Babymoon in Costa Rica
Jan 5th, 2011, 10:45 AM
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Babymoon in Costa Rica
Costa Rica Trip Report (Arenal & Manuel Antonio)
Who: 30-something couple expecting second baby
When: March 2010 (I realize this trip is very belated!)
Where: Costa Rica – 8 total days including travel time. 3 nights 2 full days in Arenal and 4 nights 3 full days in Manuel Antonio and 1 night San Jose before departure.
Why: Taking advantage of life before second baby’s arrival.
Day One: Arrival San Jose Airport and Scenic drive to Arenal
We had sort of complicated flight arrangements because I was in Orlando dropping off kid #1 with the grandparents and my husband was flying from NYC. But we found a JetBlue flight with a stop in Orlando that worked out great. We arrived early and giddy in San Jose aiming to be in Arenal by the late afternoon.
Payless Car Rental was truly terrible. They had the longest line in the airport because no one was manning the desk. We eventually arrived at the pickup site and saw another American arguing heatedly with the staff and soon found out you are forced to buy car insurance even if your credit card covers you, and it’s so expensive! They also make you sign a lot of documents including a credit card receipt without even filling them out – it felt very much like they were trying to con us and it was confusing and we were pretty much trapped at this point because we were there already and eager to start our vacation. So we crossed our fingers and finally signed all the documents and the total bill is way more than what was quoted on Kayak.com because of all the fees (in the end we were not conned beyond just paying a lot more than our quoted price). We’re finally ready for our car and suddenly a guy whips into the parking lot tires screeching in this little beige 2-door 4x4 Suzuki-looking thing called a “JIMNY”. It was bare bones with tiny little tires and an air-conditioner that stopped working after an hour or so of use. But by the end of the trip we loved our little JIMNY.
We headed out on the drive to Arenal. We paid extra for the GPS (on the husband’s insistence), which in the end I’m glad we did, because there was no worrying about getting hopelessly lost (and the road signage in Costa Rica was not good). So we motored along in the JIMNY marveling at the fantastic scenery and coming in and out of cloud cover as we went up and down these epic mountains all covered in lush vegetation, plantations and little houses.
We arrived in Arenal at the Hotel Nayara by the late afternoon. The hotel was fantastic – and except for a few minor downsides (including one reservation snafu and construction going on above our villa all day which was noisy) could be one of the nicest places we’ve EVER stayed. The hotel was gorgeous with friendly staff and lots of amenities including free long-distance phone calls from the lobby and a pool with swim-up bar. The absolutely luxurious room was housed in its own circular “hut” with a gigantic bathroom including both an indoor and outdoor shower. The deck outside also had a Jacuzzi. For the price we paid I thought we really got a lot for the money. We ate paella at the hotel restaurant that night which was bedecked with hanging lanterns and visited by the hotel’s two squawking macaws.
Day Two: Touring Arenal: Hanging Bridges and Fortuna Waterfall
Being used to waking up early by a chatty 2 year old I was instead greeted at 6am by a stunning view of the volcano out our window. We readied for the day and went down to enjoy a delicious breakfast at the hotel restaurant. Thus began my love affair with the plantain. This delicious (is it a fruit is it a vegetable?) banana/potato hybrid was the feature of many meals on our trip and still haunts my dreams.
Anyway, we left early for a walk through the hanging bridges. The weather was clear and the Volcano loomed ominously over the countryside with a telltale dribble of smoke drifting from the top. At the bridges we decided against a guide and consequently saw hardly any wildlife except some leaf-cutting ants and a few lizards that practically wanted to be stepped on. But the views were beautiful and it was fun walking over the bridges – we really felt like we were in a whole new world.
We wanted to explore La Fortuna waterfall in the afternoon so we began looking for a place for lunch. I will freely admit that the husband and I are a bit snooty when going on vacation… we like nice. So I was initially intimidated with the town of Arenal and with the restaurants (which looked pretty third-world sketchy on the drive-by). We decided reluctantly on an open-aired restaurant with a view of the volcano, a giant bull statue outside and a sign stating “TYPICAL FOOD” at the roadside. We joked and wondered what TYPICAL FOOD could be and since it was advertised as the specialty we ordered a plate of TYPICAL FOOD each (mine with fish, husband’s with beef). We were not disappointed. This was the best – a generous plate of rice, beans, a chunk of some mild white cheese, cabbage salad, meat and (cue singing angels) fried plantains. I will never laugh at TYPICAL FOOD again.
