sueb2

Has anyone been to either Esquinas Rainforest lodge or La Amistad lodge? I haven't seen many reviews and I'm working on travel plans. We are most interested in birding and hiking. Also curious about Golfo Dulce lodge. This will be our fourth trip to Costa Rica--we're hooked! Thanks ! Sue B.

Suzie2

The guide / driver that we use really likes Esquinas. He is keeping it on a back burner for us for one of our trips down. Possibly next year as we swing back up through Panama.
I spent a few days at Bosque del Rio Tigre this year. It is really away from things. Liz is quite enthusiastic and an excellent birder. Her husband Abraham is a little more low key but also an excellent birder. He is also the chief cook and it was some of the best food I had had this trip. Abraham is from that area so knows it well. Birding is definitely the emphasis here. The lodge is unusual. The upstairs is really nice with 4 bedrooms and 1 bathroom. There are L shaped walls for privacy upstairs with a good bit of space between the rooms but you also have 2 walls open to the great outdoors halfway. Mosquito netting on the bed. The downstairs is open too. She keeps it spotless so there are no bugs. there is also a little cabin with its own bathroom just a short ways into the woods. For the hotter afternoon hours there is a beautiful little swimming hole hidden upriver. To get there I flew into Puerto Jimenez and then took a 1/2hr taxi ride to the lodge.
Another place over on the Golfito side that is supposed to be good is Tiskita Lodge. Yet another place we have talked about but haven't gotten to yet.
Have you been to Rancho Naturalista in Turrialba yet?

sueb2

Hi Suzie,Thanks for the info! Actually, we just booked a week at Bosque del Rio Tigre for next Jan..I think it might have been your review I saw awhile ago that helped us find it, thanks! We plan to start with a few days in the Cerro de la Muerte area, then drive to La Amistad lodge, spend a few days at Esquinas and on to Rio Tigre. We have been to Rancho Naturalista. We especially enjoyed the hummingbird feeders there, and got photos of the beautiful Snowcap hummer. Also the hummingbird pools were amazing . It rained every day so the hiking was muddy, but overall we loved it. We've never been to Panama, but hope to do a day trip to Bambito lodge from La Amistad. Wish we were ther now, just got another snowfall here in the Northeast! Sueb2

Suzie2

The snow went through Ohio before heading your way. My sympathies. Won't last long this time of year at least.
Naturalista was an amazing place for the hummingbirds and we really enjoyed mornings on the balcony.
You may have seen my trip report where we saw the Great Green Macaws. What a wonderful thing that was to see.
We are hoping to get into Harpy territory next year down in Panama although supposedly there is a pair nesting on the Osa somewhere.
Another good birding area is San Gerardo de Dota. I have never had such amazing views of the Quetzals.
I would be interested on where you have been and how the birding was.

sueb2

Hi Suzie, We stayed at Savegre lodge last year and loved it, saw a male and female quetzal or two, male did display right near the cabins. We did find it to be a bit crowded with tours though and we're considering nearby alternatives , perhaps El toucanet lodge. Where did you see all the quetzals? Here's where we've been in case you want info: Villa Lapas in Carara, Rancho Naturalista of course, Montana del Fuego at Arenal, El Sapo Dorado in Monteverde, Finca los Caballos near Montezuma, Vista del Valle near Alajuela, Aviarios del Caribe near Cahuita, Iguana lodge on the Osa, and Hacienda los Inocentes near northwest border with nicaragua. Hope I have some info that will help you too! Sue B.

