Los Vivos Beachfront Experience

I read a few comments about the place being difficult to get to but we followed the instructions we were sent and it was pretty easy. We got a taxi to Don Trino camping and a small boat came at the arranged time. The boats come in from behind the Don Trino reception area. The accommodation is set back about 40m from the beach on a steep hillside. Ours was a stilted, steel framed structures with canvas walls, open windows, wooden floors and balconies. It was spacious and had been finished stylishly with a large double bed, sofa, fridge/ freezer, ceiling and floor fans and have an ensuite shower/ toilet. The window spaces are open though you can pull a canvas sheet across them for privacy. It does mean that bugs can move quite freely in and out and with kids it was bit of a concern to me prior to staying. Having said that, other that a few mosquitoes and ants we weren't really bothered by insects. The doors stop any of the larger wildlife. The rooms have wifi which was decent quality. The food was pretty good. The breakfast is fixed - fruit followed by a costa rican cooked breakfast. They were flexible in tweeking this around our kids. There is a beach menu for lunch and for dinner there is an a la carte menu eaten in the dining area. The quality of the food was very good. The beach is lovely, probably the nicest we came across in Costa Rica. Lovely soft white sand and the water was warm and clear. Even though the beach can only be accessed by boat it can get still get quite packed during the day as it seems very popular with locals and day trippers. For me this is generally a positive thing and added to the atmosphere however it did mean that one day all the sun beds outside los vivos were taken, mostly by day trippers which was annoying. I love that you could take the kayaks and SUPs when ever you wanted. Lovely wildlife both in the sea and around los vivos. Whilst we were there we saw literally thousands of bright blue and red land crabs marching through to lay eggs. As long as you understand that you're not staying in a hotel and there is some light wildlife exposure then this place is really great. My only gripe was that on arrival no one really explained the set up to us. Not that things were particularly complex but for example it was only just as we were leaving they told us that they could arrange bioluminescence trip which would have loved to have done.

I had the pleasure of facilitating a 4 day retreat program at Playa Los Vivos and the entire experience was absolutely magical. First of all, the hosts were amazing. They were kind and generous and made us all feel welcomed from the moment we arrived. Second, the more than human world was mind-blowing: my personal favorite was seeing the milky way like a brushstroke across the sky, dotted with shooting stars, above the majesty of bioluminescent waters. The beach, hills, the reefs and the waters were perfect for a diversity of nature experiences all within a few minutes walk. No shoes required! And the accommodations and food! The tents were super comfortable, the meals were incredible, and anything that we needed was provided in short order. A million thanks to Heart and his family; I hope I will be able to return many times :)

I was a participant in a four-day Nature and Forest Therapy Guide Training Immersion, which was offered by the Association of Nature and Forest Therapy Guides and Programs and hosted at Playa Los Vivos. It was such a great experience! The oceanfront glamping tents and platforms at Playa Los Vivos were beautiful and comfortable. I will never forget falling asleep to the sound of the waves and waking up to the sounds of birds and howler monkeys. The beach is beautiful, the food was delicious and the staff really went out of their way to meet all of our needs. The bioluminescence tour was a really highlight. They have masks and snorkels and they will take you out to swim from the boat at night. Epic! The sunsets here are stunning as well. This is a family-run place. Some of the family lives on site and made us feel really welcome. The owner even came down and played the piano for us on several occasions. Playa Los Vivos is set up really well to host groups, events and parties. The only downside was that other folks would boat in to drink on the beach and watch the sunset, and it could get a bit loud. However, I am aware that all beaches are public in Costa Rica, so this is something that probably happens everywhere. Visitors usually left right after sunset, so it wasn’t really a big deal.