COSTA RICA TRIP REPORT - PART 2 - LONG
Jun 17th, 2005 | 07:27 AM
#1
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Joined: Mar 2005
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COSTA RICA TRIP REPORT - PART 2 - LONG
Here is a link to pictures from this part of our trip http://tinyurl.com/a7zo9
I forgot to mention in the previous trip report that Hotel Pasatiempo has three cats that are the hotel pets. We befriended one of them named Perro (which means dog is Spanish) and we even let him into our room and he spent the night sleeping on our bed with us on our last night. He was very well behaved in our room and we enjoyed his company.
Day 5
Another overcast day.
After eating breakfast and consulting our Lonely Planet book, we decided to drive to Montezuma and stay at least one night before deciding on where to go next. We took a different route out of Tamarindo that wasn’t paved but was in good condition without a lot of potholes. There were a few places where there were cattle blocking the road and we had to do some maneuvering around the stubborn ones who wouldn’t move after giving a few toots on the horn. We made our way to Santa Cruz where we got back on the main highway and then down to Nicoya where we stopped for gas. The gas station was like pulling into a pit stop at a race track. There were 2 guys who washed the front, side, and rear windows and another two guys who checked the tire pressure in all four wheels as well as filled up the tank. I tipped them 1000 colones (about $2) to split among themselves and then we made our way back out of the town onto the highway.
Heading south, we were stopped at a police check point. I was going a little fast and I thought for sure that I was going to get either a ticket or have to pay a bribe. The officer asked me in English for my driver’s license and passport, asked where I was coming from and where we were going and then told us to have a safe trip and enjoy our stay. After the main highway ended we ended up on more local roads that were a combination of paved and potholed dirt roads. The roads went through small towns and we saw lots of schools along the way. We always waved at the school children and they all would simile and wave back. There were lots of stray dogs on the roads as well.
After we passed Playa Narajno the road became REALLY BAD and in some places I wondered if we would even be able to make it through. There was mud and pot holes everywhere that limited our speed to a bit more than a crawl. There were also some very steep, muddy hills that required some white knuckle driving especially when it was pouring rain and driving down the hills. I never had to use the 4x4 but definitely needed the higher clearance that the 4x4 offered. After getting to Paquera the road was paved fairly well with the occasional pot hole all the way to Tambor. From tambor to Cobano the road was mostly a combination of smooth dirt and pot holed road. From Cabano we turned onto the road to Montezuma and after driving down another very steep road we pulled into the small town of Montezuma. We parked the car and after consulting the Lonley Planet book we decided to see what the hotel above the El Sano Banano had to offer.
When we arrived the hotel was pretty empty so they let us pick wichever room we wanted. Most of the rooms faced the back of the hotel and did not have a view. We chose one of the three rooms that looked out over the street and was surprisingly quiet even when music was blasting from Chico's bar a half block away. The rooms had good air conditioning and satellite TV with some channels in English. They play movies on a projection screen downstairs every night and are free with dinner or if you buy a few drinks. They have a sister hotel, the Ylang-Ylang resort located up the beach where guests at El Sano Banano are able to use their beautiful pool.
Breakfast from the café downstairs was included with the room but some of the food was pretty average. The banana pancakes are good as well as the fruit with yogurt and granola. The mocha chiller drinks are awesome! There is also an internet cafe next door with a so-so connection. They can take your pictures from your digital camera and burn them onto a cd rom so you can free up your memory card.
After settling into our room we took a walk around the town. The town is small and the main area is only about four blocks long with a super market, bar, restaurants, a school, tour guides, and a few hotels around the main “downtown” area. Most of the other hotels are located down some side streets or other roads that branch out of town. We looked for a good place to get a late lunch and ended up at the El Parque café which is located right on the beach with a sand floor. We had some of the best guacamole with chips that I’ve ever had there followed with a meal of rice, beans, chicken, potatoes, and steamed vegetables all washed down with many cold cervezas all for about $14 for the two of us! At the restaurant we were approached by a stray skinny young cat that begged for some food. Naturally we couldn't resist and gave him some chicken. Then another one came so we gave him some meat as well and before we knew it there were four of them all meowing and jockeying for position to get some hand outs.
We then had some beers at the lively Chico’s Bar in the center of town. It is the only bar in town and has a section on the street and another bar in the rear by the water with tables right on the sand. There are a few pool tables and a foosball table as well as a dance floor. After hanging out there for a while and drinking many cervazas (we had to drink so many in order to stay hydrated in the heat!) we decided on Café Cocolores for dinner. I had some of the tastiest pineapple chicken all very reasonably priced. We then retired back to El Sano Banano where they were showing Ocean’s 12 in the restaurant but we were too tired to watch so we went up to our room and hit the sack.
