First trip to Costa Rica
 

I am planning my first trip to CR and want to drive and after reading the horror stories I am not sure anymore. My plan is to go to Arenal, Monteverde, Manuel Antonio and San Jose in 6 days. Is this itinerary possible in 6 days? Also, would it be better to arrive at Liberia? ( I don't have my book at work) airport and drive to Arenal? How long of a drive? Longer than from San Jose? Thanks

That's way too much for 6 days (there's travel time from place to place that will eat into your days). If you only have 6 actual days (not counting time taken up arriving and departing) you could do Arenal and Monteverde, or other combinations. Others will have specific suggestions. If you had 9 or 10 days, I'd say this would be more do-able.

I agree with Carol; we did a combo of Arenal and Manuel Antonio for our first trip, and we were there for 9 days. Traveling between spots takes some time, so you want to be able to relax and enjoy it.

I suggest narrowing your itinerary to 2 of those places to visit in 6 days, and then figure out which airport would be best. You may find you have to spend 1st and last nights, or both, near SJO because of flight times.

IF you can arrive fairly early in the day and your departure time is 2:00 or later, then I'd suggest flying into San Jose and visiting Arenal and Manuel Antonio. Each is about 3 hours from the airport and there is about 5 hours between the 2. Very simple plan for maximum exposure to a great little country!

IF you arrive late in the day and have to depart early (God forbid!), you can do the same, but only 2 nights each place with the first and l ast night near the airport. A little rushed, but very doable. You can leave SJO early on the 2nd day and have ALMOST 2 full days in Arenal. You can also return from MA late on your last full day, giving you a total of 2 full days in Manuel Antonio. Not bad, still lots of fun to be had with that itinerary! Good luck!

colora, I'd take a look at what interests you most. Like everyone has said, pick the 2 locations that appeal to you personally the most. For me, Arenal is a given - we spent 4 days there and loved it. I'd pair it with either MA OR Monteverde based on your interests. If you really want beach time, a developed area, warm temperatures, and easily accessible wildlife like monkeys, go MA; if you want cooler temps, less development, good birding, and cool plants, go Monteverde. If you're like the rest of us, you will be back someday.

Thank you for the information. I have checked on flights that will get me to CR at around 11:00 a.m. so visiting Arenal and Manuel Antonio sounds like a good itinerary for me.

Did any of you drive on your trip?

We didn't drive; we just hired drivers through our hotels before our trip. My husband thought it would be more relaxing to just sit back and enjoy the view. Lots of people drive without any problems though - depends upon how adventurous you are. I'd just be careful in San Jose and not drive long distances at night. Driving does give you an element of freedom. Interbus is another popular option.

Thanks volcanogirl... when you hired the driver, was it to drive you around town or drive you to the next town on a two or three hours drive, can you give me a ballpark figure as to how much would hiring a driver cost? Thanks

Sure, no problem. We just used the drivers to take us from town to town. We had a different driver for each leg. They will be at the airport when you arrive, and they hold a sign with your name on it so you can find them. Then they whisk you away in their van. From SJO to Arenal, we paid $120, and from Arenal to MA, I think we paid $180. The vans were nice and air-conditioned. If you want to stop for snacks, restroom, etc. they will do that. We also wanted to see the crocs on the Rio Tarcoles, so our driver stopped so we could take pictures. It's nice to have a driver to watch your things because you can't really leave anything in the car in CR.

In Arenal, our hotel had a free shuttle, and in MA, we were able to walk just about everywhere we wanted. Taxis were cheap there; we took one to an out-of-the-way restaurant, and our total fare was only $5. Most of the tours will pick you up directly at your hotel.