Dominical, Costa Rica. I have only been once, but it will be my go-to vacation spot moving forward.
Dominical is not a crowded, touristy area of Costa Rica. Which is why it is so great. The people are extremely friendly and are actually comprised of many ex-pats that own some of the restaurants and stores in town.
When traveling to Dominical, you most likely will fly into San Jose.
Dominical is a couple hours by car from San Jose Intl. Airport. I didn't mind the drive at all.
You drive past lush scenery and green forests. You know your not in Kansas anymore when they have signs for iguana crossings. They have a lot of palm tree plantations as you get somewhat closer to the coast. I was told a lot of the world’s palm oil is produced here.
My wife and I decided to come here on our Honeymoon. My brother had told me about it from his time he spent surfing here years prior. As you approach the coast, you will know it.
Instead of staying at a hotel, we decided to rent a house which was by far the best way to go. It was not only cheaper but had a full kitchen, 2 bedrooms and in a gated community (not that it was needed). Here's the view.
The town is just the right size and has anything you could need when really, if you have a pair of sandals, board shorts and your wallet … your good to go.
Even the restaurants have a killer view.
There are tons of things to do in Dominical. We decided to visit a wildlife sanctuary that was run by an ex-pat that owned the place for 20 years. Here is a view from the sanctuary's entrance...
By the way, this little dude was crazy and will mess you up if he doesn't like you. As we were told, his previous owner was a drug lord that had him since he was young and he was finally rescued when the previous owner's activities were called under question.
We also took a trip by a horseback along a river to waterfalls (yes you get to climb the face of these waterfalls with a rope and then jump off them). It felt like a Costa Rican rite of passage.
The local cuisine was great, the surfing was epic - barely anyone around and the water was warm and clear. Every day in the afternoon it rained which turned out to be an ideal time to take a siesta and get ready for the evening. After all, waking up to a beautiful sun rise, a beautiful wife and ending the day with this, I couldn't ask for much else.
Hope you enjoyed the trip.