Chorotega Culture You Can Taste: Coffee, Sugar Cane & Wood-Oven Bakes
A taste of Guanacaste’s living heritage
At the foothills of Rincón de la Vieja, Vandara (soon Rincón Thermal Springs & Adventures) celebrates Chorotega culture in Costa Rica through flavors that shaped traditional Guanacaste food: hand-brewed café chorreado, a sugar cane to guaro demo, and warm wood-oven bakes—rosquillas guanacastecas, tamal asado, and empanadas de queso—fresh from the horno de leña. It’s a sensory journey you can sip, savor, and share near the Rincón hot springs.
Tip: The Cultural Experience is included in both the Nature Pass and Explorer Pass.
Café chorreado: the ritual in a cup
The chorreador—a simple wooden stand with a cloth filter—turns brewing into ceremony.
What you’ll see & taste
- Fresh grind: Medium–coarse to preserve natural sweetness.
- Bloom: A small pour releases cacao, panela, and spice aromas.
- Slow pour: Hot water through the cloth manga yields a clean, velvety cup.
- Traditional touch: Enjoy it black or with a hint of raw cane sugar.
Why it’s important to Guanacaste
Café chorreado is more than a method—it’s Chorotega hospitality. The slow pour invites conversation and connection, the way families in Guanacaste, Costa Rica have welcomed guests for generations.
Wood-oven bakes: rosquillas, tamal asado, empanadas de queso
The horno de leña is the heart of Guanacaste cuisine. Expect bold aromas and golden crusts only a wood-fired oven can create.
What’s coming out hot
- Rosquillas guanacastecas (corn-and-cheese rings): lightly smoky—perfect with coffee.
- Empanadas de queso: tender masa, molten center.
- Tamal asado: rustic baked corn custard—sliceable and addictive.
Why it’s important to Guanacaste
Beyond flavor, the horno de leña symbolizes community—neighbors baking together, sharing stories, and passing recipes down through generations of Chorotega tradition.
From sugar cane… to guaro (Costa Rica’s cane liquor)
Sugar cane has long fueled Guanacaste’s kitchens and celebrations. At Vandara, you’ll follow the journey from stalk to sip in our sugar cane to guaro demo.
Live demo highlights
- Trapiche press: Watch cane crushed into fresh jugo de caña—naturally sweet and refreshing.
- Traditional process: See how juice becomes melcocha, panela, and—through fermentation and distillation—guaro.
- Responsible tasting: Optional and served responsibly; non-alcoholic cane juice always available.
- How to toast: Arriba, abajo, pa’ centro y pa’ dentro.
Meet Caramelo (the star of Vandara)
Spot Caramelo the ox and you’re seeing a living link to rural Guanacaste culture. Oxen have long supported agriculture and transport; today, Caramelo helps tell the story of Chorotega heritage.
Design your perfect culture-first day
Short & relaxing (2–3 hours)
Cultural Experience demo → café chorreado → pastry tasting → quick hot-springs soak.
Best pass: Nature Pass for an easy, wellness-forward visit.
Make it a full day
- Morning: Cultural Experience + wood-oven bakes
- Midday: Thermal pools + volcanic mud
- Afternoon: Add zipline, horseback riding, or the jungle waterslide
Best pass: Explorer Pass to blend flavor + adrenaline.
From café chorreado and wood-oven bakes to our sugar cane to guaro demo, Vandara gathers the essence of Chorotega culture in Costa Rica into one delicious day near Rincón de la Vieja. Come for the hot springs and traditional Guanacaste food; stay for the stories, aromas, and hands-on traditions that turn tastes into memories. Choose the Nature Pass for a culture-and-wellness escape, or the Explorer Pass to pair flavors with adventure—either way, you’ll leave with a deeper connection to Guanacaste’s living heritage.