At the end of last month, Leo Chaves, Director of Operations at Costa Rica Sun Tours, escaped the hustle of the city to enjoy a little rejuvenation within the lush green landscape of Monteverde. In a nutshell, he reports that “traveling in Covid times is not bad at all!”
In an effort to gain travelers confidence back, and given that Costa Rica has opened up (for travelers from select states at this time), we wanted to learn a little more about his experience and he gladly shared his feedback. He set off for a weekend visit with his sister, Lore, and their CRST driver-host, the wonderful Esterling Alfaro, on the two-and-a-half-hour drive from San Jose.
“Early on Saturday morning, my sister Lore and I took a transfer with Esterling. Esterling was clearly more than happy to get back to work in an industry that little by little is on the road to the recovery. He was ready! Mask on, in a super clean bus, he sprayed and disinfected our shoes and bags, told us about the new protocols while traveling, indicated that we should have different seats in the van, opened the windows, and few minutes later we were on Highway 27 straight to the Pacific Coast and then to the highlands of the Tilaran Mountain Range showing us the highlights of this beautiful and green road to Monteverde.
By noon we arrived at the grounds of Senda Monteverde Hotel. In a classic Cayuga style we were welcome by a smile from Allison and Tati at the reception, they were ready to attend to any visitor looking for a place to relax in nature, enjoy super healthy food, and live the Monteverde experience in the most responsible, safe, and sustainable way! No kidding, from the “Cayuga Safety Seal” in our room and right through the restaurant, the protocols and guidelines were easy to follow in a non-stressful way. My family experienced and saw firsthand all the implemented measures to enjoy a healthy stay in Senda during Covid times. We did not even think about Covid anymore, the protocols were part of the current operations at Senda Hotel and managed in a natural way.
After settling into our rooms, we took a breath of fresh air and start looking for birds, flowers and animals on the hotel grounds before Lore and I went to town for a vegetarian lunch. Walking distance from Senda, we found the well-known Orquideas restaurant, led by Beatriz, a superb local cook, we enjoyed fruit smoothies (offered in a bounty of colors and flavors) and a wonderful panini with native vegies and a hot tomato soup. Beatriz had all the protocols ready, no worries at all, places to clean hands, distances in tables, just perfect.
At night we joined Flo and Loïc for dinner, they were coming from Corozalito, a seclude beach for turtles and macaws along the central Pacific shoreline of Guanacaste. We had a great dinner and fine wine at Senda´s restaurant and went to sleep with the rain and katydids sounds at night.
The next morning, we set off to experience the canopy tour and the hanging bridges in the cloud forest. Again, we saw all the local tours and local operators following the safety protocols dictated by our Government. From guides using PPE (Personal Protective Equipment) to distancing at the reception, to well-managed “bubbles” or family units, to cleaning stations. Later, we added a walk in the Monteverde forest preserve, an amazing visit to the Frog Pond, a must stop at Stella´s Bakery ,the Women Art Coop and the coffee roaster, and finally an important stop at the cheese and ice-cream factory.
We had a great time, we felt safe, we saw many animals like agoutis, coatis and armadillo, saw many hummingbirds, guans, trogons, motmots and most importantly, we helped the local community economy. Monteverde and many other small and secluded areas in Costa Rica are ready and the doors are opening in a responsible way to welcome visitors again!”
Sounds like an experience we could all use right about now – a perfect combo of relaxation, natural therapy, good food, and confidence knowing you’re being well looked after! If you’d like more information about Costa Rica Sun Tours or to plan an itinerary, please reach out to Sonya (sonya@kusinicollection.com).
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