Life for Life Hostel

We were looking for a quiet stay in the jungle, and we were so pleased with our time at Life for Life. Ricardo is a special human who has taken great care of the land and its animals. His passion for the forest and the coast is easily seen in the fruit trees covering the property, his turtle conservation project, and his eagerness to show folks his garden and the many other beautiful spots in the area. We strongly recommend the Rio Claro tour and the food and coffee at Life for Life's restaurant. It's delicious and the staff are all super kind. We hope to return! Thank you for sharing your slice of paradise with us.

I stayed here for several nights in November 2025 (I am *very* late writing this review, apologies), and I absolutely loved it. I stayed in one of the tent rooms and it was incredibly clean and nicely adorned, despite being a tent haha. The 3 meals each day were well-made and had good variety. The dining room was a great spot for socializing with the other guests and restaurant visitors. Lounging on a hammock on top of the building, very close to the ocean, was a surreal experience. The hosts are well-connected in the area and can book you tours, get you boat transport, or taxi service as needed. The river tour was unlike anything I've ever done before (so special) and the snorkeling tour was probably the highlight of my whole trip. Whatever time you are told to be ready for a tour, be ready at least 1 hour earlier. I would recommend contacting the WhatsApp number if you have questions. To get here from San Jose airport, I took a bus the night before into San Jose (near the national stadium), and then, the next morning, I walked to the Tracopa Direct Bus Station. I took the Tracopa Direct Bus from San Jose Station to Sierpe (bought ticket at bus Terminal, bus stops along the way for food + bathroom breaks). In Sierpe, I went to the Donde Jorge restaurant and there was a big tent outside where I got a ticket for boat transport. I bought my ticket online, but everyone else got theirs in-person and seemed fine. My hosts met me on the beach the boat dropped me off at and walked me to the hostel. Last year, the time schedule was set up so there was only one bus from San Jose to Sierpe that could get you there before the afternoon ferry, but that may have changed. Taxis go about the same speed as the buses. I would highly recommend not trying to drive yourself here. I went for a run and came across the washed out roads: they are really not passable. The road was like a river and you would need a highly specialized vehicle to cross it. I saw several vehicles have to turn back. Plus, who doesn't love a boat ride? It's an incredible adventure getting to stay here and it's so reasonably priced too. If you're looking for a beautiful nature adventure in Costa Rica, you've found it!

We ended up at this restaurant near sunset after a whole day of hiking, they told us to eat there and they will get us a taxi. After our overpriced meals, they told us to walk 20 minutes to be picked up. We walked 20 minutes to find no driver. Had to wait an extra hour to be picked up. They are nice, but not very organized and misleading about the taxi.