Joglo Tree House. A Taste of Bali in Costa Rica
Brenda and I have a habit of trying to match destinations with accommodations. Usually, when we travel, we are trying to find a location and a place to stay that matches up with our personalities. We aren’t that interested in an all-inclusive style resort in an overwhelmingly touristy area. But it’s almost impossible to avoid to some degree because the reason you visit an area is that you’ve heard about it from others. At best we try and minimize experiences that are culturally similar to our life in the States. Travel is experiential and who the hell wants to experience the same thing you could get by staying at home.
Reading about a place isn’t the same as visiting it but Dominical really sounded like a town we’d enjoy. From our living room in the States, Dominical appeared to be a small, laid back beach town with an inviting vibe. We have a fondness for intimate beach communities and thought visiting the area would be beneficial in our search for a place to call home for a while.
After deciding Dominical was a go, the only thing left was to find a place to stay. Of all the places we’ve stayed in, Joglo Tree House may be the most unique. The location was as magnificent as the structure and accessing the property was an adventure in itself. We found it on Airbnb and you can check out the listing here. The house is a traditional Balinese style and is approximately 170 years old. The owner purchased it in Indonesia, disassembled it, shipped it to Costa Rica, and then put it back together. Perched high on a cliff, the house provides a beautiful panorama of the Pacific and the forest canopy. The porch wraps all around the house giving you 360-degree views. It is simply stunning.
Joglo Treehouse
There is no formal bedroom, which gives it the feel of a large studio. It has a full kitchen that includes an outdoor Vulcan gas stove. There is a lounge area adjacent to the bed, and a bathroom that leads to an outdoor shower. Not to mention, a small plunge pool on the side of the house for relief from the hot days.
The one thing to take note of for future renters is the ride up to the house. No chance you make it with a car, you’ll need an SUV. And even with a SUV, the climb is not for the faint of heart. During the day it is a bit precarious but at night it is downright frightening. After reaching the parking area, which is below the house, you’ll then need to navigate up a few switchbacks on foot to get there. If you have physical limitations or aren’t in decent shape, this may not be the place for you. But once you arrive you’ll see why it was worth the added effort.
Equally important is a good navigation system. We’d recommend downloading maps.me and then geo mark the location of the house. The navigation map doesn’t bring you all the way to the house but the geo point will give you an idea of where you need to go.
The house is very open and airy. Every morning we woke up to the sounds of the rainforest all around us, especially the toucans. In the evening, when it is clear, you’ll be treated to incredible sunsets over the Pacific. This is a place where you will feel like you are a million miles away from everything when in reality you are a short ride to the center of Dominical. We highly recommend staying at Joglo Tree House.
Thanks for checking us!
Scott and Brenda
