What up Pura Vida Fans! Griffin Thall and Paul Goodman here, founders of Pura Vida Bracelets. A few weeks ago we decided to take a little trip back to Costa Rica and visit our team of 100+ talented bracelet artisans. On our journey there, we made a little stop at the beautiful Tabacón Thermal Resort & Spa. Let me tell you something... from the second we walked into the lobby we were blown away by everything. From the fresh aroma of the check-in area, to the complimentary organic papaya and pineapple smoothie, our first impression was like "WOW, we are in for a treat!"
Shortly after that, we checked into our room and to our surprise there were Costa Rican chocolates waiting on our pillows with a fruit basket by the flat screen TV. This definitely isn't the Costa Rica we are used to! We got to stay in one of the resorts newly-renovated Orchid Rooms! After that, we put our stuff down and opened up our curtains to a direct view of the Arenal Volcano. Being so close to such an amazing landmark truly captures the essence of "Pura Vida" and just the whole Costa Rican lifestyle.
After we checked in and got settled in our room, we took a little tour around the Tabacón Resort. Never in my life have I seen such beautiful, natural plant life. The rich colors of the flowers and greenery surrounding us felt like we were in the set of a Hollywood movie. The sounds of the birds, frogs, and wildlife around us was truly something else.
After we checked in and got settled in our room, we took a little tour around the Tabacón Resort. Never in my life have I seen such beautiful, natural plant life. The rich colors of the flowers and greenery surrounding us felt like we were in the set of a Hollywood movie. The sounds of the birds, frogs, and wildlife around us was truly something else.
As we made our way towards the resort's natural hot springs, we could not believe what we saw. It was amazing to know that the water actual runs from the base of the Arenal Volcano, all the way through the resort! The resorts "in-river" pools that make up the hot springs are naturally heated with the volcanos magma! WOW. The temperature of the hot springs goes as you move closer to the volcano, making the Shangri-La pools the hottest! It felt like we were hanging out in the most exotic place in the entire world. We made our way to the top of where the water was flowing to find ourselves in the Shangri-La Gardens. We could not believe this exclusive, high-end area of the resort (it's adults only too!). There were a dozen private bungalows to just lay down in and relax to the sounds of the nature all around us. With a mix of the running water and wildlife, we were in total relaxation heaven. The staff around us was beyond helpful as they instantly served us some guacamole and chips followed by a special local drinks.
The next morning was adventure day. We had zip-lining planned at 10am, horseback riding at noon, and a massage at 2:30pm. Doesn't that just sound like the dream plan? Let me start with zip-lining real quick. We started by climbing up this pretty steep ladder tower to get to the highest point of the course. Once up there, the real fun began. I strapped a GoPro Hero 4 to my helmet and recording the entire thing. The guy helping me out with the gear connected me to the first wire, told me to lift my feet up, and gave me a little push on the back. ZOOOOOOOOM!!! I went flying down this wire and what felt like 100mph to land safely onto the next platform. My favorite zip-line was #6 (The Tarzan Swing) which was one of the longest ones in the course and shot you through a forest of trees over looking a massive canyon with a waterfall just pouring out water right in the middle. It was nothing short of amazing.
About an hour or so after that, we grabbed ourselves a few horses. What an experience this was OMG! I am not one to ride a horse, so this was totally new to me. Paul, myself, and the tour guide rode these horses all the way to the base of the Arenal Volcano where we took some amazing photos of the forest sounding the volcano. After about 30 mins or so into the tour, we found this insane neon green lake! It was 1" of bright green moss sitting on top of a natural lake at the base of the volcano. How cool is that? Shortly after that, we made our way back towards base camp to get ready for the final adventure of our day... THE SPA!! :)
So we got back to the hotel, grabbed a quick bite, and made our way towards The Spa at Tabacon. Okay, let me just start by saying that I have never in my life been in a place that is so tranquil, relaxing, and so well designed in my entire life! The soft sounds of the wildlife, the dim lit tea lamps everywhere, the beautiful locker rooms, and the hot tub just steaming as you walk is was just all so amazing. So we check in with our masseuse and get ready for the deep tissue treatment. They walk you to these private open open-air rainforest bungalows hidden among the trees, and give you a few minutes to change and get settled in the massage table. As the treatment begins, the masseuse offers you 3 different types of oils all with different relaxation purposes to fit your needs. She then asks if you would like music, or to just enjoy the natural sounds of Tabacón Resort. After 60 minutes of this amazing experience, she walked me back to the spa lobby with a tropical smoothie waiting for my arrival. I relaxed there for about 30 mins, let my muscles just melt into the lounge chair, then made my way back to the hotel room to get ready for an early dinner. If that is not the best 24 hours in my entire life, I do not know what is. #PuraVida
The resort’s Nature’s Playground (Green Season) Package includes:
- 1 night of accommodations
- buffet breakfast at Los Tucanes restaurant
- one dinner at Ave del Paraiso restaurant
- unlimited access to thermal springs and Shangri-La Gardens
- Wi-fi & valet parking
Rates start at $430/night. Pura Vida customers who want to book can call 1-855-TABACON and request the package by name. The website, www.tabacon.com, has 24/7 live chat where you can book as well.