Day 6
After having breakfast on the patio downstairs we decided to take a drive to go check out Malpais and see if it was worth possibly staying a night or two after Montezuma. We drove back to Cobano and then on to Malpais. The road to Malpais was pretty bad in places but the last few kilometers was newly paved. We arrived to find a large construction project going on where they had a big crane building a condominium complex. Probably in a few years Malpais will turn into another Tamarindo. We drove down the Malpais side and then back up to Santa Teresa. Theh road that runs along the beachfront community is pretty bad. The town is spread apart and there is no real center of town. You would definitely need a bicycle or some form of transportation to get around. We then went back and parked the car at Frank’s place and since it had stopped raining we took a walk along the beach up to the Topico Latino hotel where we stopped for guacamole, chips and a few cervezas. We then walked back on the road to Frank’s Place where I checked my email at the fast internet café. I noticed that there was also an ATM machine there at the reception desk.
We then drove back to Montezuma and had dinner again at El Parque. Afterwards we walked to Chico’s Bar where we mat a family from Los Angeles who had bought a cabin south of Montezuma and were staying there for two months until they went back to the US (they rent it out when they are not there). They invited us to come over to their house for coffee or beers the next day. We also met some people from San Francisco who wree in town for a wedding. One of the people lived just a few blocks from where we live - Small world!
Day 7
We decided to stay in Montezuma an extra day
Still overcast but not raining so we decided after breakfast to walk up to the Ylang-Ylang to check out the pool. It’s located about ˝ mile up the beach and is not accessable by car. When we got there it was a little paradise! The pool was very nicely located in a jungle setting with a waterfall that flowed into the pool. After swimming a bit and lounging we walked back to town and had some of the best pizza I’ve ever had at Pizza Net next to Chico’s Bar. We then grabbed a few 6 packs of cerveza from the super mercado and drove south towards Cabuya to hang out with our new friends from Los Angeles who had invited us to their cabin.
Later that evening we all met at the La Playa de las Artistas restaurant in Montezuma. It is a nice little intimate restaurant located right on the beach. The food there was AMAZING! We had smoked cheese with shrimp, salad, a huge fish that fed four, chateau breong, salad, bread, and cocktails and it only came to $17/person! Probably one of the best meals I’ve ever had!
I forgot to mention in the previous trip report that Hotel Pasatiempo has three cats that are the hotel pets. We befriended one of them named Perro (which means dog is Spanish) and we even let him into our room and he spent the night sleeping on our bed with us on our last night. He was very well behaved in our room and we enjoyed his company.
Day 5
Another overcast day.
After eating breakfast and consulting our Lonely Planet book, we decided to drive to Montezuma and stay at least one night before deciding on where to go next. We took a different route out of Tamarindo that wasn’t paved but was in good condition without a lot of potholes. There were a few places where there were cattle blocking the road and we had to do some maneuvering around the stubborn ones who wouldn’t move after giving a few toots on the horn. We made our way to Santa Cruz where we got back on the main highway and then down to Nicoya where we stopped for gas. The gas station was like pulling into a pit stop at a race track. There were 2 guys who washed the front, side, and rear windows and another two guys who checked the tire pressure in all four wheels as well as filled up the tank. I tipped them 1000 colones (about $2) to split among themselves and then we made our way back out of the town onto the highway.
Heading south, we were stopped at a police check point. I was going a little fast and I thought for sure that I was going to get either a ticket or have to pay a bribe. The officer asked me in English for my driver’s license and passport, asked where I was coming from and where we were going and then told us to have a safe trip and enjoy our stay. After the main highway ended we ended up on more local roads that were a combination of paved and potholed dirt roads. The roads went through small towns and we saw lots of schools along the way. We always waved at the school children and they all would simile and wave back. There were lots of stray dogs on the roads as well.
After we passed Playa Narajno the road became REALLY BAD and in some places I wondered if we would even be able to make it through. There was mud and pot holes everywhere that limited our speed to a bit more than a crawl. There were also some very steep, muddy hills that required some white knuckle driving especially when it was pouring rain and driving down the hills. I never had to use the 4x4 but definitely needed the higher clearance that the 4x4 offered. After getting to Paquera the road was paved fairly well with the occasional pot hole all the way to Tambor. From tambor to Cobano the road was mostly a combination of smooth dirt and pot holed road. From Cabano we turned onto the road to Montezuma and after driving down another very steep road we pulled into the small town of Montezuma. We parked the car and after consulting the Lonley Planet book we decided to see what the hotel above the El Sano Banano had to offer.
When we arrived the hotel was pretty empty so they let us pick wichever room we wanted. Most of the rooms faced the back of the hotel and did not have a view. We chose one of the three rooms that looked out over the street and was surprisingly quiet even when music was blasting from Chico's bar a half block away. The rooms had good air conditioning and satellite TV with some channels in English. They play movies on a projection screen downstairs every night and are free with dinner or if you buy a few drinks. They have a sister hotel, the Ylang-Ylang resort located up the beach where guests at El Sano Banano are able to use their beautiful pool.
Breakfast from the café downstairs was included with the room but some of the food was pretty average. The banana pancakes are good as well as the fruit with yogurt and granola. The mocha chiller drinks are awesome! There is also an internet cafe next door with a so-so connection. They can take your pictures from your digital camera and burn them onto a cd rom so you can free up your memory card.
