My friend just came back last night from her 1st trip to CR. She really did not like it. She is now making me doubt my family's trip planned over Christmas.

She said San Jose is a "dump". Traffic was horrible, people all over the city begging. They drove to Arenal and stayed 1 of their 2 nights (Nat'l Geog Observatory -way too far from everything). They went to hot springs (not Tabacon, but wished they had, they said the one they went to was a rip off). Went into town said it was run down and not much there. Were not interested in canopy tours, waterfall repelling, etc. They left after the 1st day since they were bored with Arenal. They drove to Jaco which was seedy (as expected) but they were glad for some activity.

Then they drove to Quepos and stayed at Si Como No. Restaurant in hotel was closed; hot tub was broken & they did not reduce the $200/nt rate. Overall, they liked Quepos tho.

She said the weather was really dismal. Cloudy and rain (its rainy season now, right? Is Dec. better?).

She has been to Cancun and lived in Virgin Islands so its not like she does not have experience with different cultures. She is not a "whiner". She told me that honestly, she just does not see what people are raving about!

Anyhow, I am concerned about these comments and wondering if she is just way off. I realize everyone has a different perception of places and if you are not interested in participating in what a place has to offer (i.e. canopy tour, etc), you may be bored. I am not seriously considering cancelling at this point but I would like to lower my expectations if need be...I am also concerned because of the condition of Si Como No & that's a much nicer place than I have booked...at least more $$. (Villas El Parque). Thoughts? We are flexible people and enjoy different cultures, but I don't want to throw a bunch of $$ away to be miserable...

It's been a few years since I've been to Costa Rica. But, here's my take on your friend's experience.

I don't think many people care for San Jose. I personally can't imagine driving there. We took cabs when we were there. The traffic is horrific.

We stayed at Tabacon when we were at Arenal. The entire area is spread out and the roads aren't very good. Hot springs at Tabacon was fun. I like the town of La Fortuna. Not much to do there, but we enjoyed walking around in the shadow of the volcano. We also really enjoyed hiking the old lava flow. Very nice hike. I'm not interested in canopy tours or repelling either.

Jaco isn't very appealing. I haven't spent any time there. We stayed at Si Como No our first trip. Nice enough place. The views are tremendous. I really like the Manual Antonio area, lots to do, good choice of restaurants, the beaches are pretty nice. (Although we were used to the sand in Cancun and darn near burned the bottoms of our feet when we headed out across the beach without our shoes on.) That sand gets HOT.

We were there in the winter. Warm and sunny, which certainly puts a better spin on any vacation.

I consider Cancun the 'Disney' of Mexico. No real feel of being in Mexico, at least not on the hotel strip. I've not been to the Virgin Island, can't comment on them as far as different cultures.

I wouldn't worry at all that your friend didn't like Costa Rica. It's a stunningly beautiful country, with very friendly people. San Jose and Jaco are some of the 'worst' the country has to offer. I'm sure you'll have a wonderful time, if you go realizing it isn't the US and adjust your expectations accordingly.

San Jose is a dump, its a central american city not a great vacation spot.

I enjoyed Arenal, we stayed at Tabacon. "In town" - La Fortuna, yep its pretty run down and there's not too much there at all. Maybe just find a local restaurant for dinner - they are not fancy - but I think there are cool places. Outdoor huts where you get a big meal for $7. But if you want to have a beer in the swim up bar naturally heated by the volcano, while you watch the volcano erupt at night, or you want to go hiking, or ride an ATV through the jungle and see wild Toucan's, or go white water rafting, or zip line across the tree tops...or many other things then you're in luck, b/c they have it all there. If you're just there for the hot springs - 1 day is fine b/c you'll be bored after that. It's a volcano in the jungle - so if you are not going to hike, or do adventure type stuff (and some of it is very mild i.e. a boat trip down the river etc.) you will be saying "why are we here?"

Jaco is a surf town w/ lots of young people there to party. It's spring break - it is what it is.

As for the weather - she was there at the end of rainy season. In December the weather should be great.

I have not been to Si Como No - but I'm going in a few weeks. Service, in general, is not what you would get at a Hyatt in Hawaii or the Carribbean, but people are generally nice and if you ask them they will help. If you were at a fancy resort in the US or Carribbean you can bitch and this might get you an upgrade b/c the hotels are run by big companies who train their employees to kiss peoples ass - I think you'll get farther being nice in CR - I don't think they have that "the customer is always right" mentality. But if you are nice to people they are very helpful.

