For years it had been a dream to stay in Hotel Coste Verde in Costa Rica, a hotel in the jungle converted from an old airplane.  However, this place books up fast and so crushingly, this was a no go. But then it turned up, that wasn’t the only converted plane in Costa Rica and in fact there is one, much easier to visit, just up the road. I’d like to say that I found this by indepth research, but in fact we just drove past it on the way to our hotel just outside Manuel Antonio park.

Not far up the road from Costa Rica’s probably most famous park (and when I say up – it is steeply uphill most of the way!) is Manuel Antonio Village.  A great place for finding great restaurants and bars. This is where you find El Avion a restaurant bar, built around a converted Fairchild C-123 airplane, with the nose poking out, welcoming you from the road.

The location they picked could not be more perfect – the views over the jungle down to the sea are perfect to watch the sun go down over the Pacific ocean and it is the evenings where the local red macaw parrots are at their most lively and often put on a sweeping show along the cliffs and trees below.

The plane is placed through the centre, but the building is actually really large with great views or something of interest from almost any corner and there’s just bags of atmosphere! They do love a fairylight in costa rica – after my own heart!

The history of the plane, alone makes this an interesting visit – related to the Reagan Administration Iran-Contra Affair in Nicaragua of the 198s. This C-123s ended up abandoned at the International Airport in San José and moved to it’s current resting place in 2000.

The fuselage itself is a separate bar area ‘El Avión Pub’.  Running the length of the plain, this is a destination on its own.


You could definitely come multiple times and chop and change where you sit and see experience different things each time.

I definitely went for the quirk and it doesn’t let you down, and one of the most amazing thing about this place is no doubt the insanely incredible view!