steviegene

Hi there all,

We are in the very early stages of planning a trip in March -- we are a 30year old couple who needs to get away.

I will (hopefully) be a few months pregnant by then. While pregnant with our last baby we spent 5 days in St. John USVI -- and it was the greatest trip!! In St John I was 5 mo pregnant, and had no problems snorkeling, hiking (moderately) and was generally feeling great the whole time. We enjoyed some activities like boating, snorkeling, and some relaxation, loved our child-free fancy dinners and quiet time on the beach. So we'd like to do a similar trip and I've always wanted to go to Costa Rica!

So.... the question is, does Costa Rica seem "do" able while pregnant? What activities would definetly be off-limits, and would NOT doing them ruin my Cosa-Rica experience. Also, would I feel safe going from place to place, etc. We are thinking of taking 7-9 days -- any opinions on this or even better, recommendations of a loose itinerary taking into account my "condition" would be appreciated!!

hipvirgochick

Well, I'd definitely keep in mind March is probably the hottest time to go so you could be uncomfortable depending on how you're feeling. Hot and humid. However, there are some of the above mentioned activities you can do in CR for sure. Just weigh your options.

volcanogirl

Well, most of the things we do are pretty adventurous like ziplining and white water rafting. Like hip said, it will be pretty hot in March, so hiking might be uncomfortable. If you just wanted to relax at the beach, you could go to Manuel Antonio or a spot like that - light hiking in the park, sailing, good restaurants. I might save CR for when you can enjoy it with full gusto. Snorkeling was pretty bad though when we were there, lots of sediment in the water.

qwovadis

Think if OK with your OB you should be fine

Would just do easy fun things

at www.arenal.net and www.manuelantoniopark.com


International travel should be avoided by pregnant women with underlying medical conditions, such as diabetes or high blood pressure, or a history of complications during previous pregnancies, such as miscarriage or premature labor. For pregnant women in good health, the second trimester (14–26 weeks) is probably the safest time to go abroad and the third trimester the least safe, since it's far better not to have to deliver in a foreign country.Before going abroad, make sure you have the names and contact information for physicians, clinics, and hospitals where you can obtain emergency obstetric care if necessary. In general, pregnant women should avoid traveling to countries which do not have modern facilities for the management of premature labor and other complications of pregnancy.

CIMA Clinic in Escazu best expat clinic in CR for me..

centrotraveler

Have you checked w/your local health dept.? "Traveling clinic" you can get info. on vaccines that are recommended for your trip. (depending on the area of travel). You can share your concerns and safety of your pregnancy with them also and they can let you know which vaccines are safe to get, etc... Absolutely a beautiful place to travel to and very friendly people. If your looking for great scenery/tranquility I would highly recommend CR!!!!!

steviegene

Ok, so how hot is it? Is it better in Jan or Feb?

If I had 7-8 days and wanted to spend some time on beach and some on a little roadtrip seeing the rainforest/volcanoes what would you recommend? I don't think I'd want to stay overnight in more than 3 places. Manuel Antonio and where else? Arenal?

Thanks!

volcanogirl

Yep, Manuel Antonio and Arenal would be a great combo for you. That's what we did for our first trip. Arenal has a lot of adventure activities, but you could enjoy the Cano Negro tour to see wildlife. If you feel up to it, you could hike to the bottom of the waterfall - very pretty there. There are nice natural hot springs if your doc says it's okay to enjoy them. In MA, you could enjoy the beach and the wildlife inside the park and do a mangrove tour and sail.

steviegene

Thanks volcanogirl! How long is the drive to Arenal from Manuel Antonio? And if we had 7 days how many do you think we should stay in ARenal?
How is this itinerary
Day One arrive and drive to Arenal
Day Two Arenal
Day Three Arenal
Day Four drive to MA
Day 5 MA
Day 6 Ma
Day 7 Drive to City and stay near airport
Day 8 Depart.

volcanogirl

It's about a three hour drive from SJO to Arenal and five hours or so from Arenal to MA. Be sure to stop at the Rio Tarcoles bridge to see the big crocs down below. I think your schedule looks great. We like both Xandari and the Peace Lodge for our last day - very relaxing properties.

steviegene

Can anyone else comment on this?

I am really torn what to do.
Ive always wanted to go to CR, and the flights work out really, really well (we have to fly from NYC to Orlando to drop off baby with grandma -- and jetblue has a reasonable flight direct from Orlando to San Jose.... and there are just not a lot of direct flights out of Orlando!)

But Im worried that being limited by pregnancy will really kill the fun. Like will I have anything I can do when in the jungle part of the trip? Does anyone know of activities and tours I COULD do -- that maybe aren't so adventure oriented?

thanks!

shillmac

I can't really think of any reason to think that your pregnancy will in any way take away from your Costa Rica experience. There is plenty to do for all age levels and conditions. You'd enjoy river cruises instead of white water, hanging bridges instead of ziplines, etc. It'll be a great get away for you.

steviegene

Thanks everyone for your responses.

