Hey all,

I'm a noobie here, but I'm planning my first trip outside of the U.S. My fiance and I have chosen MA for our honeymoon because of the the diverse activities you can do there as well as the scenery. However, after reading a lot of your posts, it seems like this area may get old after a few days. We are really just interested in relaxing during this period without a lot of travel time, which is why we have focused on the one area. Am I making a mistake?

Thanks for any advice you are willing to share.

Ken

Well , it really depends on you . A lot of people here try do do a lot in a few days to expeirence the whole country and lots of activities . Personally , that is not my style , I would find it stressful . I like to stay put . I have young children , so staying in one place is easier on all counts . We love MA , the views , the animals , the beaches , the swimming , the jungle ..... Etc. etc. But , I am definitely a beach person . Funny thing about MA , lots of people love it , some find it too crowded etc. recently , there is a crop of reviews of people who loved it . Type Manuel Antonio into search box and read away !!! ( we spent outr honeymoon there 11yearsago ! At Makanda and other spots . Spent 13 days there , 2 in SJ , 1 in Arenal .

As a person who really didn't care for MA, I would say that 9 days is too long, especially because the only really nice beaches to me were in the park and depending on where you are staying, it's not right outside your door, more like down the side of a very large hill. Sorry for the run-on. Anyway, CR is so beautiful that you should try and see a couple of different places if you have 9 days. I think you will love CR, just not 9 days of MA.

Since you are probably flying into San Jose, I'd plan on spending a couple nights in the area around there. Perhaps at Xandari or Vista de Valle. Both lovely properties (I've only stayed at Xandari.) Lots of day trips can be done from there, and you really aren't traveling any more than your original plan. Maybe three days in the central valley and six in Manual Antonio?

We spent 4 nights in MA a few years back and IMHO only scratched the surface. There are still things that we missed, that I would love to do. We typically don't stay more than 3-4 nights in any location. However each person is different. You will be in an area that offers the most incredible views of the Pacific and totally awesome sunsets. There is lots and lots to do here. If I were going to choose to stay in one location for the entire time, I would have to say that MA would be the best option.

I do agree that some time in the Central Valley at the beginning or end of your trip, is totally worth it. The beach areas and the central area are so different.

If you really want some true beach time - walk out of your bungalow onto the beach kind - then you might add some time on one of the Nicoya Pen beaches. Lots of beautiful, nearly deserted beaches. Here is a site to explore.
www.nicoyapeninsula.com

Oh here's an idea for a few days, to give you a different adventure, not far from MA - Rafiki Safari Lodge - gets great reviews.
www.rafikisafari.com

Are you making a mistake? WELL, If you are going to CR, I don't see how you could be making a mistake.

Thanks so much for taking the time to help me out, even if the suggestions were mixed. I do agree with too much traveling adding unnecessary stress, but I will definately consider the suggestions.

Thanks again,

Ken

Here's another vote to add a few days onto the central valley. I would spend maybe 3 nights there upon arrival in a nice hotel to unwind and get into the Costa Rican atmosphere. We only spent our first and last night near San Jose and wished we had spent a few days there to explore, the area really appealed to us. We liked Manuel Antonio but I think 9 days is pushing it, even for a honeymoon.

How about splitting your time between Manuel Antonio and Arenal? We liked Arenal better than Manuel Antonio. To minimize your travel stress, you could get a driver to Arenal.

We had 3 nights in Manuel Antonio and were definitely ready to leave. We had 3 nights in Arenal and wished we could stay longer. 3 nights at Monteverde were just about perfect.

Have fun!

Ken:

MA is beautiful, and has a lot to offer, but whether or not it's too much time will also depend on what kind of activities you are interested in. There are kayaking, white water rafting and zip line programs that all take about a day (and frankly which are likely better around Arenal). If you are planning on just hiking the park and visiting the beaches, they are easily conquered in only a few days.

Congrats on your wedding!

go to arenal, la fortuna afeter ma, about 5 days is enough for MA:

http://costa.rica.typepad.com/manuel...ome/index.html

http://costa.rica.typepad.com/la_for...ome/index.html

Just back. We had two full days in Manuel Antonio, plus travel days. One more day would have been nice. More would have been to much. There is a lot to do there, but it is HOT. Better to do your "actvities" (zip lines, etc.) where it is cooler. Go to Arenal. It is Paradise.

Id do 1 night in San Jose at the most. Maybe 2 nights in Arenal or Monteverde and the rest in M.A. Let M.A. be your last stop where you can relax and enjoy the beauty of the place! MA is really what you make of it..if you want to do everything you can find something to do every day. ATV tours, zipline tours, snorkeling, horseback riding, jetskiing, theres no shortage of things to do..but of courseyou can always relax and veg on the beach..thats my favorite!