I've traveled all over the world and Costa Rica is one of my favorite places. It is different, and rugged (the roads are really terrible) but very pretty. I think its what Hawaii was probably like 50 years ago. CR doesn't have the infrastructure of typical American resorts. No huge nice hotels etc. I went to Hawaii on my honeymoon and it is paradise there - but don't excpect the same vacation in Costa Rica, it's just a different type of vacation. If you want to sit at the pool all day go to Hawaii or the Carribbean, they have nicer hotels for this. If you want to see and go to some deserted beaches, raft, surf, hike, birdwatch and see some raw nature, go to the mountains, see an active volcano - then go to Costa Rica.

I also think that Costa Rica is much safer the Caribbean. They have an economy in CR unlike the islands where its only tourism (except for Grand Caymen - banking and Barbados - insurance). Intel is in San Jose as well as many other companies. We met young people at the beach who were in finance and accounting in San Jose and were just at the beach for the weekend. You don't get that in Jamaica, or the Dominican Republic or Aruba or a lot of the other islands. There is poverty of course, but I found it generally a lot better then most of the islands. A lot of young people spoke English and Spanish.

And your friends comment about the traffic. Where is she from? If you are from Kansas you will be shocked at the traffic. If you are from near a city you will not be as shocked. Traffic patterns in most places outside the US, Canada, Australia, and the UK are crazy. People just zoom around in whatever they are driving in. Italy is the worst. Paris is a disaster. The whole city of Lima Peru smells like gasoline...you must remember that you are in a different country - things are not the same as in the US and don't expect them to be. Just go w/ the flow and enjoy the natural beauty of the country and you'll have a great trip.

Maybe she would do better to spend her next vacation in Las Vegas.

tinamidon--I've been reading and writing on this board for about 3 years. I've read MAYBE 2 reviews of people who didn't care for Costa Rica--as opposed to hundreds who have said it was their best vacation ever. I'd have to go with the odds, if I were you!

We always go there with a spirit of adventure. That certainly applies to driving in San Jose. I've driven there many times--even alone and at night. It isn't fun, but it's darned sure adventurous!

In many visits to the city, I've seen maybe 3 people begging. Perhaps that's increased lately? I've always been rather impressed at how minimal the begging has been. If you were to spend a day touring the National Museum (just gorgeous and such a rich history), the gold museum, the jade museum, or visiting the central market just to see a Central American market, or take a walk down Avenida
Central (en route to the Mercado Central), or sip a cappucino outside El Gran Hotel at the Plaza de la Cultura (across from the National Theatre), you'd more than likely consider it a day well spent.

Contrary to Naplo999's remarks (and I agree with almost everything he said), we have found service (in hotels and restaurants) to be generally outstanding. Our experience has always been that the customer is ALWAYS right. Way more so than we encountered on the Caribbean island of Tortola this past summer (seemed very arrogant) and in Hawaii a few years ago.

There are some absolutely drop dead gorgeous hotels and resorts. The Paradisus Playa Conchal boasts the largest swimming pool in Central America and it is beautiful. More of the same are being planned and built asw we speak, including J.W. Marriott (did I say that right?) and the Hyatt. And don't forget the Four Seasons of Guanacaste. Besides those 'luxe resorts, there are many, many simply fabulous smaller boutique hotels that are simply to die for. Can't tell you firsthand about many of them because we try to go the moderate route so we can afford to stay longer!

Arenal is an absolute treasure. In my wildest dreams, I can't imagine anyone being bored there. And the Observatory Lodge, as hard as it is to get to, has some of the most beautiful birds I've ever seen. I could have sat in that garden for days just appreciating that little gift of nature alone.

So take heart. If you don't like it, you can join the ranks of the very few. I don't think that will be the case.

By the way, if I had spent my time at Jaco on our first trip, I probably wouldn't have gone back either! Yuk!

Wow, I don't even know how to respond and make sense at the same time. I hate to just point the finger at your friend right off the bat, but if she favours the plastic package of a place Cancun I wonder why she would go to CR to begin with. Maybe she had unrealistic expections of a resort filled place and was caught up short?