La Fortuna waterfall had all kinds of signs about how dangerous the walk down was, and since I was 5 ½ months pregnant I got a little nervous. But we signed the waivers and walked down anyway. The stairs were very steep but manageable even for someone who couldn’t properly see her feet. Initially I wanted to swim but the waterfall was bigger than I imagined and it fell in a perfect column that smashed down hard into the water. So I was too nervous and just put my feet in instead. The walk up the steps was harder, but we made it with a little huffing and puffing!
We dined at Don Rufino that night and even dressed up a bit though it was a pretty casual place. The restaurant was not elegant but had an upbeat atmosphere and very, very good food. We even ate here the second night too because there were other dishes we wanted to try. This time we sat at the bar which offered a great opportunity to meet the friendly Costa Rican people as well as some colorful ex-pats.
Day Three: River Float, Zip lining and Massage
We decided to do a River Float this morning because it was a low-energy pregnant-friendly activity and after a little reservation mix-up with the hotel we were on our way. The Float allowed us to see more of the countryside and quite a lot of wildlife including a caiman, some big lizards, exotic birds, bats and some howler monkeys. We were surprised at how much more we saw when we had a guide!
Lunch was at another TYPICAL FOOD joint and then we parted ways for the afternoon. Husband went on the ziplines at Sky Trek and I got a massage at the hotel followed by a dip in the pool and virgin pina coladas at the swim-up bar. My massage was great although I would have loved to go zip lining. So I bothered husband for stories and he said that he really enjoyed being suspended above the trees – although he said it was pretty scary initially and one of the girls on the tour freaked out halfway through.
That night before dinner we decided to try to see the volcano in the dark and drove out to the bridge on the way to the Volcano Observatory Lodge. It was kind of a weird experience…. so dark, with cars parked everywhere on the side of the road and a huge group of people staring into the blackness. It was cloudy that night so we saw only one red rock roll down the side of the mountain and everyone cheered – but we were sad we hadn’t gone the previous night when the skies had been clear.
Day Four: Drive to Manuel Antonio
We packed up the JIMNY after breakfast and set out for the long trek to Manuel Antonio. We drove back through San Ramon and then through Atenas and Orotina. We drove over mountain passes – which were almost unreal they had such gorgeous views. We stopped about halfway along the route at a little restaurant on the highway overlooking the most breathtaking scenery and had more TYPICAL FOOD and frescos (which were like a fruit milkshake). We were stopped once by a police roadblock and asked if we had any guns?! Then we stopped again to see the crocodiles at Rio Tarcoles – and they were some creepy looking critters.
We arrived in the afternoon at Makanda by the Sea. The hotel had a good location, but was overall a major step-down from the Nayara. We stayed in one of the studios and while it was nice it really needed updating – everything had a 1980’s flair. The balcony had a lovely view which made up for the room, we got a kitchenette that came in handy and the first night a group of monkeys climbed through the trees over our room.
We ate at the Sunspot Restaurant, which was located at the Makanda’s pool and recommended by Fodor’s. We had a romantic table, an extremely friendly waiter and the food was delicious – but we got giggling about the 1980s super remix coming over the speakers and couldn’t stop lip-synching and making jokes about going back in time all night. (I guess you had to be there).
Day Five: Touring Manuel Antonio Park
Our hotel delivered breakfast to our room and it was fun to dine on our deck. From there we were picked up for an early tour through Manuel Antonio Park with a guide set up through the hotel.
The park was wonderful – there is no other word for it. We saw 2 kinds of sloths, birds of all kinds, huge iguana lizards lounging in the trees, a very friendly deer, howler monkeys and white faced monkeys that literally ran through the crowds posing for pictures! The beaches were stunning – with dramatic rock outcroppings, shady trees and crashing surf. It was SO hot, so I was suffering with my pregnant belly, but the walk wasn’t vigorous and we enjoyed our tour immensely. A guide is a must.
