Finding Paradise in Sámara: Dolphins, Waves, Friends & Exotic Flavors

My childhood BFF, her husband (plus their two newly minted adult children), and I have been talking and planning this trip to Costa Rica for about a year now. I’m so excited that the time has finally arrived! While I have been living in Sámara (at the wonderful suggestion of said friends) for a couple of months now, they are only visiting for a week. We have to make the most of it and do all the things. I (of course!) made up a schedule but didn’t book anything. They want to experience the Pura Vida lifestyle by deciding day of based on weather and how adventurous they are feeling. I’m in!

They finally arrive!

With my friends’ arrival being on a Monday, they missed out on the Saturday Market, which is the best. I went and bought them all kinds of fruit. And I mean all kinds. Some I had never heard of before, let alone tried. I had to google how to cut and eat them! Looks like the ‘lychee nuts’ I got are actually mamón chino (rambutan) and the smooth skinned yellow maracuyá (passion fruit) is not ripe yet. I cut the slice of guanábana (soursop) I picked up like you would a watermelon (don’t eat the seeds), and that seemed to work. Plus, I fried up a ripe plantain (my favorite!).

Unfortunately, the pineapple (piña) was also not ripe, so I set it upside down to get the sugars into the slightly green top. With that, I walked into town with the cut fruit along with some plátanos dominicos (tiny bananas) and Tajin seasoning because I just came from Guadalajara, México, so you gotta put that on fruit! My friends rented a couple of rooms for themselves and their two adult children in a lovely hostel right by the beach. The courtyard is adorable, with colorful picnic tables and fun artistic signs with cheeky sayings.

I planned out a visit to a lovely soda on the beach for dinner so I was super bummed when we got there and they were closing early. WTF! It’s the off-season, so people close up when they are slow. Tried for a second place, but it was also closed… it’s also Monday which doesn’t help. We finally made our way to this trendy restaurant that seems to have a lot of raw foods… like raw cabbage, beets, onions, etc. Surprisingly bland. Not even a quick pickle? Some dressing? I took the leftovers home and cooked them up with sauce (delicious!).

Why are you biting me!?!

The next day, it was time to hit the beach. The thing is, I’m a tiny person and this Pacific Ocean is no joke. Plus, my friends have no fear. Crazy, I tell you! There were a lot of frequent pummelings by gigantic waves and a bit of a rip current. But everyone managed to not die a single time, so it was a success! Here’s where things go wrong. We’re all chatting it up on the dry sandy beach when I notice that I am getting bit by tiny winged creatures.

Sand flies!!! It happened so fast, but we all got hundreds of bites, mostly on our legs. Now I’m used to mosquito bites. They itch for a little while and go away. These sand fly bites are brutal. Large welts that itch like crazy then turn into pustules. I was up all night because my legs itched so badly it was like they were on fire. Did not enjoy. I’ve been here for months and never had this happen. Weird!

After cleaning up from the ocean tumbling, we all met up for lunch at that soda on the beach that I originally tried to take them to. The food was so good! Plus, we got some entertainment because this magpie-jay kept stealing packets of condiments from the tables, flying them up into the tree, and breaking them open to eat the contents. How in the world did he learn to do that!?!

Booking a tour

All the while, we are working to schedule a snorkeling tour for the following day. We met with this agreeable gentleman whom I had chatted with on multiple occasions before. His boat tour sounded really good, but it was at 8am and he wanted half cash up front. At $70 USD per person, that’s a lot of cash moneys, and 8am is early for the teenager who is going to want to sleep in… plus me… I, also, want to sleep in. I ran around town for a bit and found a tour company with a noon tour for $62/person and I could use my travel credit card (give me those points!). Done.

The tour company said they would provide light snacks and drinks, but we could bring anything else we want on the boat, except glass. So the next day, it was off to the grocery store we go to get all the fixings for a pleasant picnic lunch on the ocean. We also got boxed sangria and cans of beers because why not? We got a fun show while we were waiting at the town letters for the tour to pick us up. This flat-bed truck with a very tall tractor took out a bunch of cables hanging across the road.

We were all yelling at him to stop before he took out any more lines, but he kept going. Then his passenger got out and climbed up onto the tractor to try to move some of the lines. People were taking photos and didn’t seem pleased with the driver. It was an exciting time and completely blocked traffic in both directions. Luckily, traffic cleared up by the time our driver arrived. We loaded up along with another lady and headed out, picking up more people as we went.

Where are we?

So we travel around the backside of Sámara, up some hills, into the forest, over a river, along a dirt road, until we finally arrive at the ocean. Wait, a tick! This is the same beach we were just on! Just further east. We could have walked here… and it might have been faster. Too funny. We drop our shoes into a bin and jump into a tiny boat that will take us over the breaking waves to a bigger boat anchored out in the bay. I can see why they load here, as these waves are way smaller than the surfing waves in front of town. I might have to walk down here to swim!

It’s now noon-thirty and I’m hungry, so I immediately start eating the second we settle in the big boat (it has a water-slide!). Once underway, it quickly becomes clear that I have to put my food away. I cover my leftovers just before a major splash comes over the front of the boat and sprinkles me with sea spray. I look over my shoulder and the woman further down the boat is completely drenched… like took a shower drenched! Sputtering drenched!

Now this just keeps happening the further out of the protected bay we get. I’m getting wet, but that lady and the couple behind her just got the brunt of it. They seamed to be in good spirits though. My group at the very front stayed somewhat dry except for me on the side. I was very saturated. It was a fun ride though, and I didn’t get seasick, which is a huge win in my book. Worth it!

