An Interview With Writer, Jane Moyano

You’ve been exploring Costa Rica for a while now. Which are your favourite areas and where is next on your list?

The Pacific coast is special to me because it was where I got my first taste for this country. I love Santa Teresa, Montezuma, Mal País, Nosara, and all the beaches in between. Here is where you’ll find the most creative communities, the best waves, yoga studios, and health conscious
restaurants. The Osa Peninsula is really special too, very rugged and raw. There, you can feel at one with nature, see less people, and even spot the occasional jaguar. One place I haven’t been yet is the Caribbean coast. I have heard great things about Puerto Viejo.

You’ve just been on a surf trip to Nicaragua. We’d love to hear about some of your Nica highlights.

Surfing is fairly new to me so any crowded lineup feels very intimidating. In Nicaragua, I didn’t encounter that. There are so many beaches totally empty and waves perfect for learning, you can have the ocean to yourself and choose a break that suits your level. That kind of surf diversity is hard to come by. I loved surfing Beginners Bay in Popoyo and staying at Malibu
Popoyo, a new boutique hotel with the most wonderful staff who are always ready to take you on a million adventures. A bit further north, in the sleepy fishing village of El Transito is Mandla, a stunning new boutique retreat venue. There, I had some of the best meals I have had in all of Central America. We caught our own fish and chef Katie Hunt cooked it 6 different ways. We ended our days floating in the tide pools and watching the sunset with cocktails in hand. It was fabulous. It’s important to note the surf season in Nica is from March to October so I didn’t really score in the wave department, but that opened up space for other types of adventures like dirt biking in the jungle and visiting local villages.

How do you feel Costa Rica’s hotels score on sustainability? Any standout examples to highlight?

Costa Rica is one of the only countries in the world with a sustainability certification program for accommodations, so I feel the hotels here score high in that department. It is common for hotels to be completely plastic-free, use solar panels, and have their own recycling and composting program. This is standard. Cala Luna is an eco-boutique hotel in Tamarindo, not too far from where I live, that is installing one of the largest solar panel projects in the hotel industry in Central America to operate as sustainably as possible. They’re on the path to reach carbon neutrality and 100% solar power by this year. In addition, building regulations in the country prevent over development of beachfronts and help maintain construction standards that disrupt the environment as little as possible. This is one thing I love about Costa Rica – you will not see a beach dotted with high-rise hotels and resorts. That doesn’t exist here.

In terms of food and drink, what shouldn’t we leave Costa Rica without trying?

Patacones con queso! Fried plantains with fresh cheese is my favorite, and you can find it anywhere from gourmet restaurants to local “sodas”. Also, fresh seafood is everywhere, don’t miss out on the local ceviches, whole fish dishes, and of course gallo pinto.