Hi all, I am planning a trip to Costa Rica next summer for about 13 days. I want to spend some days in the Caribbean side and then I can't decide on where spending the rest: Manuel Antonio or the North Pacific (Tamarindo zone).I wanted a place with nice beaches and nice Costa Rican feel.
Can any of you help me decide?
Many thanks in advance.

I will tell you later.

Have not been to Tamarindo- but have been to Manuel Antonio twice & LOVE IT! Not much of a beach person, but there is a wonderful beach inside Manuel Antonio Park! Bring your walking shoes- you walk though a beautiful wooded park, down a long path to the uncrowded beaches. Just outside the park there are outdoor vendors selling Costa Rican wares. The people a warm & friendly- the food is fabulous & the scenery & wild life amazing! Be sure to check out the "Hard Crock Cafe" & "La Gran Escape" in Manuel Antonio. Can't wait to go back with our 4 year old!

Thank you Sierrasmom for your reply and tips Did you go by car to Manuel Antonio or by plane? How long does it take to get from San Jose to Manuel Antonio by road? and do you think the car is useful to get around there?

Esteban , thank you and I look forward to your advice.

Tere, I, too, have been to Manual Antonio twice and love the area. First time we drove, second time we flew (came from the Osa Peninsula). We didn't use our car at all the first time we were there. We either walked, a taxi, or during the day, the bus.

I can't recall how long the drive is, something between three and four hours, I think. The roads aren't bad, but keep an eye out for giant pot holes.

Jean

I could not decide between the 2 either, and finally after reading on this forum about Samara beach area booked there. Less crowded, better beach for swiming (protected by a reef)and a smaller area feel. We are also going to Osa Pennisula. Have a 14 day itenerary but not going to the Caribean side this time. Got great airfare on American Airlines Sacramento to San Jose $412 + tax.

Hi. Can I chime in and ask what the typical temperature is in Costa Rica in late July? Is this their rainy season?

What part of Costa Rica? There are big variations in temperature depending on where you are.

North area (Samara, Nosara, and especially Tamarindo and further north like Flamingo or Coco) will be dryer with less rain than areas south or central. All costal areas on the Pacific will be hot and humid. I've been there 8 times...once in Sept. which is the peak of the rainy season. It was at least 85 degrees on all the beaches....cooler in the San Jose valley. There it was 75 or 80 during the day, but cool enough at night to need a light sweater. But, I know you're looking for a 'beach' honeymoon so you won't spend much time in San Jose!

I have been to both and would highly recommend Manuel Antonio over Tamarindo area. We were not impressed at all with tamarindo area. Manuel Ant State Park is beautiful, allows you to interact with the wildlife and the beaches are very nice - try the public (locals) beach less crowded and very friendly. To get that costa rican feel be sure to take the bus instead of the taxis!

Our recent trip to CR has really opened my eyes to how different people's perspectives are on what are their ideal vacations.

We were in Manuel Antonio at Si Como No over Christmas, and were quite disappointed with the noisy crowds in the park (yes, it was peak holiday season). We saw so many more animals, however, while we were in Corcovado National Park on the Osa Peninsula.

I feel that there was an inherent conflict at MA National Park between the people like myself who want to quietly view the wildlife, and those carrying huge coolers and six-packs who were going only to party on the beaches. The beaches are nice indeed, but the park itself, at least to me, was disappointing, and not just because of the crowds or the noise--the flora is rather sparse, and the trails are wide and some are accessible by cars. In fact, at one point we had to make way on the trail for two passenger cars driving in. Our guide said that while cars are not permitted, sometimes exceptions are made for relatives/friends of park staff!

We have travelled extensively around the world in rainforests and jungle parks, and compared to what we've seen elsewhere, we were disappointed in MA, but each to his or her own!

thank you all for your input.
Palmtree, did you like the Si Como NO Hotel?

Tere,

We did enjoy Si Como No--the facilities are nice (particularly the spa and the cute movie theater), and the A/C is certainly a bonus at times, but overall, I must say that it was a bit too Disneyesque or commercial for us. Having all the prices in U.S. dollars (and at U.S. hotel rates--$3 U.S. for a Coke from the minibar) and being surrounded by nobody but Americans took the charm down a notch for us as well.

There certainly are more private or secluded hotels in MA that would have suited us better--the only problem is that we would not choose to go back to the area at all, having found other parts of the country and/or region that are more appealing to us.

I think it all depends on both what you have previously experienced (i.e., how much travel you have done outside of the U.S./what your expectations are)and what you personally envision as a place with a "nice Costa Rican feel." It would be surprising to me if anyone who had traveled extensively around Latin America or Costa Rica honestly would recommend MA (and Si Como No, by extension) as such a place. At times there I felt just as if I were vacationing in Miami or Orlando.

Palmtree, Your comments about Manuel Antonio are precisely why we havent been there in years. Even before the road was paved it was too crowded for us. Really dreading the day that the Osa becomes too busy. I have been seeing a lot of growth there also in the last few years. Manuel Antonio is still a good place for the rainforest novice or the people who just want a soft rainforest experience. My husband grew up helping his Dad in SouthAmerica and lived in the forests with the Indians so he likes the less populated areas.

Well, I am from Costa Rica I would get some information for you, but I will need some time.

Suzie2,

You hit the nail on the head. MA is indeed a good place for the soft rainforest experience/rainforest novice--and hey, we saw more sloths there than anywhere else.

I enjoy posting on this site, but I sometimes do it with a heavy or conflicted heart--I want people to be informed, but I also want to protect the areas that I enjoy precisely because they are less trafficked or relatively unspoiled as yet. Such a dilemma!

I know what you mean. For a long time I didn't write about the Osa because I wanted to save it for myself and others who would really appreciate it.
My husband was heartbroken with Iguazu in Argentina in Oct. When he was there there years ago there was only one dirt road to Missiones and the falls and his mom and sister came to visit him and his dad in the indian village by boat from BA.