22nd April 2016 The Catholic Universe

FRIDAY 22.04.16
u • TRAVEL 03
Travel facts
Shereen Low was guest of Hayes &
Jarvis (www.hayesandjarvis.com;
01293 735 831) who offers a
seven-night ‘Highlights of Costa Rica’
holiday from £1,499 per person –
saving up to £277 per person. The offer
includes one night at the Hotel Balmoral
in San Jose, two nights at the four-star
Evergreen Lodge Hotel in Tortuguero, one
night at Los Lagos hotel in Arenal, followed by a
further night at Hotel Ficus in Monteverde and finally two nights at Casitas
Eclipse Hotel in the Manuel Antonio National Park. Includes direct return
international flights from London Gatwick to San Jose with British Airways.
morning, while the gentle pattering of
rain lulls me to sleep at night.
From Tortuguero, we make our
way to Monteverde in the north-west
part of the country, where the humid
and tropical weather is replaced by a
cooler climate.
Whizzing through the cloud forest
on the zip line canopy tour at Selvatura
Park is the most fun way to experience
Monteverde, although on
my first attempt, I’m far too busy
freaking out to admire the scenery.
There are 13 cables in total - and one
measures 1km!
Braver souls can opt for the Superman
zip line, where you ‘fly’ through
the forest, with a Tarzan swing at the
end of the course.
The cooler weather makes it the
perfect spot to grow coffee, as I discover
on a trip to the Don Juan
coffee plantation. Our witty tour
guide, Junior Ramirez Vindas, who
describes himself as a “Don Juan
Harry Potter” due to his ability to
concoct creative blends, tells us
only Arabica coffee is grown in
the country.
Even though I’ve been buzzing on
caffeine all afternoon, I find it easy to
drift off to sleep at Hotel Ficus, a
mountain retreat not far from the
Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve.
The rooms offer a breathtaking view
of the surrounding area.
I lie in bed dreaming about coffee,
chocolate and capuchin monkeys. It’s
no wonder Costa Rica is one of the
happiest countries in the world. (According
to the UN-affiliated 2015
World Happiness Report, it ranks
12th place.)
“We don’t think we are the happiest
people in the world,” Jonathan
says. “But life is good for us, and we
are lucky here.”
I couldn’t agree more.