nicenancy

Hi!
Is it warm enough to go to Costa Rica at Christmas with our two families? We have 6 teens (yikes) who have varied interests - scuba, snorkeling, swimming, hiking, rafting - is there a resort that is not too plush - I don't want TVs in every room - but need clean and good food. Thanks!!!

rsmuryasz

It's Central America, it's always fairly warm there. The North American Winter is the CA Summer/Dry season, it should be great. We've gone in the rainy season, called green season for marketing, and never really missed a beat. I've taken my wife and two girls(6,11) twice to the Occidental Allegro Papagayo. It's a nice resort, not too fancy but the food is good and the rooms are clean, price was right. Any issue we had with our room was taken care of quickly. Costa Rica is an amazing place. We did some really cool tours through http://costarica-realestate.com/Papagayo%20Tours.htm. Go to the Arneal Volcano, and a trip to Nicaragua for the day was well worth the money. Diving is great, visibility is not always the greatest.

shillmac

Are you interested in an All Inclusive? As rsmuryasz mentioned, Allegro Papagayo is a fun place. It was our first introduction to Costa Rica, and we've been hooked ever since!

Also near there is Playas del Coco and Playa Hermosa. We're going to check out a hotel in Hermosa this summer that comes with good recommendations: Villas del Sueno. Seems to be a very good value. . .will find out soon!

Get ready for HOT weather at the beach! Definitely will be in the 90's!

We have also enjoyed Flamingo Beach Resort and they sometimes offer some amazing specials. It sits right across a narrow dirt road from one of the most beautiful beaches in Costa Rica. GREAT sunsets here, nice large pool for swimming. This area is very "Americanized", but finding one that is not (and is on the beach) is quite a trick these days.

You won't find much in the way of snorkeling, but Manuel Antonio is a good place for enjoying beach AND rain forest right there together, allowing for a large variety of activites, including rafting. Excellent wildlife viewing in the national park.

Your kids will enjoy the ziplines (and you will too!). You'll find them everywhere.

How much time to you have? Would your kids be interested in learning to surf? Then check out Tamarindo (30 min. south of Flamingo) or Malpais down on the tip of the Nicoya Peninsula (a little harder to get to).

For your pick of hotels, you'll want to set up your itinerary fairly soon. One of the more popular hotels down on the Osa Peninsula (Bosque del Cabo) wrote me that they are already accepting reservations for December of 2007. December is QUITE a busy month! Particulary near Christmas time. The Costa Ricans are taking their holiday vacations as well! Good luck in your planning!

shillmac

http://www.ticotimes.net/travel.htm

This is a link to Buena Vista Lodge in the Rincon de la Vieja area north of Liberia in Guanacaste province.

Your teenagers would have a great time for a couple of days exploring this area. It is very close to the beaches on the northern Pacific coast, so would be easy to combine the two locations.

The giant water slide is tons of fun!

guanacaste

if you go to la fortuna/ arenal take the kids to the crocodile sanctuary at the end of the high street:

http://costa.rica.typepad.com/la_for...ome/index.html


oh and villa sueno in playa hermosa is lovely, however there is a lot of construction in hermosa at present and for at least the next 6 months!