Before I actually went to Manuel Antonio I didn’t really understand that most of the beaches are INSIDE the park – so you have to buy admission to the park and trek in carrying anything you need. I’m just clarifying this because for some reason I didn’t “get” this when I was researching the trip, and though the beaches are unspoiled and beautiful, it is a real downer having to carry all your beach stuff like a pack mule into the park. Anyway, since we’d already purchased the entrance fee for the park we decided to go back to the park beaches in the afternoon. We ate lunch at one of the open-aired sodas overlooking the public beach (where we had delicious fish sandwiches and I looked jealously at my husband’s beer) and then trekked into the park through the back gate area. We had to walk through the public beach and over a stream to get there. I’m normally a fancy flip-flop kind of girl but I was glad that my mom had talked me into buying some rubber soled “walking” sandals for the trip. They actually became well worn because even though I was pregnant we did a lot of walking! We spent the afternoon lounging on the beach and it was beautiful – but would have been nicer with beach chairs….
That night we went to Kapi Kapi restaurant for dinner and didn’t feel out of place dressing up. It was a classy spot with a contemporary feel and elegant food. All in all, on the expensive side but highly recommended.
Day Six: Boat Trip and Beach
We booked a Catamaran Tour through the hotel and the van picked us up early and then picked up several other people at other hotels. The day was warm and clear with an ethereal blue sky – really perfect weather. We actually had perfect weather the whole trip except for a few downpours in the middle of the night that of course didn’t impact any of our plans. We set sail on the boat to more 80s music (no joke) and sailed past the Manuel Antonio beaches sipping drinks. It was wonderful to be out on the water and to see the landscape from a different perspective.
The crew stopped the boat at an inlet and let us off to go snorkeling. The snorkeling was not very good and the water was much too rough for my comfort – so I ended up just putting my mask on top of my head and bobbing along in the water, which was very nice. They had barbequed fish and pasta salad on the boat followed by delicious fresh fruit. We motored back to shore and were well satisfied with our day on the water!
We spent the afternoon on the public beach and I actually enjoyed it more than the pristine beaches of the park. While the beach itself wasn’t as pretty, we were able to rent beach chairs and an umbrella, and there was a ton to look at including food vendors, stray dogs running around, the parasailers taking off from the beach and people boogie-boarding on the gigantic waves. It was fun!
That night we went to Blue Azul for Dinner. It had a homier more casual atmosphere with big portions. We were slightly bothered by everyone smoking – but otherwise we enjoyed the lively atmosphere. We actually felt like celebrities by the end of our dinner because we ran into so many people we “knew” including hotel guests from the Nayara, a family we’d gone on the catamaran tour with and the people staying above us in the Makanda. This actually happened a lot over the course of the trip and it shows what a popular circuit the Arenal to Manuel Antonio trip is I suppose.
Day Seven: Beach and Drive to San Jose
In the morning we drove back down to the public beach because we’d enjoyed it so much the day before. This time I took full advantage and bought a crazy pink shaved ice concoction from a wheeled vendor cart with a dollop of condensed milk on top…. I can’t say it was good but it was interesting! Then I made my husband rent a boogie board and we took turns in the surf (yes, pregnant belly and all).
We said adios to Manuel Antonio and drove back to San Jose stopping on the way in a surfer town for my last precious taste of TYPICAL FOOD. We drove around San Jose and got rained on for the first time. We weren’t too impressed with the city – but I’m glad we saw it. We checked into the Hotel Grano de Oro, which was a lovely respite after the chaos of the city. The room was plush and comfortable with a British Colonial feeling.
We went to dinner at the hotel’s restaurant that was extremely upscale - bordering on stuffy. The food was delicious, especially desert. It was a nice, fancy end to our trip.
Day Eight: Killing Time and Departure
We spent the morning having a fancy breakfast at the hotel restaurant (and my last precious taste of plantains) and then killing time. I had been nervous about making our 3pm flight and therefore had booked us to stay in San Jose the previous night. To do it again I think I would have just stayed in Manuel Antonio for the night and left early in the morning for the airport.
Recommendations
1. Go to Costa Rica -- you’ll love it! We loved the mix of beach time and adventure time that Manuel Antonio and Arenal offered. There is such a huge variety of activities and sights that it would be impossible to have a less than fantastic time. I mean, seriously, I had a huge pregnant belly and I had a blast!
2. Rent a JIMNY – we felt like teenagers again in our little 4x4, especially when we had to roll the windows down because our a/c overheated.
3. Don’t try to do too much. We had 8 days and felt slightly rushed at times because traveling between destinations ate up a lot of time. You should allot at least 3 full days to each MA and Arenal if at all possible – and remember to balance your adventure activities with some downtime.
