Blue Zones are special places where people tend to live long and healthy lives. There are only five of these places in the world, and Costa Rica is one of them. A magazine asked me to find out why, so my girlfriend Dre and I went there.
We traveled from Puerto Viejo to the jungle along the Yorkin River, where the Bribri people live. They’ve kept their culture alive for generations.
The Bribri use the jungle’s resources wisely. They don’t grow just one type of crop but many different plants together. This helps the soil stay healthy, and they don’t need chemicals.
In the jungle, we saw kids playing in the river and learned about different fruits and plants. One special plant is cacao, which they use to make chocolate. It’s also an important part of their culture.
The Bribri want to protect their land and traditions from outsiders who want to build dams or plantations. They believe tourism can help them do this by sharing their culture with the world.
We also visited Nicoya, another Blue Zone in Costa Rica. People there live long lives because they eat healthy food and work together as a community.
We met a man named Pachito, who was over 100 years old. He told us that living a good life means loving yourself and others.
Inspired by Pachito’s wisdom, Dre and I got married. We hope to live a long and happy life together, just like the people in Costa Rica’s Blue Zones.
