We began making our way north but since we got a late start, we booked a jewel of a place called Hotel el Mono Feliz for a one night stay. It turns out we were lucky to get it as they were fully booked the rest of the time we were in Costa Rica. It is a cozy place with an outstanding breakfast, an even better staff, and the clearest water of any pool we swam in while in the country. Mikey and Diana manage this little jungle enclave and they are exceptional hosts with plenty of knowledge of the restaurant and beach scene. There are plenty of options for both nearby.
In a small world moment, I met a man who lived very close to us in the States and was married to a former student of mine. We had a good time chatting about the people we knew in common and how incredible the circumstance was that brought us together in the little town of Ojochal, off the beaten path.
We were heading to the mountains the next day, but we liked the area so much we made plans to return to Ojochal, to another nearby hotel that got Mikey’s stamp of approval. If you would like to see photos from the area please click here. The photo above is not from either hotel. It is from the deck overlooking Uvita Beach near a place called The Aracari Restaurant where we enjoyed a wonderful dinner after the sunset.