A Visual Costa Rica Report
 

Hello,

I am happy to say that my girlfriend and I had an amazing trip to Costa Rica in August. We were there for a week and divided our time between Arenal & Manuel Antonio. Since I am not the best writer my report is mostly visual. Please feel free to ask questions!

Favorite Costa Rica Experiences: Arenal Observatory Lodge, Lake Arenal, Eco Termales, Nuevo Arenal, Gingerbread Restaurant(Nuevo Arenal), Sky Trek, Hanging Bridges, La Fortuna Falls, Mango Moon(dinner & drinks), Biesanz beach, Cafe Milagro, Ronny's Place, & Finca Valmy Horseback Riding.

Least Favorite: Hotel Villa Bonita, Luigi's Pizza(Arenal), The Falls(Manuel Antonio).........

Please enjoy my Costa Rica slideshow!

http://slideshows.adampass.com/fodors/index.html

Best,
Adam
[email protected]
www.adampass.com

I also want to thank everyone for their help in planning my trip!

Your photos are simply amazing. The colors just perfect.Thanks for sharing.

Beautiful photos. It makes me want to go back.

Amazing volcano pictures. You have great skill with the camera, and you really hit the jackpot with that lava. Have you asked the AOL if they would like to use your photos for their website?

Great, incredible photos, love the one of the capuchin straight on looking right into the camera. Glad you had a great time and came back and posted your pics.

Awesome shots Adam. Love the volcano night shots but the close-up sloth face is simple the BEST!

Great photos, thanks for sharing. Question - what are all those dots in the volcano picture? Not stars, are they?

Stunning photographs! You're truly gifted with the camera! Thank you for sharing Adam!

Great photos, Adam. I'm so glad you and your girlfriend had a nice time. Too bad you didn't like Hotel Villa Bonita. Maybe if you had actually stayed there! It's never been advertised as plush, but the ambience is friendly, the rooms are comfortable, and in dozens of times, we've never seen it not be spotless. I do think, had you and your girlfriend given it a chance, you would have been pleasantly surprised. But, to each his own! Glad you made it home safely and enjoyed your vacation in beautiful Costa Rica.

Thanks everyone!

RAC: thanks! Yes, hopefully we will see some of those shots on their website!

glover: Those are all stars! It was the most intense star cover I have ever seen! A few people told me it reminds them of the skies out at sea.

shillmac: I am disappointed that we did not enjoy Villa bonita. I was looking forward to it. I was hoping to be pleasantly surprised. It was difficult to find, so by the time we got there we were already drained. I would not have called the room spotless. As far as plush this is what it says in Lonely Planet, "Rooms are comfy, with plump white pillows and deep mattresses." I know they didn't write that but I used the word plush meaning very comfortable. Maybe not the right adjective but nevertheless we didn't find it very comfortable and a little bit unsafe feeling. Maybe if we had arrived in the daytime this would have been a different experience. The atmosphere might be great, but when looking for a hotel near the airport to get in late and leave early I think the hotel is not ideal. Anyways like you said to each his own! Thanks for checking the work out!

Adam, your photos are beautiful - I especially like the volcano photos and the ones of the hot springs. I can't believe the stars around the volcano are real - I've never seen anything like it!

Sounds like you had a great trip! Thanks for posting. Your pictures are wonderful, especially love the volcano pics at night. Arenal and MA are definitely 2 scenic areas to visit.

I'm sorry that you had difficulty finding Hotel Villa Bonita. If I remember correctly, there are only a couple turns once you get off the main exit, so maybe it had to do more with being in an unfamiliar area. Even though I wouldn't interpret the verbiage Lonely Planet used to mean "plush", it's definitely a comfortable, clean, convenient to SJO place to stay and the owners are wonderful. For $50 a night with a great breakfast and free internet you won't find me complaining!

Exellent photos - so glad you shared them with us! Did you set up a tripod and time exposure for the night shots of the volcano? Talk about a starry, starry night - wow!

Thanks Colibri! Yes I traveled with a neat little tripod called a Gorrilapod by Joby. The exposures were all between 30 seconds and a minute.

I just bought a Gorillapod for my November trip! Too bad I won't be at Arenal this time, but glad it worked so well for you. Sure enjoyed your photos, really gorgeous.

col, I got one of those as a gift. I haven't had a chance to use it yet, but it looks like fun.

You may find it very helpful to get a mini tripod head to use with the pod. It's a little pricey but increases the functionality of the gorillapod exponentially. Depending on your camera size you may need a bigger one as well. I used the latter with a pretty heavy set up.

http://www.amazon.com/Manfrotto-482-.../ref=pd_cp_p_1

http://www.amazon.com/Manfrotto-484R.../ref=pd_cp_p_3

Thanks, Adam, will check it out. I need to try and use it before leaving in five short weeks!

