A Sunset, a Stranger, and a Journey to Self-Love

I flew to Costa Rica to see someone I barely knew. I left with something I never expected.

Letting Go of Expectations and Living in the Moment

On July 4th, 2025, I left Vancouver Island and went back to Costa Rica. Only this time, I was without my family, and without any expectations about how this adventure would unfold.

The only thing I knew for sure? No matter what happened, I would have a good time. I mean, come on, I was back in Costa Rica just four months after my last visit.

What I didn’t expect from this trip was finding a part of myself while simultaneously getting beautifully, intentionally lost.

While in Playa Grande, where I stayed for the entirety of my visit, I was offered a reminder about self-love, confidence, and simply doing what feels good because it feels good.

Don’t get me wrong, my life is rooted in doing what feels good for me. I live for myself and no one else. But still, a little shadow of doubt always lingers. I sometimes wonder what others think. I question what I am going to say. I get nervous when all I am doing is being me.

Where Simplicity Meets the Sea

From the first morning I woke to the sound of howler monkeys and the warm light pouring through the window, I felt my body begin to exhale.

There is something so soothing about starting your day with sandy toes after a walk along the ocean and then hydrating by drinking a coconut through a straw.

Simplicity.

Pura vida.

Playa Grande is a peaceful beach town tucked along Costa Rica’s Pacific coastline that offers a striking contrast to its neighbour, Tamarindo. While Tamarindo is bumping with its packed beaches, restaurants and shops, Playa Grande remains calm, spacious and wonderfully natural.

Here, it feels like time slows down. The long sandy beach isn’t crowded and there are consistent waves for surfing, making it appealing to anyone that loves the coast, for whatever reason.

Despite its remote feeling, Tamarindo is just a short boat ride across the estuary. In just minutes, you can go from tranquility to vibrant energy. Tamarindo offers beach bars, nightlife and boutique shopping. It’s the perfect balance for all travellers who want the best of both worlds.

If this sounds like the place for you, check out Hotel El Manglar or Hotel Cantarana and see for yourself.

Dancing Off-Beat, Surfing Without Style and Showing Up Anyways

When I came to Costa Rica in March, everything was very dry. This time, the land was lush. Shades of green caressed every path, every branch.

It was the same place, but somehow, there was a new beauty I had not seen before. And I was more than ready to explore as much as possible.

We rode ATVs down bumpy roads, burning our feet from sun-soaked sand on secluded beaches, where cows lounged comfortably in the shadows.

I attempted salsa dancing, and laughed at myself repeatedly. Trying to find the rhythm but only managing to step on toes and sweat a lot. Yet I was reminded that dancing, like life, isn’t about perfect timing but about being present.

I went surfing, with a board I could barely carry, and worked on my pop up but ultimately just ended up with a lot of water in my ears. Still, I smiled and enjoyed every moment.

Each step I took, from salsa to surf, was clumsy, but also closer to inner kindness.

I’d walk the shoreline, barefoot, searching for seashells. Not to keep, just to admire. I’d photograph them in my palm, then gently place them back where they belonged. A quiet practice in appreciating beauty without needing to possess it.

I watched every sunset. Each one different from the last. And I realized that my favourite part of those moments wasn’t the sun hiding behind the horizon, but what came after. That’s when the magic really happens. I’d sit and watch the colours deepen, dancing along the sky, until finally they faded into darkness. A quiet promise of a new day.

A Lesson from the Shoreline

And him? He lived by the tide, by the mantra “I’m going to check the waves.”

It was in those moments I realized how deeply he lived for himself. Unapologetically. Surfing wasn’t just his passion, it was his compass.

He spoke about freedom, about not needing anyone’s permission to live the way you want. Not from rebellion, but from surrender. From trusting the current.

Accepting that none of us truly know where life will take us, but no matter what, it will be okay.

In March when my feet first touched Costa Rican soil, did I think I’d be back visiting a local I met in a cafe just four months later?

Absolutely not. But, here we are.

It was the same sun setting in March and July, but I was watching it with different people, through different eyes, and a new outlook on life.

The Greatest Souvenir: Self-Love

On our last night, we dressed up and drove to Las Catalinas. A beautiful, almost storybook-like village where cobblestone paths led us to an incredible restaurant tucked into the hillside. I drank margaritas, smiled easily, looked across the table and thought, there’s something very special about this moment. Something I’ll carry with me long after the tan fades.

I realized then, I went to Costa Rica for him.

But I returned home to myself.

Because when you strip everything away, what remains is this:

I am allowed to be silly, unsure, powerful, and free.

I can dance off-beat and still feel beautiful.

Life doesn’t promise a next moment, so savour this one.

In the end, the sunsets, the stranger, the silence, and even the stumbles all had something to teach me.

And I was finally ready to listen.