Earlier this month, Costa Rica’s tourism board (ICT) launched a new campaign branding the country as “an opportunity to connect with the essence of life”. And while many will associate Costa Rica with hiking in the rainforest, wildlife-watching and surfing Pacific waves, there’s actually far more to the tropical experience. At its core, you’ll find “nature, well-being, culture, and adventure”. Add to that “social connection” – particularly if you stay at a Cayuga Collection hotel – and you’ve got five of the key ingredients that keep our souls happy.
More than a handful of elements that make for a pleasurable getaway, these five simple essentials that you’ll enjoy on a Costa Rican vacation might just help combat some of modern life’s most prevailing issues. Many of those who travel far and wide to visit Costa Rica and stay at our sustainable luxury hotels suffer from lack of contact with nature, stress, workism and the feeling of loneliness that often comes from living in big, anonymous cities. Luckily, the Cayuga experience provides a perfect remedy.
Find your way back to nature
The bad news is, nature deficit disorder is real. And it’s been well documented that those who don’t get enough nature-time are more prone to anxiety, depression and attention-deficit problems. But for the good news, there’s no shortage of nature here in Costa Rica to help balance out that deficit.
At the Cayuga Collection there are endless ways to reconnect with nature. You can immerse yourself in the cloud forests of Monteverde. You can while away your days where the rainforest meets the ocean. You can even sleep close to nature in romantic open-air casitas at Latitude 10° Resort, or luxury Lotus Belle tents at Kinkara. Whether you’re hiking by daybreak and again after dark, or sipping a cocktail soaking up the surroundings, nature here is wonderfully inescapable. And its uplifting energy can make even the fast-paced city slickers forget their troubles.
Bust the stress, boot the workism
A good vacation is always the greatest stress buster. And when it’s a vacation taken in a country whose mantra is “pura vida”, or “pure life”, the potential for ultimate relaxation is even greater. There’s nothing quite like a tropical getaway to escape the bubble and gain some perspective too. When you’re enjoying an ocean view, it’s much harder to buy into the idea of “workism”, or, the belief that work is the centerpiece of one’s identity and life’s purpose.
At Cayuga, we have many a magic antidote for stress and self-discovery. As for traditional wellness, spa treatments and yoga classes are a great place to start. Then there are the alternative rituals such as temazcal-inspired sweat ceremonies, cacao ceremonies and sound healing that draw on ancient wisdom to realign the mind, body, and spirit. Throw in a few active adventures to get the endorphins rushing as well as some natural, nutrient-rich food to boost your mood, and you’ll be doing something every day to directly counter the demands of modern life.
Culture and connection for the soul
Busy lives make it difficult to find quality time with friends and family, and big city living can be strangely isolating. But while the urban experience isn’t designed for connection, the Cayuga experience certainly is. Being a Costa Rican hospitality group, we put a lot of emphasis on community, creating ways for our guests to enjoy meaningful social interactions amongst each other, as well as plenty of chill time with their families, partners, and friends. Cooking classes, guided tours and the many in-house activities we host are all about human connection; our friendly local hotel teams make the resort experience feel like a welcoming second home; and as for culture, we’ve worked that element into every detail. After all, it’s essential to the essence of life.
So, if you’re looking to overcome some of modern life’s issues, consider Costa Rica and the Cayuga Collection. All it might take is a good fix of Mother Nature, a sweet escape from the stresses of civilization, and a few wholesome social interactions for you to reconnect with what’s really important. What’s there to lose?