Suzie2

We do have similar tastes. We have also stayed at Iguana as well as next door at the Pearl (several times and is actually where I have been ending most of my trips for the last few years-my husband doesn't like the beach so he goes back home and I stay. Other places in that area we have stayed-Luna Lodge, Corcovado tent camp, Lookout Inn, Lapa Rios, and Bosque del Cabo. Around the corner in Drake Bay-La Paloma.
We stayed at Villas Lapas last year.
We also stayed at Savegre a couple of years ago. It wasn't too crowded when we were there. I hear it can get busy on the weekends with ticos getting away. We went to a private finca to see the Quetzals. As soon as we got out of the car one flew overhead. We then walked about 10mins and just sat and watched numerous males and females for several hours. It was in Feb so that might make a difference? Breeding time.
We stayed at Los Innocentes also. Was sorry to hear that the Toucan had died.
In Monteverde-Monteverde Lodge, Heliconia(a couple of times), Pension Manakin. Our son lived in Pension Santa Elena for several months.
Arenal Observatory Lodge, Arenal Paraiso.
Selva Verde, La Quinta de Sarapiqui, Rara Avis(only place we have ever really disliked).
Tortuga Lodge
Peace Lodge
2 different homestays-Potrero and Heredia
Flamingo Marina
A ranch in Guanacaste
Rio Indio Lodge in Nicaragua
Can't remember where we stayed in Manuel Antonio, it has been a few years and was way too touristy for us.
A couple of nights on the Pacuare River and of course the usual San Jose Hotels. Now that we have found the 1:30pm arrival flight on Delta we very rarely stay in town anymore.

I am interested in your visit to Aviarios del Caribe. If I remember correctly, that is the place that Jack Hanna goes to isn't it?? I finally talked my husband into visiting the Caribbean slope last year. I had visited it several times but he was being stubborn. After going to La Selva last year he is now hooked and it was the first place we went this year. I am hoping to branch him out a little further down the coast and this sounds like a good, non beach, place.
Our guide has heard that there may be a direct flight to Boca del Toros starting up so we had thought about flying there and then renting a car on the mainland and driving through some of the highlands. Our other option would be to drive down in his van through La Amistad and then swing back up around Golfito and stopping at La Esquina for a night or two.

sueb2

Hi Suzie, Definitely similar tastes! Regarding Aviarios, we both loved it. They had about 20 baby sloths, absolutely adorable, and you get a tour of the rehab. facility if you stay there. Our room #6 was lovely, even had a tub, hot water, most comfortable mattress we've had in Costa Rica. Breakfast is included and very generous, fresh fruit, omelette, bread, no lunch or dinner though. We just skipped lunch and had dinner at a great place in Cahuita, (about 15 min. drive away) called Cha cha cha great food, nice ambience. One tip: bring your passports everywhere! There are numerous border patrol stops due to proximity to Panama border, no problem ,but might've been a hassle w/o docs. Birding is also nice, they do a terrific canoe trip up through the river, our highlight was a Green and Rufous Kingfisher, and a sloth with her baby changing trees. They have a feeding station that had lots of tanagers and honeycreepers too, and it's placed so you can see it during breakfast. Cahuita Nat'l park is a short drive away and is pleasant for walking, but a little too crowded for great birding. We made the drive in one night from San Jose (3.5 hrs) after arriving at 2p and renting the car--we were tired though. We usually take TACA airlines, they've been great, but this year must go Delta to use miles. Anyway, I'd go back to Aviarios in a minute! We have digital pix of the grounds and room from outside if you're interested let me know , I could e-mail them...You weren't at the Iguana lodge in Jan. were you? We were there the last week, might have just missed you. Had the whole place to ourselves, even the owners were gone! Sue

Suzie2

Would love to see the pics. I don't normally do private email because I always feel that someone might find something interesting or learn something about a place by people discussing everything on the board but this is a little different. My husband just had some new software installed on his computer to work with pictures and I am hoping to get mine done soon so I can share some also. No problem looking at them on emails though!
I told him a little about the place and he seems a bit interested so maybe there is hope. I would really like to go there after hearing your views on it.
I didn't make it to the Pearl until the end of Feb. I know they have been spending a lot of time checking out boarding schools in the states for the kids and that may be where Toby and Lauren were when you were there.

Suzie2

Didn't put my e mail address on my last reply. [email protected]

Suzie2

ttt

sueb2

Hi Suzie,

Sent you some e-mail pix late last night, let me know if you had a problem receiving them.
Anyone else interested in Aviarios del Caribe, not to leave you out,,there's a great website with sloth pix--it'll come up with any search..S.