wirelessbitz

Ok, my wife and I, who are adventurous, are visiting CR for 11 days in November (belated honeymoon). We want rainforest and more rainforest, with some beach squeezed in and some white water rafting. Oh, and my wife loves waterfalls and wants to see monkeys up close. We both consider driving part of the adventure and while don't want to spend too much time driving, it will be part of the memories. Here is the itinerary I've put together after spending days researching and reading the LP and Moon guides..

Day 1: Fly into SJO in evening; stay at Oriquitos (sp?).

Day 2: SJ to MA; early AM Sansa flight to Quepos/MA so we have full day in MA (stay at Tulemar); beach relax and sunset cruise

Day 3: Tulemar-Visit MA Park - beach and short hikes

Day 4: MA to Monteverde; Monteverde CF Lodge-Pick up 4x4 in AM in Quepos, drive to Monteverde; evening 'nocturnal' hike

Day 5: Monteverde CF Lodge-Skywalk/trek canopy and ziplines; hike reseve if up for it

Day 6: Tabacon Resort-Drive to Arenal (4 hours), relax/massage at Tabacon Springs

Day 6: Arenal to La Paz; AM in Arenal (La Fortuna falls?) afternoon drive to Peace Lodge (2-3 hours?), check out La Paz falls

Day 7 Peace Lodge-Hike falls and relax

Day 8: Peace Lodge to SJ (1-1/2 hours); Pacuare Lodge-Up very early to get into SJ to meet ride to Pacuare river rafting into Pacuare Lodge

Day 9: Pacuare Lodge-Hike area, relax

Day 10: Pacuare raft/tour to SJ; Alajuela-back to SJ by evening, stay at Oriquitos again.

Day 11: Flight out 11:10AM.

SOme questions other that the obvious one of - Even tho we don't mind driving, are we moving too much?

- Will we save time by flying back from MA to SJ and then driving to Monteverde? By looking at maps, I think the drive up the coast will be neat, and not take much longer than a fly/drive between MA and Monteverde.

- I expect our rainforest experience will be focused at MV/Santa Elena and not Arenal. I'd cut out Arenal if not for my wife wanting to visit Tabacon.

-The reason for Peace lodge is twofold - one is to get close to SJ for our rafting pickup without staying a night in SJ, and the other is LaPaz waterfalls which my wife wants to see. If we cut this to one night then we only have the afternoon/evening there to explore the falls because we have to by in SJ by 7AM the next day for the rafting pickup.

We will be in CR from Nov. 10th - 21st. The rainy season should be slowing down, but I would be very disappointed if we didn't get rained on (I know we will see plenty of rain)! I know I'm saving alot on green season pricing.

Our priorities for this trip are Rainforest (MV/Santa Elena), Pacuare rafting and Lodge (this looks amazing at their honeymoon bungalow) MA Park (beaches and monkeys).

So go ahead and rip it up. I can assure you that I have done alot of research so please help me out and you won't hurt my feelings...

Also, there is a chance I might fly in a few days earlier to visit Corcovado to get my fill of hiking. I don't think that changes anything on the itinerary because my wife is active, but she is not interested in day long hikes and roughing it in tents.

Thanks so much and I hope to get a long thread on this! I will also post a trip report and even share my spreadsheet with others depending on how this goes!

shillmac

Although Tabacon (and other hot springs in the area) is lovely, I'd not go to Arenal for less then 2 nights. 3 is better. There is a LOT to do there; it is a wonderful area to explore. I think I'd choose between that and Pacuare Lodge. Then maybe add a night at Monteverde or Manuel Antonio. . .everything else sounds very do-able. Nice itinerary!

wirelessbitz

Thanks Shillmac. I've read some of your postings here and respect your input.

It sure would make things easier to skip the Pacuare Lodge, but the allure of that place along with the white water rafting is tough to pass up! Considering this is our much overdue honeymoon, that place looks like heaven on earth.

The trip to Monteverde and Arenal is to see rainforest and waterfalls (hiking), canopy tours and ziplining, and the wonder and beauty of the volcano, hot springs and surroundings. The way I understand it is that Monteverde/Santa Elena has a better canopy (and is a clound forest) and lends itself to more scenic hikes and better ziplines and canopy tours (vs. Arenal). Is this true or perhaps we should skip that area and spend the whole time in Arenal? The way I see it, if I skip Monteverde we miss the best of the rainforest, and if we skip Arenal we miss the springs and volcano. Help!

