Costa Rica: Sulayman & Shanika’s Romantic Escape to Makanda - 2024
February 13, 2024 — A date etched in the heart, not for any loud celebration, but for the stillness, the intention, the love.
They landed in Costa Rica, the air warm and sweet with salt, soil, and secrets. Their destination? The serene, adults-only sanctuary of Makanda by the Sea, nestled in the lush jungle canopy of Manuel Antonio, itself part of a UNESCO heritage biosphere reserve.
Sulayman Touray - Photography
From the moment they arrived, Makanda wrapped around them like silk. The suite opened out to a sweeping view of the Pacific—blue meeting green in endless conversation. Howler monkeys called from the treetops, swinging through branches like they owned the place. One baby monkey even crept close to their balcony, curious about these new lovers in its domain.
Shanika laughed and whispered, “That monkey knows what’s up.”
Sulayman pulled her close, smiling. “Even nature rooting for us.”
They spent the next day wandering waterfalls hidden in the jungle, their feet slick on moss-covered rocks, but their hands never letting go. The falls roared like wild applause as they kissed under the cascade, drenched in mist, joy, and freedom.
The hotel restaurant served dishes that felt like art on every plate. Sulayman had a grilled snapper so fresh it still tasted like the sea’s memory. Shanika sipped on a passionfruit mojito that she said "tastes like vacation in a glass." They shared grilled pineapple and dark chocolate for dessert, fingers touching, eyes dancing.
But the magic reached its peak on Valentine’s Day, February 14th—La Noche Roja, the Night of Red.
Makanda transformed. Red petals blanketed the walkways. Lanterns glowed like fireflies. Violin music floated through the air like a slow heartbeat. Guests dressed in sensual reds and soft whites, but Shanika—Lord—she wore this deep crimson satin dress that made time stop. Sulayman, suited up in linen and love, couldn’t take his eyes off her.
Their evening didn’t end at the table. Oh no.
Later that night, they slipped into swimsuits and glided onto paddleboards, launching into the dark, warm waters guided by moonlight and whispers.
Then—it happened.
The water below them began to glow. Bioluminescence. Like the ocean was full of fallen stars. Every paddle stroke shimmered with electric blue light. Their laughter echoed over the water as they traced heart shapes in the sea, glowing with every motion.
Shanika looked down and whispered, “It’s like the water’s alive.”
Sulayman, holding her hand steady on the board, replied, “So are we.”
That night, in the middle of the ocean, under constellations and over galaxies of glowing sea, they remembered something sacred:
That love—real love—don’t need noise. It just needs space. Time. Intention. And a little light in the dark.
They came back not just refreshed, but reborn.
Costa Rica didn’t just host them—it witnessed them.
