jennyhoag1

Hi,

My husband and I are planning a 10 day trip to Costa Rica in early April and need to stay rooted in an area for most of that time due to the use of a timeshare. The timeshare company seems to have locations in the beach areas of Guanacaste and the Central Pacific Coast near Quepos.

We've considered two ways of dividing our trip:

1) Arrive in San Jose and head to Manuel Antonio for a two day stay. Drive back to San Jose, fly to Liberia, and drive to Guanacaste for the timeshare. At some point in that week, drive to the Monteverde/Arenal Volcano National Park area for a two day stay.

2) Arrive in San Jose and drive to the Monteverde/Arenal Volcano National Park area for a two day stay. Head back to Quepos for the timeshare and stay in the area for the week.

With plan #1, we're afraid we may be biting off too much and go through the vacation feeling crazed. We also concerned Guanacaste may be brutally hot. Plan #2 seems much more manageable, but we're sad to see so little of the country. We also worry about finding 7 days of activity around Quepos.

Please help!

Thanks,
Jenny

qwovadis

Hi Jenny,

Might first consider the quality of the time share you will

be staying at if RCI the Guanacaste Villas Sol

tend to be not great but light years better than Pueblo Real

http://www.tripadvisor.com/Hotel_Rev...uepos_Province... ·

in Quepos a dodgy little fishing town pretty far away from

www.manuelantoniopark.com

So I would rent a car www.wild-rider.com

www.villasnicolas.com at the park for a night or 2

then up to Guanacaste www.papagayovargastours.com

lots to do nicer area...

Pickup www.arenal.net on my way back in to SJ.

www.hotelmountainparadise.com perhaps

So I think that would be #1 more or less.

Happy Journey,

jennyhoag1

Thanks so much for the helpful advice! Another question - How far is the drive from Guanacaste (Playa Flamingo) to Arenal? And also the drive from Arenal to San Jose?

shillmac

Quepos, adjacent to Manuel Antonio is not far away; it is about 5-10 minutes. It isn't particularly dodgy, either, as far as dodgy goes. There are some good restaurants there that you might enjoy in the evenings for a change of pace. It isn't a town where you will spend much time while in the MA area, just will pass through it just before arriving MA.

You are right in that Guanacaste typically is hot as heck during the dry season months, particularly March and April.

Still there is quite a bit to do in the area, and Vargas Tours offers some good stuff, my favorites the Mega Combo tour and Palo Verde tour.

I would probably save Monteverde for another time, unless you can do 2 full days there, usually requires 3 nights.

And Manuel Antonio needs at least 3 nights, 4 would be better.

RCI is in a nice area, Playa Hermosa, lots to explore on your own. Good restaurants right there, such as Ginger. To the south, Playa Flamingo and Playa Conchal are certainly worth a day trip for beautiful beaches and good restaurants. In Flamingo, Mar y Sol is excellent, French. Camaron Dorado in Brasilito beautiful setting, good food.

Throw in a day or two to the south along with a couple of Vargas tours and use the rest of your time to chill is a pretty good mix, along with Manuel Antonio.

shillmac

Guanacaste (Liberia) to Arenal about 3 hours give or take a few minutes depending on traffic, road conditions, whatever. Same from Arenal to SJO. We usually make it in 2.5.