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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?: The wildlife - watching the turtles lay eggs and a swimming sloth.

    ID, London Aug 2018

  • Highlight? We did a night hike in Monteverde and saw snakes, sloths, owls.

    SW, London Feb 2020

  • Everything was good.  An unexpected highlight was the chocolate tour to the local conservation chocolate plantation in Sarapiqui.

    DS, Coventry Jan 2017

  • Highlights? Bosque Del Cabo, Rafiki and Maquenque, absolutely wonderful.

    ASP, Bexhill-on-sea Jan 2017

  • Highlight?: This is difficult! We loved Tortuga Lodge, Bosque de Paz and Aguila de Osa Inn. Made new friends who we will remain in contact.

    MG, Uckfield Apr 2017

  • The whole Tortuguero experience was brilliant.

    TK, Leighton buzzard Dec 2016
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Our Expert's Opinion

Lina
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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Papagaio

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Bartolome, Galápagos

Meet our team

Real Latin american experts

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  • Sophie
    Sophie Barber - Travel Expert

    Sophie lived in Chile before joining us and has travelled extensively across Latin America, from Mexico to the furthest tip of Patagonia and beyond to Antarctica.

  • Charlotte
    Charlotte Daubeney - Travel Expert

    Charlotte's fascination with Latin America began with a family holiday to Belize. She went on to study Spanish in school and at university before spending a year living in Santiago, Chile.

  • Maggie
    Maggie Wilson - Travel Expert

    Maggie visited Latin America on her first backpacking trip when she was 19. Since then, she has taken every opportunity to travel, and has managed to explore a lot of the region in subsequent trips.

  • Hannah
    Hannah Waterhouse - Travel Expert

    Hannah had an early introduction to Latin America when her family moved to Ecuador and she returned to study in Buenos Aires for a year before backpacking across the continent.

  • Kathryn
    Kathryn Rhodes - Travel Expert

    Kathryn backpacked across Argentina, Chile, Bolivia and Peru before joining us. She has a degree in Philosophy and French and is a keen netball player.

  • Ben
    Ben Line - Travel Expert

    Ben fell in love with Latin America on a six month backpacking trip from Colombia to Mexico in 1995. Since then he has explored most of South America, including living in Peru for a year. He is now Head of Sales.

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