Costa Rica #1- Travel Tips, Manuel Antonio, Interbus
Feb 6th, 2004, 02:18 PM
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Costa Rica #1- Travel Tips, Manuel Antonio, Interbus
We just returned from Costa Rica (2 weeks) and we loved it! I used Travel talk before my trip so I wanted to contribute some additional travel tips.
Arrival info:
Due to our flight arriving to San Jose in the afternoon and we did not rent a car- we booked online at Sansa airlines (flysansa.com)to avoid the common night stay in San Jose b/c of international arrival times. Sansa is right next to the airport so you don't need to take a cab. There is a 25 lb limit on bags (additional lbs= extra $) so we asked the hotel in San Jose (where we were staying the last night of our trip) to hold any additional luggage and only took what we needed on Sansa. Since the Hotel was right next to the airport we took the Hotel's free shuttle from the airport back to the airport and then got on our Sansa flight to Quepos. Unfortunately, there are no lockers at the airport. The flight was great (approx. 20 min.) and easy to book online! After you arrive you can take the Sansa Shuttle to your hotel approx. $4 to the hotel(if your hotel doesn't provide free transportation).
Hotel in MA (Manuel Antonio):
We stayed at Villas Nicolas (www.villasnicolas.com)which sits right next to the Hotel Si Como No which is more expensive. I recommend trying to get #9 or #13 up. They seem to have the best views with beautiful balconies. We also saw some monkeys playing in the trees overhead.
Transportation in MA:
The public bus stops right in front of the Hotel Si Como No and the ride costs around $.25 to take it directly to Manuel Antonio (it is the last stop). It runs back and forth from Quepos all day (every 1/2 hour). You can also take a taxi but we took the bus a couple of times a day- it was just as easy.
MA Park:
Amazing!! There is a public beach outside the park that is popular but the beaches inside the park are more beautiful (Playa Manuel Antonio) and less populated due to the entrance fee ($7). We chose not to join a tour as we like to explore on our own and we bought some inexpensive binoculars (8X21) before our trip and we were excited to spot sloths, monkeys, and other wildlife. We had the luck of seeing a sloth moving and coming down a few feet from us (afterwards we heard this happens only once a week!). The tours seemed popular with a guide helping to spot the animals (maybe next time). During the afternoons by the main beach the monkeys would literally run right in front of you. If you enjoy hiking there are some great views (especially one that ends in a concrete platform- I think it was Sendero Puerto Escondidio). Note: the Park is closed on Mondays! You also have to cross a stream of water but when you leave at 4pm the tide comes in (you can walk through or pay a boat to take you across)
Best Sunset in MA: Highly recommend!!!
La Mariposa hotel bar. Get there early - the place is popular for the amazing sunset and sweeping views of MA!!
Recommendations Food in MA:
Outside MA Park for lunch - we decided to pick up some pastry items (ex. empanades, ham and cheese crossaints) and drinks at the first group of shops before MA. (It is an orange sign named "MusManni"
On the first day, we ate right outside the park at a restaurant and was unimpressed. You can bring food/drinks into the park (picnic areas are available).
Barba Roja Rest.- Margaritas and the best Nachos!
Best Seafood- We ate at Karolas (down a little path) 3 times (1 time for lunch) during our visit. They have a great atmosphere and the seafood combination (for 2) was the best tuna and mahi mahi I have ever had. The macademia nut pie is a must try too.
All the dining and the La Mariposa hotel are within walking distance of each other and around the area of Villas Nicolas.
Transportation from MA:
Instead of taking Sansa back to San Jose, we booked Interbus(www.interbusonline.com). It looks like they run all different routes and looks confusing. Basically, you need to register and pick the two cities and then they will ask for your hotel name. They seem to service most hotels but reserve it a couple of days early so they can confirm your seat. Most buses leave either early morning or early afternoon. It seems to be around $25/ per person no matter where you are going in Costa Rica. The bus is a minivan with air condition (it takes 3 1/2 hours back to San Jose from MA). Not to compare with the 20 minute flight but you get to see more of the country and they have stops to use clean restrooms and grab something to eat. We took it three times and had three different experiences. One trip it was only us in the entire van and on another trip a person was on board giving a mini tour of the country side. It seems to be the luck of the draw. They were reliable and would come and find us in the hotel lobby.
My Costa Rica #2 will include info for Arenal.
