Damas Island Kayack trip MA
Jul 2nd, 2005, 04:47 PM
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Try doing a search for this - there have been a couple of recent posts that were positive! We didn't have time to do it, but checked it out on our way out of town. There were people there offering tours on site for much less than the companies in town. I don't know if anyone has done it that way. good luck!
Jul 3rd, 2005, 12:12 AM
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Sandy, You posted a question about Si Como No and activities on my trip report. I have been trying to finish the trip report as fast as I can.
Since you're leaving on MOnday I thought I'd give you some answers here on your post.
We didn't do the damas island kayak trip so can't help you on that one.
We loved Si Como No. Great staff, and of all the food we tried in Manuel Antonio, the best food was at the restaurant at Hotel Si Como No...the same one where they serve you the breakfast buffet!
Order the banana flambee dessert after dinner at the Hotel Si Como No restaurant...make sure it's dark outside. It's a $6 dessert but it's more than just a dessert...it's an entertainment. I don't want to spoil the surprise. Just order it!
Since we had already done the sky trek zip-line at Arenal, we didn't try it at Manuel Antonio.
We went to the Manuel Antonio park reserve as early as we could in the morning to beat the crowds. On the main trails, which are fairly easy trails, you can see monkeys, reptiles, and a couple of sloths. Just look where everyone else is looking. We swapped information with everyone we passed!
The beaches within the manuel antonio park reserve are the best ones in manuel antonio. the water is warm and we didn't think the beaches were crowded within the park.
Wear a bathing suit under your clothes while hiking and then you can swim when you get hot. We found manuel antonio very hot for hiking. Just put your clothes back on over your wet bathing suit and you'll be fine. But wear walking shoes with socks because if you only have beach shoes you might get some fire ant bites...my kids got some in the parking lot because they had on beach flips. I wore walking shoes and was fine, no ant bites. I took a pair of beach flips in a bag with me for the beach.
If you get tired of eating with only tourists there's a pizza place in town, in Quepos, which has a mixture of locals and tourists. It's called Escalofrio. They have ice cream similar to Italian gelato, pizza, and pasta. Location: Quepos Centro. telephone: 777-0833. Understand that going from Si Como No into Quepos is definitely going from a tourist haven to an experience in real life. We enjoyed the change...We thought Quepos was interesting in a very non-touristy way. But we also loved staying at Si Como No and being spoiled! Go into Quepos in the daytime for the first time otherwise if you return for dinner you'll never find anything. The concierge or front desk at si como no can show you the Quepos restaurants on a map.
Down the street from Si Como No is another Italian restaurant but we decided not to eat there because their menu was only in english and it seemed too touristy and they only had expensive individual pizzas, no family size pizzas.
Down the street from Si Como No is also a seafood restaurant called Mar Y Luna (or maybe it was Mar Luna). Good seafood with big portions for dinner. A good singer/musician provided entertainment. Two couples were dancing. The rice wasn't too good though, it was just the seafood that was good. Just something different to try if you don't want to eat all your meals at si como no.
Tried the Anaconda restaurant once for lunch, near si como no, at the costa verde hotel (I think that's where it was), but for us, the service was disinterested, and the food was so-so. Others have reported better experiences here.
I couldn't figure out how to answer everyone's questions fast enough without skipping all around in my trip report so I hope this helps you before you leave on your trip on Monday! Have a great trip!
Since you're leaving on MOnday I thought I'd give you some answers here on your post.
We didn't do the damas island kayak trip so can't help you on that one.
We loved Si Como No. Great staff, and of all the food we tried in Manuel Antonio, the best food was at the restaurant at Hotel Si Como No...the same one where they serve you the breakfast buffet!
Order the banana flambee dessert after dinner at the Hotel Si Como No restaurant...make sure it's dark outside. It's a $6 dessert but it's more than just a dessert...it's an entertainment. I don't want to spoil the surprise. Just order it!
Since we had already done the sky trek zip-line at Arenal, we didn't try it at Manuel Antonio.
We went to the Manuel Antonio park reserve as early as we could in the morning to beat the crowds. On the main trails, which are fairly easy trails, you can see monkeys, reptiles, and a couple of sloths. Just look where everyone else is looking. We swapped information with everyone we passed!
The beaches within the manuel antonio park reserve are the best ones in manuel antonio. the water is warm and we didn't think the beaches were crowded within the park.
Wear a bathing suit under your clothes while hiking and then you can swim when you get hot. We found manuel antonio very hot for hiking. Just put your clothes back on over your wet bathing suit and you'll be fine. But wear walking shoes with socks because if you only have beach shoes you might get some fire ant bites...my kids got some in the parking lot because they had on beach flips. I wore walking shoes and was fine, no ant bites. I took a pair of beach flips in a bag with me for the beach.
If you get tired of eating with only tourists there's a pizza place in town, in Quepos, which has a mixture of locals and tourists. It's called Escalofrio. They have ice cream similar to Italian gelato, pizza, and pasta. Location: Quepos Centro. telephone: 777-0833. Understand that going from Si Como No into Quepos is definitely going from a tourist haven to an experience in real life. We enjoyed the change...We thought Quepos was interesting in a very non-touristy way. But we also loved staying at Si Como No and being spoiled! Go into Quepos in the daytime for the first time otherwise if you return for dinner you'll never find anything. The concierge or front desk at si como no can show you the Quepos restaurants on a map.
Down the street from Si Como No is another Italian restaurant but we decided not to eat there because their menu was only in english and it seemed too touristy and they only had expensive individual pizzas, no family size pizzas.
Down the street from Si Como No is also a seafood restaurant called Mar Y Luna (or maybe it was Mar Luna). Good seafood with big portions for dinner. A good singer/musician provided entertainment. Two couples were dancing. The rice wasn't too good though, it was just the seafood that was good. Just something different to try if you don't want to eat all your meals at si como no.
Tried the Anaconda restaurant once for lunch, near si como no, at the costa verde hotel (I think that's where it was), but for us, the service was disinterested, and the food was so-so. Others have reported better experiences here.
I couldn't figure out how to answer everyone's questions fast enough without skipping all around in my trip report so I hope this helps you before you leave on your trip on Monday! Have a great trip!
Jul 3rd, 2005, 05:11 AM
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MElissa5,
Thanks so much for the reply. I have really enjoyed your trip report, and very much appreciate your input!
I am a fairly seasoned traveller, but Hubby is not. Current fear is man eating snakes...if he survives the volcano! He will be fine once setteled in but please ask your bio hubby if man eating snakes are a real threat???!!
Thanks again,
Sandy
Thanks so much for the reply. I have really enjoyed your trip report, and very much appreciate your input!
I am a fairly seasoned traveller, but Hubby is not. Current fear is man eating snakes...if he survives the volcano! He will be fine once setteled in but please ask your bio hubby if man eating snakes are a real threat???!!
Thanks again,
Sandy
Jul 3rd, 2005, 01:12 PM
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Marleyzoemom, tell your hubby that he is simply NOT as tasty as he believes himself to be! Meanwhile I will get a more scientific report about snakes for him from my hubby the biologist/herpetologist.
