Pura Vida – Costa Rica

We’ve arrived at paradise. A cabin in the jungle. A five minute dirt track walk to the beach. And then miles of perfect unspoilt sand.

They call Costa Rica South Florida so we were a little worried the place would be overdeveloped. Sure Jaco was full of couples just in from Miami and life-weary Vietnam war vets but two more public buses down the Pacific Coast and Uvita is the authentic Costa Rica.

The country’s motto is Pura Vida which simply translated means ‘Pure Life’.  But for Ticos and Ticas, as the locals are known, it means more. It’s a way of accepting that whatever your situation, life is short and you need to get on and have a good time living it ‘pura vida style’.

This philosophy might help to explain how happy Costa Ricans are, why it’s one of the few countries in the world to have disbanded their military (in 1948) to spend the money on education and culture, and how it’s the most prosperous country in Central America.

It’s certainly a lifestyle we aim to adopt for the next week or so. Pura Vida.

• Costa Rica