Arrival info:
Due to our flight arriving to San Jose in the afternoon and we did not rent a car- we booked online at Sansa airlines (flysansa.com)to avoid the common night stay in San Jose b/c of international arrival times. Sansa is right next to the airport so you don't need to take a cab. There is a 25 lb limit on bags (additional lbs= extra $) so we asked the hotel in San Jose (where we were staying the last night of our trip) to hold any additional luggage and only took what we needed on Sansa. Since the Hotel was right next to the airport we took the Hotel's free shuttle from the airport back to the airport and then got on our Sansa flight to Quepos. Unfortunately, there are no lockers at the airport. The flight was great (approx. 20 min.) and easy to book online! After you arrive you can take the Sansa Shuttle to your hotel approx. $4 to the hotel(if your hotel doesn't provide free transportation).
Hotel in MA (Manuel Antonio):
We stayed at Villas Nicolas (www.villasnicolas.com)which sits right next to the Hotel Si Como No which is more expensive. I recommend trying to get #9 or #13 up. They seem to have the best views with beautiful balconies. We also saw some monkeys playing in the trees overhead.
Transportation in MA:
The public bus stops right in front of the Hotel Si Como No and the ride costs around $.25 to take it directly to Manuel Antonio (it is the last stop). It runs back and forth from Quepos all day (every 1/2 hour). You can also take a taxi but we took the bus a couple of times a day- it was just as easy.
MA Park:
Amazing!! There is a public beach outside the park that is popular but the beaches inside the park are more beautiful (Playa Manuel Antonio) and less populated due to the entrance fee ($7). We chose not to join a tour as we like to explore on our own and we bought some inexpensive binoculars (8X21) before our trip and we were excited to spot sloths, monkeys, and other wildlife. We had the luck of seeing a sloth moving and coming down a few feet from us (afterwards we heard this happens only once a week!). The tours seemed popular with a guide helping to spot the animals (maybe next time). During the afternoons by the main beach the monkeys would literally run right in front of you. If you enjoy hiking there are some great views (especially one that ends in a concrete platform- I think it was Sendero Puerto Escondidio). Note: the Park is closed on Mondays! You also have to cross a stream of water but when you leave at 4pm the tide comes in (you can walk through or pay a boat to take you across)
Best Sunset in MA: Highly recommend!!!
La Mariposa hotel bar. Get there early - the place is popular for the amazing sunset and sweeping views of MA!!
Recommendations Food in MA:
Outside MA Park for lunch - we decided to pick up some pastry items (ex. empanades, ham and cheese crossaints) and drinks at the first group of shops before MA. (It is an orange sign named "MusManni"
On the first day, we ate right outside the park at a restaurant and was unimpressed. You can bring food/drinks into the park (picnic areas are available).Barba Roja Rest.- Margaritas and the best Nachos!
Best Seafood- We ate at Karolas (down a little path) 3 times (1 time for lunch) during our visit. They have a great atmosphere and the seafood combination (for 2) was the best tuna and mahi mahi I have ever had. The macademia nut pie is a must try too.
All the dining and the La Mariposa hotel are within walking distance of each other and around the area of Villas Nicolas.
Transportation from MA:
Instead of taking Sansa back to San Jose, we booked Interbus(www.interbusonline.com). It looks like they run all different routes and looks confusing. Basically, you need to register and pick the two cities and then they will ask for your hotel name. They seem to service most hotels but reserve it a couple of days early so they can confirm your seat. Most buses leave either early morning or early afternoon. It seems to be around $25/ per person no matter where you are going in Costa Rica. The bus is a minivan with air condition (it takes 3 1/2 hours back to San Jose from MA). Not to compare with the 20 minute flight but you get to see more of the country and they have stops to use clean restrooms and grab something to eat. We took it three times and had three different experiences. One trip it was only us in the entire van and on another trip a person was on board giving a mini tour of the country side. It seems to be the luck of the draw. They were reliable and would come and find us in the hotel lobby.
My Costa Rica #2 will include info for Arenal.
Feb 7th, 2004, 05:28 AM
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Sounds like a fabulous trip. Very similar to our honeymoon in 2001. We took the Interbus from San Jose to our hotel. We laughed at the slogan -- "Interbus - very good"
We stayed at Makanda by the Sea and loved it. Loved MA park as well. The beaches were amazing. It was so much fun to watch the trees for monkeys and sloths.
Can't wait to hear about your Arenal trip! We just stayed near MA. Next time we'll venture out more.
