Gecko Treehouse (Treevana)
One of the expertly built Treevana treehouses outside Puerto Viejo on the Caribbean side. The structure wraps around a giant Chile Madre tree, attached with two tree-friendly bolts, and you move between floors by spiral staircase — or fireman's pole if you're feeling it. Double bed on the upper level, a single Murphy bed below, so it works for a couple or a couple plus one. The shower is outdoors and heated, the WiFi is fiber-optic, and you get use of a plunge pool nearby. This stretch of the coast is sloth country; you'll likely hear howlers before your first coffee. The hosts suggest a car or a taxi for evenings out, since the grounds are dark at night. Adults only (18+), which suits the vibe: it's a quiet, screened-in perch in real jungle, not a family compound.
Finding Treevana and what the Gecko has
The Gecko is one of the treehouses at Treevana, set up in the jungle away from the busy town. The hosts suggest arriving in your own car or by taxi from town, and taxis keep running into the early hours of the morning. Lighting on the grounds is limited, so they advise against walking there after dark; plan evenings out with a ride both ways.
The hosts, Ricky, Lori and Renny, say they built every Treevana treehouse themselves, and the Gecko was their second. Inside, fans keep the air moving, and the kitchen corner has the basics: cooking utensils, filtered water, tea and coffee. There is a front deck, and hammocks hang underneath the house. The age limit of 18 comes from the height of the structure.
Guests share Casa Madre, the common house. Its plunge pool is filled with rainwater, and there is a sun deck, an outdoor shower, a lounge for films with popcorn, a foosball table, a fire pit and a deck for stargazing. It is also the place to meet people staying in the other treehouses.
The land is farmed on organic permaculture lines, with more than 150 fruit and nut trees planted alongside edible and medicinal plants, and something is fruiting all year. Toucans, sloths, howler monkeys and Morpho butterflies all turn up on the property. The other treehouses suit different parties: the Sloth is made for couples, the Green Frog was the first and took 11 months to build, mostly from wood grown on the land, the Toucan has its own tree deck and a small suspension bridge, and the Morpho hangs entirely from cables. The hosts also plan to start meditation retreats.
Treevana's home page says the business is for sale, so confirm your dates with the hosts before you plan around them: book through the link on the Gecko's page, and message the hosts on Instagram if anything about dates or arrival is unclear. Our guide to seeing sloths explains where to look for them, and the Costa Rica page lists more stays in the country.
- Treevana: The Gecko: fans, kitchen basics, filtered water, tea and coffee, front deck, hammocks, age limit and reason, booking link, read 22 October 2026
- Treevana: Casa Madre: rainwater plunge pool, sun deck, outdoor shower, film lounge, foosball, fire pit, stargazing deck, fruiting year round, wildlife, read 22 October 2026
- Treevana: Our story: hand-built by Ricky, Lori and Renny, Gecko built second, 150-plus trees, other treehouses, planned retreats, read 22 October 2026
- Treevana: How to find us: car or taxi from town, taxi hours, limited lighting, read 22 October 2026
- Treevana: home page: four treehouses listed, Instagram account, sale notice, read 22 October 2026
Puerto Viejo de Talamanca, Limón (Caribbean coast)
Photo: Rhododendrites, CC BY-SA 4.0