Melissa5

joan95448, congrats on making that flight to the Osa, as I know how hard it is when you hate flying! It's great that you had a "cool wave" on the Osa. Nature Air with Twin engines sounds like the best to me too... A little more reassuring. Did you go to Bosque at the beginning, middle, or end of January, if you don't mind my asking? I know the weather can vary from year to year, but I'm gathering as many weather facts as I can to help make my decision.

Costaricalover: I appreciate your long reply and nothing is too repetitive for me! I write long trip reports and I'd love your viewpoints. I'll check back on your trip report post to find the reply you mentioned. Many thanks!

THAT VIDEO of Bosque del Cabo is incredible! I finally got to see it with the sound working, on my husband's computer. I've forgotten who shared that link, but it is exciting to watch. My daughter saw it too and she hopes to go there someday! (She's pregnant with my first grand-child right now so that someday will have to wait a bit!)

joan95448

We went at the end of January, around the 25th
Joan

Cimbrone

Hi everyone. I have an itinerary that takes me from San Jose to Orosi to San Gerardo de Rivas to Dominical by bus, and am thinking about adding Bosque del Cabo (instead of Montezuma which is out of the way.) However, I won't get into a small plane. I just won't. How can I get there from Dominical by land and/or sea and no car rental? Is it doable? And what's the name of the animal sanctuary? That sounds amazing. Also, any budget accomodations to recommend? Thanks!

Cimbrone

P.S. Shillmac and anyone else, I'd love to hear comments on my overall itinerary. Thanks!

motmot

Cimbrone, I'd suggest a taxi from Dominical to Palmar Norte. . then a bus to Puerto Jimenez. It would be an interesting experience. You'd need to bus it back to up to "civilization" as well. Also, the private driver option might be more palatable. Will get back with you on your itin. . .gotta run.

Cimbrone

Thanks, motmot. I also now realize that Bosque del Cabo is a particular lodge. I wonder if there is someplace on the Osa or near Corcovado or Puerto Jimenez that might provide me with the same type of experience for less $$$.

tully

Cimbrone - look into Osa Shuttle http://www.shuttleosa.com/ they should be able to get you from the Dominical/Uvita area to Puerto Jimenez.

For less $ on the Osa, you could stay in town in PJ at a place like Cabinas Jimenez, but then you'd still need to pay to go exploring which could add up. You could also look into Lookout Inn which is past BdC near Carate, it may be a little less.

One way to look at pricing is this as well - at most places your price is high but it includes all your food, and technically your activities as well, such as at Bosque where they have enough to keep you busy without ever leaving the property. Of course, no transport charge either. So if you get a cheap place around $80 a night, but throw in food, transportation & activities - it may be pretty close to what you'd pay at Bosque. Just a thought!

tully

Oh and here's the link to the Refuge - http://www.osawildlife.org/index.html

Great place!!

Sally30

You'll be fine. I am a complete city person, I like the outdoors but like my comforts more and, for example, refuse to go camping with my husband. We visited BdC last May and loved it. Actually I found out a couple of weeks before that I was headed to Costa Rica for work, immediately posted a "where to go" question on the forum and within an hour, tully and others pointed me to BdC. We loved it. I think had I actually had time to plane and known a bit more I would have been nervous like you but not knowing what I was headed for worked out better.

I am scared of small planes too but the ride is so beautiful I didn't mind it (although I could have tapped the pilot on the head the plane is so small). It was really humid deep in the rain forests on the hikes but somehow I didn't mind that either. It is hard to explain but it is such a remarkable place that all the discomforts seem to drop away. When we got back my husband said he was very surprised by how much I enjoyed it.

Melissa5

Hi! I'm the original poster of this question, and I'm very excited about visiting Bosque del Cabo with my husband. Chatting with you all is helping me to conquer my nervousness.

<b>Cimbrone:</b> If you post your questions as a separate post of your own, you'll get more responses. Since your questions are hidden way down in my post, not that many people will see them. Enjoy your trip and good luck with the planning!

<b>joan95448:</b> Thanks for letting me know when you went to Bosque del Cabo. I'm still reading and planning. We're now thinking we should go to Bosque del Cabo in January instead of February. January sounds good because the weather could be a little cooler and because the rainforest is still lush and green. Leonardo at Bosque has been great at answering my questions. I think I'll be nervous until I arrive at Bosque del Cabo, so I might as well head straight there at the start of our trip!