How about this - if I can come up before my wife, instead of visitng the Oso peninsula, I'll do my hostel/camping in the Monteverde area. Is that an area that lends itself to cheap/hostel hiking trip (I'll read my LP and Moon books also)? I don't like missing out on Corcovado, but I also see that it might be prohibitively wet down there in November (many things are closed in October). Perhaps this answers that question???

Again, your help is much appreciated.

Phil

shillmac

Hi Phil,
Yes, the Osa might be a better bet between December and August. September and October are very rainy months there, with November beginning the transition back to the dry season.

It is very tough to pare down an itinerary in Costa Rica when you want to do it all. . .we've all been there. But it does sound like it is a place the two of you would enjoy revisiting (perhaps for a second honeymoon?!) so it's fun to save some things for "next time". We're still doing that after 11 visits!

I'm probably not the best person to advise you regarding Monteverde. It isn't my favorite area. But I did think the drive up there was beautiful and I enjoyed our guided hiking. My husband and daughter loved the ziplines up there, but if you haven't done that before, Arenal has some excellent ziplines, and you would think they were wonderful!

Don't get me wrong. .we like ALL of Costa Rica and will probably return to Monteverde one day (we were only there 2 nights and felt it wasn't enought time to fully see the area), but there are other cloud forests in the country with a lot less people! And a lot more quetzales! For example, the San Gerardo de Dota area a couple of hours south of San Jose. . .

I think, too, that the Pacuare Lodge part of your trip would be very enjoyable for the 2 of you--we haven't done that yet, and it sounds like a lot of fun. We'd like to do the 1 or 2 night package as well.

Have you considered perhaps adding a night at Arenal and dropping a night at Peace Lodge? Or doing one night at Pacuare Lodge instead of 2? Either one of these adjustments would free up an extra day for Arenal, if I've read you right. OR, as you say, you could save Monteverde for another time, add the nights at Arenal, and maintain your plans for La Paz and the Pacuare. . .lots of options. Easy to adjust to suit your needs.

You could feasibly get everything in. . .I'm just saying that it's hardly worth the effort getting to Arenal from Monteverde for just one night.

Forgot to say. . .Congratulations and happy honeymooning. .you are sure to have a wonderful time whatever your final plan--very hard to make a mistake!

Earthtraveler

The Monteverde and Corcovado forests are very different. Monteverde has many large tropical oaks with epiphytes and bromiliads and much cooler temps. Could be just as rainy or more so than Corcovado which is mostly hot steamy lowland jungle. Must say when we visited Monteverde there was barely a cloud so we missed the "cloud" forest misty experience ---but that was a drought time in March years ago.

The hotel spelling is Orquideas Inn. We especially like the deluxe rooms and well worth the little extra $ more than the garden rooms. :.( thats what we think of them!

An alternate to Monteverde is Bosque De Paz private reserve and Lodge nearer to Alajuela 2 hrs,-- west of Volcan Poas. Doesn't have the famous Ziplines and Skywalk but you can get similar to those near Arenal. B de P gives you a taste of the higher elevation forest with out the long drive and alot less tourists. Reads and looks like a fine place. We are headed there in March.

Sound like you have a fine adventure planned! Happy travels.

shillmac

Hey Earthtraveler, we'll be in that area in March as well. Maybe we'll cross paths!

Earthtraveler

Shillmac,
This is our itinerary.

Villa Pacande,Alejuela 3/5
Bosque de Paz 3/6-7
Selva Verde 3/8,- 10
Casa Viva , Punta Uva 3/11-15,
Galivans in PV de Sarapiqui 3/16
Arenal Observatory Lodge 3/17-18
Orquideas, Alajuela 3/19

Does your itenerary overlap at all?

SassTraveler

Hey Wirelessbitz,

Personally I would not miss the Osa Peninsula. I've been to Costa Rica twice (and traveled a fair amount around the Americas and Europe) and it is one of my favorite spots. We stayed at La Paloma Lodge and loved every minute of it. Four nights, three days is good. The people we met were very interesting. The food was great. The service outstanding. The tour of the Corcovado wonderful -- saw red Macaws, three kinds of monkeys, wild pecaries (pigs), igunas; ended with a swim in a pool at the bottom of waterfalls. And we took an introductory dive (resort dive) at Cano Island. Felt totally comfortable with the dive master, Wilson. (Practice in the pool first).

Sass

SassTraveler

One other note, WireB:

We hated Manuel Antonio. Found it dated, jaded and overcrowded.

Recommend Rios Tropicales for rafting Pacuare. Organized, timely, safe. They picked us up from our San Jose hotel.

