I recently made my first visit to Costa
Rica, in the little surfing town of Nosara, where life truly lives up to their
mantra “Pura Vida” (translated to "Pure Life"). I was fortunate enough to
travel there with two of the best yoga teachers in Vancouver, as well as the
finest group yogis one could ever hope to share the week with. The Nosara Yoga Institute and its adjoining
resort, the Bodhi Tree Yoga Resort (see here for more details),
provided the perfect sanctuary for our yoga retreat, with its lush landscape,
salt water pool, outdoor hilltop yoga studio and, very importantly, three delicious buffet meals per day.
Although the food at the resort was
phenomenal (I giddily piled my plate high every night with the freshest of
local ingredients), we decided on our second last night to branch out and enjoy
some local cuisine. Fortunately, our
super-organized yoga teachers had made us reservations at one of Nosara’s
finest- La Luna.
La Luna is notoriously awesome for a number
of reasons as we would come to find out for ourselves. The first, and the reason why every visitor
to this precious little town should visit La Luna at least once, is its
spectacular views. Located right off the
beach at Playa Pelada, it
offers views of the most picturesque and awe-inspiring sunset I have ever
seen. I highly recommend walking to the
restaurant about an hour before sunset like we did, right along the water’s
edge, and taking in the multi-colored sky as the sun sets beyond the horizon
(be sure to have your camera handy!).
Then, with a full heart and an empty belly,
you can make your way up the stone steps to the quaint and welcoming façade of
the restaurant itself. If you are
visiting in the dry season like us (from December-April), I highly recommend dining al fresco, as the air stays
pleasantly warm even when the sun goes down and provides a welcome break from
sweltering daytime heat (average
daytime temperatures are above 30 degrees all year round!).
The darling outdoor setting, with its wooden tables right on the sand,
provides a casual yet mesmorizing atmosphere that will remind you that you
truly are in paradise.
And next comes the time to talk about the
next trick that La Luna has up its sleeve- its delicious food. Although many flock to La Luna for an evening
drink to watch the sunset, I consider it a shame to leave without trying some
of La Luna’s wonderful dishes. A drink
is, of course, a great place to start.
You have your pick of cocktails from quite an elaborate list (the
passion-fruit cocktail and the mojito were especially well-received), as well
as decent wine and beer lists. As you
imbibe in a drink (or two or three), take a look at the dinner menu, with its great
selection of appetizers and mains, including wood-fired pizzas, steaks, seafood
and few nightly specials. You can feel
free to take your time, as the service, in true Nosara-style, is very friendly
and laid back. It is very evident that
their main priority is that you enjoy your experience to its fullest.
Here is a snapshot of the food and drink enjoyed around our table. As you will notice, portions are very generous but do not let this discourage you from ordering an appetizer and a main as you will want to sample at least a few dishes. Also, be sure to leave room for dessert as the ones enjoyed at our table were raved about for the rest of our trip. Unanimous table favourites included the fried calamari (rumoured to be the "BEST EVER"), the ceviche with plantain chips (some even indulged in a second round!), the steak (great marbling and cooked to perfection), and for dessert, the nutella-banana pizza (even more delicious than it sounds!).
Our night at La Luna was truly
unforgettable from start to finish. There is so much to cherish- the best-ever
sunset, the warm breeze, the silky sand beneath my feet, the friendly local staff
and the delicious food and drink. To
get to share this with 16 amazing new friends in a beautiful new country is an
experience that will surely stay in my heart forever.
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