CR is not a rich country, at least money wise. If you travel anywhere by car, you will see this clearly. There are bars on the windows, run down houses, etc on a level most of us do not see in our lives. One of my guides in the Arenal area told me he works 28 days straight, sometimes 10-12 hours a day and he brings home less than $200 a week. Compared to many others, he makes good money. Poverty does not equal seedy. Ticos are some of the warmest, friendliest people I have ever met. Despite that I may be spending more to stay at their hotel for one night than they make in a week, I never received anything but the utmost attempt to make my stay a great one.

Back to your friend for a second - did they do any research for this trip? Spend a day or so on this board alone and you will find that Jaco and downtown San Jose rarely get rave reviews, most people skip both. As for the Observatory, again, spend time here and you will find that while it is a fantasticly located site, it is a good trek to get there, did they just not look into this before booking there? The "lure" of Arenal/Fortuna is in fact the volcano itself and the different activities in the area. What exactly were they looking for when they went into Fortuna? A shopping mall? Gourmet dining? They were bored after a day, and yet didn't want to do any of the activities in the area? How on earth can you be bored with a living, rumbling, ash-spewing volcano to look at? Did she stop at all to "smell the flowers", see the countless birds and animals that make you feel you live in the middlle of a zoo?

Okay, I've about ranted myself out. All I can say is I would seriously hope you don't cancel your vacation due to your friends vacation. The fact that you are here asking questions shows that you might not be entirely sold on your friends description either.

You know when I did the Central Valley tour of Costa Rica, I had a private tour guide and I made a list of all the places I wanted to see in San Jose.

Shillmac mentioned some of the places but there are others.

I posted a report of all the nice places to see in San Jose... you will not see them all by walking around.

You will not find them all on your own so for me having a good guide ( Oscar) was helpful.

I agree with comments made by others.

The locations are spread out, some of the drives from place ot place are long.

In hindsight , your friend should have gone to Tabacon Hot Springs.

You have to do a Canopy tour if you go to Costa Rica !!! You will remember it for always.

Yes, sometimes there is a cool drizzle rain and it makes activities a bit unpleasant.

When I arrived in Monteverde Cloud Forest...there was a drizzle rain...we still did the canopy tour and got spotted all over our faces and clothes with mud drops from the canopy cables lines.... so we
took pictures of ourselves and laughed.

I agree with Naplo999 about your friends comments on traffic.!

Your friend "aint seen nothing yet"
I just got back from Italy a few weeks ago.

You want to see traffic and constant congestion, try driving in Rome or Naples or Florence.!!

Go at Christmas but don't take the drive to Monteverde, save that for your second trip.

Percy

Hi Percy. Dfarmer is back. Did you come across her post?

Tully spoke for all of us, I think. Even those of us who were too "timid" (for lack of a better word) to be critical. Something doesn't add up. The things your friend had to say don't make much sense to those of us who know the Arenal area.

I'm thinking that you should do your thing as planned, have a fabulous time (which of course you will) and this might be one of those topics that you'll just have to agree to disagree on! Whatever you do, please don't tell her we all think she's nuts! Even though no doubt it has crossed everyone'e mind!

No, I'm only kidding. Seriously, I have friends, several of them in fact, who would probably not be impressed. And I know exactly why. No need to elaborate. They are still my friends and I don't spend a lot of time trying to convince them they should experience Costa Rica. I know their experience would not be the same as mine. On the other hand, when they hear me rant and rave, I'm pretty sure they think I've gone daffy in my old age. So I do understand.

I keep thinking that, given more planning, as Tully mentioned, your friend might have had a better experience, but then again, probably not. If she didn't like the Arenal area, well, she probably wouldn't have cared much for any of it. And that's okay! Maybe she will continue to "spread the word" and it won't be quite so crowded when the rest of us are enjoying ourselves!

And Percy is right, also. A good way to see San Jose (if you are wanting more than the walking tour can provide) is with a guide. But for me, I'm too bent on being independent. A flaw at times, at other times, not!

Hi shillmac

No I did not see dfarmers' post.

I will do a search for it.

Thanks

Percy

It depends upon what a person enjoys and expects from a destination. It sounds though your friend did not visit to enjoy the pure nature Costa Rica offers along with life's amenities and a safe peaceful government.

