Honeymoon at The Zancudo Lodge, Costa Rica
A fishing trip, a honeymoon, and the start of something bigger
In February of 2023, my wife Tawny and I boarded a plane for Costa Rica with roosterfish on our minds and no real idea how much the trip would shape both of us. It was our honeymoon, my first time traveling out of the country, and at that point, the coolest fishing trip I’d ever been on.
We spent ten days at The Zancudo Lodge, tucked into the jungle a short boat ride from Golfito on Costa Rica’s southern Pacific coast. Four days were dedicated to fishing. The rest were spent slowing down, exploring, and soaking in a place that somehow manages to feel remote and welcoming at the same time.
Why we chose The Zancudo Lodge
When we started planning our honeymoon, catching a roosterfish was on the top of our bucket list. I asked a handful of friends who had fished Costa Rica where they’d go if they could only pick one lodge. Every conversation kept circling back to the same answer. The Zancudo Lodge. Not once. Every time.
There was no hesitation. My wife loves being on the boat, loves fishing, and loves everything that comes with long days in the sun. We weren’t trying to separate a honeymoon from a fishing trip. We wanted both. Zancudo felt like the place where that balance actually existed.
The arrival that sells you instantly
There’s a moment when you arrive at Zancudo that sticks with you. After pulling up to the dock, you make the walk up to the lodge itself. The landscaping, the views, the sounds of the jungle waking up around you, it’s an instant reset. That walk is the ah-ha moment. You don’t need a brochure or a sales pitch. You just know you’re exactly where you’re supposed to be.
Goldine’s attention to detail is everywhere, especially in the spaces where you spend time winding down after the day. The rooms, the bar, and the dinner areas are filled with small, thoughtful touches that make the lodge feel warm and lived-in. The moss-covered stones and jungle textures are completely natural, blending seamlessly with the lodge itself. It’s luxury, but it’s jungle luxury, comfortable, grounded, and unforced. We stayed in a junior suite, and it felt less like a hotel room and more like a place you could actually live.
Fishing both inshore and offshore
We split our fishing days between offshore and inshore trips, and the variety was hard to beat. Offshore, we tangled with sailfish, mahi-mahi, and yellowfin tuna. Inshore brought cubera snapper, African pompano, and roosterfish — the bucket list fish we were after.
Our guides, Tito and Javier, were unreal. Calm, knowledgeable, and completely in tune with the water. As someone who grew up fishing and now works as a freelance videographer and photographer in the fishing world, I notice the little things. Boat positioning. Reading the radar, locating birds and dolphins to put us on tuna. Knowing when to stay put and when to move. They were locked in every day.
Seeing the place through a filmmaker’s eye
Even though this wasn’t a work trip, I couldn’t help myself. I brought some camera gear and put together a small video while we were there. When you spend your life shooting fishing and travel content, your eye never really shuts off.
The way the sun cuts through the coconut palms in the morning. The ocean breeze moving the palm fronds and flowers. Moss-covered stones along the walkways. Leafcutter ants crossing the path right in front of you. Scarlet macaws flying overhead in loud, unmistakable pairs. Monkeys moving through the trees like they own the place. These are the details that make a place feel alive, and Zancudo is full of them.
That little video ended up being the start of a real relationship with Gregg, owner of the lodge. A natural, mutual connection built on trust, creativity, and a shared love for the place.
More than just fishing
Some of the most memorable moments had nothing to do with rods or reels. One day we went canyoning, hiking deep into the jungle, climbing over rocks and cliffs, and rappelling down waterfalls to get back to the truck. It was terrifying, exhausting, and one of the most rewarding things we’ve ever done together.
Every evening ended the same way. Incredible dinners, thoughtful cocktails, and staff who somehow remembered your name, what you like to drink, and what you don’t like to eat. From the second we arrived, the team treated us like family. That kind of care sticks with you.
And every day, without fail, we walked the beach looking for sea beans. It’s something we love doing back home in Florida. Nature’s little collectible treasures, scattered along the shoreline, tying this place back to the waters we know.
The departure we didn’t expect
Just when we thought the trip had given us everything it had, it threw one last curveball.
As we were getting ready to leave, our plane ended up with a flat tire, grounding us and nearly causing us to miss our flight home. To make things more interesting, our plane was blocking the runway in Golfito. The solution? A replacement tire had to be flown in from San José to Puerto Jiménez, boated across the bay, and installed on the runway before anyone could move.
Somewhere in the middle of the chaos, while waiting on the tarmac, I spotted my first toucan ever. Stressful in the moment, unforgettable in hindsight, and somehow the perfect ending to a trip defined by adventure.
Why this trip mattered
At that point in my life, this was the biggest trip I’d ever taken. It blended everything I love; fishing, travel, storytelling, and time with the person I love most. It reinforced why I do what I do and why I’ve chosen to build a career around fishing and marine storytelling.
The Zancudo Lodge isn’t just a fishing destination. It’s a place that stays with you. A place built by people who genuinely care, in an environment that reminds you to slow down and pay attention.
This was our honeymoon, but it was also the beginning of a lot of things that came after.