Insta-Paradise!

*Gandoca-Manzanillo Wildlife Refuge, 2021*

*Matt and Courtney in Phang Nga Bay, 1999*

The first big trip my husband I took together was in 1999. I was on the road working as an actor in the National Broadway Tour of “RENT,” and Matt would come out as often as possible to visit. When the show was playing Denver, Colorado, we took a day trip to Boulder. We happened upon a great bookstore, that according to my memory had a whole room devoted to travel books. From floor to ceiling, I remember being in awe of the rows of shiny paperbacks with alluring cover photos of faraway places. Matt said, “Let’s plan a trip. Right now.” I closed my eyes and let my fingers guide me to a book on the shelf, which would determine our destination. When I opened my eyes, I saw that my hand was placed on a Lonely Planet guide to Thailand. That evening at the theatre, I put in my vacation request with my company manager and booked two tickets from my dressing room at the Buell Theatre in the Denver Performing Arts complex. The next few months, I devoured any book I could get my hands on. Savoring the scant photos (mostly black and white) inside the books, each tiny bit of travel information was a treasure. Even though I had piles of Lonely Planet paperbacks and Fodor’s guides, it was very difficult to get a real “feel” for a place.

Now, 23 years later, it is much easier to access information on travel destinations. You can spend hours looking online at official travel sites, but personal blogs, Youtube channels, and social media accounts can also give you a more in-depth look at your dream vacation location. Simply hop on the Instagram account of a local restaurant and see what the catch of the day is - complete with mouth watering photos. Or, check out a cute shop to catch a glimpse of their latest in-store arrivals. You can even get a keen vibe on a place by following artists, tour guides, and locals. For the Caribe Sur area, I find many people use Instagram as their number one social media platform. These individuals, business and organizations post often. I’m not gonna lie - the Puerto Viejo de Talamanca area is a very “Instagrammable” (is that a word?) place. Local restaurant and shop owners have a fantastic aesthetic. Nature is abundant. Most places don’t have websites. Facebook serves as the “website” for some businesses, but it is truly Instagram where you will find the most activity. Most account holders post at least once per day, and many create daily stories. You can also easily get in touch with them via Instagram messaging.

As you get ready for your Caribe Sur vacation, jump on over to Instagram to feel the “buenas vibras” of this amazing place. The following is merely a sample of the wonderful businesses and organizations - I seem to discover new accounts every day - but, it should get you started as you plan the trip of a lifetime! Oh - and don’t forget your camera - because you are bound take lots of photos for the ‘gram during your stay!
Tag us @uphousecostarica!

(Note: Each photo is from these Instagram account holders’ pages.)