galen1954

My wife and I are planning our first trip together as tourists to CR; I passed through en route to NIC last year and lived there a century or so ago, but have never travelled as tourists. A few naive questions:

Have those who rented 4X4's felt safe and secure?

Our trip will likely quickly be out of San Jose and to Manuel Antonio, Puntarenas, and up the Nicoya region/North Pacific coast, to explore the coast.

Nosara sounds lovely, true?

We're not big resort types. I'm still fluent in Spanish so we don't feel helpless. Are there ample choices to stay, relax, eat, relax, eat, etc.

Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated, particularly if you've rented your own vehicle and have traversed this route.

Many thanks!

gd

joeschmo

Ah yes, Nosara is lovely and one of my favorite towns because of all the good and fun spots to eat. I stayed at Cafe de Paris my last time only because that was the only room available. Nice enough and good restaurant but too far from the beach for me.
I always rent a 4x4 and have never had a problem but I never drive at night unless I know where I'm going.

kaudrey

We rented an SUV and toured around a few weeks ago - we didn't have a set plan but ended up going to La Paz, Arenal/La Fortuna, Monteverde, and Tamarindo.

We had a great trip, no problems with the car (aside from getting slightly lost occasionally, and worrying about the suspension once in a while!), never felt unsafe or worried about our stuff.

Sorry I can't help on the places you are going. Have a great time!

Slugs3

You may be interested in this website.
http://www.4x4rentacar.com/about_us.php We rented a Toyota 4x4 and were pleased with price and service. Nice guy named Marco helped us and delivered and picked up the car at our hotel. We also rented a cellphone from them for $2/day and which added to a sense of security
We encountered very challenging weather and road conditions between Manuel Antonio and Dominical - Heavy rains washed out a bridge and made for a challenging crossing.
People we met were wonderful and helpful. Our time on the coast limited by weather - but enroute stopped in at Steve and Lisa's which is a nice lunch stop right on the beach just south of Tarcoles
Hope you have a great time.

neelym

search "neelym" for my most recent trip reports. there was only one road i would NOT drive in a 4x4, but all the rest seemed fine if you are used to people passing you. the roads were wide, although we didn't go up to monteverde. many were paved and nice. i have actually heard panama is much more beutiful and has way nicer roads than CR. you should consider it! But it was funny, I was afraid to rent a car and then by the end of the trip we were driving around on an ATV at NIGHT on the Nicoya Peninsula where the roads are narrow and curvy. Once you get there you end up being pretty comfortable with everything!