Day 7 to 11: Playa Samara

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I left Monteverde for Playa Samara. Playa in Spanish means Beach.

This time I took a shuttle (Interbus) as the alternative of public bus was changing multiple buses which I wasn't keen on doing.

The shared shuttles cost typically about $55-60 but are point to point (hostel to hostel), so are convenient. They also operate an interesting system by which the drivers don't have to spend time away from their families. Basically all shuttles in that network converge at one common point, passengers are shifted from one shuttle to another so that the driver from a particular location goes back to his location. So I came from Monteverde to the common point in one shuttle, shifted to a shuttle which had come from Samara (with a local Samara driver) and reached Samara on that. Pretty simple logic but the fact that the shuttle companies do this makes so much sense for the driver and their families.

At the common point stop, ended up seeing a Macaw and an Iguana.

Playa Samara is a small town, comprising practically of 2 roads. It has a very chill vibe, great for beginner surfers and I found many tourists staying there for long term stays.

My booked hostel had overbooked and hence cancelled my reservation and I booked another hostel (Woodstock).

When I reached Woodstock and checked in, this really young girl (Charlie) checked me in and mentioned she is from Canada and owns the place. I was a little surprised how young she was but decided to chat with her later.

I spent the first day walking the beach, about 6km return walk on main Samara Beach. And I realised why most people were chilling in the hostel, it gets super hot between 12 to 3. The water was cool, but the beach towards the end is a bit rocky.

Next day I did the beach again, this time for Sunset. To see the sun go down into the ocean on the main Samara Beach, you have to walk about 1km on the beach (else a mountain comes on the way). The sunset is spectacular but the trick is to wait for about 30-40 minutes post sunset and watch the skies. I will let the pictures do the talking for this.

Post sunset, a bunch of bonfires were on the beach, I chilled with some strangers there.

Next two days were just beach, chill, talking to people.

And the chat with Charlie and her partner Tim happened. Charlie is from Quebec in Canada and wanted to escape the cold and live on her own. She went online looking for a business to buy, picked Costa Rica because it was sunny most of the year, found this hostel which had the contract for sale, paid the deposit (even before she set foot in Costa Rica) and then came to visit. She loved the place, decided to make this her life and completed the deal. The guy looking after the property at the time, Tim (French and British) helped her and slowly they developed a bond and later fell in love. As Charlie says, Tim came with the hostel 😊 I was amazed how Charlie followed her dream at such an early age, without fear and ended up serendipitously finding her life and partner. Here is to chasing dreams 😊

I also met an elderly lady, who said she was swimming and was being pulled by rip currents and she asked her brothers for help and they saved her. She later clarified that her brothers are Ganesha, Hanuman and Tara and her given name is Nirupama. She spent months in Ashrams in India and learnt by these gods and now carries their pictures in her purse and seeks their blessings and help whenever she needs. To hear of Indian gods in a land so far was interesting for me.

Samara is slowly becoming a town of long stay tourists, lot of people are buying properties. I expect in a few years this will be a quaint little tourist town but I hope it always retains its chill vibe.

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Photos

Macaw at the bus stop
She is probably the resident macaw there

Playa Samara
Lovely waters, nice long walk on the beach

Sunset at Playa Samara
Costa Rica sunsets are special

Sunset at Playa Samara
Wait for the colors after the sunset

Charlie and Tim at Woodstock Hostel Samara
When dreams become reality