<b>Sally30:</b> It's reassuring to hear how you enjoyed the Osa, because I refuse to go camping as well! (Although I did camp when I was young.) Don't you think that Costa Rica can get you in touch with a part of yourself you haven't ever known before?

cmerrell

Hi Melissa5,

We visited BdC the first week of December 2007 and had some really beautiful weather. It's definitely a bit on the humid side down there because you are right in the rain forest, but I don't remember it being as hot as MA was (we also visited MA in early December...). I live in Florida so I'm no stranger to humidity and I will say that I did <i>feel</i> the moisture in the air at BdC, but the overall air temps were quite pleasant. Most of the trails are well shaded also, so you don't have the sun beating down on you while you're hiking.

I remember swatting away some mosquitoes on the Titi trail, but we didn't see tons of insects. We only saw one non-venomous snake on the property during the night walk with Philip (and we were purposely trying to find a snake!).

Bosque is truly a special place; so beautiful and tranquil. I bet you'll love it if you can work up the courage to get down there. I'm going back in June for visit #2. Can't wait!

tully

cam you hang with me in June, I'll find ya snakes! I've had a lot of run-ins with them at Bosque, none dangerous - though the juvy bird-eater underneath my hammock gave me a start! Btw, did you get my email or did I send to an old addy?

I've always got bit up by whatever, but then last trip when I took my dad he got no bites so go figure! I just load up on the repellant and take the benedryl later.

Melissa5

<b>tully:</b> My husband is actually a biologist and herpetologist, and if we go to Bosque del Cabo on the Osa, he will be disappointed if he doesn't get to see snakes! I don't mind seeing them as long as I don't get bit by a poisonous one and as long as they don't get into my bunaglow at night which would be scary in the dark...I think I'll be nervous to step on the floor.

<b>cmerrell:</b> I'm glad to hear that Bosque on the Osa didn't feel as hot to you as Manuel Antonio. Manuel Antonio was the only place on our first trip where I was actually so hot while hiking that I was miserable and turned back early. Not only was it hot, there wasn't that much shade the way we were hiking. There were also tons of people, way more than on any other trail we tried in Costa Rica. Enjoy your second visit!

I'm forming a plan and we'll see. This is my plan so far:

Fly LAX to San Jose, Costa Rica
1 night: airport area
Fly San Jose to the Osa (to Puerto Jimenez)
Transport to Bosque del Cabo
5 nights: Bosque del Cabo
Fly back to San Jose
2 nights: hotel near San Jose
Drive to Villa Caletas for wedding
2 nights: Villa Caletas (invited to wedding)
Drive back to San Jose
1 night: San Jose airport area

That's what I envision so far. We can take between 10 nights up to a maximum of 14 nights.

costaricalover

Melissa, we have been to Villa Caletas on a previous trip. They have this incredible "amphitheatre", looks something like out of ancient Greece, and the thing to do is watch the sun seting in the amphitheatre overlooking the mountains and ocean whilst sipping on Imperial or drink of choice. This was truly a CR memory that will stay with me forever-it is glorious!

motmot

cimbrone--great itinerary, my cup of tea, Orosi, San Gerardo, Dominical, BDC--lots of variety.

hipvirgochick

cimbrone -- Places I've researched in Osa that look like excellent choices (but haven't stayed there yet) are Jinetes de Osa, Cabinas Las Caletas and Pear of the Osa (part of Iquana Lodge). Most that offer 3 daily meals don't get much lower than those, I don't believe.

I can actually spend less at BDC per night then at other lodges sometimes because I don't have any transportation costs, food, tours (well, I do some, but not every day) and everything I need or want to do is already included.

costaricalover

Hip, isn't it "pearl of the osa", or are you just hungry?

volcanogirl

Time for hip's lunch break!

hipvirgochick

Yes to both. I'm hungry, and it's "Pearl" not "Pear". ;-)

I think brunch might be in order...it's only 11:00am!

Melissa5

<b>costaricalover:</b> Thanks for telling me that you enjoyed a beautiful sunset memory at Villa Caletas! We are invited to a destination wedding there and I was wondering if we'd enjoy our time there. We'll need to spend a couple nights in order to attend the wedding.