gpav

Hi Everyone!

We are two friends (1 male, 1 female) in our early 30s travelling to Costa Rica from NYC at the end of August. I've never travelled here and am finding our planning a bit daunting. Please check out our tentative itinerary and let me know what you think.

Our goal is a bit of adventure (water raft, zip lines, horseback), hiking in some beauty, and then relaxing at a highend space more at the end of the trip. Maybe some partying would be fun too!

We don't plan to rent a car and will need to deal with arrangign transfers.

I have an A/B option in the beginning depending on when we raft (if this is indeed, a good time to raft).we aren't experts but have each done it before and would like to do it again. also not sure whether to stay in san jose or skip it.

SUN--A) arrive San Jose, spend night in city..... B) arrive san jose go to Alejuela?

MON- A) leave San Jose for Lower Pacuare river raft / eve arrive La Fortuna/Arenal.....
[start in san jose, raft, go to la fortuna (if possible)]. possible tour operators:
http://www.exploradoresoutdoors.com/...e-rafting.html
B) leave Alejuela for La Fortuna/Arenal...activity (hiking, horse, zip. spring)


TUES - A) La Fortuna (hiking, horse, zip, springs).......
B) AM wateraft to rio sarapiqui or rio toro, PM springs?
possible tour operators:
http://www.desafiocostarica.com/riotoro.htm
http://www.aguas-bravas.co.cr/raftinging.html


WED - (hiking horse, zip), afternoon to Manuel Antonio?

THURS-Manuel Antonio rainforest and beach (activites as necessary)

FRI - same

SAT- leave for Alejuela

SUN-8ayem flight


Additionally, I'm a gay man and my friend is straight. So if anywhere has a mixed crowd or options for both of us all the better..but figure this is unlikely and have no problem staying on the straight and narrow.

Also here are some hotel ideas. Let me know if you have any opinions.



San Jose: No idea! Hotel Aranjuez, Hotel Milvia, posado el quijote. (maybe it would be nice to be relatively near the action so we can explore the first night, or should we skip San jose?)

Arenal/La Fortuna: Hotel Arenal Kioro, Hotel Arenal Jirah, Lost Iguana, Tobacan, Volcano Lodge, Palo Verde Resort, Arenal Volcano Inn

Manuel Antonio: Buena Vista villas, tulemar villas, costa verde, hotel parador.

Alejuela: Hotel Buena Vista, Pure Vida Hotel, Hotel Brilla Sol (but we hav an early AM flight so figure it's better to depart through here?

is not having a car going to be a big problem for these places?

THANK YOU FOR ANY ADVICE YOU HAVE. I'm usually really thorough about travel plans and we just booked this recently. So any advice is great!!!

guanacaste

stay at costa verde in manuel antonio, itīs the `gay townīin costa rica but not in yer face:

http://costa.rica.typepad.com/manuel...ome/index.html

spend as littlke time as possible in san jose, itīs a dump!!

in la fortuna, aguas bravas are the best river rafting operator but in rainy season it can run fast so be ready
la fortuna is great plenty to see and do, skip Tabacon itīs ridicuosly overpriced and crowded, go to the springs accross the road, or my favoprite, Eco Thermnales:

http://costa-rica.typepad.com/la_for...ome/index.html

gpav

Thank you for the Costa Verde and Eco Thermales advice. Excellent! We will try to stay in San Jose for one day, tops, if you think Alejuela is preferable.

I received an email from Exploradores Outdoors who can pick us up (yikes at 6am!) from San Jose the first day, take us rafting on the Pacuare River and then drop us off in La Fortuna afterwards. Would you still recommend Aguas Bravas in La Fortuna instead?

acctg

Have you considered contacting Pat Hewitt, who is highly recommended around here, to do all this arranging for you? We have found him to be invaluable.

www.lovescostarica.com

guanacaste

iīdonīt know that operator so i canīt comment and yes stay in Alejuela as it is nearer to the airport.

travel_advisor

I know the Manuel Antonio area, and I can tell you that Buena Vista Villas are very nice, and not only because they have access to a private beach. Read their reviewon Trip Advisor.