A 50th birthday celebration in Costa Rica left me with sunburned shoulders, a newfound respect for Riu resorts, and monkeys on the beach. Yes, real monkeys.
Costa Rica: Seeing an Old Destination Through New Eyes
Costa Rica wasn’t completely new to me.
I first visited back in 2011, spending my time around San José. I remember loving the lush scenery, the mountains and just how different Costa Rica felt from the typical beach vacations I was used to.
But this trip was different.
Fifteen years later, I was heading back — this time to Guanacaste and the Pacific coast for a friend’s 50th birthday celebration.
And considering I’ve been a beach girl pretty much my whole life, I was very ready to finally experience Costa Rica ocean-side.
Turns out, it felt like discovering an entirely different destination.
First Things First… That Heat!
We travelled in the summer, and I knew it was going to be hot.
I did NOT fully appreciate what Costa Rica hot meant. 😂
That tropical heat hits you the second you step outside and basically becomes another member of the group. Thankfully, pools, cold drinks and the Pacific Ocean make it pretty easy to embrace.
But it also reminded me of something important as a travel advisor: when you travel matters.
There’s a big difference between telling a client that a destination will be hot and humid and being able to say, “I’ve been there at that time of year — here’s what you can actually expect.”
The Resort That Completely Changed My Mind
We stayed at RIU Guanacaste, and this may have been the biggest surprise of the trip.
Before going, RIU wasn’t a brand I regularly recommended to my clients. I had preconceived ideas about what the experience would be like.
I was wrong.
The renovated resort was fresh and comfortable, the service was fantastic, the property had incredible views, and at some point during the trip I remember thinking:
Okay RIU… I owe you an apology.
And THIS is exactly why I believe travelling as a travel advisor matters.
Websites can show me room categories. Supplier training can teach me amenities. Reviews can tell me what other travellers think.
But walking a property myself tells me something completely different:
Who would I actually send here?
This trip changed my opinion of an entire resort brand — and that’s something valuable I brought home with me.
About That Black Sand…
I’ll admit it.
I wasn’t sure about the black sand.
I love those beautiful white-sand Caribbean beaches, and when you’re a beach girl, you definitely have opinions about beaches. 😂
But Costa Rica taught me not to compare them.
Standing on that darker volcanic sand with the Pacific Ocean in front of me, mountains surrounding us and monkeys casually hanging out nearby, I realized Costa Rica wasn’t trying to be the Caribbean.
It was completely its own thing.
And that was exactly what made it beautiful.
The landscape feels wild and alive. Mountains, volcanic terrain, lush greenery, tropical birds, iguanas and monkeys aren’t simply attractions you go somewhere to see — they’re part of the experience.
And yes…the monkeys on the beach are VERY real.
Those are the travel moments you simply can’t manufacture.
More Than an All-Inclusive Vacation
What I really love about Costa Rica is how many different vacations can exist in one destination.
You can absolutely spend the week beside the pool with a cold drink in your hand.
But you can also head out and discover waterfalls, rainforests, volcanoes, hot springs, wildlife and some incredible adventures.
Having now experienced both the San José area and the Pacific coast, I appreciate Costa Rica even more.
The country I experienced in 2011 and the one I experienced in 2026 felt completely different — yet both had that unmistakable Costa Rica magic.
What I Brought Home This Time
Of course I brought home pictures, memories and probably far too many monkey photos.
But professionally, I brought home something even more valuable:
Perspective.
I know what Guanacaste feels like in the summer.
I know what those black-sand beaches actually look and feel like.
I know how easy Liberia airport was to navigate.
I know what the transfer experience was like.
I know what RIU Guanacaste does well — and, more importantly, the type of client I would send there.
And after returning to Costa Rica 15 years after my first visit, I was reminded of something I love about travel:
You can go back to a country you’ve already visited and still experience something completely new.
Costa Rica surprised me the first time.
Fifteen years later, it managed to do it again.
