Manual Antonio & BDC in 10 days, what to do?
 

We are going back to CR next April taking the last of my nephews age 14. Some of you may recall we do a trip a year with a young relative. Last year's trip we did Arenal and BDC. This trip we are thinking of Manual Antonio and BDC. So my questions, where to stay in Manual Antonio and what to see/do beside the park. Who is a good guide for the park? We stayed in Lost Iguana at Arenal and loved it so we are looking for similar accomodations. BDC speaks for itself. Also, getting to Manual Antonio. We will not be driving and will probably arrive in San Jose in the evening. Do we take Sansa or Nature Air to Manual Antonio, then same to BDC and then same back to San Jose? So many questions. Thanks to all of you for helping me plan my trips for the last 8 years.

Personally, I wouldn't think that Manuel Antonio and BDC are that good of a combo. Too much of the same, only BDC does it so much better. For me, I would combine either someplace like Tamarindo or maybe the Caribbean coast, i.e. something much more different. Manuel Antonio will just suffer by comparison with BDC, not contrast it nicely (like Arenal does).

I actually think it's a good combo. They seem like very different places to me.

In MA, you can spend more time at the beach, maybe sailing, Finca Valmy horseback, Canopy Tour. You also have many choices of restaurants and even a little shopping if you want.

In Osa at BDC you have all the amazing trails to hike, the on-site guided walks if you desire, cat talk on Wednesday nights, another great horseback ride here if you like, kayaking and a trip to the animal sanctuary. Of course you also get to enjoy the delicious meals right on site and the wonderful staff!

Sounds like you'll need to spend first night near SJO and then take shuttle, drive or fly to MA. You can then fly from Quepos to Puerto Jimenez where BDC will pick you up for the 45 minute drive there. Then fly back to SJO.

In MA, I would stay at Tulemar Bungalows - Mot Mot Villa is popular - or Buena Vista Villas. They share a property and would give you your own beach. Si Como No is popular for people with kids too. I'd do the Damas mangrove tour and do the horseback riding with Finca Valma that hip mentions. We went sailing which was fun; the snorkeling was pretty bad just because of sediment in the water. The best thing we did was take a guided tour of the park; our hotel provided a guide for us. Bring your swimsuits because the beach inside the park is really pretty.

I would stay the first night near SJO like hip said. We stayed at Xandari and really loved it - neat grounds with waterfalls and a good restaurant on site. It has beautiful views.

I would definitely fly to and from BdC. To go to MA, you can drive, get a private driver through your hotel, or take Sansa or Nature Air, whatever works for you guys.

Manuel Antonio is pretty Americanized, and the wildlife is a lot tamer than other areas we visited. If that doesn't bother you, your nephew would probably love it.

Thanks everyone. We took this nephew's brother last year and we don't want to do the same trip other than BDC which we loved. This nephew is a water kid (but a pool would suffice)and pretty adventurous but I am not sure we will like MA especially because it is so commercialized. But then I read that the park is great. We like to be away from the commercialization but have breakfast on site. Tortuguero also sounds great but I don't think the turtles are in in April. We were also thinking of perhaps staying near San Jose and doing day trips for a few days and then going to BDC. So what can we do in a few days by centering near San Jose?

You could visit the La Paz Waterfall Gardens about an hour away to hike the waterfalls, see the butterflies, handfeed the hummingbirds, etc. They were damaged in the earthquake last January, but have reopened. It may be limited so check before you go. Poas is nearby - go early in the a.m. for the best chance to see the crater. You could also tour the Doka Coffee Estate - that was pretty fun; it's a pretty property and fun to see where coffee comes from. They take you through the whole process from planting to picking to roasting. Also get to taste test some samples. There are some museums in SJO like the gold museum, also the national theater - haven't been to those yet, but they seem popular.

MA is so different from the Osa. We saw about 15 people taking pictures crowded around one monkey in MA park, and the monkey actually started crying. They will also steal food from you; they seem like their behavior is a little different than "wild" Osa monkeys. I did think the park and the beach were very pretty. If your nephew is a water kid, he'll probably love it there. We felt more like we were in Florida than in Costa Rica there; most of the hotels and restaurants would greet us with Hey guys! instead of Hola. I think some people love how familiar and easy it is, but other people like a little more CR flavor. If you go, you'll have to let us know what you think.

I didn't think MA was as commercialized and what I pictured. It's not commercialized in a US way. Just more so than Osa. I found Arenal to be much more commercialized - it has a Burger King! Maybe this was becuase we didn't go to the MA Park - staying at Tulemar we just used their private beach and it was the end of our vacation, so we pretty much hung out on their property and relaxed. We had a lot of beach time. We walked to a few restaurants but it was not a built up area at all. It's not built up, it's not like Cancun or a US beach town even. We did the Damas Mangrove tour also. There was a lot of abundant wildlife right from our bungalow in Tulemar. We saw sloths, monkeys and many birds. The restaurants were great and the beach time was a great way to end our trip.