VG - we are still patiently waiting for those Tortuguero shots!

col, I don't know if I'd use the word patiently - hee, hee!!

Impatiently waiting, VG? I want to see the waiter and the white clothed table in the middle of the jungle!!

That was pretty cool! Can you pretend this is mine until I get more tech savvy?

http://costaricaexpeditions.com/Gall...ignum=15&cat=4

WOW. Those are gorgeous photos. I have never wanted to go to Costa Rica (being a big Mexico fan), but now I do. Can you tell me where you went and where you stayed? I have about a day to plan a trip after Christmas!
Even if you don't respond to this, thank you for those photos!

Thanks Adam for the info on the gorillapod. What a great invention. Great photos, too. Gosh, I love these forums!

adam, thanks for the scoop on the gorillapod attachment.

Your photos are gorgeous. We are going to CR in January and I was considering scrapping Arenal this time...your pics have made me change my mind!

Where were you when you took the picture of the kids on a balcony with the sunset in the background...was that somewhere in Manuel Antonio?

Thanks for the photos! We have reservations in November for the Falls in MA. Can you tell me why you didn't like it and where you would stay instead? Thanks so much!

No need to reply - I saw your post on the Falls/MA thread. Thanks for your input!

Thanks again everyone!

west2: sorry not to get back sooner. In a nutshell We stayed at Arenal Observatory Lodge in Arenal. Which I recommend highly for the nighttime lava viewing! Also The Eco Termales hot springs was another highlight in Arenal that I photographed as well. Then Manuel Antonio. The park there is great for wildlife. Also Beisanz beach in Manuel Antonio was a nice quiet beach with excellent wildlife as well. Hope that helps. Let me know if you have any more specific questions.

TGolightly: Thanks! I think the photo you are referring to was taken at the bar/restaurant El Avion in Manuel Antonio.

Sactokab: The Falls was decent. I guess it is worth $70 a night. But if it is in the budget Mango Moon was an amazing place! We had a great dinner there one night and will definitely stay there upon our return!

adam, when we stayed at Mango Moon, they didn't allow us to flush toilet paper - it freaked me out a little bit. They said their sewer system couldn't handle it. My husband thought it was amusing. No big deal to most folks, but just in case...

that's strange....have you stayed since the new owners? The 2 girls? I only got to meet Rebecca and she joined us for most of our dinner. Come to think of it there was a bathroom in the lobby area and there was no mention to not flushing the toilet paper....Good to know though because I would question that before I stayed. What is the alternative to not flushing toilet paper??? No need to respond:)

Jumping in here a little late...wow, incredible photos! Thanks for sharing.

Hi: I am an artist & I was "blown away" by your photography. I travel a lot & do paintings of my special photos. Your photos would inspire a painting by me & I'll look more closely at them.... Thank You...can't wait to get to those areas... fairly soon.... Marjorie MacKenzie
[email protected]

Adam, not flushing toilet paper is standard operating procedure in Costa Rica, so not always posted. The used paper goes in the trash - aren't you glad you asked! ;)

adam, yep, the trash can; I only mentioned it because you seem like you favor higher end places. I had seen it out in the little country stores and restaurants but never a hotel before.

VG - you cheated on that jungle picnic photo!!

Adam - Posted or not, high end hotel or budget, you don't ever want to put TP in the toilet. Arriving back in Houston, making my first stop I automatically was looking for the trashcan forgetting I could now put TP in the toilet! :-))

Standard operating procedure in the entire country? Posted or not? Well I flushed TP down the entire trip unknowingly and I'm sure most "tourists" all do.

This has to do with traditional Costa Rican construction using 1" pipe as opposed to the standard 2". As far as I know most newer(10-20yrs) hotels, condos, restaurants in Costa Rica are using the standard 2" pipe thus you can flush TP and they have no need to post it.

Thanks Marjorie, I appreciate it. Keep me posted on your inspiration!

Rule of thumb, Adam: if there is a trash receptacle next to the toilet, it is meant for toilet paper. If there isn't, then more than likely that hotel's system can accomodate the paper.

You are right, though, first timers don't always "get" this. We didn't. By the second or third trip we were used to it. And to this day, I do as Colibri mentioned, and end up dropping the paper next to the toilet in the floor my first day or two back home!

What? Really?! I've flushed everywhere else; the only reason I didn't there was because they had a note posted in our room. I think I've been being an ugly American.