How to Eat a Pipa

Relaxing in the shade of a swaying palm, I hear a vendor hawking "pipa fria!" as he pushes his makeshift cart down the beachfront sidewalk. It's nearly noon on Playa Espadilla, one of my favorite beaches in Manuel Antonio, and the summer sun has got me parched. A nice cold drink of pipa is just what the doctor ordered -- both nutritious and rehydrating after a morning in the hot Costa Rican sun. The water from young, green coconuts is one of Mother Nature's gifts: just sweet enough, but not too saccharin, and packed with electrolytes. Leave your sports drinks at home, the clear liquid from a coconut (known as agua de pipa) contains magnesium, potassium and calcium, and at less than a $1 a pop, you can't beat the price. 

Last updated: Oct 22, 2023