xyz99

We are considering a 2nd trip to CR next Feb (2016). The first trip was amazing: 2 weeks in Arenal (Lost Iguana), Manuel Antonio (Buenavista Villas) and Bosque del Cabo. The last couple of days were supposed to be at Peace Lodge, but the trip was too soon after the earthquake, so we had to replace those days with a last minute alternative, which was only ok.

This time, we are considering 7-10 days, and we definitely want to stay at Peace Lodge and visit Poas volcano from there. I guess that would be 3 nights? Any suggestion for 1 or 2 more destinations? I love birds, but DH does not care much for them, so we need a compromise where there are other activities we could both enjoy. No interest in zip-lining, done that once and it was enough.
We loved the Cano Negro float, loved the Manuel Antonio NP and loved BdC experience.
Would love to see turtles hatching, but I don't think Feb is the right season for it.

At this point, I am only looking for a variety of ideas...I know it will be hard to pick just another 2 destinations. So, what do you think?

volcanogirl

Maybe Monteverde? We liked Selva Verde too in the Sarapiqui area.

xyz99

Not sure about Monteverde...a lot of people say it's too hard to get there.

I've been looking at Tortuguero, Pacuare River, San Gerardo de Dota, maybe Iguana Lodge...

I would love to see quetzals and maybe explore a cloud forest, with different animals and birds than the ones we saw last time.

Selva Verde looks very nice, I'll look into it.

volcanogirl

Lots of quetzals in Monteverde. I don't really think it's hard to get there, but the road is definitely bumpy and long. Always hear good things about San Gerardo de Dota too. For me Tortuguero is better in turtle season. There aren't really many activities to do there other than ride in the canals and look for wildlife; the wildlife is excellent though if that's enough for you. Selva Verde is right on a beautiful river; that's one of the things we enjoyed about it. Lots of nice wildlife, especially toucans, and we saw howlers, and lots of poison dart frogs and red eyed tree frogs. There's some nice hiking there, and you can boat on the Sarapiqui river. La Selva is nearby and has great wildlife too.

xyz99

Ok, so we'll keep Tortuguero for another visit.
Selva Verde sounds like a big contender - we did not see many frogs last time, and would love to see them this time.
We loved the wildlife, the trails and hiking at BdC, I guess we would ultimately like to find something similar, but in a different biological area.
I'll keep Monteverde in mind and keep looking. Thanks...where are you going next?

RAC

We just got back and there are a few places you may want to consider for a good combination of birding and stuff for the non-birder.

Especially take a look at Rio Magnolia Nature Lodge--John and Maureen are great hosts, great food, magnificent property, beautiful suites, and crazy good birding (bay-headed tanagers regularly seen off our balcony, with stand-out sightings including ornate hawk eagle (flew over my head and provided some nice photos!), white-tipped sicklebill, white-crested coquette (a male has a certain bush he frequents at least once daily), black-thighed grosbeak, golden-crowned spadebill.

We did a lunch stop and 2-hour tour in Cerro de Muerte (same general region as San Gerardo)--saw 6 quetzals extremely close up (one female flew a foot over our heads). Place was Paraiso Quetzales, they have a lovely hummingbird garden (fiery-throated, magnificent, and green violet-ear hummingbirds) plus other highland treats, a cozy lodge, and cabins with great views.

Bosque del Tolomuco offers cabins in a lovely middle elevation area--the San Isidro area is just plain gorgeous. Bird highlights include red-headed barbet (female on the grounds, male at a restaurant 1 km away), collared trogon, scarlet-thighed dacnis, at least 12 species of tanagers and an equal number of hummingbirds.

Tikivillas is kind of a stealth birding location--Balinese villas, ocean views, seems very honeymoonish and not like a bird place. But, toucans and chachalacas hang around the pool, and we even saw a king vulture while in the pool.

I'll post a trip report and pictures later.

volcanogirl

RAC, did you happen to submit a birding list to the bird count this weekend? We were logging in ours, and I thought I saw yours in there. The name looked very similar.

x, we saw so many frogs there that we had to avoid stepping on them. Lots of the green and black and also the strawberry dart. Red-eyed ones right by the pond next to the dining room. We saw peccaries at La Selva. There have been pumas sighted there but very rare of course. The birding was nice. Very good guides. If you decide to stay at Selva Verde, I'd recommend requesting a room towards the back of the property back by the river.

