Family looking to end of July in Costa Rica; Need Advice
May 26th, 2001, 10:52 AM
#1
Guest
Posts: n/a
Family looking to end of July in Costa Rica; Need Advice
Kids=4,7,8,12 Want baby sitting safe Resort with sunny beach and seakayaking adventure for Dad. <BR> <BR>North Pacific Beach looks good for sun? <BR>Safe for kids? <BR>Recommended Resort? <BR>North Pacific = Seakayak for Dad? <BR>North Pacific = Rainforest tour for family?
May 27th, 2001, 06:29 AM
#2
Guest
Posts: n/a
Hi, we have been acouple of times and are going in Aug. We have been from Jaco down to Dominical, all the beaches are nice, Jaco is very developed with many different kinds of accomodations, as is Quepos/Manuel Antonio. Most larger beach towns (Tamarindo, Jaco, Quepos) will rent kayaks, surfboards, etc. In each town you will find tour companies to arrange all sorts of activities. CR has a very well-developed tourism infrastructure. Your kids will have a great time and I feel that travelling as a family (as we do) is an advantage; people tend to treat you better than the average backpacker! <BR>Be sure to visit Monteverde Cloud Forest and Arenal/Fortuna area. Get yourself a good guidebook NOW, I recommend Lonely Planet but there are many others. Speaking Spanish is a plus, even if its only Senor/Senora, por favor, & gracias!
May 27th, 2001, 07:50 PM
#4
Guest
Posts: n/a
As I e-mailed you earlier, rain will be the least of your probs; usually by the time it rains, its so hot, you are looking forward to it!! Then its like Hawaii, its a warm rain for a little while, then gone and quickly forgotten. <BR>Are you planning on renting a car? <BR>DC
May 29th, 2001, 11:48 PM
#5
Guest
Posts: n/a
Scott, <BR> <BR>Sounds like you have your hands full. Are you looking for a beach resort to stay at the whole time or are you looking to do some adventure activities along with some beach time? If you are looking for the latter you may want to check out www.worldwanderlust.com for their sample family adventures. <BR> <BR>As Dave said the the sun won't really be an issue. You'll have plenty and by the time it rains it will be a relief for you. Costa Rica is a very safe country, however there are very strong rip tides all along the beaches. Usually there are signs posted, but be aware. Tamarindo has a few resorts that are small enough to be quaint but bi enough to offer the luxuries. Tamarindo Diria seems to be a popular place. You will be able to find sea kayaking all over. Just ask in some of the local surf shops. I'm not aware of any rainforest tours on the North Pacific. You may have to go more inland for that. I'm also not sure where you will find baby sitting. The company I work for usually provides a babysitter that goes along with the family so they can still have the freedom to do which ever activities they like. You may want to contact the resort and ask if they have in house baby sitting.
May 30th, 2001, 04:59 AM
#6
Guest
Posts: n/a
If you are considering Tamarindo, stay at Capitan Suizo. It is very child friendly, located right on the beach, beautiful shady gardens, excellent service. The pool has partial shade which I think is really important for the kids. The hotel grounds are frequented by howler monkeys, iguanas and a variety of birds. It is located on a quiet part of the Tamarindo beach where kids can do some exploring and boogie boarding. <BR>We were there last year in August with our 7 year old daughter and she loved the place. In fact we are going again this year in August. I wasn't impressed with Tamarindo Diria. It seemed to be more adult/partying oriented than Capitan Suizo. <BR>You'll get plenty of sun even during the rainy season. We were in Tamarindo at the beginning of August and spent 6 days there. It rained only twice, otherwise the weather was sunny and hot. <BR>I don't know about baby sitting services there, we never needed them, but the hotel can probably arrange something. They were very accommodating last year. Check them out at www.tamarindo.com in the Showcase part.
May 30th, 2001, 07:52 PM
#8
Guest
Posts: n/a
Thankyou very much for all the advice. We just booked tickets on priceline for $448 each. $100/ticket Cheaper than we could find with anyone else from Houston. Non refundable so we are committed. <BR> <BR>We are leaning toward Sol Playa Hermosa in Playa Hermosa. They have 3 br villas with dedicated swimming pool for 170/night. Any cautions on Playa Hermosa. Still want wildlife for kids and Kayaking for Dad. <BR> <BR>Thanks in Advance Scott
May 30th, 2001, 08:09 PM
#9
Guest
Posts: n/a
Sorry, I did not answer the q's. I want a single resort to return to each night but to take day trips to see wildlife. <BR> <BR>Would also like to do overnight seakayaking for my oldest son and myself. <BR> <BR>I would rent a car if it were safe and cars are big enough for my family of 6 . What is your advice? Taxi and tours?
Jun 5th, 2001, 10:36 AM
#10
Guest
Posts: n/a
Try a custom tour company. They will be able to accommodate your interests exactly the way you like. one such company is International Adventures Unlimited - www.intladventures.com.
Jun 6th, 2001, 02:41 PM
#11
Guest
Posts: n/a
Rent a car, it's safe and much easier to get around the country. Quepos/Manuel Antonio area is gorgeous and offers nice (safe) beaches in the park for kids. Riptides are a problem in Costa Rica, particularly Playa Jaco and Espadilla (outside the park at Manuel Antonio) No need to be paranoid, just cautious. Resort type stay, Si Como No. High end, but people love it. Other nice option in Manuel Antonio is Villas Nicolas. You'll find many other families vacationing in the area as well. <BR>Not sure about the sea kayaking. They have a great Canopy Tour there which kids can also go on, operated from Canopy Safari. Everyone I've recommended it to has loved it and said well worth it (including my family). <BR>Volcan Arenal another beautiful area to visit. I recommend the Tabacon Hot Springs to everyone. Pay for entrance with dinner included. It was delicious. <BR>Those are my recommendations. Good luck and have fun!
