Melissa5

Thanks again for the avalanche of wonderful information! What an adventurous and friendly gang you all are.

I have a tentative itinerary. I'm thinking that because of my anxiety, I am better off doing the Osa first, as soon as possible. I feel I won't settle down til I arrive there. I also like to put a day between any of my flights, to relax, as I don't like flying. so I'm looking at this schedule:

Fly San Diego to San Jose.

2 NIGHTS: a fun hotel near the Nature Air's airport
(Leave some luggage at hotel to pick up later?)

Fly Nature Air to Puerto Jimenez
4 NIGHTS: Bosque del Cabo, Osa

Fly Puerto Jimenez to San Jose
2 NIGHTS: a fun hotel near the San Jose airport area
Laundry time at hotel!!!

Drive from San Jose to Villa Caletas near Jaco
2 NIGHTS: Villa Caletas, for a destination wedding

Drive from Villa Caletas back to San Jose
2 or 3 NIGHTS: a fun hotel near the San Jose airport

Fly home from San Jose to San Diego.

According to this plan, we will be spending quite a few nights in the area surrounding San Jose, so we will want interesting hotels, and some easy but interesting activities nearby. What are your favorite hotels and activities in the area?

I prefer to avoid 1-night hotel stays since they just add more fuss and stress. With a 2-night stay you can actually settle in and enjoy.

I have to do some research about bees. I am allergic to bees but have only been stung once in my life. I was stung on the toe and my face and body swelled up, a dangerous reaction! My face stayed swelled up for 3 days. I was a child and my mother gave me a double dose of antihistamine...I survived obviously. I do have an allergy pen (needle) but have never had to use it. If you use it, you then have to go to a hospital. That could be a problem on the Osa. I'm going to find out more from my doctor about bee sting allergies and using the allergy self-injector pen.

My husband says I could go to an allergist and find out if I'm still allergic to bees. If so, apparently they can do something about that...by somehow exposing you to bee venom you can develop an immunity to the allergy...or something like that. I think I should look into that. It runs in my family, but thankfully my kids didn't inherit it.

I thought about driving one way down to the Osa...but I think I should get there faster on a flight. I think driving there will just prolong the nervous anticipation. I'm pretty sure I'll breathe a big sigh of relief and relax once I'm there. I loved our first trip to costa rica, once I had arrived at my destinations!

I am already finding myself shaking out my bath towel before using it at home, to see if there are any costa rican scorpions lurking inside!

Thanks a bunch! Any comments or suggestions about my itinerary?

volcanogirl

Melissa, if you want them to, Bosque del Cabo can send your laundry out to be done. Friends of ours did it and were happy with the price and results. Lots of hotels have laundry service, so no need for you to build in time for doing laundry unless you want to. It looks like you're spending about 6 or 7 nights at hotels near the airport. Personally I would use that time to see another destination, but you have to do whatever is best for you.

shillmac

Melissa, I think you need to select the same hotel for your first night near San Jose as you do for the nights when you return from the Osa. This will allow you to leave your luggage as you mentioned. Grano de Oro would be an excellent choice. From there you can take a really nice daytour down to Orosi Valley, Irazu Volcano, Lankester Orchid Gardens. Then after Jaco, you can stay a couple of nights somewhere near the airport and do another tour or round of exploring. Highly recommend Orquideas Inn as they have an excellent tour group on site. Wady Tours.

Cattail

Yes, I was SO excited to meet shillmac FIVE years ago...? OMG!

I understand about wanting the extra hotel night, Melissa.Try as I might, I am not a very organized person! I like the extra night to get my act together and relax. That said, I will easily give up the comfort of an orchestrated vacation for adventure, experiencing something totally out of my realm of experience. The cool thing about BdC is that you get to experience so much WITHOUT much risk-taking. The owners choose to raise their child there, and they don't seem like careless parents! You'll be fine!

Shillmac gives good advice; leave the luggage you don't need at your "base" hotel. Saves lots of time and fuss. She suggested the Orquideas Inn to us, and we enjoyed it so much, we never left the grounds! Just don't care for the caged birds.

Cattail

Regarding laundry - we quickly hand-washed a very few things at BdC. Had some stinky luggage to haul home, but nobody tried to steal anything! We find the shorts with built-in undies very handy. Also, ordered a couple of macabi skirts that someone on Fodors recommended. They're great because you can wear them in different configurations- as shorts, capris or a skirt. Dries SO quickly. Even my husband got one, and loved it, though he passed on the skirt option..

keymarina

personally, 3 nights on the Osa is never enough.
Last June I came within 3 feet of a Puma...it was the highlight of several trips to the Osa...and I was able to take photos. We loved the Corcovado Tent Lodge but it is closed for renovations...our favorite place to stay is Cabinas Jimenez right in town. The folks that run it are accommodating and wonderful and it is great to be able to walk or bike around town. Lots of local ladies to drop off your laundry. Also, we've driven down from San Jose but flying eliminates the time consuming drive.