Dolphins!

We went way further out to sea than expected (9 miles!) but finally found a pod of spotted dolphins. They came right up to the boat! Some people even saw a manta ray. I missed that one because I’m short and was also trying to finish my lunch with the boat stopped. Dolphins are so much more fun to see out in the wild than in an aquarium. Keep the wild, wild people!

After a bit, we all headed back toward land for some snorkeling (time for the other side of the boat to get soaked!). First site… no visibility… second site… no visibility… third and final site… still nothing. Sorry folks, no snorkeling for this group. Bummer. That’s the part I was most looking forward to. We headed to a mooring buoy so we could jump off the boat and get some ocean time. Some folks even took the water slide.

Now, I’m not a huge fan of swimming around in open ocean… especially after having the night before watched a horror movie about mutant sharks swimming around eating people in the catacombs under Paris (not as good as Sharknado but still a fun watch!). I always think something is going to come get me from the deep. The pool noodle helped a bit.

Coffee, anyone?

Back on the boat, I finally finished lunch and my friends got to eat as well. The boat provided fruit, drinks, and beer. I brought boxed wine, so I was good to go. The weather was gorgeous, and it was fun chatting with everyone. We all swam a bit more and then loaded onto the small boat to head back to shore. We debated walking back via the beach, but ultimately took the ride back on the truck.

Before my friends had arrived, I made up a big ol’ batch of chili and put it in the fridge. So that night, I just pulled it out and warmed it on the stovetop (as there is no microwave). My apartment is a studio (bed and kitchen share a room with no indoor couch) but it has a lovely balcony with enough seating. However, I only have two bowls so a couple of people had to use coffee cups. They brought cheese and chips and I made a delightful drink using the passion fruit (finally ripe!) from the Saturday Market. What a great day!

The next day, we loaded up into their rental car for a visit to Belen Waterfall and to the Diriá Coffee Processing Plant. This isn’t really a coffee-growing region like near Monteverde, but the one that is on the peninsula is very close. Here’s the problem, Google maps said it would take 45 minutes, but Waze said it would take an hour and fifteen minutes. Why? In Costa Rica (especially in the green season!), Waze is the better way to go because roads can get washed out and Waze is more up to date.

Isn’t that supposed to be good luck?

The waterfall was lovely, and we had the entire place to ourselves, maybe because it was raining. Just a mild sprinkle but it could downpour at any second. I have some back and neck issues, so I stuck with the safe rocks. The gentleman who took our money for a parking spot told us that there was a lot of water, so it was slippery and we should avoid dying. Did that deter one of my friends from rock scrambling to the center of the top of the waterfall? No, it did not! We made him give us his cellphone and car keys first, just in case.

We were hoping to see monkeys or a crocodile but only managed to see some tadpoles (baby crocodiles?). Everyone lived, and we found our way to the coffee processing plant for some free samples. You can pay to have a guided tour, but really, we just wanted the coffee part. So good! We all bought some and took a ton of pictures. Then it was off to a wonderful soda in Hojancha that I had laboriously researched ahead of time. Lo and behold, the tour guides from the coffee place got a table as well! We waved at each other, all excited-like. How funny is that!

Then a couple of people in my party spotted a blue morpho butterfly! These are gorgeous butterflies that are supposed to bring good luck to the viewer. I missed it but I’m hoping the superstition is true. And maybe it is because shortly after, we realized that Waze added a new “avoid dirt roads” button that was turned on, thus making our trip longer. Turn that sucker off and our trip just got shorter (though maybe more treacherous?). No dying!

So many leftovers

Once back in Sámara, we enjoyed another lovely dinner on the beach at that amazing soda I have been raving about. I think the magpie-jays have taught the grackles how to steal condiments (or maybe the other way around?) because we saw one grab a ketchup packet and fly away with it. The restaurant really should hide those things! The young adults couldn’t finish their massive casados, but I brought leftover containers, so I scooped them up. That’s like two more meals for me!

The following morning, we all met up at my favorite Gallo Pinto stand for breakfast. The owner is so nice. He rearranged the tables so we could all sit together. While I have learned to make Gallo Pinto at home, it’s fun to go out once in a while, especially with others. I took home even more leftovers. I might not have to cook next week. Noms!

Time for a quick dip in the ocean… but those waves are massive. We all swam out past the break so that we could simply float over them. Here’s the thing. I’m short, so past the break, I can’t touch while my friends can. So I’m just treading water. Plus, there is a rip current, so I’m constantly swimming back toward them. Then we get hit with some massive waves that we have to swim under!

Nope! I’m out!

I’m swimming and diving and swimming and getting tired. Every time I dive under, I go further out. That’s it! I’m going back to shore! More swimming and going nowhere. Someone has to manhandle me to pull me back in to an area where I can touch. Jibbers! We all had tons of fun playing in the surf, though, and we all came back with no major injuries. Go us!

Do you remember that schedule I told you about earlier? Well, I like to create them when people come to visit me. It shows me all the activities that are available in the area and how much they cost. Well, I usually like to put something hidden within the schedule as a joke to see who reads it. But with two young adults, getting matching tattoos is a legitimate activity! They vetted the tattoo parlor and made the appointments. It was just a sibling thing, but I am still so excited that someone actually got matching tattoos!

Maybe I’ll partake in matching tattoos with the next people who come visit me? Not sure my cousins will be up for it when they stop by Sámara in July. You will have to wait and see how that goes! We all met up for a last dinner and the sad exercise of saying goodbyes. They left the next morning for the mountains of Monteverde (zip lining!!!) before heading home to the States. Safe travels friends!