paula1470

My DD (22) and her boyfriend (23) are trying to put together a trip to Costa Rica for January 2006. Neither of them have been to CR and they want to have a combination of adventure and relaxation. They are on a moderate to tight budget and are planning to go for 6-7 nights. So far they have this itinerary.

Day 1 Fly from LA to San Jose - arrive 7 pm - stay in San Jose.

Day 2-3 Do Pacuare Lodge River Trip. They want to stay 2 nights and this will give them a chance to rest, hike the jungle and do the river rafting. They are very excited about this and definitely want the two nights.

Day 4 - Return to SJ and possibly stay there that evening. They aren't sure right now what time they get back into SJ from Pacuare. They don't really want to stay in SJ that night and could possible take a late bus to Jaco/Manuel Antonio.

The rest of the trip is where the question comes in. My daughter (with my help) has been pouring over this forum, web sites on hotels, beaches, etc. Her boyfriend wants to do some surfing while there. It seems in Jan that the Carribean is the best but is a long drive. Tamarindo also seems better than Jaco but everyone says it's so dry there in January.

They were going to stay in Jaco until they started reading that it's not the greatest place to stay. However Playa Hermosa (the one in Puntarenas) seems pretty good. They like Manuel Antonio but it seems like it's a hassle getting to the beach and maybe the waves aren't the best there. My daughter loves the views from the hills but they also like the idea of staying on or close to the beach.

A couple of hotels they are considering are Fuego Del Sol on Playa Hermosa de Jaco, the Verde Mar and the Catalina Hotel. One thing we noticed about the area around Jaco is that the beaches don't look that nice, they do seem to look better in MA. Even though my DD's boyfriend wants to surf a little each day, she also wants to enjoy the beach. They will also do some sight seeing in the area they stay.

I have also tried to talk them into going for day to Arenal. They do want do see the volcano but are afraid they will spend their whole trip driving and want this trip to be relaxing. Sorry this is so long. We are just learning about this beautiful country. All help will be appreciated.

sandyc

Jaco and Playa Hermosa, right up the coast from Jaco--not the Hermosa in Guanacaste--are the hot spots for surfing. There's a big surfing contest every year on Playa Hermosa, so it's supposed to be pretty good. Jaco is a surfer/party town,so non-surfers/non-partiers don't flock there, but there are nice places to stay like Club del Mar and Docelunas. It's an easy drive to M.A. if they want to go there -- not for surfing, but for beautiful beach. I will tell you that a lot of hotels are already booked for Jan/Feb 2006, so don't wait too long.
Sandy

paula1470

Sandy - Thanks for your reply and the hotel suggestions. They seem nice and I wil have my daughter look at them.

They know the reputation of Jaco and that's why they wanted to stay away from the city. Is Playa Hermosa a little quieter? It seems like the beaches get prettier as you go south to Manuel Antonnio. Has anyone stayed at the hotels I mentioned and if so is one a better location? I have already checked trip advisor for reivews.

They have decided not to rent a car as it is expensive and you have to give such a big deposit. Is it easy to get up and down the coast from Jaco to MA by bus, van or taxi?

Again, thanks alot for everyone's help.

Ally

Unless the boyfriend is an experienced surfer, he would not want to go to Carribean side. Most of the surf in the area is a reef break, only for experienced surfers.
Hermosa is a beach break, so better for surfers of all levels. That is one reason why they have surfing contest there but beware of strong currents and rip tides. As long as he's not a novice surfer and is very comfortable in the surf, Playa Hermosa near Jaco should be fine for him, and it's prettier than the beach in Jaco.
If he's a beginner, I'd suggest Tamarindo, or Nosara, which is closer than Tamarindo and also has surf for all levels.

paula1470

Ally,
Thanks for your reply. Her boyfriend grew up in Huntington Beach and has been surfing since he was small. I know he was surfed in Baja Mexico also. Don't know how the waves compare in CR compare to Southern California but I know he is at least a moderate surfer if he's not at the advanced level.

Also, any specific hotel recommendations and best way to get up and down the coast would be appreciated.

sandyc

Hi Paula,

They should have no problem getting from Jaco to Hermosa to MA by bus or taxi. Not sure about bus schedules, but you just drive down one road to get to all of these places, and there are actually good signs on the road, so they won't miss it.

Sandy

paula1470

Thanks, Sandy.

koa

Hola, check out CRsurf.com. They give detailed info. about the different surf spots in CR. I surfed in CR twice but during June and august (Rainy season) I believe January is the best time for Guanacaste. Yes it will be dry out there, but the winds are offshore and the swell direction is good for that part of the country. The central coast(Jaco, Hermosa etc.) is better in the rainy season.