El Avión, Aircraft restaurant in Manuel Antonio, Costa Rica.
El Avión is a restaurant in Aguirre, Costa Rica, built around a converted C-123 Fairchild cargo plane set on a cliff above the Pacific Ocean. Seating is available both inside the fuselage and on open terraces that face the water.
The plane was brought to this site in 2000, transported in sections because the local roads could not handle it whole. Before arriving in Costa Rica, the aircraft had been used for cargo flights across Central America.
The menu centers on fresh seafood caught locally, which reflects the coastal way of life in this part of Costa Rica. Eating here feels connected to the ocean in a way that goes beyond the view alone.
The restaurant sits off the main road and reaching the cliff-side seating involves stairs and some uneven ground, so comfortable footwear helps. The indoor section offers shade while the outdoor terraces are open to sun and sea breeze.
The original cockpit is accessible to visitors and still holds the authentic flight instruments in place, exactly as they were used. It is rare to sit inside a working cockpit from a plane that genuinely flew commercial cargo routes.
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