Casita Quetzal

A trip to the Nauyaca waterfalls will leave you breathless with its natural pools and towering 175ft waterfall. After reenergizing with nature we like to grab lunch at the bar and restaurant famous for being built inside a commercial Airplane. Then spend the afternoon walking the Surf Town Dominical. Below are details of each stop. The map below plots each stop so you can see in relation to the home. 

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Stop 1: Nauyaca Waterfalls 

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Start your day with a true jewel of Costa Rica. A 50 minute drive from the house will land you in the mountains of the South Pacific region home to one of the most remarkable natural wonders of Costa Rica. Nauyaca WaterFalls has tiered waterfalls. The first tier offers a pool perfect for swimming. Often there will be locals that will help you up the cliffs where you can jump into the lagoon. In view above the swimming hole is the grand 175ft water fall. After a swing we like to go explore this upper waterfall and get your pictures sure to wow anyone. 

 

Once at the entrance, you can get to the falls by hiking on foot, 4X4 truck tour, or horse tour. We always opt for the 4X4 truck tour and leave plenty of energy for the rest of the day. These tours do sell out quick so reserve as soon as you can with the Nauyaca waterfalls website. The tour allows for 2 hours at the falls and it's plenty of time to soak up the good energy that surrounds. I've added bellow in the Good to Know section. Those who want to hike this need to understand that it is about 45 minute, very steep ups and downs, and stretches are in the sun. This and the humid jungle make this hike not for everyone. 

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Good to Know: ​

• Book the highly recommended 4X4 truck tour in the Nauyaca Waterfalls website here: https://nauyacawaterfallscostarica.com/?product=4x4

• The tour schedule for the 4×4 Economic Tour can be found on the website. They have about 8 trip times per day. We like to get on the 9am or 10am tour and be out in time for lunch after working up an appetite.  

• The tour fee is $32 per person (minimum quota of 2 people must be met) 

 

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Stop 2: Gate One Charter and Tropical Wings Bar - Lounge

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After working up an appetite we like to go get a cerveza and lunch. The main bar and tables are inside of a commercial Airplane. It also has a balcony where you can take pics and if lucky, see a Toucan or McCaw. The name of the restaurant is called Gate One Charter and Tropical Wings Bar - Lounge.  The address is in the map below and reviews can be found on Google or Trip Advisor. 

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Alternatively, you can head to stop 3, Dominical, and eat at Tortilla Flats or Fuego Brewery. 

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Stop 3: Surf Town Dominical

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Now that you are full and rested, on the way back to Uvita is a perfect surfer town to explore. This little town is know for its bohemian vibe and incredible surf community. Head down to dominical beach and you will see year round swells often visited by many professional surfers. Right along the beach is a road full of vendors selling everything from coconuts to jewelry. After a quick walk on the beach and perusing the vendors, we like to head over to the famous bar Tortilla Flats. It's right on the beach and you can mingle with locals and vacationers alike. Once done with the beach we like to head back to the main road in Dominical that support lots of little shops, bar/restaurants, a Brewery and Tico joints. Fuego Brewery is famous in the area for their beer and awesome brewery.  It is a must see on our trip for a beer or two. Next, if we are there at 4pm RumBar is the best bar in Dominical and you can play pool for free. If you are a coffee lover you will want to hit up Cafe Mongo Congo for nice coffee and get a view of the Baru River from their back porch before heading back to the home in Uvita (perfect for reading a book and relaxing). Lastly, if you stay into the evening and get hungry for dinner we recommend the food trailer Phat Noodle for great Thai, Dominical Sushi for great Sushi and atmosphere, or Su Raza for local Tico cuisine. you can't go wrong with any of these. 

 

NOTE: Please do not park on the side of the streets on the main road. you will have your license plates taken and it is expensive and time consuming to get them back. Instead, use the designated parking spots in front of Mama Toucan's or down at the beach. You can also park at Fuego Brewery, have a beer and then walk the town a bit. Also, do not leave valuables in your car. It is a safe country but theft happens.   

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