Hey all! I'm new to this forum and I'm hoping for some help planning a trip to Costa Rica for 10 days. WE'll be landing and leaving from SJO. My sis and I really want to visit Manuel Antonio, Arenal, and Monteverde (and maybe tortuguero but probably not). Any other-places-of-interest suggestions are very welcome! So we'll be arriving at the airport late at night so we'd love some tips for cheap hotels near the airport at which we can stay for our first night. I'm also looking for help figuring out transportation. I figure we can start out at Monteverde for 2 nights, then arenal for 4 nights and Manuel Antonio for 3 nights and then back to san jose for our flight back. We want to travel on a shoe-string budget since we are both students working off loans, etc., but we also want to see the best of the country since this is our first vacation in forever! This is also the first time we'll be travelling alone so please, any advice from past travelers would be lovely! Thanks!
Costa Rica 10 day holiday tips?
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I've stayed at Adventure Inn on my first night on the past two trips - reasonable rates, free shuttle from SJO, great breakfast, large, clean rooms and is only about 10 minutes from the airport. http://www.adventure-inn.com/
Are you renting a car? I would probably change the itinerary to Arenal, Monteverde, Manuel Antonio. I think you would be backtracking a bit if you did it the way you are planning.
At Arenal, you could look at Arenal Green, but it's best if you have your own transportation. http://www.arenalgreen.com For Arenal, we liked EcoTermales for the thermal pools, the Hanging Bridges, Cano Negro boat trip.
At Monteverde, Arco Iris has some budget rooms, very tiny near the driveway. We stayed in a duplex cabin which we loved, but our friends were ok in the small room. http://www.arcoirislodge.com/index.html We hiked both the MV and Santa Elena reserves, did a night hike at Children's Eternal Forest and spent lots of time at the hummingbird gallery.
Try to eat some of your meals at local sodas where you can get a casado (meal of the day) with meat, rice, beans pretty cheaply.
If you are not renting a car, check out Interbus which is shuttle service and will go to all three of your locations. You can also look at Desafio's Jeep/Boat/Jeep transfer from Arenal to MV. Most tours will pickup at hotels.
Hope this helps and that you have a wonderful trip! I'm just back from trip #5 and counting the months until #6 and 7!!
Thank you so much for all the tips! We weren't planning on renting a car since we're not familiar with the roads and only my sister has a driver's license--thought it would be too much of a hassle. One more question for you since you've gone to CR 5 times (whoa!). If we have 12 days in CR, do you think it would be worth it to cut a day or two from some of the other places and do the bus-boat to Tortuguero? I initially really wanted to go to see the turtles and for the canal tours, but I'm not sure what we would see in the beginning of January in terms of that or if the place would be too crowded. Also, my sister and I are kind of divided about exploring northern CR vs. southern CR (sis really wants to see corcovado). Any thoughts on which part of the country would be more fun and accesible through public transportation? Thanks again!
Well, understand this is just my personal opinion, but I love Tortuguero and think the wildlife sightings there are the second-best in the country with the Osa Peninsula being the first. However, January is not turtle season. July-Oct. is the best time to see them there. I would not worry about crowds at Tortuguero. Because it's so remote, it's off the main tourist track. Manuel Antonio would be the most crowded of your three destinations. At Arenal the lodges are all spread out along the road and around the volcano, so it never seems crowded.
Check out Riverboat Francesca www.tortuguerocanals.com I've gone twice with Modesto and Fran Watson who are excellent guides. They'll provide transfers from a few San Jose hotels to the dock at Moin. I'm using them again in Feb.
If you are traveling on a shoestring budget then getting to the Corcovado area is difficult. It takes a good 8 hours or longer to drive depending on where you are going so most people fly on either Nature Air or Sansa. You can check Nature Air for promo fares, but you should plan on $200-$250 pp r/t unless you could get their "loco" fares which then limits you to 15 lb. luggage.
Many of the lodges are all-inclusive on the Osa, so there's not too many budget options there. Cabinas Jimenez in Puerto Jimenez is reasonable and others can tell you about options out near Carate and Corcovado. You are traveling during high season - any way you can go during green season and really save some $$? Many lodges offer 3 nights for price of 2 specials, etc.
I think there is something called Osa Shuttle, but I've never taken it. Hope this helps.