lynnalan

Thank you for the great report!! So excited as we are spending time soon at Tulemar and have booked Wilson for our transportation. Did you find it easy to get cabs in MA? I am debating if we should rent a car during our time there to get to the grocery store, etc, just to have a little more freedom (but not for traveling around the country, just MA/Quepos)

volcanogirl

We used cabs, and they came pretty quickly once you called them; fares were very reasonable too.

MFNYC

It's easy to get cabs, and Diego and some of the others at Tulemar can arrange for you if you give them a specific time. We also hailed a couple on the main drag. Once you get a cab, ask them for their card, so you can call them if need be. Restaurants can also take care of it. Tulemar taxis don't have meters, but they'll tell you in advance what the fare is.

The bus is very easy to use as well. It runs about every 15 minutes. It stops in front of Victoria's restaurant and across the street (which is write outside the Tulemar property, to the left).

MFNYC

Lynn, there is a grocery store within walking distance from Tulemar.

ricky2323

Really very nicely you presented the way you enjoyed your days.

MFNYC

Day 10 – Monday

We had a very nice pancake breakfast, packed up and were off to the airport. Steve (from Casa Bella Rita), kindly offered to drive us to the airport.

Some general observations:

- Hotels sometimes offer discounts to excursions so it’s worthwhile to ask.
- Van type cabs are a higher rate than sedans (definitely in La Fortuna, don’t know if this is the case throughout). We learned this the hard way.
- There are some great Costa Rican salty snacks. I generally don’t even eat this kind of thing but those lime and salt plantain chips were the best, and the crunchy corn snacks were addictive.
- Locals are more than happy to offer restaurant recs, and they all seem to know someone working there. We asked many hotel workers, tour guides and cabdrivers for recs.
- Costa Ricans are very punctual. Even our driver, who for our last leg had a 2+ hr drive just to pick us up, showed up exactly as planned.
- Costa Rican’s seem to really like to drive. These professional drivers, drive far out of their way for pickups and dropoffs, and in some cases, have to drive hours back home afterwards.
- Free Spanish lessons are available. Just ask anyone there how to say such and such, and they will be more than happy to teach you.
- Ask cab drivers for their cards. It may come in handy.
- Drivers are good spotters as far as seeing animals up in trees and things like that. They are always pulling over to point something out.
- Costa Ricans are called ‘ticas’ because they add “tica” to the end of many words.

All in all we had a great trip. The scenery is stunning, the people are very nice, and there's plenty to do. We also were very pleased with our accommodations and would not hesitate to recommend any of them.

MFNYC

Our photos are on snapfish: http://www2.snapfish.com/snapfish/th...NAME=snapfish/

I know I went a bit overboard with the sunsets and some other things (and this is the abridged addition), but there are just so many kodak moments.

MFNYC

oops...that's abridged edition, not addition.

volcanogirl

Beautiful pictures, M - I especially love the ones of the red-eyed tree frogs and the toucans.

MFNYC

Thanks! I like those adorable squirrel monkeys. I think the toucans were posing.

lynnalan

Thanks for the info on the grocery store, and thanks for posting your pics - I loved looking at them. Makes me even more excited - can't wait!