ShellD

Just back from Belize and I'm working on next year's trip to Costa Rica. I seem to always want to have a trip in the works! The plan is to go with the kids who will be almost 9 and 11, and were there last year with us, but this time bring along my parents who are approaching 65 but in good health and fairly active. They love the wildlife and are looking forward to seeing all the things we've gone on and on about for years now! This will replace our annual trip to the beach!

So my original thought was to kind of do the same trip we've already done before - Arenal, Peace Lodge and either BDC or Manual Antonio. I feel like we can't miss the volcano for my parents. My mom especailly will love Peace Lodge, especially the Hummingbirds and BDC is so special. Although we may opt for Manual Antonio depending on cost considerations.

However, I'm sort of getting a been there done that feel - there's so much more to the country that we haven't seen! We also have been to Tortuguero so we'd probably skip that this time even though it was such a unique experience. I'm not sure if the Caribbean Coast may be a good option to try with Arenal and Peace Lodge or if maybe someplace else.

We'd probably go for 11 days including travel days. I know the wildlife will be the best at BDC but is there anywhere else comparable? We're thinking about next June.

Thanks!

volcanogirl

Do you have your heart set on a beach location? If not, you might look at Monteverde - we hiked in the reserve, saw quetzals, ziplined, and did a cool night hike. We did see a lot of wildlife.

Or maybe Puerto Viejo?

hipvirgochick

Shell - We did a combo of Puerto Viejo, Arenal, Peace Lodge and Osa our first trip and thought it was great, so I think you're on the right track. I'm planning my trip back as well, with daughter, right after school's out next year late June.

RAC

Sarapiqui region--e.g. La Selva and Tirimbina--offer great wildlife. Sme of the best wildlife we saw was at the Arenal Observatory Lodge and Curu reserve near Tambor.

ShellD

Hip - did you think that was too much travel time on your trip? If I remember you were there for a lot of days on that trip weren't you? Did Puerto Viejo have much wildlife? And how was the beach there? Is it swimable? I'm wondering about Puerto Viejo, Arenal and Peace Lodge.

RAC - were there monkeys at AOL? I'll have to look at La Selva and also the Tambor region. Where did you stay there?

VG- I was thinking about Monteverde - it's an area I've been interested in!

So much to choose from!!

Thanks!

plumboy

I love that you've put monkeys at the top of the priority list! I do the same.

RAC

We saw howlers with some frequency at the AOL. But, that's nothing compared to the kinkajou and the jaguarundi we saw!

We stayed at Selva Verde in the Sarapiqui area and saw about a half dozen monkeys--per day! Also tons of toucans and parrots.

We stayed at Ylang Ylang when we saw Curu. We saw monkeys at least twice a day there--they loved the trees by the pool.

volcanogirl

Shell, if you go with Monteverde, we really liked Fonda Vela. Our new junior suite room had a big window that looked out on the garden where we saw toucans. Also had two big beds, a sitting area, small frig, and a bathtub. Good restaurant on site and close to the Reserve. The night hike at Hidden Valley was really cool. I was too chicken to do it at BdC - lol. We saw a porcupine, sloth, fox, raccoon, agouti, coati, birds, a tarantula - it was a neat experience.

hipvirgochick

Shell -- I think it was 17 or 18 days, with 1st and last in San Jose. 4 Puerto Viejo, 4 Arenal, 2 Peace Lodge and 5 Osa. It didn't seem like too much travel. In Puerto Viejo the best beach (and yes, swimable) is Punta Uva, and then you can visit Cahuita as well. There are lots of other pretty beaches less swimable, that's why it IS nice to stay somewhere with a pool as well. Wildlife is not out your back door, as at BDC, except I hear it's quite good at Pachamama Bungalows. However, if you're into hiking both Gandoca-Manzanillo refuge and Cahuita Nat'l Park are great choices. They also have the sloth rescue center and new animal refuge (Jaguar something) that are worth a trip. I think your trio would be a good one. I do hope to make to Monteverde someday as well, but already adding 2 new places next trip.

ShellD

Hip - where are you going next trip? You seem to take the best trips!!

hipvirgochick

Thanks Shell, you too! As you know, nothing's in stone until it's booked, but tentatively Banana Azul in Puerto Viejo, Cabinas Las Caletas in Drake Bay, Bosque del Cabo in PJ and one other place TBD. Still mulling new areas and comparing costs and travel time. Will do rafting again as well, probably the transfer option to or from PV from San Jose.

shillmac

We haven't done Curu, but hiked Cabo Blanco near Montezuma and had good wildlife sightings (keep in mind the hike is strenuous as heck). I'd like to go to Curu and think RAC's rec is a good one. Also, hard to go wrong with Cahuita/Puerto Viejo/Manzanillo. Either location would mesh well with Arenal/Peace Lodge. Ylang Ylang sure gets rave reviews. . .we've got to get back there one of these days!

Hi, hip. . Percy alive and well in Africa. . still having a great time. There! I slipped it into ShellD's post!

JoyceL

Seeing wildlife in the Puerto Viejo (Sarapiqui) area cannot be guaranteed. I spent a day at Selva Verde and also took a river cruise in the area, and didn't see a single monkey. The only animal I saw there was a single iguana. Selva Verde was wonderful, I loved the foliage and general ambience; and I want to return there, on a future trip. But if you are going only for the purpose of animal viewing, I suggest selecting a different location.

JoyceL

Just in case you are confused by the different references to Puerto Viejo: CR has 2 towns with "Puerto Viejo" in the name. One is located in the Sarapiqui region; the other is near the Caribbean coast.

RAC

If you include birds, you most certainly are guaranteed of seeing wildlife if you even drive through the Sarapiqui area. If you take a birding tour, you'll see well over ten different species each time you go out.

If you take a guided hike of La Selva, you WILL see wildlife. No doubt about it, none.

The Sarapiqui river is not a wildlife bonanza. It's about the least productive way to see wildlife in the area--especially after the earthquake killed all of its fish.

Just to put things in perspective, here are some of the species we saw when we were in the region:

Howler monkeys (over a dozen)
Agouti
Peccary
Tayra
Central American Woolly Oppossum
Racoon
Fer-de-Lance
Two-toed sloth
Three-toed sloth
Iguanas (dozens)

That isn't to mention the birds, including three species of toucan, four species of parrots including the great green macaw, four species of hummingbirds, two species of trogons, 11 species of tanagers, three species of kingfisher, and 6 species of hawks/kites.

hipvirgochick

RAC -- Did you actually see a Great Green Macaw? I really would love to see one in the wild. I thought I might in Tortuguero, but no.

RAC

It flew over Selva Verde. I heard it first--rawk, rawk, rawk. Ran to a clearing and saw it flying overhead.

Pure luck.

JoyceL

I did take a guided nature tour, and there was no wildlife around, not unless you include the single iguana I saw, and the different types of ants pointed out by my guide. My guide was also surprised at the lack of other wildlife. It was a little rainy, but I can only speculate as to why there were no animals around. In any case, my only point was that seeing wildlife in the Sarapiqui region cannot be guaranteed, not when visiting for only a short time. Some visitors get very lucky and see a lot, whereas some others are not so fortunate.

RAC

Where was your tour?

gannetmusic

JoyceL,

May I ask what time of year you were at Selva Verde, and what times of day you were looking for wildlife?

thanks

Jerry