booberry680

We have the following vacation planned.
June 12-15 Hotel Martino-Double
June 13 Visit Zoo Ave and Butterfly Garden morning the Adam and Eve Spa package.
June 14th free day-Maybe a flight somewhere to view whales?
June 15th-2 Siamese Massages afternoon Morning open- need sugestions
June 16-21 Tabacon Resort Superior Suite
June 16th-Transfer to Arenal via La Paz Waterfall Gardens.
June 17th-Morning open for ideas, afternoon Tabacon's River Heart Package for her RainforestTropical Life package for him.
June 18th-Open for ideas
June 19th-Morning open for ideas-afternoon Intensive Volcano Experience for her,Relaxation package for him.
June 20th-Rainforest River Float and Safari
June 21st-Morning open for sugestions,afternoon Relaxation Package for her, Volocano Experience for him.
June 22nd-Transfer to San Jose Hotel Grano de Oro
June 22-24 Hotel Grano de Oro-Deluxe
June 23-Open for ideas.
June 24th-Leave 2:00 pm

We booked this custom trip with vacationscoctarica.com Would like to hear from people with experience with this agent.
Seems to be a quality outfit. We also need ideas for food and excursions. Would like to take a day trip flight to see the whales if time would allow. Also need travel and packing tips.

booberry680

Also need information on where we can see the most animals. Which tours are the best. Do we need boots do to snake encounters? Any good places to eat La fortuna or San Jose? Can you buy orchids to take home.

LA_FadeAway

Sounds like you guys will be spending a lot of time (&$) at spas. Spas are nice, but I can't imagine spending that much time in them on vacation when I can do that at home, but to each his own. On another note, you may want to do a Caño Negro tour from the Arenal area. I heard there is a lot of wildlife on that tour. Enjoy!

LA_FadeAway

Oh, by the way, where do you plan on doing snake encounters? I haven't really head of that.

Iza

Booberry, Tabacon Resort and Spa are nice but it seems that you are spending a lot of time there. You may find yourself a bit bored. Do you not want to visit another place in Costa Rica? How about spending some time at the beach? It looks like you will have about 3 days each at the beginning and and the end of your vacation in SJ area - I personally think it is too long. There are so many other amazing places in Costa Rica!

Suzie2

I wouldn't plan on a day trip to fly somewhere to see whales unless you want to hire a private charter to go to Drake Bay.
I have never heard of anyone getting so many massages in such a short time! Your muscles may not have any strength left for any hiking.
Your hotel has a tour desk. That would be a good place to go to make plans for some day trips. they will have a list of several options that you can choose from and then they can make the arrangements for you. I would assume they would have some 1/2 day tours seeing as you have plans most days.
The El Novillo Steak house near Arenal Paraiso is very good. Much better than the buffet at Tabacon from what I hear. The restaurant doesn't look like much but it has good views of the volcano and very good food. Not gourmet but very tasty.
With all your spa experiences scheduled you won't have time to see much of Costa Rica but you will definitely go home relaxed which is not what most people do. That is what vacations are for. Enjoy.

booberry680

Message: It sounds like alot of spa time, however
we like to see alot while we are somewhere. We plan on filling in every day with half and full day and night tours. Spa treatments are only a couple of hours every other day. We have allready scheduled them for the end of each day. We do plan to spend day on the beach but not alot of time. We have been to Puerto Rico, Bahamas and the Virgin islands we now want something different. Thanks for the restauarant advice we will try it. How about Torteguero?

Suzie2

From the sounds of your initial posting I thought you might have already booked your trip. If possible you could try to get over to Manuel Antonio for a couple of nights. Lots and lots of wildlife there. Makanda by the Sea is a beautiful place.
If your trip is set, a trip to Cano Negro from Tabacon would be a good place to see wildlife. Your sight seeing in CN is primarily by boat. You mentioned another float tour but not where. The wildlife you would see would be comparable to Tortuguero.
You asked about Tortuguero, it is a long trip by boat or you have to fly there with the only flight being very, very early in the am unless you hire a private charter. Not the easiest place to get to and from
Manuel Antonio is a long trip from Tabacon also but less complicated to get to as there are several scheduled flights from San Jose and more options for other transportation.
You could also think of the Marriott Los Suenos which would be just a little closer to San Jose. You could walk in Carara Reserve, take a day trip to Manuel Antonio as well as several other things from there. The new Turu ba ri nature park might be an option.

Suzie2

Just re read your posting. You mentioned planning on a day at the beach. The only day that I can see that you would be able to do that unless you go to the Marriott or Manuel Antonio would be to take a full day trip out of San Jose on the 14th. Your options would pretty much be to the surfing town of Jaco or a very long day out to Tortuga Island. Don't expect the beautiful Caribbean waters you are used to. I have spent a lot of time in the Caribbean and have given up trying to find anything even remotely similar in CR (at least on the Pacific side).

katolb90

If you really want some quality beach time, I'd recommend Manuel Antonio also. Maybe spend a couple of days there. I took the Tortuga Island tour with Calypso which was okay, but it is a long day and you are not on your own schedule. The beach chairs are sinfully hard. And if you have a behind of reasonable size, the beach chairs provided by Calypso just won't do.

I spent 8 nights in San Jose on my trip. Its a great place to do day trips from. So if its your first trip, I don't think 5-6 days is too long. But an alternative might be to cut it down to 4 days and spend a couple of days in Manuel Antonio. Why are you breaking your San Jose area stay into two parts. I would do it all at the beginning.

trrtrix

Wouldn't be my itinerary but, Hotel Grano de Oro is beautiful with a great restraunt

Catmomma

When in the Arenal area, dine at El Novillo. We had huge, wonderfully flavorful and tender filet mignons there for $6 each.

It looks like a shack---but is widely recommended.

booberry680

Thanks to everyone that has replied so far. To explain this trip more it will happen on our 20th anniversery. It to relax and and enjoy. Yes! we can get the spa treatments elsewhere but what a great treat after hiking or rafting most of the day. Is Monteverde worth the trip? Will we see more wildlife elsewhere. We enjoy seeing things other tourist never think of. Does anyone have ideas of where to eat in Alajuela, San Jose or Arenal? Also out of the ordinary things to do or see in any of the areas? Example historic, unusual or neat things you may have discovered.
What are some of the better things to buy? Thanks Bob and Mary