Sass

wirelessbitz

Wow, great advice. That Bosque De Paz does look like a great "lesser visited" spot. But I think we will have to just cut out Monteverde and add time elsewhere. I guess we will have no alternative but to get back down to CR next year!

Thanks Sass, I've heard great stuff about Oso and how it is not a tourist trap, but it would dominate our trip if we went down there (I agree 4 nights would be good) and we have our sights set on the areas for the "first time traveler". I have read in the guide books some disparaging remarks about MA and too many hotels, but the Park still sounds wonderful and fits our requirements of a good beach with wildlife.

I'm hoping that since we are coming in November that the crowds will be less. Can anyone elaborate on that? Everything I've read states that November is still considered "green" season with less tourists. That is my hope but I'll try to keep my expectations in check.

Thanks for the help!

KNJ

We went a couple of years ago at the beginning of November. It actually rainned the most in Arenal. Our primary reason for going to La Fortuna was to see Arenal and it only appeared once for about 5 minutes out of 3 days. I like Monteverde much more than Arenal. The cloud forest is just incredible! I admit that I am a forest person though. We also visited Osa and stayed at Drake Bay Lodge which was awesome. The forest there is very different than MV. I think your estimate of 4 hours from MV to Arenal may be a little quick. We went the other direction and the last 35 kms (first for you) took us 2 hours. We also did a night time tour in MV that was pretty interesting. I'd sign up for a guided hike of the reserve in the am (the hotel can arrange this). This leaves you time to hike on your own the rest of the morning and then do the ziplines in the afternoon. We did SkyTrek and it was too much fun. I do think your itinerary has too much driving. We spent 11 days and just did Arenal, MV and Osa. I wanted to do whitewater rafting but, I didn't want to shorten and of the other locations.

wirelessbitz

I feel like I have to choose between Arenal and MV since MA and Pacuare are sure things. And the big pull on Pacuare is not just the rafting, but the whole experience of the Pacuare Lodge. That place just seems amazing (very remote).

Arenal has the hot springs and better restaurants, MV (I actually like Santa Elena better since it is less touristy) has the cloud forests with better canopies.

I think we will fly to MA and fly back to get the most of that and reduce our driving. Anyone familiear with getting transfers or taxis from Quepos (at the airport) to MA area? Seems like it is only minutes distance by driving.

Hmmm, tough decisions!

MarciaM

Don't give up the Pacuare River. That's a beautiful experience. I'd vote for Arenal over Monteverde. Osa Peninsula is very different from either of those. They are rainforest, and I would call Osa "jungle"--very much like the Amazon area. For your last night, Vista del Valle, near the airport has a beautiful waterfall on site and is very warm and relaxing. Have a great trip!

KNJ

Santa Elena is the town that is closest to the park of Monteverde. I would not call Monteverde touristy. I'm not sure about La Fortuna having better restaurants. We had two pretty good meals in Santa Elena (Johnny's Pizza and El Sapo Dorado). If you're worried about touristy you should avoid the Tabacon Resort and try one of the smaller hot springs. Also, Quepos is the town, Manuel Antonio is the park. People seem to use the names interchangeably.

shillmac

Earthtraveler (sorry to hijack the thread, wirelessbitz), we will be at Arenal the evening of the 16th and the morning of the 17th--I think. Closer to time, let's talk about it.

wirelessbitz

Ok, I think I have it now - with all this great input how can we go wrong!?

MA for 3 nights at Tulemar villa (we'll fly there and back to save time from SJ)

Arenal for 3 nights (Tabacon and we'll venture out when the tour buses arrive)

Pacuare for two nights (honeymoon suite!)

Last night in Peace Lodge (this is complicated because I want to get from Pacuare to La Paz during daylight hours, and we will have to leave at breakfast to get to the airport with time to spare...)

wirelessbitz

Well, I went and looked into Tabacon. Their high season rates start earlier than any other place I've seen, and the $20.50+taxes breakfast is no longer included. I get the sense from this and reading some of the reviews that this place goes for your wallet every chance they get...

Gonna see what else is available...Lost Iguana sounds good but I'd rather be closer to the volcano. Kioro sounds ok but not sure abuot the gardens...

Time for more research.

tully

You mentioned getting to your hotel from Quepos airstrip (airport would be a stretch!). Not sure about Nature Air but Sansa has a van meeting all flights & will take you to your hotel for $5. They also arranged a ride back to the the airstrip for me as well on departure.

wirelessbitz

Excellent! Then we'll use the Sansa transfer for $5. Thanks, I didn't see that on their site.