4. Get a guide (at least once). We were ok about skipping the guide at hanging bridges – but were so so glad we got one at Manuel Antonio. While it makes the going slower, you will see much more wildlife that you wouldn’t notice on your own.
5. Eat TYPICAL FOOD everyday (especially the plantains).
Overall:
Costa Rica is an exotic, adventurous destination that makes you feel like you are in another world while simultaneously feeling safe and friendly. We really haven’t run into friendlier people. Everywhere we went people made conversation and all the men gave my husband a BIG dramatic pat on the back and a handshake when they saw me in my condition! I even got whistled at once! We were also pleased about the prices. While the trip wasn’t “cheap” we did feel like we got a lot for our money. Dinners were reasonable – even the fancier ones - and admissions into sights and for activities seemed fairly priced.
All in all, the people were delightful, the food was foreign but truly delicious and the wildlife added another dimension to scenery that was already breath taking. We would go back in a minute! Bon voyage to anyone visiting in 2011!!
Who: 30-something couple expecting second baby
When: March 2010 (I realize this trip is very belated!)
Where: Costa Rica – 8 total days including travel time. 3 nights 2 full days in Arenal and 4 nights 3 full days in Manuel Antonio and 1 night San Jose before departure.
Why: Taking advantage of life before second baby’s arrival.
Day One: Arrival San Jose Airport and Scenic drive to Arenal
We had sort of complicated flight arrangements because I was in Orlando dropping off kid #1 with the grandparents and my husband was flying from NYC. But we found a JetBlue flight with a stop in Orlando that worked out great. We arrived early and giddy in San Jose aiming to be in Arenal by the late afternoon.
Payless Car Rental was truly terrible. They had the longest line in the airport because no one was manning the desk. We eventually arrived at the pickup site and saw another American arguing heatedly with the staff and soon found out you are forced to buy car insurance even if your credit card covers you, and it’s so expensive! They also make you sign a lot of documents including a credit card receipt without even filling them out – it felt very much like they were trying to con us and it was confusing and we were pretty much trapped at this point because we were there already and eager to start our vacation. So we crossed our fingers and finally signed all the documents and the total bill is way more than what was quoted on Kayak.com because of all the fees (in the end we were not conned beyond just paying a lot more than our quoted price). We’re finally ready for our car and suddenly a guy whips into the parking lot tires screeching in this little beige 2-door 4x4 Suzuki-looking thing called a “JIMNY”. It was bare bones with tiny little tires and an air-conditioner that stopped working after an hour or so of use. But by the end of the trip we loved our little JIMNY.
We headed out on the drive to Arenal. We paid extra for the GPS (on the husband’s insistence), which in the end I’m glad we did, because there was no worrying about getting hopelessly lost (and the road signage in Costa Rica was not good). So we motored along in the JIMNY marveling at the fantastic scenery and coming in and out of cloud cover as we went up and down these epic mountains all covered in lush vegetation, plantations and little houses.
We arrived in Arenal at the Hotel Nayara by the late afternoon. The hotel was fantastic – and except for a few minor downsides (including one reservation snafu and construction going on above our villa all day which was noisy) could be one of the nicest places we’ve EVER stayed. The hotel was gorgeous with friendly staff and lots of amenities including free long-distance phone calls from the lobby and a pool with swim-up bar. The absolutely luxurious room was housed in its own circular “hut” with a gigantic bathroom including both an indoor and outdoor shower. The deck outside also had a Jacuzzi. For the price we paid I thought we really got a lot for the money. We ate paella at the hotel restaurant that night which was bedecked with hanging lanterns and visited by the hotel’s two squawking macaws.
Day Two: Touring Arenal: Hanging Bridges and Fortuna Waterfall
Being used to waking up early by a chatty 2 year old I was instead greeted at 6am by a stunning view of the volcano out our window. We readied for the day and went down to enjoy a delicious breakfast at the hotel restaurant. Thus began my love affair with the plantain. This delicious (is it a fruit is it a vegetable?) banana/potato hybrid was the feature of many meals on our trip and still haunts my dreams.
