Escape on the Perfect Anniversary Getaway to Costa Rica

The secret is out – There’s nothing I love more than a baecation. I know, I know — this is a revelation. It’s a travesty that I’ve been keeping this secret for this long, but there you have it readers. So, in my (newly out) pursuit to plan the perfect baecation for my first wedding anniversary, I searched all corners of the internet. I’m happy to report that, after all of my research, I found the most incredible unique boutique hotel. Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to “Oxygen Jungle Villas” in Uvita, Costa Rica. It is perfect!

Let’s start with the location. Oxygen is in perched on top of a mountain in the middle of the rainforest in Uvita, Costa Rica, and it’s an absolutely breathtaking location. I don’t think I’ve ever been to a place so lush, (and I’ve been to the island of Kauai). It was raining season during our trip, which likely exacerbated how vibrant everything was, but even still, it was absolutely spectacular.

Let’s talk about our villa! We stayed in the jungle spa villa, and yeah, it’s exactly what it sounds like. For context, Oxygen has a number of different types of villas— ocean view villas, jungle villas, jungle spa villas, etc. Obviously because the property is up in the mountainous rainforest, all properties are surrounded by the rainforest. However, the jungle spa villas are unique — they are entrenched in the rainforest— giving a glamping type feel and immersing you deep into nature. You can hear toucans and monkeys at different times of the day from the villa, as well as the river that’s located below the property. It’s just so peaceful. Anyway, back to the villa — it had a king size bed, a large bathroom with two vanity areas, a toilet, and impressive shower, and an incredible villa deck with a dining table, free standing tub, and day bed! I couldn’t design a better place with my imagination if I tried.

Then there’s the food. Omg, the FOOOODDD!! Everything was so delicious. First and foremost, I wish I could express in words just how obsessed I was with the patacones. Pretty much every meal, I had to get them as an appetizer. And then, there was our anniversary dinner in the wine room — the setting was immaculate and romantic, the food was spectacular, and the whole scene was perfect. What a way to celebrate our love! A huge thank you to the staff at Oxygen for making that happen.

Finally, the excursions were absolutely incredible, and the staff at Oxygen helped us plan most of these. Our favorite was the ATV tour with Morete. Now, pro tip, when you visit in rainy season, there are very few visitors which means there’s a high likelihood of getting the tours to yourself. That was the case with our ATV tours – we had a private tour where we got to visit amazing waterfalls, the hand statue, the beautiful countryside, and tour a coffee farm. We also spent a lot of time in Marino Ballena National Park, where we went on a 3 hour kayaking tour and visited the whale’s tail. We also went hiking through the national park and saw some Macaws — which was just amazing. We also did a whale watching tour and saw a humpback and its calf. We were so thrilled with everything.

Some tips for your trip: 1) rent a 4×4 and be prepared to drive a decent amount t if you’re looking to experience an array of activities outside the hotel. Transportation costs can add another $100 per excursion, and everything in Uvita was within 10-15mins drive. 2) Schedule early morning tours. Sunrise is at 5:00 AM and sunset is at 5:30 PM. You definitely want to make the most of the daylight hours. 3) There are a lot of locally owned business (eg Morete ATVs). Make sure to support those over the larger companies.