Playa Hermosa

The last town we stay in on this 9 week trip is Playa Hermosa, the sleepy cousin of the lively Playa del Coco.

The food

On the way, we stop in Playa del Coco for coffee and lunch and to kill time before we can check into our Airbnb in Playa Hermosa. Plus, we need wifi to keep working. We end up at Fabra, which is an upscale cafe. It feels like we could be sitting in a cafe on Montana Ave in Santa Monica, CA. We start with jugo naturales in papaya and watermelon. Both delish. Then we split a small BLTA on gluten-free bread. We end the meal with drip coffee with oat milk. The sandwich is super tasty and the coffee is perfect, but I forgot to ask what kind they serve. Wifi is strong and the staff is really nice and speaks English. Plus, they’re across from an AutoMercado if you need to stock up on groceries.

Our stint in Playa Hermosa gets off to a rocky start. The Airbnb we’ve rented is not in great shape, but we think we’ll be able to make it work. It’s a bit run down and dingy for the price, but it’s CR in the high season. The location is nice with two pools and beach access. On the way out to buy groceries to make dinner, we spot a couple of the giant ants we’d encountered in Paraiso. We dispose of them and go out. When we get back 30 minutes later, there are at least 50 of them gathered mostly on the wall and ceiling (weird, right?) and more in the cupboard that houses the herbs and spices that come with the place. Luckily, they haven’t made it to the cupboard where we put our snack foods. My partner is clearly traumatized by the experience in Paraiso and has a zero tolerance policy for the giant ants. We quickly pack everything up (surprised myself at how quick I am) and go to the reception desk for the resort, Villas Sol. Since we booked privately, they can’t help us, but Christian at the front desk is really helpful and finds their last hotel room for the night. We take it. As it’s an all inclusive resort, we just have to indulge. They do put out signs that say what’s gluten free at their buffet, but sometimes I just use my best judgement. I feel great the whole time we are here so I think I navigated it pretty well.

As this is the end of our 9 week stay in Costa Rica and we are at an all-inclusive complete with two swimming pools, a swim up bar and a short walk to the beach, we don’t spend much time off site. The last morning though, we venture out to a beach called Playa Panama. And wouldn’t you know it. It’s Jenn’s perfect beach. No waves. Perfectly clear water. Few other people. We float in the warm water for an hour and then have to return to the resort to finish packing and begin the short drive back to Liberia and the airport.