Costa Rican Cool

I made two trips to Costa Rica before I finally decided it was time to take my wife. The first two trips, in the company of my sons, encompassed all that one expects from a vacation in this friendly and popular Central American nation, a place that has become the emblem of ecotourism. We went surfing and fishing and whitewater rafting. We trekked through rain forests and along deserted beaches. We ate more than our share of beans and rice, and we stayed in places that, while perfectly decent, were decidedly in the class of ecolodges.

"Would I have enjoyed it?" my wife asked both times we returned

"Naw," I'd tell her. "A little too rugged for your tastes."

It's not that my wife shuns the outdoors. Indeed, she can out-hike and out-fish me, she loves the water and she would just as soon be on a beach as anywhere. But she does enjoy her creature comforts, especially when it comes to fine dining and a place to bunk down at night. Let's put it this way: Wine lists and thread counts are important to her. And I didn't think my way of traveling through Costa Rica-essentially, cheap roadside cafés and any port in a storm-would hold much appeal. But last fall, after one of our sons enrolled in a three-month Spanish program in Costa Rica and his mother insisted we visit him, I was put to the test: Could we enjoy our share of luxury and not distill the essential Costa Rica eco-experience?

Happily, the answer is yes. While intrepid travelers who visited Costa Rica many years ago might snicker at the Americanization of the country, the payoff comes in the emergence of four- and five-star hotels and a lively cuisine scene that melds international influences with Costa Rica's bounty of fresh fruits, vegetables and seafoods. All this was on proud display at Xandari Plantation, a serene retreat located on a 40-acre coffee plantation just a 20-minute drive from the international airport and the capital of San José. Xandari's 18 villas reflect the vision and passion for perfection of its California owners, Sherrill Broudy, an architect, and his wife, Charlene, an artist, who keeps a studio and gallery on the hotel grounds and whose vibrant paintings and artwork decorate the rooms. A two-mile network of trails on the plantation cuts through lush stands of tropical hardwoods and fruit trees leading past a series of waterfalls. It's the perfect retreat from the busy hustle and bustle of San Jose and a luxury base camp after one of the de rigueur Costa Rica experiences-whitewater rafting.

Blessed with nearly three times the rainfall of Florida and lush mountain canyons that provide the engines for the roller-coaster ride to the sea, Costa Rica serves up a bounty of rivers for every skill level. We hooked up with Costa Rica Expeditions, which some 20 years ago was one of the first outfitters to begin offering whitewater-rafting trips. Our route to the class III and IV rapids of the Rio Pacuare led through Cartago, Costa Rica's religious center, where our guide, Madrigal, took us on a brief tour of the Basilica de los Angeles. Enshrining a small stream where a young girl found a black rock resembling the Virgin Mary in 1643, the cathedral is the site of a massive countrywide pilgrimage every August. Spigots behind the cathedral offer a taste of the hallowed stream waters.

"Take a sip for good luck on the river," said Madrigal. And we all imbibed.

San Chiri Mirador and Lodge, a few miles southeast of Cartago, served up gallo pinto, papaya, pineapple, huevos revueltos, crisp-crusted bread with guava jelly, and hot Costa Rican coffee.

Perched atop a hill overlooking the coffee plantations of the UjarrasValley and the rapids of the Rio Reventazon, the lodge is also home to a butterfly farm. Dozens of iridescent blue morphos flitted about outside as we took in the view.

We heard the Rio Pacuare before we saw it-a low roar that grew louder and louder as we bumped down a rocky road to our put-in spot along the swollen, clay-colored waters that would present a nonstop series of Class III and IV rapids. A four-hour roller-coaster ride followed.

No two experiences on any stretch of whitewater can ever be the same. We romped our way through boulder gardens and beneath dreamy waterfalls, past rapids known as Upper and Lower Huacas and the snaky Cimarron. And the only time we tumbled out of the raft, it was on purpose-to cool off in the bracing 78-degree water, navigating feet-first to prevent collision with submerged boulders.

At the halfway point of the 16-mile trip, we pulled onto shore and enjoyed lunch on our overturned raft-papaya and pineapple, cheese and cold cuts, salads, and, best of all, a spicy ceviche with big chunks of sea bass marinated in lime juice and cilantro. I could have taken a nap and called it a day, but there were more rapids to conquer, including such swirling dervishes as Pinball and Gringo Hole. ("Because we lose so many North Americans there," Madrigal joked.)

Coming down the homestretch, we all bailed out of the boat to rejuvenate ourselves in the bracing waters and let our guide navigate the raft to shore. Close by, a cantina beckoned with crisp Imperiale beer. We toasted our guides, we toasted ourselves, and we toasted the river.

Heading for the northwest coast, we spent three nights in the funky seaside town of Tamarindo, a favorite hangout for surfers and nature lovers who come to see the massive leatherback turtles who nest on the beaches here. Our three-bedroom villa at Cala Luna was just down the beach from where actor Harrison Ford keeps a home. With a small private plunge pool in the backyard and comfy furniture designed from native hardwoods, the villa came with a fully equipped kitchen. One morning we visited the local fish market and bought a five-pound fillet of fresh tuna-for less than $20. We enjoyed a home-cooked meal with all the local-produce trimmings in the villa that evening.

Our final stop was in Quepos, the Pacific coast town that sits next to one of Costa Rica's many natural treasures-Manuel Antonio National Park. We arrived at our hillside hotel, Si Como No, late in the evening, and were awakened by loud howls long before dawn. At first it sounded like seals, but we were a mile from the sea. Then it sank in on us-howler monkeys, perched in the trees outside our balconies.

After several bracing cups of Costa Rican coffee, we headed for the park entrance, taking a leaky wooden boat that was poled across a narrow river by a local fisherman. For the next several hours we hiked trails that led through spectacularly dense rainforests that broke open every now and then to offer even more spectacular glimpses of the sea. Several times we came across families of cariblancos, white-faced monkeys, skittering about in the trees and pulled to the side of the trail to watch them.

Like most days in Costa Rica, it was both exhilarating and strenuous, and when we returned to Si Como No that evening, there was wine chilled and waiting for us in the room. We sat on the balcony, watched the sunset over the Pacific and ordered room service. My wife raised her glass.

"Now this is the way to see Costa Rica," she said.

If you go

Xandari Plantation (www.xandari.com) sits on a coffee and fruit plantation in the hills outside of San José. Its 18 villas range from $145 to $260 per night depending on the season.

Cala Luna (www.calaluna.com), on the beach at Tamarindo, offers everything from hotel-style rooms to luxury villas. The 1,800-square-foot, three-bedroom villas range from $311 to $418 per night.

Si Como No (www.sicomono.com) sits along the hills overlooking the Pacific between Quepos and Manuel Antonio National Park. Deluxe suites with balconies and a sea view range from $210 to $240 per night.