Having been to Arenal, BDC, Tortugureo, Peace Lodge and Manual Antonio - they all have unique offerings, and I would certainly go back to MA.

That's funny, everyone's differing opinions. I was first in Manuel Antonio in 1992 and have been back twice. The last time we went we thought perhaps we wouldn't be going anymore, it's just changing so much and not for the better. Fewer animals and more people. I actually liked Tamarindo (stay at Capitan Suizo!) and Playa Conchal for a beach way more than Manuel Antonio. And you can even snorkel there.

I think MA is developed, but it isn't tacky. It seemed like restaurant after restaurant we went to were owned by Americans. We talked to a real estate guy that said the area was mostly settled by Americans, so I think that's why we got that vibe. It's the only place we've been where we didn't hear very much Spanish.

Marina, can you tell us more about the Tortuga Island tour?

I think a nice option would be Selva Verde Lodge, only 1.5-2 hrs out of SJ. Nice rooms and bungalows, food is average but plentiful, lots of animals. I liked the bungalows as they were much more remote and private. I did BdC and MA one year and honestly my first hour in MA (it was my 2nd time there) I knew I probably wouldn't be back. I think it's great for what it offers but coming there after BdC I was in some weird culture/noise/light shock, plus the park was packed so I felt there was no where to get some quiet time. I didn't have a bad time, and I would absolutely suggest it for someone lookig for beaches who hasn't been there before, I just knew it would be my last visit there.

Thanks again everyone for the suggestions. We have been to BDC and what Tully suggests is what I am afraid of in MA. Once you've been in the quiet of BDC having crowds of people around would not be fun for us. I agree that Arenal is commercialized but we didn't spend any time in the town. We were always doing something-Cano Negro, ziplining, etc. I don't want to feel like I am in Florida. Looks like I will have to rethink this. This kid has to be kept busy. The last trip we took was when I fractured my pelvis and was on a walker the whole trip. We still did lots of hiking, zip lining, boat trips, etc. but I was more "limited".

Any more ideas?

I'm flummoxed sylvia as MA seems to hold what you need and I don't want to scare you off! There's so many places to go but with the thought of your nephew and keeping him busy I'm trying to think of somewhere else that would have as many options. Possibly one of the Caribbean beaches or one of the NW beaches? What kind of activities do you think he'd be happy to do/not do?

Are you looking for places more off the beaten path, more isolated and no TV, etc? Or do you want a variety. I'm on the same page as tully in that there are places I much prefer, but my daughter and I had a great time there and I'm sure she'd love to go back!

Tortuguero is really awesome; it has the isolation you want plus amazing wildlife. Really fun to tour the canals. You could still go there even if it isn't turtle season. Our lodge has a great pool that your nephew would like. The turtles are wonderful, but even if you go in season, there's no guarantee that you'll see them. You might still consider it as your second place.

Tortuguero has different wildlife than BDC so that alone makes it a good choice. I have never seen so many Jesus Cristo lizards in my life! My kids had a blast making them run and trying to get them to do that over water.

Sorry for the confusion. I guess what I mean is that I want different activities. At BdC I know we will do the hiking trails, the wildlife sanctuary/dolphins and the night hikes. I like BdC because it is remote yet comfortable. I also like it because I think kids have this perception of everything as Disneyesque and at BdC you get a better understandng that animals are wild and that there are only so many places left to enjoy that. You also, to some extent, realize that these places are fragile.

I haven't read much on this site about people going to MA, it's always Arenal or the the NW or Tortuguero. We like to spend the day out doing something than back at the hotel to relax, swim, eat. We won't have a car. So at MA it would be the park one day, then maybe the Mangrove tour the next, etc. But making monkeys cry because of the crowds seems sad. I guess Arenal had so much to do that I want to be sure MA has that also. Thanks again for all your suggestions you guys are great.

MA also has sailing and the Finca Valmy horseback riding tour. Also ziplines. My husband is not an animal lover by nature, but even he said, "Babe, they are making that monkey cry!" And I looked over, and the poor monkey had tears and then buried his face in his arm. I felt really bad. I guess because everywhere else the animals seemed so untouched. I really think your nephew would like MA though; kids love all the animals and the beach.

Okay, then MA it is. Now I have to find a hotel and transportation. We will not be renting a car. Is it better to fly from SAn Jose to MA or to get a driver, especially with 3. Then, without a car will we have trouble getting around especially if we stay at say La Mariposa or Si Como No.

No, it's easy to get around in MA. We walked or took taxis everywhere. Our most expensive cab ride was five bucks. You just have to be careful walking along the road. I believe Si Como No has a shuttle to the beach. Our guide picked us up and dropped us off for our tour of the national park. We hired a private driver, but you could fly if you want to get there more quickly. If you go by driver, be sure to stop at the Rios Tarcoles bridge to see the huge crocs down below. Buena Vista Villas or Tulemar Bungalows are other good options. I've heard Mariposa is a little run down, but we haven't stayed there.