Anyway, we left early for a walk through the hanging bridges. The weather was clear and the Volcano loomed ominously over the countryside with a telltale dribble of smoke drifting from the top. At the bridges we decided against a guide and consequently saw hardly any wildlife except some leaf-cutting ants and a few lizards that practically wanted to be stepped on. But the views were beautiful and it was fun walking over the bridges – we really felt like we were in a whole new world.
We wanted to explore La Fortuna waterfall in the afternoon so we began looking for a place for lunch. I will freely admit that the husband and I are a bit snooty when going on vacation… we like nice. So I was initially intimidated with the town of Arenal and with the restaurants (which looked pretty third-world sketchy on the drive-by). We decided reluctantly on an open-aired restaurant with a view of the volcano, a giant bull statue outside and a sign stating “TYPICAL FOOD” at the roadside. We joked and wondered what TYPICAL FOOD could be and since it was advertised as the specialty we ordered a plate of TYPICAL FOOD each (mine with fish, husband’s with beef). We were not disappointed. This was the best – a generous plate of rice, beans, a chunk of some mild white cheese, cabbage salad, meat and (cue singing angels) fried plantains. I will never laugh at TYPICAL FOOD again.
La Fortuna waterfall had all kinds of signs about how dangerous the walk down was, and since I was 5 ½ months pregnant I got a little nervous. But we signed the waivers and walked down anyway. The stairs were very steep but manageable even for someone who couldn’t properly see her feet. Initially I wanted to swim but the waterfall was bigger than I imagined and it fell in a perfect column that smashed down hard into the water. So I was too nervous and just put my feet in instead. The walk up the steps was harder, but we made it with a little huffing and puffing!
We dined at Don Rufino that night and even dressed up a bit though it was a pretty casual place. The restaurant was not elegant but had an upbeat atmosphere and very, very good food. We even ate here the second night too because there were other dishes we wanted to try. This time we sat at the bar which offered a great opportunity to meet the friendly Costa Rican people as well as some colorful ex-pats.
Day Three: River Float, Zip lining and Massage
We decided to do a River Float this morning because it was a low-energy pregnant-friendly activity and after a little reservation mix-up with the hotel we were on our way. The Float allowed us to see more of the countryside and quite a lot of wildlife including a caiman, some big lizards, exotic birds, bats and some howler monkeys. We were surprised at how much more we saw when we had a guide!
Lunch was at another TYPICAL FOOD joint and then we parted ways for the afternoon. Husband went on the ziplines at Sky Trek and I got a massage at the hotel followed by a dip in the pool and virgin pina coladas at the swim-up bar. My massage was great although I would have loved to go zip lining. So I bothered husband for stories and he said that he really enjoyed being suspended above the trees – although he said it was pretty scary initially and one of the girls on the tour freaked out halfway through.
That night before dinner we decided to try to see the volcano in the dark and drove out to the bridge on the way to the Volcano Observatory Lodge. It was kind of a weird experience…. so dark, with cars parked everywhere on the side of the road and a huge group of people staring into the blackness. It was cloudy that night so we saw only one red rock roll down the side of the mountain and everyone cheered – but we were sad we hadn’t gone the previous night when the skies had been clear.
Day Four: Drive to Manuel Antonio
We packed up the JIMNY after breakfast and set out for the long trek to Manuel Antonio. We drove back through San Ramon and then through Atenas and Orotina. We drove over mountain passes – which were almost unreal they had such gorgeous views. We stopped about halfway along the route at a little restaurant on the highway overlooking the most breathtaking scenery and had more TYPICAL FOOD and frescos (which were like a fruit milkshake). We were stopped once by a police roadblock and asked if we had any guns?! Then we stopped again to see the crocodiles at Rio Tarcoles – and they were some creepy looking critters.
We arrived in the afternoon at Makanda by the Sea. The hotel had a good location, but was overall a major step-down from the Nayara. We stayed in one of the studios and while it was nice it really needed updating – everything had a 1980’s flair. The balcony had a lovely view which made up for the room, we got a kitchenette that came in handy and the first night a group of monkeys climbed through the trees over our room.
We ate at the Sunspot Restaurant, which was located at the Makanda’s pool and recommended by Fodor’s. We had a romantic table, an extremely friendly waiter and the food was delicious – but we got giggling about the 1980s super remix coming over the speakers and couldn’t stop lip-synching and making jokes about going back in time all night. (I guess you had to be there).