Thanks again guys. I've taken everything into consideration, and I think we have agreed on splitting the trip this way:

Day 1: San Jose
Days 2-5: Arenal
Days 6-9: Manuel Antonio

All of this is planned to be done using Nature Air, which is why we chose Arenal first. Only the flights out of Quepos will get us back to San Jose in time for our flight home. The activities we are planning at Arenal include a half-day fishing trip and the Sky Trek zip lines. While in MA, we plan to explore the park and beaches, try surfing, do the Finca Valmy horseback riding, and go whitewater rafting. We have not made any reservations but are leaning toward the Lost Iguana and Mango Moon. If anyone has any last minute recommendations, I would love to hear them. Keep in mind our budget at this point is stretched pretty thin.

Thanks again for everyone's help,

Ken

i'd recommend a day trip to Cano Negra from La Fortuna, check out my travelblog for more info:

http://costa.rica.typepad.com/la_for...ome/index.html

Well Ken, you asked for opinions and you certainly got several different ones.

Lots of first timers to CR do the MA/Arenal split. And it is a great introduction into the country. If I were to guess, this trip will make you crave for more.

So are you now doing 1 night SJ, 4 nights Arenal and 3 nights MA?

Lost Iguana looks very inviting and surely we will visit someday. However we stayed at Arenal Paraiso and enjoyed it much. Gets good reviews, both here and at trip advisor and would save you in dollars.

Also, the hike down to see the La Fortuna Waterfall is well worth it!

Couple of considerations that came to mind:

What time does your flight arrive CR? Looks like you are planning to spend your first night in SJ and then fly to Arenal the next morning. Do you realize that if your flight is in by early afternoon, you could head on up to Arenal? Hiring a driver would get you there before dark.

Domestic flying from Arenal/SJ to MA will probably mean a full day of flying and airport waiting, where you could do Interbus or a driver straight from Arenal to MA, not only could it save you some dollars, you also get to see the views and stops along the way. You could still fly back to SJ to meet your international flight.

Oh and one more thing to remember, Nature Air is anywhere from 30-45 mins from SJO, even more dependent on traffic. Sansa is steps away from SJO.

We thought about the drive up to Arenal when we arrive, but after spending many hours on an airplane, I think we just want to settle in somewhere and relax. I did notice the different airport for Nature Air, but I can't see where Sansa flies to Arenal. Can anyone confirm that they do not fly there? We will probably fly Sansa back from Quepos.

Regarding the Nature Air flight frnm Arenal to Quepos, is this really an all-day affair? The whole point was to save a lot of time so we could do other things.

Ken

RE: Domestic flight - No! I meant the day you fly from Arenal. This flight to and from Arenal is very new and we have done this, but most flights have to go back to SJ. So you would have 45 mins prior to your flight to SJ and then your time waiting at Nature Air for your flight to Quepos. Obviously it would be great if they fly direct from Arenal to Quepos.

As for staying overnight in SJ. We love to spend some time here. Our day of travel to CR normally starts around 3 AM, so we are very tired by the time we arrive. We never rent a car on day of arrival due to being so tired. But we did opt for a driver to get us to our destination the year that we started our trip in MA.

I only mentioned Interbus between Arenal and MA due to you mentioning the budget being stretched. And because I think the drive is interesting.

Another thing to consider is your first night. Last year we were headed to the Osa on the next day after arrival and I booked with Nature Air. We stayed at Orchideas (which I loved) but the drive to the Nature Air terminal, plus the wait took up near 2 hours of our day. If I had realized, I would have booked a hotel closer, or I would have booked Sansa.

Sorry I meant "very new and we have NOT done this" Really hate my typos!

Ken,

Sansa flies from a terminal adjacent to the SJO international airport, so it is easy to connect to your flight back home after flying in from Quepos. Check out their schedule at www.flysansa.com .

Sansa does not fly

oops, cut myself off... continuing:

Sansa does not fly from San Jose to Arenal or from Arenal to Quepos. For that, you need to use Nature Air, whose schedule you can find at www.natureair.com.

Taking a quick look, the Arenal to Quepos flight leaves at 12:40pm. stops in San Jose and gets you to Quepos at 2:25pm for $90. I agree with dfarmer that you should take interbus on that route. Why? Well, interbus is 4.5 hours door-to-door, leaves early in the morning so you still have most of your day in Manuel Antonio, and only costs $60 for both of you. By the time you take a cab to the air strip at Arenal, take your flight, and cab it from the airport in Quepos to your hotel in MA, you're looking at a good 3.5 hours, and $200 spent.