HONEYMOON in Arenal and TAMARINDO area romantic beach? Advice?
 

Working on planing my HONEYMOON but I'm at a loss...Staying at the LOST IGUANA in ARENAL and then we would like to head towards TAMARINDO.

Is this a DRIVE that can be done in a DAY?

I'm looking for a ROMANTIC place to stay that has access to nice BEACHES to swim and snorkle and we are willing to drive 1 hour or so to go SPORT FISHING...any ideas?

I like BAHIA POTRERO but can only find one review on trip advisor. Has anyone stayed there or heard anythig about it?

Is there a nice place in PLAYA HERMOSA or PLAYA OCOTAL that would work for me?

THANK YOU SO MUCH for you HELP:)

try sugar beach. very romantic, just north of Potrero

TOUCANTANGO thanks for your reply:) I've heard mixed reviews about this hotel, the thing that concerns me is the ROAD?!? will we be able to go on an all day fishing trip and come back in the evening? Or is it best to be back at the hotel before night fall?

It's an easy road back to Flamingo Marina from Sugar beach, any sedan will do. Takes 25 minutes, Several turns but well signed for Sugar Beach/ Playa Pan Azucar when I was last there about 24 months ago. I think you will find Sugar Beach to be a lot more romantic than even the secluded Lost Iguana. Absolutely stunning beach with cliffs. Nothing like watching the sun go down turning the cliffs gold as you snooze together in your hammock serenaded by the surf under a lime tree while wild parrots circle above... (damn, THAT'S romantic)

Lost Iguana and Sugar Beach are similar in size and in their nice, but somewhat isolated locations 25 minutes from the main regional tourist spot. Though if you are not intimitated about driving in CR at night to go to restaurants or get back late from afternoon excursions (and with caution you shouldn't be intimitated), both hotels make great spots to explore out from, as long as you have your own car. Both hotels are noteably quite pricey too.

The fishing can be good out of Flamingo, though I found it rather spotty for billfish the three times I have left out of Flamingo -yet I have caught some large dorado there -tasty! Sugar Beach will cook em up too. The Flamingo Marina should be getting an infusion of much needed capital about now I'm told, when that gets back to top form soon, it will attract back better boats and captains. But always, booking a full or half day fishing trip is easy and the hotel will be delighted to book it for you (they get a kickback).

You can snorkle at the end of sugar beach. The waves look great for bodysurfing but, for the most part, break over hidden rocks that hide a lot of sea urchins, so I recommend the next beach to the south for frolicing in the waves, you can walk there at low tide.

Amen to Sugar Beach. We were there in Feb for a week and loved every minute. We had a 4 wheel drive SUV which I think was totally unnecessary....a sedan would have done just fine except for the Monkey Road. Then we needed the 4WD. Sugar Beach can arrange fishing trips for you and bring you back to the resort, or you can drive over to Flamingo and pick up a fishing trip. Ask for one of the new rooms that just opened last December overlooking the pool. The 6 downstairs rooms are nice, clean spacious hotel rooms and the 3 suites above have bedroom and living room with large balconies. If you can afford the $$$ for the suites, definitely go for it. No view from the downstairs rooms, but very nice view from the 2nd floor. Enjoy!

Hey surferchick, are you Melissa's niece? Just wondering. . .similar plans! Definitely don't worry about the road to Sugar Beach. It's a dirt road, but not too bad and not too long.

Bahia Potrero: I looked at that last week. Walked to the edge of the property and looked around, picked up a brochure from reception. . .didn't see inside a room, but the front facing the ocean was very pretty. Across the street is a fabulous bakery with wonderful food! Be sure and try it out whether you end up at Bahia Potrero or Sugar Beach. You can't miss it--it's been remodeled since last year and looks like a castle.

And yes, you can get to Tamarindo from Arenal in about 4.5 hours.

Also, there are 2 hotels with good reps at Playa Hermosa

El Velero and
Villas del Sueno (or similar name)

Yes, shillmac, surferchick74 is my niece! Thanks for all your responses. Surferchick74 has been working overtime on a project she's in charge of at work, plus planning her wedding, so hasn't had time on the computer lately! I'm helping her plan the honeymoon and we really appreciate the help.

Wow, she really has her hands full--I can sympathize, although no wedding anxieties!

A friend of my daughter's called last night and they are honeymooning in CR in October--10 days all in the Quepos area which I thought interesting. I think they do a lot of sport fishing as well.

She is lucky to have you as a honeymoon planner!

Shillmac, just think, you have already made my niece's Costa Rica honeymoon great, because you taught me a lot of what I know!!!