Belated trip report--February 2008 (pt. 1)
Apr 13th, 2008, 09:30 AM
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Belated trip report--February 2008 (pt. 1)
Places: Central Valley, Arenal, Monteverde, Montezuma
Airline: TACA The plane was fine for the distance, but was a bit uncomfortable for an overnight flight.
Rental car: Suzuki Ignis from Tricolor. They delivered the car to our hotel, provided a great rate, and didn't try to jack us for any small dents or scratches. I'd recommend getting an Internet quote from them before looking at anyone else. The Ignis handled everything we could ask it to, but at the same time we'd probably get something with more oomph next time.
Central Valley (days 1-3):
Hotel: Orquideas Inn. Great place, convenient jumping off point for the area attractions. Very comfortable room, lovely grounds, and a great restaurant (we wound up eating dinner there all three nights--not worth it to drive at night).
Day one: We went to Zoo Ave first--which was a good experience. True, these are birds in cages (for the most part) but at the same time it gives you a chance to see them up close so that if you see then at a distance later on you don't feel 'cheated.' We then headed over to Grecia/Sarchi. This part we would not recommend so highly--the drive to and fro isn't the easiest, and Grecia is especially tricky to navigate through--the roads are very poorly marked. Also, the church square in Grecia was overrun with visitors. Sarchi was a little better, and seeing a workshop where they decorate oxcart wheels was pretty cool--as was the shopping.
Day 2: Whitewafter rafting on the Rio Pacuare, with Rios Tropicales. This was a great experience. Two recommendations: (1)bring a waterproof disposable camera if you don't have a waterproof camera already and (2)don't let the most inexperienced rafters sit in the front of the raft. The Pacuare is a gorgeous river, and I'd recommend that folks experience it before they build a dam on it.
Day 3: Poas and La Paz Waterfall Gardens. It's a very good idea to hit Poas early. We got there early enough to hit the 5 minutes of clear visibility for the crater--for the entire week! I'd definitely recommend hitting it during the week--we had no choice but to hit it during the weekend, and it was crowded. It's worth the trip up for Botos lagoon and the bird trail, which is sublime if you can grab some time alone on it and wait for the birds to emerge.
La Paz is also something definitely worth doing. They've added an aviary now, which contains many birds--everything from scarlet macaws to bay-headed tanagers to several kinds of toucans. You can also check out quite a few birds as they are fed right in front of the restaurant. There's so much to do there--the aviary, frog exhibit, butterfly garden, snake collection, hummingbird gallery, etc. And those are all ancillary to the waterfall trail, which is like some kind of fantasyland. It's incredibly easy to take postcard quality photos there. The only bummer is that you have to leave the grounds to see the final waterfall--the shuttle to the lodge is further up the mountain/hill. Overall, La Paz is worth every penny of the money you have to spend there (though the lunch buffet is pretty bland and unremarkable).
Two notes for driving in this area: If you love strawberries, you can buy them in about a dozen places along the road. Also, fog can be a big problem for driving.
Arenal (days 4-5)
Day 4: We drove from Alajuela to Arenal through Grecia/Sarchi et al. The roads were fine, but fog again was a big problem. So long as you slow down, nothing insurmountable. We stopped in Zarcero for the obligatory gawking at the topiaries there. It really is a fascinating display, and another spot where amateur photogs realy can't go wrong. We arrived at the Lodge around 12:30 only to find that our room wouldn't be ready until 3. No problem, as the restaurant and deck provided amazing views of the volcano, which was almost fully visible. Also part of the spectable where the wide variety of birds--including a ton of Montezuma's Oropendolas with their bizarre song--and mischievous coatis. We were ready to take the afternoon hike, but about 20 minutes before it was to begin the howler monkeys began making a lot of noise, which mean that rain was on the way. So, no hike. This was especially a bummer since we had a Smithsonian room that night (one with a view of the volcano). We had a lovely view of clouds that evening. Grrrrrr. Topping it off was the fact that the restaurant at the Lodge served the worst food we had in Costa Rica for dinner (breakfast and lunch are pretty good there, however).
Day 5: Cano Negro/Baldi. To start with, I'll note that if you can make reservations without going through the Lodge, do so! We emailed them months in advance to see if they could make reservations for Eco Thermales. They told us they could do that when we got there. Of course, when we got there, there was no space available. Oh well.
