I think three nights Tortuguero might be too long. We have gone twice with Fran & Modesto Watson www.tortuguerocanals.com with a two night package at Laguna Lodge. We love boating in and out and wouldn't consider flying there, but people often do to save time. Laguna would be nice for your boys since there are two large pools, one for adults only. Although Laguna is located directly on the beach (most lodges are not) it is not consider a swimmable beach due to currents and sharks.

I think you'll be too early for any turtle nesting in Tortuguero, believe it begins around end of July, but it is still a magical place.

Re: Osa - your budget of $150/night is going to leave out the most popular lodges such as Bosque del Cabo. You could check into Cabinas Jimenez which is in town and lower priced.

I haven't been past BdC so am not familiar with the lodges closer to Corcovado, but know that Lookout Inn is popular, not sure on pricing. I think you are going to have to up your budget?? Many of the lodges are packages to include 3 meals per day.

Although June is considered rainy season, it generally rains late afternoon and evenings.

Since you mentioned you are going to have plenty of beach/jungle time in Montezuma and are looking for other unique things - both Corcovado and Tortuguero would seem to offer the same. Have you thought about the cloud forests - you could check out Paraiso del Quetzal near San Gerardo de Dota or at Monteverde. Another less visited region is Rio Celeste/Tenorio National Park.

Good luck with your planning!

We've been to the Osa in July and despite its being rainy season, we didn't get a single drop of rain. It can be unpredictable, but I'd still going during your time frame. I agree with col that I'd probably do two nights in Tortuguero; that was about right for us, and you're going to be pretty early for turtles. They run July-October. Have you thought about going to Arenal at all? There's so much to see and do there - hot springs, Cano Negro, waterfall, ziplining, Hanging Bridges, etc.

You have received good advice. I agree with colobri about the boat to/from Tortuugero. Taking a bus eliminates one of the great aspects of this trip, the ride through the ocean and canals. Fran and Modesto Watson are excellent guides for this area.

When you say bus to Tortuguero, you can't take a bus all the way there, can you? Don't you have to switch to a boat at some point?

We boated in and saw a lot of neat wildlife on the canals and then we flew out on Sansa in the interest of time.

VG - there are a few different docks for Tortuguero, but no, you can't bus in all the way. Some lodges use docks that are only an hour and a half or so from Tortuguero, while Fran and Modesto Watson use a dock at Moin giving us a three hour trip through the rivers and viewpoints of the ocean.

Hi! Slightly confused about the Montezuma part. Are you vacationing there or do you live there? It looks like vacationing (when I count up the days).

While Montezuma is awesome, I was just having a hard time why you are starting and ending there since Montezuma is kind of out of the way. ("Tortuguero, loop back to San Jose, to Puntarenas, ferry to Paquero. Back to Montezuma" is a trip, just SJ to Montezuma is 5-ish hours)

Gary

And I asked my question, but didn't give any tips for Montezuma. Here's a few links of mine specifically about Montezuma (photos, stories, videos, interactive 360/720 panoramas).

I love this area so much, I even created a photo site, just for that area of Costa Rica http://MontezumaPacific.com/

I blogged about lots of my trips at my blog http://GarySaid.com/tags/montezuma/ you can search there for "Costa Rica" too. The stories are probably more detailed in the past, since I've been there SO many times, I tend to not write as much now...

A few dozen of my videos at YouTube of Montezuma http://www.youtube.com/user/garylapointe/videos?query=montezuma

And some cool 720(?) degree 3D-ish PhotoSynths at http://photosynth.net/userprofilepage.aspx?user=garylapointe&content=Synths
but I don't know how to restrict to just Montezuma (but I'd guess half are from Costa Rica) so you might have to flip pages because I've got some AWESOME ones of the waterfalls (including from the edge of the top of the 90 foot one looking down and up the 40 foot upper falls!).

Once I'm in Montezuma, usually the only thing I want a car for is to go over to watch the sunset on the other side (the easiest way is via Cabo Blanco, but I've read there is a shortcut through Delicias that I haven't done yet, so ask if adventurous). Otherwise, I don't really use it. So if you do get an ATV rental for a day, be sure to catch sunset in St. Teresa.

Let's see: Cabo Blanco (this is one of the most preserved parks in the country) is closed Monday and Tuesday, there is a bus from town at 8am or 8:20-ish and it drops you off at the bottom of the driveway, not at the entrance (maybe a kilometer away?), if you don't have a car (if you have a car, be there at 7:59 so that you can get in before the noisy tourists show up). It's beautiful there but VERY hilly. No climbing with your hands but it's VERY steep up and down (they've put in cement blocks). You only have two choices there. a 75-90 minutes loop or and 2 hour walk to the beach (and 2 hours back). FYI, Even the short loop at Cabo Blanco is much harder than climbing to the upper falls in Montezuma.

Gary