This post reminds me of a conversation we overheard while dining in Quepos. Several private guides were talking at the next table and the Irish fellow was describing how he had just "fired" a mother and daughter on the first day. He asked if they wanted to take a hike and look around, 'No, Mom has a bum knee', he suggested a horseback ride,'No, bad back,' perhaps a river trip rafting or kayaks, 'No, Mom can't swim', maybe the butterfly farm,"No, allergies acting up,' finally he suggested they may need a day to unwind and relax on the beach, 'Oh no, can't get any sun!' His comment that just cracked us up was, "Sent them home, they sould be in hospital, not Costa Rica!" Delivered with the Irish brogue, it was perfect.

What I mean is that your friend may prefer a more polished resort type vacation. CR has so much to enjoy I do hope you still look forward to your trip!

THANK-YOU Tully! Hi y'all! Hello Donna...

Thanks all for the positive comments and encouragement about what a beautiful place Costa Rica is. These are the things that have made me want to go there for years. I have done lots of research while my friend only planned for a couple weeks and went with another couple who had been on previous visits==they made all the decisions about where to go, etc. Probably if she had done more research herself, she would have made better choices for their personal interests and expectations. I knew that with all of the positive things I have read she had to be in the minority and not the majority. I feel much better and look foward to our visit to Arenal and Quepos in December.

I don't think you need to be so harsh judging this "friend". Not every destination is suited for every person. She has a right to see things thru her own eyes. Perhaps if she'd done more research, she would not have chosen to go, that's true.

Costa Rica is not on my to-do list, but that doesn't make me a bad person, or say anything negative against the country. I just know how to match my destination with my own interests and expectations (or so I like to think).

We got home on Wednesday night from a week in CR. Our first trip and we are already trying to figure out when we can go again. We have traveled to the Virgin Islands, Mexico, Europe several times but my husband says this was his favorite and I think mine too. We were never bored. We were two couples and I think one thing that made our trip so good was having a driver. Oscar Moro picked us up outside our hotel in San Jose and we never had one problem with anything. Went to Arenal, Monteverde, and Manuel Antonio. Couldn't believe we actually saw lava flow both nights in Arenal, the Quetzal and Toucan in Monteverde. Oscar suggested restaurants, guides, etc. and they were all perfect. We zipped and my husband repelled (I choked on that one), rafted, just did it all and it was absolutely wonderful.

Thanks to Percy for Oscar's name. Such a fine young man, perfect English, and fun. So easy to laugh. There were lots of tears when we said goodbye.

If anyone is looking for a driver, you can reach Oscar by email [email protected] or his cell phone 506-373-2736. I think we were able to squeeze a lot of action into just a week because we didn't lose time wandering around lost or scrambling for guides.

san jose is a dump and quepos is too!
unfortunately she didn't visit the best places in CR!
i've travelled a lot in the carribbean including tortola, once you've seen one caribbean beach you've seen them all in my opinion,.
but each to their own

Is it just me or does anyone else find the use of the word "dump" to describe a countrys city a little offensive? Perhaps one could think of a better one? These are real working towns, built as just that, not manufactured tourist towns all Disneyed up so we go oooo, ahhhh. People do not generally go to Costa Rica to stay in San Jose or Quepos.

Every city I've been to had "dumpy" sections. That said, though we tried our level best (my husband and I got hopelessly lost), we didn't find San Jose's. We found kind, helpful people, street musicians, a little soda with good food. Some sections were indeed a little seedy, the traffic was horrific. We encountered people begging for money. We also saw buissnessmen in suits and families hand-in-hand with thir children. In other words, a vibrant city where a diverse group of people live and work.

I very much enjoyed San Jose. Still,as people have pointed out, one needs to get out of San Jose in order to truely experience what this wonderful country has to offer. Nature surrounds you, the people are generally warm and friendly, the scenery often breathtaking. Do as shillmac does (Hi Jill!), and go with a spirit of adventure. You won't be disappointed, I promise!

I think Faithie makes an excellent point. This isn't Disneyland, or even Cancun. To judge a working, living, breathing city by your own expectations for a vacation, is not fair and does not make sense imo.

I like Quepos just fine, most people I've met when I visited there were friendly, helpful, and pleasant to talk to...not sure what else people are expecting from the place. I wouldn't exactly call Quepos a "city" though, haha.

Can't wait to visit again in 13 days!