After settling into our room we took a walk around the town. The town is small and the main area is only about four blocks long with a super market, bar, restaurants, a school, tour guides, and a few hotels around the main “downtown” area. Most of the other hotels are located down some side streets or other roads that branch out of town. We looked for a good place to get a late lunch and ended up at the El Parque café which is located right on the beach with a sand floor. We had some of the best guacamole with chips that I’ve ever had there followed with a meal of rice, beans, chicken, potatoes, and steamed vegetables all washed down with many cold cervezas all for about $14 for the two of us! At the restaurant we were approached by a stray skinny young cat that begged for some food. Naturally we couldn't resist and gave him some chicken. Then another one came so we gave him some meat as well and before we knew it there were four of them all meowing and jockeying for position to get some hand outs.
We then had some beers at the lively Chico’s Bar in the center of town. It is the only bar in town and has a section on the street and another bar in the rear by the water with tables right on the sand. There are a few pool tables and a foosball table as well as a dance floor. After hanging out there for a while and drinking many cervazas (we had to drink so many in order to stay hydrated in the heat!) we decided on Café Cocolores for dinner. I had some of the tastiest pineapple chicken all very reasonably priced. We then retired back to El Sano Banano where they were showing Ocean’s 12 in the restaurant but we were too tired to watch so we went up to our room and hit the sack.
Day 6
After having breakfast on the patio downstairs we decided to take a drive to go check out Malpais and see if it was worth possibly staying a night or two after Montezuma. We drove back to Cobano and then on to Malpais. The road to Malpais was pretty bad in places but the last few kilometers was newly paved. We arrived to find a large construction project going on where they had a big crane building a condominium complex. Probably in a few years Malpais will turn into another Tamarindo. We drove down the Malpais side and then back up to Santa Teresa. Theh road that runs along the beachfront community is pretty bad. The town is spread apart and there is no real center of town. You would definitely need a bicycle or some form of transportation to get around. We then went back and parked the car at Frank’s place and since it had stopped raining we took a walk along the beach up to the Topico Latino hotel where we stopped for guacamole, chips and a few cervezas. We then walked back on the road to Frank’s Place where I checked my email at the fast internet café. I noticed that there was also an ATM machine there at the reception desk.
We then drove back to Montezuma and had dinner again at El Parque. Afterwards we walked to Chico’s Bar where we mat a family from Los Angeles who had bought a cabin south of Montezuma and were staying there for two months until they went back to the US (they rent it out when they are not there). They invited us to come over to their house for coffee or beers the next day. We also met some people from San Francisco who wree in town for a wedding. One of the people lived just a few blocks from where we live - Small world!
Day 7
We decided to stay in Montezuma an extra day
Still overcast but not raining so we decided after breakfast to walk up to the Ylang-Ylang to check out the pool. It’s located about ˝ mile up the beach and is not accessable by car. When we got there it was a little paradise! The pool was very nicely located in a jungle setting with a waterfall that flowed into the pool. After swimming a bit and lounging we walked back to town and had some of the best pizza I’ve ever had at Pizza Net next to Chico’s Bar. We then grabbed a few 6 packs of cerveza from the super mercado and drove south towards Cabuya to hang out with our new friends from Los Angeles who had invited us to their cabin.
Later that evening we all met at the La Playa de las Artistas restaurant in Montezuma. It is a nice little intimate restaurant located right on the beach. The food there was AMAZING! We had smoked cheese with shrimp, salad, a huge fish that fed four, chateau breong, salad, bread, and cocktails and it only came to $17/person! Probably one of the best meals I’ve ever had!
Jun 17th, 2005 | 02:53 PM
#4
Original Poster
Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 305
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Ylang-Ylang is pretty remote from the rest of the town. It's about a 1/2 hike up the beach and I wouldn't do it at night without a good flashlight. The grounds there are beautiful. We walked by Amor de Mar and the grounds look beautiful! Thhere is a manacured lawn that runs right up to the rocks on the beah. When we walked by, someone getting married there.
Mal Pais was nice but there was barely anybody there. Also the town is really spread out along a 3 mile long pretty bad dirt road meaning that to go out to dinner or evening drinks would mean a long walk or a need to drive. Montezuma is pretty small although the two places you are satying are pretty far from the town center. Amor de Mar is really close to the Playa de las Artistas. Make sure you walk by beforehand to see when they are open as they are close 3 days a week.
Mal Pais was nice but there was barely anybody there. Also the town is really spread out along a 3 mile long pretty bad dirt road meaning that to go out to dinner or evening drinks would mean a long walk or a need to drive. Montezuma is pretty small although the two places you are satying are pretty far from the town center. Amor de Mar is really close to the Playa de las Artistas. Make sure you walk by beforehand to see when they are open as they are close 3 days a week.
Jun 18th, 2005 | 05:52 AM
#5
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Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 305
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I'm not sure if the picture link I posted earlier was working so here is another that has all the pictures together
http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/seanc420/album?.dir=/fd48
http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/seanc420/album?.dir=/fd48
