About Us (Pura Vida! eh? Inc. and the Costa Rica Travel Blog)

HOLA AMIGOS! We’re Nikki and Ricky.

Yes, our names rhyme.

We couldn’t have planned it better (or worse!) if we tried. 

Together, we have both textbook and experiential knowledge of Costa Rica travel and tourism. We bring equal parts professionalism and fun to our business (Pura Vida! eh? Inc.), as well as free advice for travelers from both tourist (foreigner) and local (Tico) perspectives. As business owners, we offer operations that meet North American corporation standards, business efficiency and service levels according to North American expectations, service provided in English or Spanish, a thorough understanding of tourism operations in Costa Rica, knowledge of (and years of experience working with) the most reputable tour operators in Costa Rica, and free access to discounts for Costa Rica day tours. As expert Costa Rica travelers, we are bursting with information, stories, advice, and tips related to travel in Costa Rica. We’ve developed numerous projects and websites to help deliver this information, including our business website, Pura Vida! eh? Inc.; our “best of Costa Rica” website, DIY Costa Rica; and this travel blog, the Costa Rica Travel Blog. To learn about our travel guidebook, Moon Costa Rica published by Moon Travel Guides, please see the Moon.com website.

“Pura Vida! eh? Nikki and Ricky are fantastic! I can’t say enough about how wonderful an experience it was having Nikki and Ricky organize our trip. From start to finish it was flawless.” – A.L., Corte Madera, California, USA

On a personal note…

Costa Rica is our heart. Not only is the country Ricky’s homeland, it’s also where we met, where we fell in love with each other, where we married, and where we developed a deep appreciation for nature, wildlife, and the pura vida lifestyle.

On the surface, we appear to be travel bloggers, but we are the first to admit that we hardly fit that role. We’ve met several travel bloggers who have amazed us with their hunger for wanderlust and their willingness to travel the world to feed it. But, we haven’t traveled the world like several others have. We choose to stay close to home and explore every inch of the land we know and love. For this reason, we consider ourselves Costa Rica bloggers.

On days when travel bloggers are looking out over New York City from the top of the Empire State Building, we’re taking in a view of coffee plantations from a hilltop. When they’re in Rome, admiring the architecture of the Colosseum, we’re in Costa Rica’s national stadium, cheering on the local futbol team. When travel bloggers catch a flight to Bali, we’re in our car, heading to either the Pacific or Caribbean coast to soak up some rays. When they’re running with bulls in Pamplona, we’re at a rodeo with our Costa Rican loved ones, celebrating a holiday or taking part in a fiesta civica (civic festival). Travel bloggers get to know much of the more than 510 million square kilometers of landmass that spans our world, but we pride ourselves on exploring a mere 0.0001% of it. We take in Costa Rican culture, socialize with locals, eat new foods, trial-test tours on behalf of tourists, and aim to discover each destination’s soul. Though we know shockingly little about most other countries in the world, we know a lot about Costa Rica and we learn more every day. This blog is a record of our journey and our free gift to you for choosing to visit the best 0.0001% our earth has to offer.

To learn more about our love for Costa Rica, please read our related blog post:
This Is Why I Love Costa Rica

About Nikki

Nikki is a writer with a passion for travel, tourism, and business, and a love for Costa Rica. Nikki first studied recreation and leisure at University but switched to a law program in order to pursue her desire for justice. After graduating with a 4-Year Honors degree in Legal Studies, Nikki traveled to Central America for a vacation before enrolling in law school. During her trip, Nikki fell in love with Costa Rica (the people, the culture, and the pura vida lifestyle) and decided to devote her heart and work to helping others have life-changing experiences similar to her own. Upon returning home, Nikki opted out of becoming a lawyer and enrolled in a Masters of Education program to learn more about opportunities to pursue her new dream. Today, Nikki is a freelance writer for hire; the author of Moon Costa Rica (2019); a co-owner of Pura Vida! eh? Inc.; the executive editor and primary blogger behind the Costa Rica Travel Blog; the author of DIY Costa Rica; and the creator of the Costa Rica Trip Planning 101 E-Course. Thanks to her Masters degree in education and her background in law, Nikki employs high standards of professionalism throughout the successful operation of Pura Vida! eh? Inc. and uses her experience in education to teach others about safe, efficient, and budget-friendly travel in Costa Rica. Inspired by travel philanthropy, Nikki’s alter ego is the goodwillingmiss.

“The level of detailed, thoughtful, and helpful customer service provided by Nikki and Ricky at Pura Vida! Eh? was incredible and a breath of fresh air.” – B.M., Hendersonville, Tennessee, USA

About Ricky

Ricky is a born-and-raised Tico (Costa Rican), a co-owner of Pura Vida! eh? Inc., and a freelance photographer for hire who carries an enormous amount of pride in his beautiful country. Ricky has devoted many years to the tourism industry in Costa Rica as an internationally certified white-water rafting guide. He’s also worked as a rescue kayaker and “paparazzi” (photographer) for white-water rafting tour excursions. Ricky’s love for Costa Rica and his rapport with tourists are his greatest assets; Both earned him a tourism award for valued service based significantly on travelers’ testimonials. Apart from his excellent service, which has been recognized not only by travel and tourism colleagues but also tourists, Ricky’s positive attitude and friendly-nature (the pura vida in him) sets him above others in the industry. He has traveled to hundreds of Costa Rican destinations, has experienced countless tourism activities, has hands-on experience working with tour companies, and has an impeccable knowledge of Costa Rican birds and wildlife.

“I am a seasoned traveler, independently planning the majority of our trips, but this trip would not have been as perfect as it was without the gracious, professional help of Pura Vida! eh? and Nikki and Ricky.” – M.G., Cottage Grove, Minnesota, USA

Read what other travelers have to say about us on our Testimonials and Reviews page

Our photo gallery of Costa Rica travels

Believe it or not, the below gallery is merely a sample of our Costa Rica travels.