Day Five: Touring Manuel Antonio Park
Our hotel delivered breakfast to our room and it was fun to dine on our deck. From there we were picked up for an early tour through Manuel Antonio Park with a guide set up through the hotel.
The park was wonderful – there is no other word for it. We saw 2 kinds of sloths, birds of all kinds, huge iguana lizards lounging in the trees, a very friendly deer, howler monkeys and white faced monkeys that literally ran through the crowds posing for pictures! The beaches were stunning – with dramatic rock outcroppings, shady trees and crashing surf. It was SO hot, so I was suffering with my pregnant belly, but the walk wasn’t vigorous and we enjoyed our tour immensely. A guide is a must.
Before I actually went to Manuel Antonio I didn’t really understand that most of the beaches are INSIDE the park – so you have to buy admission to the park and trek in carrying anything you need. I’m just clarifying this because for some reason I didn’t “get” this when I was researching the trip, and though the beaches are unspoiled and beautiful, it is a real downer having to carry all your beach stuff like a pack mule into the park. Anyway, since we’d already purchased the entrance fee for the park we decided to go back to the park beaches in the afternoon. We ate lunch at one of the open-aired sodas overlooking the public beach (where we had delicious fish sandwiches and I looked jealously at my husband’s beer) and then trekked into the park through the back gate area. We had to walk through the public beach and over a stream to get there. I’m normally a fancy flip-flop kind of girl but I was glad that my mom had talked me into buying some rubber soled “walking” sandals for the trip. They actually became well worn because even though I was pregnant we did a lot of walking! We spent the afternoon lounging on the beach and it was beautiful – but would have been nicer with beach chairs….
That night we went to Kapi Kapi restaurant for dinner and didn’t feel out of place dressing up. It was a classy spot with a contemporary feel and elegant food. All in all, on the expensive side but highly recommended.
Day Six: Boat Trip and Beach
We booked a Catamaran Tour through the hotel and the van picked us up early and then picked up several other people at other hotels. The day was warm and clear with an ethereal blue sky – really perfect weather. We actually had perfect weather the whole trip except for a few downpours in the middle of the night that of course didn’t impact any of our plans. We set sail on the boat to more 80s music (no joke) and sailed past the Manuel Antonio beaches sipping drinks. It was wonderful to be out on the water and to see the landscape from a different perspective.
The crew stopped the boat at an inlet and let us off to go snorkeling. The snorkeling was not very good and the water was much too rough for my comfort – so I ended up just putting my mask on top of my head and bobbing along in the water, which was very nice. They had barbequed fish and pasta salad on the boat followed by delicious fresh fruit. We motored back to shore and were well satisfied with our day on the water!
We spent the afternoon on the public beach and I actually enjoyed it more than the pristine beaches of the park. While the beach itself wasn’t as pretty, we were able to rent beach chairs and an umbrella, and there was a ton to look at including food vendors, stray dogs running around, the parasailers taking off from the beach and people boogie-boarding on the gigantic waves. It was fun!
That night we went to Blue Azul for Dinner. It had a homier more casual atmosphere with big portions. We were slightly bothered by everyone smoking – but otherwise we enjoyed the lively atmosphere. We actually felt like celebrities by the end of our dinner because we ran into so many people we “knew” including hotel guests from the Nayara, a family we’d gone on the catamaran tour with and the people staying above us in the Makanda. This actually happened a lot over the course of the trip and it shows what a popular circuit the Arenal to Manuel Antonio trip is I suppose.
Day Seven: Beach and Drive to San Jose
In the morning we drove back down to the public beach because we’d enjoyed it so much the day before. This time I took full advantage and bought a crazy pink shaved ice concoction from a wheeled vendor cart with a dollop of condensed milk on top…. I can’t say it was good but it was interesting! Then I made my husband rent a boogie board and we took turns in the surf (yes, pregnant belly and all).
We said adios to Manuel Antonio and drove back to San Jose stopping on the way in a surfer town for my last precious taste of TYPICAL FOOD. We drove around San Jose and got rained on for the first time. We weren’t too impressed with the city – but I’m glad we saw it. We checked into the Hotel Grano de Oro, which was a lovely respite after the chaos of the city. The room was plush and comfortable with a British Colonial feeling.
We went to dinner at the hotel’s restaurant that was extremely upscale - bordering on stuffy. The food was delicious, especially desert. It was a nice, fancy end to our trip.