We are now going the second week of March for 8 days, and I am a bit concerned about the weather. But I really want to go to Costa Rica.

Does anyone else have any comments or suggestions on this itinerary below.....
Im making hotel reservations and am a bit nervous to take the plunge. Does 3 nights in Arenal seem like too much? Does this schedule seem to busy?
Any other suggestions for activities in Manual Antonio safe for a pregnant lady?

Thanks!!!!

Day 1: arrive 130pm and drive to Arenal (stay at Arenal Nayara)
Day 2: Arenal - hanging bridges & hot springs
Day 3: Arenal - Monteverde Cloud Forest or Cano Negro (suggestions?)
Day 4: drive to MA, check in & beach afternoon
Day 5; MA - tour the park & beach in afternoon
Day 6: Ma - beach day & maybe snorkle tour or boat tour in afternoon?
Day 7: MA - beach in morning Drive to City in afternoon and stay near airport
Day 8: Depart 130pm

steviegene

Do I even need to stay overnight near the airport?

seawitch1

We did the Arenal/Monteverde/MA trip several years ago. If I had to choose between Monteverde and Cano Negro, I would choose Cano Negro. I don't believe you can combine Arenal and Monteverde in one day. We stayed at the Lost Iguana and took the boat over to Monteverde. It was a shorter trip than driving around the lake. Even then though, there was not enough time to actually enjoy Monteverde. You would need a full day in Monteverde to visit the cloud forest. Cano Negro on the other hand, you can do in one day while in the Arenal area.

shillmac

With that 1:30 departure, it would be a lot safer to come in the evening before and stay nearby. Stay someplace really nice like Xandari, so you can have that last bit of 'luxe before flying out the next day.

Don't worry about the weather--it should be great. Hot at the beach, wonderful at Arenal. 3 nights Arenal is NOT too much--just right or maybe even 1 night short. Do Cano Negro--it's awesome!

Have fun--congratulations and safe travels! You'll be bringing that little one back one day to show him/her this beautiful country! Very child friendly!

steviegene

oh, I had no idea that the cloud forest was not near Arenal!
Im guessing that I'll have to skip it then.... hmmm.


In Arenal do my activities seem doable - combining hanging bridges with hot springs.
Is it worth going to Cano Negro -- or should I spend that day doing something closer to the Arenal area?

Thanks again for responses, and any further input on the itinerary!!!

volcanogirl

Definitely skip Monteverde; it's not a day trip - it's a long, bumpy road to get there, at least 3 to 4 hours each way. Cano Negro is totally worth doing. We've seen amazing wildlife there - several kinds of monkeys, birds, sloths, and caimans.

For hot springs, we love Eco Termales - very nice to have their great chicken dinner there.

AmyNYC

Hi there,
Congrats on your pregnancy and on your decision to go to CR! Since no one else has mentioned it I just wanted to note that, generally, the surf in CR (pacific side) is pretty rough. The kind of waves that knock your feet out from under you (which you might want to avoid pregnant). I've never stayed in MA, but I think I've read on the boards here that there is at least one beach in the park that is more mild...might do some research to see which one it is and if you can find a hotel nearby. And would also make sure your hotel has a pool so that you have a way to cool down if you don't make it to the beach. It will be very hot and dry so just make sure you always have lots of water with you! There is plenty to do in CR that is not dangerous, so I sure you will have a wonderful babymoon!

steviegene

Sorry another itinerary question - which may be redundant!

I found out the hotel we really had our heart set on in Arenal (hotel Nayara) is only available the first 2 nihts of our trip. So wondering if it would be out of the way or stupid, or what... if we only stayed 2 nights in Arenal, and then drove to Monteverde and stayed one night there, and then went down to Manuel Antonio. We would then skip Cano Negro, and instead spend the day driving to Monteverde and touring there, and then relaxing at our hotel in the evening.
Will this be too much driving? I mean, if we go to Cano Negro we'll be driving anyway... Im just not sure what to do.


Day 1: arrive 130pm and drive to Arenal (stay at Arenal Nayara)
Day 2: Arenal - hanging bridges & hot springs
Day 3: Drive to Monteverde in am and tour park. Relax at hotel in evening
Day 4: drive to MA, check in & beach afternoon
Day 5; MA - tour the park & beach in afternoon
Day 6: Ma - beach day & maybe snorkle tour or boat tour in afternoon?
Day 7: MA - beach in morning Drive to City in afternoon and stay near airport
Day 8: Depart 130pm

Or alternatively, does anyone have a really great hotel (like hotel nayara) near arenal with nice rooms, a pool, with private terraces. We tend to be sort of snobby about accomodations, so keep that in mind !

hipvirgochick

Personally, I would not choose 2 nights in Arenal and 1 night in Monteverde. Besides travel time, it's really not enough nights in either destination (I always suggest at least 3 in Arenal and 2 in Monteverde).

Sounds like Lost Iguana would be perfect for you and from there you might even get lucky on a clear night to see the lava flow.