Anyways, we were booked through Canoa for the Cano Negro trip. Our guide Danny was excellent and enthusiastic, and the driver has an amazing ability to spot toucans and sloths while driving. Seating on the bus up there was cramped, at best. But, the Rio Frio was worth that discomfort. There were caymans EVERYWHERE--we saw dozens if not hundreds. We also saw squirrel and howler monkeys, and a whole host of water birds. We also saw some more exotic birds, like the Purple Gallinule, a female slaty-tailed trogon, a boat-billed heron, and a Great Potoo. After returning to La Fortuna, we went straight to Baldi, which was better than we thought it would be--the key being to head uphill and away from the cheesy scene near the entrance. The further uphill you went, the hotter the water and the more serene and relaxing the surroundings got. Also, the Italian restaurant up on the hill is much more reasonably priced than the one at the entrance (though they jack you on soda--drink water instead).
That night, we got lucky and the clouds lifted, and we were able to see Arenal's eruptions at nights. We could see the boulders--glowing fiery red--tumbling down the side of the volcano and shooting off sparks. It definitely was a highlight of the trip. (Note that our second night we spent in a standard room, which was much bigger and much cheaper than a Smithsonian room, because you had to go on your balcony to see the volcano).
Overall, I wish we had spent more time in Arenal. But, as you'll see in part 2, it's hard to see where we would have taken the time from.
Airline: TACA The plane was fine for the distance, but was a bit uncomfortable for an overnight flight.
Rental car: Suzuki Ignis from Tricolor. They delivered the car to our hotel, provided a great rate, and didn't try to jack us for any small dents or scratches. I'd recommend getting an Internet quote from them before looking at anyone else. The Ignis handled everything we could ask it to, but at the same time we'd probably get something with more oomph next time.
Central Valley (days 1-3):
Hotel: Orquideas Inn. Great place, convenient jumping off point for the area attractions. Very comfortable room, lovely grounds, and a great restaurant (we wound up eating dinner there all three nights--not worth it to drive at night).
Day one: We went to Zoo Ave first--which was a good experience. True, these are birds in cages (for the most part) but at the same time it gives you a chance to see them up close so that if you see then at a distance later on you don't feel 'cheated.' We then headed over to Grecia/Sarchi. This part we would not recommend so highly--the drive to and fro isn't the easiest, and Grecia is especially tricky to navigate through--the roads are very poorly marked. Also, the church square in Grecia was overrun with visitors. Sarchi was a little better, and seeing a workshop where they decorate oxcart wheels was pretty cool--as was the shopping.
Day 2: Whitewafter rafting on the Rio Pacuare, with Rios Tropicales. This was a great experience. Two recommendations: (1)bring a waterproof disposable camera if you don't have a waterproof camera already and (2)don't let the most inexperienced rafters sit in the front of the raft. The Pacuare is a gorgeous river, and I'd recommend that folks experience it before they build a dam on it.
Day 3: Poas and La Paz Waterfall Gardens. It's a very good idea to hit Poas early. We got there early enough to hit the 5 minutes of clear visibility for the crater--for the entire week! I'd definitely recommend hitting it during the week--we had no choice but to hit it during the weekend, and it was crowded. It's worth the trip up for Botos lagoon and the bird trail, which is sublime if you can grab some time alone on it and wait for the birds to emerge.
La Paz is also something definitely worth doing. They've added an aviary now, which contains many birds--everything from scarlet macaws to bay-headed tanagers to several kinds of toucans. You can also check out quite a few birds as they are fed right in front of the restaurant. There's so much to do there--the aviary, frog exhibit, butterfly garden, snake collection, hummingbird gallery, etc. And those are all ancillary to the waterfall trail, which is like some kind of fantasyland. It's incredibly easy to take postcard quality photos there. The only bummer is that you have to leave the grounds to see the final waterfall--the shuttle to the lodge is further up the mountain/hill. Overall, La Paz is worth every penny of the money you have to spend there (though the lunch buffet is pretty bland and unremarkable).
Two notes for driving in this area: If you love strawberries, you can buy them in about a dozen places along the road. Also, fog can be a big problem for driving.
