Harper’s Bazaar

Visits the Wilds of Costa Rica

“A salty air hangs over everything, and at sunset the very air around you glows pink.”

Writer Alex Preston explored the diverse and wild oasis of Costa Rica for the March 2018 issue of Harper’s Bazaar.

He started his weeks-long journey in the mountains, traveled among volcanoes and ziplines, jungles and beaches, and took in the wildlife, exotic fauna, and luxuries unique to Costa Rica along the way.

“Costa Rica is a mindstorm of a place, a main-line infusion of verdancy, a draught of loveliness.”

We’ve been savoring Alex’s account of our diverse and rich landscape and appreciate the essence that he captures in his words.

The last stop on his journey was our oceanfront town of Santa Teresa and a stay at Florblanca. After surf sessions at Playa Hermosa (where one day the only other people surfing there were Tom and Gisele), he would retreat to the beautiful sunsets, hammocks, and open-air, laid-back haven of Florblanca.

Our final stop was the Florblanca resort in Santa Teresa, a surfing town at the end of the Nicoya Pen­insula, some five hours south of Papagayo. I’d been to the town 12 years ago, and while the burger bars have turned into sushi joints, little else has changed. They certainly haven’t done any work on the roads. Flor­blanca is a collection of large, open-plan villas leading down to the beach. There’s a hammock that would happily hold a whole family strung across each ver­andah, large palm-frond fans in every room, an alfresco bathroom; and a familial, laid-back air to the place.

You come to Santa Teresa to surf, though, and so we hooked up with Cesar, the best coach in town, to give us a quick refresher course. Playa Hermosa – Beautiful Beach – is aptly named. The palm-studded jungle is lapped by the ocean at high tide. A salty haze hangs over everything, and at sunset the very air around you glows pink. One day we found ourselves sharing the beach with just one other couple-Gisele Biindchen and Tom Brady, who have a house in the hills above the town. We watched them surf – magnificently, of course-were embarrassed at our own incompetence, and beat a hasty retreat. We came back the next day, though, riding the long fringes of waves into the pale sand, throwing our­selves into the white roar of the ocean.

On our last night, happily exhausted, we watched the sun go down with a drink while a pair of iguanas strutted past along the beach like society matrons out for a stroll. We lifted our glasses to them, and to Costa Rica, whose great green beauty will stay with us, always.

Surfing, adventure, and relaxation have always been mainstays here at Florblanca and we are thrilled to welcome visitors seeking these elements in their travels.

We were so happy to host Alex during his explorations and absolutely love the piece he created as a document of his journey and an ode to Costa Rica.

See more about Travel & Dining from Harper’s Bazaar.