RAC

I put mine into ebird, which funnels into the backyard bird count stats. Still going to be tweaking my entries due to some bird IDs I had questions about--darn flycatchers!

Was happy to contribute a three-wattled bellbird on Sunday!

xyz99

RAC, I was looking for 1 or 2 ideas....you gave me 4, and they are all amazing!!! Thanks a lot, I'll have to read more about each, and the ones VG mentioned, and I think I have material for a 3rd trip, too

What I'm hoping for this trip, is frogs, quetzals and hummingbirds, plus of course birds I haven't seen last time. RAC, all the ones you mentioned would be new to me, so I am excited already.

For DH, Poas (or some other volcano), nice views (any water would be great), maybe monkeys, even though we saw all 4 kinds last time, but how can you get tired of them, really?

Ohhh, three-wattled bellbird, now that's a funny name and funny looking bird. Where did you see it?

RAC

Near our lodge in the Tarcoles/Carrara area. It was a pretty frustrating morning walk of flycatchers and doves when I saw a chestnut-bodied and white-headed bird glide in. 5 minutes after he left a crane hawk landed about 25 yards away.

Highlands/middle elevation are definitely the place for quetzals and hummingbirds.

Melissa5

xyz99, we just got back from Costa Rica as well! You may be interested in our driver/guide, who is an avid birder. Neither of us are birders, but my hubs is a biologist. Our driver/guide took us to Poas & La Paz Waterfall Gardens, and also to Carara (2 day-trips.) He knew where to stop for birds, including a Quetzal, and many birds near La Paz Waterfall Gardens. If you are interested PM me for his email. (He picked us up from our hotel in the central valley.) He is a licensed guide for anywhere in Costa Rica (not just a regional focus).

We also returned for a 2nd stay at Bosque del Cabo. Will be posting trip report soon. February was noticably hotter than our first trip in January, but still special and enjoyable.

Traffic in the central valley was noticeably increased, with a lot of accidents causing traffic jams, and it was helpful to have a local driver who knew all the shortcuts. Next time I will NOT spend as much time in the central valley area, as I'd rather get away from the traffic by staying somewhere like Bosque del Cabo.

Have fun!

Whoops, this is fodors, so you'll have to PM me on tripadvisor, if you want the driver's email, as fodors doesn't have a PM function! Or I suppose I could post it here for you. I booked this driver through the Hotel Bougainvillea in Santo Tomas de Santo Domingo de Heredia in the Central Valley area.

xyz99

Melissa,
Thanks a lot - the good news is, our 7-10 days trip is now extended to a 2-weeks one, so we'll have time for probably 4 destinations. Wohoo! Your driver sounds amazing, I'll keep him in ind since we will (most likely) not rent a car.

I don't think we'll go back to BdC, even though we loved it, I think we'll want to explore other areas.

Or maybe change our mind completely and go to Nicaragua...not sure yet. Decisions, decisions...

xyz99

RAC, and everyone else,
With a full 2 weeks time frame, we are now debating between a return trip to CR or trying some place new: Panama? Honduras...need to find out more about the safety issue there. Nicaragua?

DH loved CR, the animals and the scenery, but he's not into birds. So we need a combination of everything. We've been to Belize.

RAC, I read your Panama TR and saw the pics, sounds amazing, plus I think we can spend a few days in Bocas del Toro for snorkeling, which would make DH happy. I know you returned over and over to CR, and that's a reason for it, what do you think though about Panama as an alternative?

I'm open to more ideas...I am soooo torn, but I know this is a good problem to have

janenicole

What about going to Turrialba (Rancho Naturalista) for birding, then head to the southern Caribbean side for some good hiking, wildlife, and scenery, make your way to the Boquete area in Panama for more birding, then Bocas del Toro for snorkeling, island exploring, and wildlife? Fly back to SJO on Nature Air.

RAC

Nicaragua is every bit as safe as CR, but the wildlife and tourist infrastructure aren't as good. The tourist infrastructure will catch up, the wildlife won't (you can find it, but it's really remote).

If you want snorkeling, I'd probably opt for the Yucatan or Honduras (Roatan, Cayos Cochinos, Utila) over Panama.

Panama is certainly a very worthy option. The trick is that it doesn't have a lot of rainforest-immersion boutique places the way CR does.

We're probably heading back to Panama in 2016--combo of Gamboa and the city. Then probably Merida area of Mexico. I've about exhausted my wife with the birdquests, so we're looking for more balance.