Day Eight: Killing Time and Departure
We spent the morning having a fancy breakfast at the hotel restaurant (and my last precious taste of plantains) and then killing time. I had been nervous about making our 3pm flight and therefore had booked us to stay in San Jose the previous night. To do it again I think I would have just stayed in Manuel Antonio for the night and left early in the morning for the airport.
Recommendations
1. Go to Costa Rica -- you’ll love it! We loved the mix of beach time and adventure time that Manuel Antonio and Arenal offered. There is such a huge variety of activities and sights that it would be impossible to have a less than fantastic time. I mean, seriously, I had a huge pregnant belly and I had a blast!
2. Rent a JIMNY – we felt like teenagers again in our little 4x4, especially when we had to roll the windows down because our a/c overheated.
3. Don’t try to do too much. We had 8 days and felt slightly rushed at times because traveling between destinations ate up a lot of time. You should allot at least 3 full days to each MA and Arenal if at all possible – and remember to balance your adventure activities with some downtime.
4. Get a guide (at least once). We were ok about skipping the guide at hanging bridges – but were so so glad we got one at Manuel Antonio. While it makes the going slower, you will see much more wildlife that you wouldn’t notice on your own.
5. Eat TYPICAL FOOD everyday (especially the plantains).
Overall:
Costa Rica is an exotic, adventurous destination that makes you feel like you are in another world while simultaneously feeling safe and friendly. We really haven’t run into friendlier people. Everywhere we went people made conversation and all the men gave my husband a BIG dramatic pat on the back and a handshake when they saw me in my condition! I even got whistled at once! We were also pleased about the prices. While the trip wasn’t “cheap” we did feel like we got a lot for our money. Dinners were reasonable – even the fancier ones - and admissions into sights and for activities seemed fairly priced.
All in all, the people were delightful, the food was foreign but truly delicious and the wildlife added another dimension to scenery that was already breath taking. We would go back in a minute! Bon voyage to anyone visiting in 2011!!
Jan 5th, 2011, 11:53 AM
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Awesome report, stevieg - you hit a lot of our favorite spots. If you ever go back, at the La Fortuna waterfall there's a little set of stairs off to the left side that lead down to a sandy little "beach" and the river. The water is beautiful and crystal clear, and you can swim there out of the way of the waterfall. I'll have to check out Nayara sometime; I keep hearing such great things about it.
Isn't it funny to see the same people over and over again? We had the same neighbors in Arenal and in Manuel Antonio, and one night when we went to a restaurant, we saw every single person who had been on our snorkeling cruise! I loved that.
Isn't it funny to see the same people over and over again? We had the same neighbors in Arenal and in Manuel Antonio, and one night when we went to a restaurant, we saw every single person who had been on our snorkeling cruise! I loved that.
Jan 5th, 2011, 11:56 AM
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Nice trip report. Glad you had such a wonderful time in Costa Rica. It is one of the few places I have been that I'd like to go back to instead of visiting a new destination. Sounds like you got to experience a lot of the sights even though you were pregnant. Thanks for sharing!
Jan 5th, 2011, 12:37 PM
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Thanks for that great report! We just booked a similar trip, except it's 2 weeks, split between Arenal (with 2 nights at Nayara) and Manuel Antonio. I have a question - the waterfall at La Fortuna, in your opinion, will it be safe for a 6 and 8 year old? This was high on our list of things to do, but after reading that you had to sign a waiver, I'm a bit concerned. Thanks!
Jan 5th, 2011, 12:39 PM
#5
Join Date: May 2007
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john, when we did it, there were a lot of families there playing in the river. The waterfall hike isn't really wild like I was expecting; most of the trail is set with pavers - it was steep coming back up though, some big steps. The kids seemed to love it.
Jan 8th, 2011, 07:27 AM
#8
Join Date: Apr 2004
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Had to smile at two points, your reference to the Jimny for one. I had the same reaction when I saw the one I rented, thought no way could this little car handle the roads we would put it through but it's a hardy little car and for one of the cheaper 4wd's available in CR it was a great deal. Also, the 80's music 
I too often feel in a timewarp listening to the radio stations in taxis & restaurants. Thank you for posting, you had a good trip to remember.
I too often feel in a timewarp listening to the radio stations in taxis & restaurants. Thank you for posting, you had a good trip to remember.
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