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Playa Nicuesa

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A beautiful and secluded eco-lodge in Costa Rica’s lesser-known Piedras Blancas National Park.

Playa Nicuesa is an isolated lodge set within a 165-acre private reserve bordering the Piedras Blancas National Park and the calm waters of the Golfo Dulce. It’s only accessible by boat, either from Golfito or Puerto Jimenez.

The main lodge is essentially a large treehouse, crafted in a variety of salvaged hardwoods. On the upper floor is an open-air restaurant where tasty meals are served communally with the opportunity to meet like-minded travellers.  Accommodation is in a handful of beautifully constructed wooden cabins, which are simply but attractively furnished. Each cabin features large louvred windows and a wraparound veranda, as well as open-air showers, creating a very natural environment. There’s no air conditioning, but a ceiling fan and screened windows ensure the cabins are well ventilated and you can hear the sounds of the jungle. There’s no need for an alarm clock here – the howler monkeys will let you know when it’s time to wake up!

The lodge has an extensive network of self-guided trails for you to explore and guests have complimentary use of kayaks and standup paddleboards. Naturalist guides cost extra and can be booked locally. Sustainability has always been part of Playa Nicuesa’s ethos and electricity is provided by a hydroelectric turbine and solar panels.

Bartolome, Galápagos

What our clients say

  • Highlight?: Tortoguero without a doubt-felt truly isolate in the rain forest and it was breathtaking in terms of the biodiversity.

    SW, Surbiton Mar 2018

  • Most Memorable Moment?: So many highlights that it is difficult to pick any one out - but the evening trip to the Turtle beach at Tortuguero, seeing Green Sea Turtles…

    DD, Holmfirth Sep 2016

  • Highlights?: The drive Ranch Margot round Lake Arenal, staying there, seeing humming birds feeding from flowers a metre from our bungalow veranda, kayaking in the shadow of the amazing volcano.

    JH, London Dec 2016

  • Clearly the beauty and and profuseness of the country was inspiring.There were multiple highlights including some which we ourselves arranged, chocolate and vanilla farm visits especially.

    DS, Cardigan Feb 2016

  • Although the transfers were quite long the mix between eg driving and taking a boat were good and made us feel we really saw the country. 

    ME May 2011

  • It was all pretty memorable but the view of the Arenal volcano from our boat transfer across the lake sticks in my mind. It was a completely clear day and…

    EW, Newport May 2017
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Our Expert's Opinion

Sallly
Sally Watkins - Travel Expert

A former Journey Latin America tour leader, Sally spent 7 years working, travelling and living throughout Latin America before returning to the UK to help people arrange their own adventures to this wonderful destination.

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Papagaio

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  • Heloise
    Heloise Buxton - Travel Expert

    Heloise started her Latin American journey as an exchange student in Santiago, Chile. With extended summer holidays this was the perfect opportunity to backpack through Bolivia, Peru, Argentina and Brazil.

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    Lina Fuller - Travel Expert

    Lina's passion for the continent where she was born really took off when she moved to Córdoba (Argentina) to study, spending the holidays travelling between Argentina and her native Colombia.

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    Chris Rendell-Dunn - Travel Expert

    Anglo-Peruvian Chris grew up in Lima and spent much of his adult life in between London and Cusco as a tour leader, before settling permanently in our London-based Tailor-made and Group Tours sales team.

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    Alex Walker - Travel Expert

    A globetrotter since her childhood, Alex spent a year studying abroad in Guadalajara and has returned to Latin America countless times since then.

  • Paul Winrow Giffin
    Paul Winrow-Giffin - Travel Expert

    After graduating in Computer Science, Paul spent seven months travelling from Colombia to Argentina and came home hooked on Latin America.

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    Mary Anne Nelson - Travel Expert

    Born in the Atacama Desert in northern Chile, Mary’s insider knowledge and dry sense of humour make her a highly valued member of the Tailor-made Holidays and Group Tour sales team.

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