Photographer Terence Connors captures Heather Kemesky exploring Costa Rica's regenerative flora and fauna, surreal landscapes, and absorbing culture, stopping at three of the country’s most enriching hotels along the way.

 

Nekajui, a Ritz-Carlton Reserve, Peninsula Papagayo. A considered reflection of its majestic setting, Nekajui elegantly blends adventure, tradition, and nature. Guest rooms, suites, luxury tents, and private residences feature Guanacastecan architecture overlooking Bahía Huevos bay and the gleaming Pacific Ocean. The resort’s culinary program pays homage to Costa Rican coffee culture and traditional dishes, highlighting local ingredients, while Nimbu Spa and Wellness draws from the rituals of the Nicoya people. As for nature, the Palmares Outpost in the Palmares Conservation Area — a 250-acre sanctuary that encircles the resort — offers immersive activities.

Nayara Tented Camp. Nestled in Arenal National Park, the Residences at Nayara Tented Camp are premier expressions of the country’s renowned “green” ethos. These amenity-rich accommodations are designed to live in harmony with the rainforest, their private plunge pools fed by mineral hot springs.

On a cool, sunny Wednesday morning in San Miguel de Allende, Mexico, my car slowly traversed the colonial-era city’s cobblestone streets, winding towards the Sierra Madre mountains. Next to me was Odín Rocha, chef of Pirules Garden Kitchen, Rosewood San Miguel de Allende's newest restaurant. “Every day feels like Sunday here — the pace of life … This is how it is seven days a week,” he confirmed. We were on our way to Casa Orgánica, a sustainable farm located 30 minutes outside of the city, which serves as the main source of the restaurant's ingredients (all of the restaurant’s providers are within 60 miles).
        Upon arrival, Rochas plucked an orange from a tree, instructing me to admire the leaves. “You obviously use the juice and maybe a little bit of zest, but in the restaurant we receive an orange and use the whole orange (even the leaves) because the orange is seasonal, but the tree is here all year long.” One of Rocha’s signature citrus desserts features orange as a gelée, with a leaf-infused consommé, an oil drawn from the rind, and the remaining fruit crystallized. Ingredients in the chef’s kitchen are utilized to their fullest potential to eliminate as much waste as possible. “That’s our vision, asking the question: What else can we make with this?” he concluded.
        Back at the hotel, its expansive grounds bursting with flora encircled by bougainvillea, I took a seat at an outdoor bar perched under a pergola, looking out towards the city’s iconic church, Parroquia San Miguel Arcángel. Ana Paula Ulrich, who oversees the property’s cocktail program, prepared me a mezcal martini. Inspired by the Gibson cocktail, it tasted like a garden at peak harvest — the mezcal deftly balanced by punches of ripe tomato and garden lettuce.

        It’s all an extension of Rocha’s vision. “The restaurant is inspired by the beauty of the flowers and plants that surround the property. It’s full of aromatic herbs, like rosemary and thyme,” he explained. “It’s a place that disconnects you from the chaos of the world to connect with the natural world.” This ethos manifested on my plate as housemade sourdough bread with pickled seasonal fruit and house chorizo; slow-cooked sweet potato with organic honey and macadamia nuts; firewood-grilled endives with matured cheese and charred onion puree; and pork belly with pistachio, farm herbs, and mole verde. But my dinner’s finale couldn’t be beat: meringue adorned with fresh lavender sat atop a wooden box. Inside was an elaborate confection nested in a bed of fresh greens and leaves. Just sweet enough.

Juan Santiago Rodriguez has a ceremony for tasting mezcal. First, he dabs a drop on his hand, letting it evaporate until only the pure agave scent remains. "You must taste mezcal with three kisses," he  says. Meaning: three sips. The first cleanses and awakens the palate; the second is a rush of alcohol; the third is when the liquor’s botanicals and character truly emerge.
        Rodriguez is the co-founder of Perro Verde mezcal, which brings its 120-year-old family heritage to three noteworthy expressions: Espadin is produced with Espadin agave using artisanal methods and offers subtle fruit notes and a touch of spice. Tobasiche, rich with anis and carambola, yet gentle, is made from Tobasiche agave, which must be foraged in the wild — it was also recently named a best-in-class finalist at the San Francisco World Spirits Competition. Finally, the house’s Espadin/Tobasiche Blend is an alchemic elixir celebrating both types of agave, resulting in a fresh, smooth masterpiece.

Rio de Janeiro is a city of movement. Its very geography undulates, with dramatic mountains sloping down into ocean waves. Footvolley players dive in the sand and dancers’ hips samba in the clubs. Cariocas call Tijuca National Park the “lungs of the city,” but Rio itself feels like it’s always inhaling and exhaling. I took these two photos on a recent visit to the city with friends during Carnaval, when Rio was at its peak, bursting with energy and flow. Even within quiet moments, movement abounded. 
        We took a cable car to Pão de Açúcar. The mountainside rushed toward us and dramatic views of the harbor emerged while a group of birds circled and salty air streamed in through the windows. I also roped a few friends into taking an architectural excursion to the Museu de Arte Contemporânea by architect Oscar Niemeyer. A twisting, red pathway leads up to the museum’s floating rotunda, which sits upon a column inside a reflecting pool overlooking Guanabara Bay. Pure, round white forms stand starkly against the landscape’s rugged, organic shapes, highlighting Niemeyer’s vision of Brazilian Modernism. We relished all of the sublime views.