Arenal (days 4-5)
Day 4: We drove from Alajuela to Arenal through Grecia/Sarchi et al. The roads were fine, but fog again was a big problem. So long as you slow down, nothing insurmountable. We stopped in Zarcero for the obligatory gawking at the topiaries there. It really is a fascinating display, and another spot where amateur photogs realy can't go wrong. We arrived at the Lodge around 12:30 only to find that our room wouldn't be ready until 3. No problem, as the restaurant and deck provided amazing views of the volcano, which was almost fully visible. Also part of the spectable where the wide variety of birds--including a ton of Montezuma's Oropendolas with their bizarre song--and mischievous coatis. We were ready to take the afternoon hike, but about 20 minutes before it was to begin the howler monkeys began making a lot of noise, which mean that rain was on the way. So, no hike. This was especially a bummer since we had a Smithsonian room that night (one with a view of the volcano). We had a lovely view of clouds that evening. Grrrrrr. Topping it off was the fact that the restaurant at the Lodge served the worst food we had in Costa Rica for dinner (breakfast and lunch are pretty good there, however).
Day 5: Cano Negro/Baldi. To start with, I'll note that if you can make reservations without going through the Lodge, do so! We emailed them months in advance to see if they could make reservations for Eco Thermales. They told us they could do that when we got there. Of course, when we got there, there was no space available. Oh well.
Anyways, we were booked through Canoa for the Cano Negro trip. Our guide Danny was excellent and enthusiastic, and the driver has an amazing ability to spot toucans and sloths while driving. Seating on the bus up there was cramped, at best. But, the Rio Frio was worth that discomfort. There were caymans EVERYWHERE--we saw dozens if not hundreds. We also saw squirrel and howler monkeys, and a whole host of water birds. We also saw some more exotic birds, like the Purple Gallinule, a female slaty-tailed trogon, a boat-billed heron, and a Great Potoo. After returning to La Fortuna, we went straight to Baldi, which was better than we thought it would be--the key being to head uphill and away from the cheesy scene near the entrance. The further uphill you went, the hotter the water and the more serene and relaxing the surroundings got. Also, the Italian restaurant up on the hill is much more reasonably priced than the one at the entrance (though they jack you on soda--drink water instead).
That night, we got lucky and the clouds lifted, and we were able to see Arenal's eruptions at nights. We could see the boulders--glowing fiery red--tumbling down the side of the volcano and shooting off sparks. It definitely was a highlight of the trip. (Note that our second night we spent in a standard room, which was much bigger and much cheaper than a Smithsonian room, because you had to go on your balcony to see the volcano).
Overall, I wish we had spent more time in Arenal. But, as you'll see in part 2, it's hard to see where we would have taken the time from.
Apr 13th, 2008, 11:06 AM
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Apr 13th, 2008, 12:53 PM
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Enjoyed your report, both part 1 and part 2! Was interesting to hear about your rooms at the Arenal Observatory Lodge. We are thinking about booking there for next March, not so much because of the lava flow, but just like the location and pictures of the grounds. So the standard room was bigger and just as nice? Am wondering if we should save a little money and skip the Smithsonian room. Too bad about the dinner not being good.
Apr 13th, 2008, 07:43 PM
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JC:
The grounds are indeed why we'd insist on staying there next time. You have direct and immediate access to Arenal National Park, which is becoming a sanctuary or Noah's ark for all kinds of wildlife.
Tough call on Smithsonian vs. standard room. If you really don't care about seeing eruptions, the standard room is a better bet. But, the view of the volcano from the Smithsonian rooms is truly remarkable.
Yes, the dinner sucked. I got the curry sauce, which tasted like Velveeta. My wife got chicken parm, which tasted like Chef Boy-Ar-Dee.
Even the cheesecake was blah.
If you can get a burger or something, go for it. The burger I had for lunch was all right. If you can eat in town, so much the better.
We didn't go to Costa Rica for the food, though, and we're eager to return to the AOL.
The grounds are indeed why we'd insist on staying there next time. You have direct and immediate access to Arenal National Park, which is becoming a sanctuary or Noah's ark for all kinds of wildlife.
Tough call on Smithsonian vs. standard room. If you really don't care about seeing eruptions, the standard room is a better bet. But, the view of the volcano from the Smithsonian rooms is truly remarkable.
