yes, travel no doubt renews a sense of perspective, appreciation and awe! As we enter this holiday season, it is with a renewed sense of perspective on contentment, appreciation, and thankfulness in the big – and small things – that I want to lean into.
And, if I ever return to Costa Rica…I’ll always remember to always bring a “rain jacket, umbrella, water, and a camera.”
Pura Vida!
~Laura Bomberger
