We are beach lovers. That’s what we are.M y hubby is of the firm opinion that the only place my daughter will play by herself is the beach. So beach holidays are a favorite. This time we are planning a trip with a big group and we are looking for a luxury Holiday rental.

That’s the best way when we travel with our extended family, we can all be together and not worry about having rooms far away. When we travel in a big groups getting rooms together can be a pain. Thats why Costa Rica rental properties are perfect for us. We are planning to get a five bedroom Villa which will comfortably sleep ten. For the younger kids, we don’t need extra beds, but the older ones will be happy to sleep in camp beds. We are also looking for a good sized pool as well as quality Concierge service.

The reason we want a luxury holiday rental are:

1) It’s private.As private as we want. With 8 kids and 10 adults, parties get noisy. In a hotel, there are other guests after all and we don’t like being the loudest.

2) In Holiday rentals the pool is ours and we can use it any time. In bigger resorts, the fixed hours of pool usage makes them overcrowded even in the best places.

3) The food for the children can be customized according to our wish .International travel is a headache when it comes to food choices for children. We all want to have fun, but we want our children to eat too. Right?

4) Having a holiday rental means we can all stay together without worrying about good rooms close to each other.

5) The home away from home feel is just what I love when we want to unwind.

6) The gorgeous luxury rental is a treat to the eye and is perfect for a giant family reunion.

Central America, Costa Rica is unexplored territory. So we need to be prepared,I read the best time to Vista Costa Rica with family is December to April. Rainforests are a strict no with children. But maybe it will be possible in the dry season

Costa Rica has a rich variety of plants and animals. This beautiful country with 0.03% of the world’s landmass has 5% of the world’s biodiversity. This makes Costa Rica a nature lover’s paradise. 25% of the country’s land has protected national parks and protected areas.

19 Things we Plan to do in Costa Rica

1. We want to go for a jungle safari maybe visit the rain forests.
2. We definitely want to visit the national parks.
3. We want to visit the gorgeous beaches. Papagayo’s white sand beaches are high on the list.
4. Maybe horseback riding every day? I think everyone would enjoy this
5. We also want to go zip lining. Maybe not all of us!
6. Bathing in the waterfalls is high on our list.
7. We want to visit a few volcanoes (those which are safe maybe?). Arenal volcano is surrounded by rain forests. Will we be able to visit?
8. We want to try white water rafting. No harm right?
9. We will take a dip in the Famous Hot water springs.
10. Many of us have plans to try rappelling.
11. Maybe go for a kayaking tour.
12. Family fishing challenge.
13. Diving and snorkeling are also on the list.
14. We would love to try the natural spas and wellness offers at the resorts.
15. Bird watching would be a part of our holiday.
16. So would be a trek.
17. Guanacaste for a cruise may be.
18. I will be definitely trying surfing. Confession time.I have never surfed. Ever!
19. I will eat a copo. Don’t worry It’s a Costa Rican shaved ice treat with kola syrup, powdered milk, and condensed milk.

Now the question is will we be able to fit all this into it? Now the most important question my hubby asked? What do we need to pack? A lot of research into weather made it easier.

What’s in my Travel Bag for Costa Rica?

1. A camera may be an underwater camera too
2. VPN . The internet access may be a problem in some parts.
3. Hard disk
4. Chargers
5. Power bank
6. Flashlight
7. Extra batteries
8. Sunscreen
9. Sun Hats
10. Sunglasses
11. Mosquito repellents
12. Medicine with labels
13. If we go in the dry season we won’t need the rain stuff but we always carry an umbrella and raincoat anyways.
14. Sneakers and a pair of flip-flops each for the beach.
15. Women stuff
16. Tissues: dry and wet wipes
17. A backpack to carry day trip stuff
18. My Instacuppa water bottle.
19. Water bottle with built-in water filter Aquaguard has one.
20. Dry fruits and snacks
21. Flashlight and a battery pack
22. Sarong, t-shirts, shorts, and capris a few dresses cotton, long pants for the rainforests, jackets for Monteverde,
23. A waterproof phone case
24. Adaptors
25. Ziplock bags
26. Hair dryer
27. Socks
28. Spanish phrasebook
29. Travel insurance
30. What will I not take?
31. My laptop.
32. Too much money in cash.

Routine vaccinations: measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) vaccine, diphtheria-tetanus-pertussis vaccine, varicella (chickenpox) vaccine, polio vaccine, and the yearly flu shot may be just right.CDC recommends Hepatitis A and Typhoid if you’re planning to travel to Costa Rica. Other vaccines which will be helpful include Hepatitis B, rabies, and Yellow Fever vaccine, depending on how long you plan to stay and where else you plan to travel.

(Always discuss with your doctor for immunization updates).

Before we book our tickets we check out the Visa rules carefully.We don’t want to be unprepared.I am also looking for a good tour operator. Someone who will help us plan the fun stuff without overwhelm.Let me know if you know anyone. Would you like to book a luxury holiday rental? Let me know in the comments below what you love about holiday rentals.