Yes, the dinner sucked. I got the curry sauce, which tasted like Velveeta. My wife got chicken parm, which tasted like Chef Boy-Ar-Dee.
Even the cheesecake was blah.
If you can get a burger or something, go for it. The burger I had for lunch was all right. If you can eat in town, so much the better.
We didn't go to Costa Rica for the food, though, and we're eager to return to the AOL.
Apr 15th, 2008, 09:04 PM
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So, you have stayed at Ylang Ylang and loved it! That is good news for me because I have decided to hold my wedding there next February. Did you stay in one of the domes? I have booked all 5 for my guests, and they look so cool.
Too bad about the German couple being mugged at knifepoint!!! This is not the first time I have heard about muggings on the way to that waterfall. Is Montezuma a relatively safe place?
Too bad about the German couple being mugged at knifepoint!!! This is not the first time I have heard about muggings on the way to that waterfall. Is Montezuma a relatively safe place?
Apr 16th, 2008, 09:19 AM
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Montezuma itself is perfectly safe.
To be quite honest, I'd be more worried about the footing than muggers there. I suspect the Germans were easy marks--they had their passports on them (WTF?). Probably not the most street smart of folks.
We loved Ylang-Ylang. The only drawback is that the swimming is a little rough in the ocean in front of it, but there's always the pool for those who crave gentler waters.
To be quite honest, I'd be more worried about the footing than muggers there. I suspect the Germans were easy marks--they had their passports on them (WTF?). Probably not the most street smart of folks.
We loved Ylang-Ylang. The only drawback is that the swimming is a little rough in the ocean in front of it, but there's always the pool for those who crave gentler waters.
Apr 22nd, 2008, 02:40 PM
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Sounds like a great trip, you really packed in the sights! A quick question for you:
Did you get picked up from the Orquideas Inn for your rafting trip to the Pacuare? I'm thinking of spending our first night there as well, and rafting on day 2. Also, did you reserve this trip through the Rios Tropicales website, the hotel, or some other way?
Did you get picked up from the Orquideas Inn for your rafting trip to the Pacuare? I'm thinking of spending our first night there as well, and rafting on day 2. Also, did you reserve this trip through the Rios Tropicales website, the hotel, or some other way?
Apr 22nd, 2008, 03:25 PM
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Thanks for the great report, RAC. We’re staying in many of the same locations and are just starting to think about activities for a trip to Costa Rica this summer.
I haven’t read that much about Zoo Avenue in this forum and we are considering do that in July. But, we can only fit it in on the day before our departure. Do you think you’d enjoy it as much if it were at the end of the trip? It means we’ll have to leave MA earlier than originally planned to fit it in, so we’re undecided.
We’re also staying at both Orquedias and at Peace Lodge, and I can’t get enough of the positive posts about both. We’ll make sure to see the aviary at PL.
You had great sightings at Cano Negro. I’ve read several threads where people say that it’s a must if you go to Arenal. Glad you got to see the eruptions. You mention wanting more time in Arenal. You were only there for two nights, right? We’re only planning for two nights, but like you can’t figure out where we would take a night from elsewhere.
OK, now I’m going to read part 2.
I haven’t read that much about Zoo Avenue in this forum and we are considering do that in July. But, we can only fit it in on the day before our departure. Do you think you’d enjoy it as much if it were at the end of the trip? It means we’ll have to leave MA earlier than originally planned to fit it in, so we’re undecided.
We’re also staying at both Orquedias and at Peace Lodge, and I can’t get enough of the positive posts about both. We’ll make sure to see the aviary at PL.
You had great sightings at Cano Negro. I’ve read several threads where people say that it’s a must if you go to Arenal. Glad you got to see the eruptions. You mention wanting more time in Arenal. You were only there for two nights, right? We’re only planning for two nights, but like you can’t figure out where we would take a night from elsewhere.
OK, now I’m going to read part 2.
Apr 22nd, 2008, 06:15 PM
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Dana: Zoo Ave is worth checking out, I'd say. You won't get a chance to see all of those birds close up. Caymans too.
We probably should have just added another day to the trip.
Chrissy:
We were picked up by Rios Tropicales at 5:45 am. We reserved through the website.
We probably should have just added another day to the trip.
Chrissy:
We were picked up by Rios Tropicales at 5:45 am. We reserved through the website.
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