We stayed at Makanda by the Sea and loved it. Loved MA park as well. The beaches were amazing. It was so much fun to watch the trees for monkeys and sloths.
Can't wait to hear about your Arenal trip! We just stayed near MA. Next time we'll venture out more.
Feb 7th, 2004, 06:11 AM
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Hey, glad you had a great time, and those were very good tips. If anyone is like us and fell so much in love with Manuel Antonio that they want to move here, or buy and investment property check out our website. www.valle-escondido.com
Feb 8th, 2004, 12:51 PM
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Thank you for all the great feedback! I used this site before we left on our trip and found the information very helpful. I am new to Travel Talk but I am willing to answer any questions. We had such a wonderful time!
Feb 13th, 2004, 04:29 PM
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TVL,
Thanks for the great report. We will be staying at villas nicolas in May for 3 nights. He recommended to us to take 8UP (we are not taking the kitchenette). Any info on them would be greatly appreciated. How was the hotel and where did you eat etc. Thanks.
Trish
Thanks for the great report. We will be staying at villas nicolas in May for 3 nights. He recommended to us to take 8UP (we are not taking the kitchenette). Any info on them would be greatly appreciated. How was the hotel and where did you eat etc. Thanks.
Trish
Feb 14th, 2004, 04:05 AM
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Trvlbug,
I hope you have a great time! The people at the Villas Nicolas are very nice. The Villas Nicolas is not like a hotel atmosphere. Here are some details: Each unit has it's own stairs leading either up or down to it. We had a condo with a kitchen area and it was spacious for the two of us. You will need your own shampoo/cond. and soap. The units are not air conditioned but I don't think many of the places to stay are in that area. I think if we had a balcony and more time we would have relaxed more at the Villas Nicolas. We mainly spent our time during the days in Manuel Antonio and the beach (you can buy beach towels at the beach ($15) or bring them). The location of Villas Nicolas is great! As I wrote above, we ate at Karolas (great seafood and macademia nut pie), Barba Roja (up the way from Karolas), and we also ate breakfast a few times at Cafe Milagro. I would recommend the sunset at La Mariposa Sunset Bar for drinks (just past the lobby of La Mariposa). I think if we go back we may try and stay at this hotel. The view was incredible! These are all just a few minutes from the Villas Nicolas! I don't know how you are planning to get to Villas Nicolas but if you don't have a car the bus stops right at the yellow line (Parada Bus) right next to the Villas Nicolas in front of the Hotel Si Como No. It will end at Manuel Antonio-it is really easy and very inexpensive. If you want you can take the bus the other way to Quepos. In our opinion, Quepos was a little interesting in the evening (we only went once to pick up some things). If you have any more questions I will be happy to answer them - I hope you have a great time!
I hope you have a great time! The people at the Villas Nicolas are very nice. The Villas Nicolas is not like a hotel atmosphere. Here are some details: Each unit has it's own stairs leading either up or down to it. We had a condo with a kitchen area and it was spacious for the two of us. You will need your own shampoo/cond. and soap. The units are not air conditioned but I don't think many of the places to stay are in that area. I think if we had a balcony and more time we would have relaxed more at the Villas Nicolas. We mainly spent our time during the days in Manuel Antonio and the beach (you can buy beach towels at the beach ($15) or bring them). The location of Villas Nicolas is great! As I wrote above, we ate at Karolas (great seafood and macademia nut pie), Barba Roja (up the way from Karolas), and we also ate breakfast a few times at Cafe Milagro. I would recommend the sunset at La Mariposa Sunset Bar for drinks (just past the lobby of La Mariposa). I think if we go back we may try and stay at this hotel. The view was incredible! These are all just a few minutes from the Villas Nicolas! I don't know how you are planning to get to Villas Nicolas but if you don't have a car the bus stops right at the yellow line (Parada Bus) right next to the Villas Nicolas in front of the Hotel Si Como No. It will end at Manuel Antonio-it is really easy and very inexpensive. If you want you can take the bus the other way to Quepos. In our opinion, Quepos was a little interesting in the evening (we only went once to pick up some things). If you have any more questions I will be happy to answer them - I hope you have a great time!
