Encanta la Vida
Off the beaten-path jungle experience
The surf
Three point breaks are located in very close proximity and walking distance from Encanta la Vida. A south or a west swell is what really makes surfing at Cabo Matapalo fantastic.
Pan Dulce has very gentle longboard waves most days, generally at low tide. Backwash holds an amazingly large swell. Matapalo is for the more experienced surfer. If there is a good south swell, the surfing is amazing. Many other surfing destinations are available within a short boat ride, including Pavones and Punta Banco.
There are two seasons in Costa Rica: The dry season, from October through April, and the Green Season, from May through August.
The Green Season, also known as the wet season, is the top time for surfing on the Pacific coast and Santa Teresa, bringing very reliable SW and W swells that keep it surfable every day.
The dry season is still great, though. The waters is warm and the waves are less powerful and friendly. All year long, you can find good spots to surf.
Breaks
The lodge
Encanta La Vida is all about immersing yourself in the jungle with style. Lodging includes nine different accommodations tucked in along the tropical garden paths. All guest accommodations are furnished with top-quality mattresses, linens, lights, fans, private bathrooms and hot water.
Guests will enjoy the comfort of private patios and balconies set up with rockers hammocks adding to a relaxing ambiance. For more photos and a list of room amenities, we invite you to browse the lodging page.
Treat your palate to three delicious meals a day made with fresh local ingredients by our chef, included with your accommodation. The dinners are quite an event with three-course meals and freshly baked bread daily. You have the choice of romantic private dining or family-style dining. We cater to all dietary needs and strive to ensure that guests enjoy the culinary experience.
Activities & adventures
Enjoy a remote jungle vacation with all the amenities you need to ensure your comfort. We cater to families, groups, reunions, couples, singles, yoga retreats, weddings and surfers alike. Encanta La Vida is a perfect choice for an adventure-seeking traveler.
Offering both virgin jungle and pristine beach environments, guests can experience the best of Costa Rica, all in one location. You don’t even have to leave the lodge to be completely immersed in the jungle. At Encanta La Vida, one never needs to go far for a memorable rain forest experience. Popular activities include hiking to local waterfalls, swimming and surfing, bird watching and wildlife spotting or taking an eco-tour to immerse yourself further into the adventures and natural wonders of the world-renowned Osa Peninsula.
Guests will enjoy our exclusive beachfront yoga shala set in a private environment where massage and seasonal spa services are treats for your senses. Whether you’re a yogi, love meditation, or just love a good view, you’ll be blow away by the second-story yoga deck, nestled in the canopy overlooking the turquoise waters of Pan Dulce.
One of the most thriving and biologically diverse regions of Central America, the Osa Peninsula offers a spectacular range of tropical species. In addition, large populations of endangered animals such as the Scarlet Macaw and the Squirrel Monkey populate the area. You can go hiking around the Matapalo area, do a bird-watching tour, or choose to do a tour into Corcovado National Park. Other wildlife activities include a dolphin and whale tour on the Gulfo Dulce and a wildlife sanctuary visit. We can help you set any wildlife activity up that you’re interested in.
Marvel at the abundant waters of the Pacific Ocean, where you will encounter species such as Blue and Black Marlin, Yellow Fin Tuna, Sailfish, Cubera Snapper, Roosterfish, Wahoo, Amber Jack and much more. This tour leaves from Puerto Jimenez or if you don’t mind swimming to the boat, you can leave from Backwash Bay, located just minutes from Encanta La Vida.
We offer surfboards to rent for our guests and SUPs (stand-up paddleboards) rental.
SPA
The Spa at Encanta la Vida is the ultimate escape. The Spa is located on the ground floor of our yoga facility. Come relax and listen to the waves crashing on the shores of Pan Dulce while you’re being pampered by our spa staff with raw, organic and all-natural ingredients. The experience is therapeutic and unique: chocolate and coffee scrubs, Osa mud facials featuring healing clay harvested from our river, ylang-ylang coconut milk emollients, and exotic indigenous flowers enhancing each experience. The Spa is open during the high season (December through July).
Rooms
Location
Getting there
Encanta la Vida
Fabio
Brian Daily
The founder, Brian Daily, is from California but grew up in Costa Rica and has enjoyed the jungles and surf of the Osa for years. He purchased the property in 1988 and began building his dream – a relaxed adventure hotel and lodge to share with those traveling in Costa Rica. Over the years, the lodge has been improved upon and Brian is proud of what he has created.
Brian has witnessed first-hand the immense changes in tourism and development in Costa Rica over the past 20 years and is proud to offer something very hard to find in the more developed areas.
Many areas have been affected dramatically by the rise in tourism in this country. It doesn't just bring in crowds and crime but ultimately affects the wildlife and their habitats. This area is one of the few exceptions. Two-thirds of the Osa Peninsula is a national park and private reserve.
Years ago, Brian was one of the first "gringos" to settle in the Cabo Matapalo area. Back in the old days, when the area was still mined, the indigenous people still lived in the jungles and the drive from Puerto Jimenez took hours through the jungle, rivers and mountains. The road was built in 1986. Before then, everything was brought to the Osa Peninsula by ferry. It was the "wild west" back then, but even today, it still has some of that same character that will take you back in time!
