Green Moon Lodge
Costa Rica's tourism is happily bouncing back to pre-pandemic levels of over three million visitors annually, which has constantly been growing.
The country that advertises itself with the slogan 'pura vida' (pure life) made a massive leap in comfort and safety for all of us gringos with a slight cost premium compared to neighboring countries.
The high level of hospitality and, of course, the pristine nature made Costa Rica so attractive and desirable. And at the same time, it pushed hoteliers and small business owners to become more creative with their offerings.
So, here comes the newest and craziest creation, a wildly green set of domes handmade by locals and its owner. The person behind this original project is Katrin, an Austrian artist who decided to leave the dull European life behind in 2017.
Having no idea how to build or where to start with the dome-building project, Katrin looked for help.
After some healthy dose of skepticism from professionals, an architect devised a unique idea of combining concrete with dishwashing detergent (what could possibly go wrong?).
Katin and her team of builders used molds and a strange mixture to create 1200 blocks to make the building elements of the three interconnected domes.
As the structure started to take shape, curious locals spread the word about the 'Star Wars domes'. And with the help of some friends, the welded iron doors and rounded windows were put in their place.
Even before you enter through the beautifully crafted iron door, you can spot the love and effort put into the project.
Green Moon Lodge is surrounded by lush jungle, but its cute garden is thoroughly cared for too. Monkeys, butterflies, and hummingbirds like to hang around, too, so you will likely meet them.
The cozy apartment consists of a salon with a simple but perfectly functioning kitchen, a bedroom, and a bathroom.
The living room is centered in the middle, with the bedroom and bathrooms connected through arches into the smaller domes.
The artistic craftsmanship is evident inside too. Magical paintings decorate the bed and bathrooms.
The bedroom's unique feature is its retractable rooftop. You can observe the moving universe above the Costa Rican sky without moving an inch from your comfy bed.
The quaint fishing village of Montezuma became a hippie beach town attracting an adventure and natural beauty seeker crowd.
Although today you get all the Western comforts here, until 1986, there wasn't even electricity in this charming Costa Rican town.
One of the best things to do in Montezuma is to discover the five rivers and various waterfalls while trekking through the dense jungle on suspended bridges along thriving flora and fauna.
On your discovery walks, you may spot pelicans, parrots, and various species of monkeys, and if you go on a boat trip around Tortuga Island, dolphins are frequently around.
Montezuma's best beach is the Playa Grande, and as its name suggests, it's really long and wide. The nearly deserted beach is 30 minutes from the center, but as not many people go there, it's totally worth it.
You can go surfing or do topless sunbathing (because, yes, it's accepted here, Montezuma is a bohemian town for a reason).