Mar 13th, 2004, 05:18 PM
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LA Fadeaway,
We were waiting for the public bus in front of Si Como No (next door to villas nicolas) and we saw a lane of parking spaces on the property of villas nicolas. I don't know when you are planning to go but I would email them at [email protected] to let them know you are planning to park there so that just to be safe you can have a spot available. We went during the "dry season" and we saw lots of spaces available. I hope this helps! (=
We were waiting for the public bus in front of Si Como No (next door to villas nicolas) and we saw a lane of parking spaces on the property of villas nicolas. I don't know when you are planning to go but I would email them at [email protected] to let them know you are planning to park there so that just to be safe you can have a spot available. We went during the "dry season" and we saw lots of spaces available. I hope this helps! (=
Mar 13th, 2004, 07:02 PM
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Thanks! We're going in July, so I bet there will be plenty of spaces. I just wanted to make sure they have parking. By the way, how did you make your reservation? Did you make it directly with them and pay up front or did you go through someone where you can use a credit card? I'm always a little leary of sending money up front.
Mar 13th, 2004, 07:35 PM
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LA Fadeaway,
I completely understand your hesitation. It is basically three steps (details below):
1. Fill out registration form on their website
2. Fill out form on the confirmation email
3. Fax back form
We filled out their reservation form on villasnicolas.com (no credit card number required) and subsequently received a confirmation of our reservation via email. The confirmation email contained a form to print & fill out with your credit card information (also it included the rate of your stay so you can verify your type room is correct). We filled out the form and faxed it to villas nicolas. When we checked out we signed a bill and paid at that time for all of our charges. I believe the credit card/fax requirement is just to ensure that you will show up and process any cancellation policy they have associated with reservations. I hope this helps!
I completely understand your hesitation. It is basically three steps (details below):
1. Fill out registration form on their website
2. Fill out form on the confirmation email
3. Fax back form
We filled out their reservation form on villasnicolas.com (no credit card number required) and subsequently received a confirmation of our reservation via email. The confirmation email contained a form to print & fill out with your credit card information (also it included the rate of your stay so you can verify your type room is correct). We filled out the form and faxed it to villas nicolas. When we checked out we signed a bill and paid at that time for all of our charges. I believe the credit card/fax requirement is just to ensure that you will show up and process any cancellation policy they have associated with reservations. I hope this helps!
Mar 14th, 2004, 12:06 PM
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Hmmm, they must have recently changed the procedure. We filled out the internet form and then they sent me a form yesterday which requires us to send a certified check, cashiers checks or wire transfer for half the total cost up front. The remaining half is due about six weeks before our stay. I've sent an inquiry to a travel agent web site to see if they can book it for us using a credit card.
Mar 14th, 2004, 01:59 PM
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LA Fadeaway,
Sorry I didn't realize they changed their procedure. If the travel agent route doesn't work or if you want to try I would email them and let them know your concern and see if they are willing to process it by credit card. They were really helpful when we were there! (=
Sorry I didn't realize they changed their procedure. If the travel agent route doesn't work or if you want to try I would email them and let them know your concern and see if they are willing to process it by credit card. They were really helpful when we were there! (=
Mar 14th, 2004, 02:46 PM
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Please Keep me posted as well as I have been waiting for confirmation from my contact theer and the procedure in that would hold the room for us in August. Have not heard back. A bit uncomfortable w/o being able to use a credit card as well....let me know how your luck turns out with the credit card.
Thanks -
Scott
Thanks -
Scott
Mar 16th, 2004, 11:56 PM
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Well, I found a web site that would let me book Villa Nicolas with a CC, but they wanted an extra $10 per night, so I didn't do it. I've e-mailed Villa Nicolas about holding the reservation with a CC. I'll let you know what they say.
Mar 17th, 2004, 09:16 AM
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Well, here is the response I got from Villa Nicolas about holding the room with a credit card:
"No...all advance reservations are confirmed on a prepayment to our bank as per the instructions on our confirmation form."
Hmm, do I send them the money or do I just stay at Hotel California instead? Any advice anyone?
"No...all advance reservations are confirmed on a prepayment to our bank as per the instructions on our confirmation form."
Hmm, do I send them the money or do I just stay at Hotel California instead? Any advice anyone?
Mar 17th, 2004, 01:19 PM
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I am disappointed with your info. I have a friend leaving tomorrow for 1 mth in CR.(her son teaches at Monteverde) She is going to MA, so I will try to catch her and ask her to visit there and check this out; before I read a lot on this forum, I had gotten info on Costa Verde Hotel, which looked nice. Anyone out there know much about it???....Neta???
