By Amanda Matte
“Tierras Enamoradas”, or Lands in Love, is an all-vegetarian hotel and resort in Costa Rica’s otherworldly cloud forest. I was fortunate enough to spend some time there last month, and after only a brief introduction decided I never wanted to leave. The indescribably beautiful scenery provides the perfect backdrop to a place that emanates love – especially for animals. The on-site restaurant is entirely vegetarian, with many amazing vegan options from which to choose. I sampled a large portion of the menu over the course of my stay, as my mother – a fellow vegetarian – and I each tried something new at every meal and shared. In that way we were able to cover a great deal of territory. Some of our favorite options were the pad thai, the Israeli breakfast (a chopped salad with tahini, avocado, and tofu), and the vegan Bolognese over pasta. The desserts were also incredible, most notably the homemade milkshakes in a large variety of yummy flavors. There were plenty of vegan options on that list (made with soymilk).
One of the most exciting aspects of Lands in Love is the welcoming atmosphere. For instance, guests are encouraged to arrange a cooking lesson with Naama, the resort’s awesome chef. There is an on-site “pet hotel” which houses many rescued dogs and guests are welcome to take the dogs for walks. We made some very sweet canine friends there, and loved the multitudes of animals that wandered the 280 acre property, from horses to cats to ducks. Countless thrilling activities are available to guests, too. We tried zip lining, white water rafting, and canyoning, all of which were amazing, exhausting, and perfectly complemented by an artfully-prepared vegetarian meal upon our return. For the vegetarian traveler, it doesn’t get much better than Lands in Love.