MichelleY's Belated Costa Rica Trip Report
Jan 1st, 2008, 05:56 PM
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What a total bummer about the continually bad weather in Arenal! I hope you will give it another try sometime because it is such a wonderful area with so much to see and do.
We had a fair amount of rain there as well, but not to the extent that you describe. At least you got to see the lava! We never did last year and I was so disappointed about that!
I hope MA offered you lots of sunshine!
We had a fair amount of rain there as well, but not to the extent that you describe. At least you got to see the lava! We never did last year and I was so disappointed about that!
I hope MA offered you lots of sunshine!
Jan 1st, 2008, 07:35 PM
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Just got back this morning (2:30 am) from our one week Christmas week trip to CR. Based on these reviews, and the limited time (one week), we transferred directly from the airport to Silencio Del Campo. Like your experience, it rained the entire time in Arenal, ranging from drizzle to downpour. We cancelled our Sky Trek only to have a perfect day in Monteverde the next day. Ditto your experience at Eco Thermales, where we went on our first night after arriving at 6PM. Don't know what we would have done without the private hot springs at Silencio Del Campo. We never did see Arenal, but the sky cleared on the boat transfer to Monteverde.
Jan 2nd, 2008, 02:14 PM
#24
PS: I forgot to report: Peace Lodge now has a jungle cat exhibit. It is fairly new and only open to guests. Obtained from a closed down operation, they have on hand an ocelot, margay, jaguarundi & one other smaller cat(can't remember the name)
Days 6-8, Nov. 10,11,12, 2007 Manuel Antonio:
SAT: I was awakened at dawn by the howler monkeys. Wow! What a sound, this is the jungle! The view from the penthouse was spectacular. We still had no sun, but it was warm & comfortable. We saw some capuchine monkeys on our way to breakfast. Costa Verde's ad says: "still more monkeys than people". I was so looking forward to seeing the little squirrel monkeys, but this was not to be. The manager said a few days before we arrived, a boa constrictor ate a monkey near the Anaconda Restaurant. He said it was pretty awful, the monkeys were all going nuts and would probably not be around for several weeks!! Yikes! I wouldn't hang around either!
Moving on ... The hotel moved our stuff to our studio plus in the B building, top floor, overlooking the family pool. This room was also very nice and we never needed the A/C.
MA would be our veg out place. On Sat. we headed to the park. There were no crowds and things were pretty slow. A guide took us thru. We saw sloths, birds, capuchines, raccoons, crabs, leafcutter ants, bats & lizards. We grabbed lunch with our guide at an outdoor BBQ place. We had the best pork ribs, beans, rice, & plantains. I didn't think about it at the time, but our guide ripped us off. He was good, but we paid $30 each instead of the usually reported $20. At least, I think he ripped us off. He did spend alot of time with us and showed us around the town a little bit. It was amazing how these guys can spot things. The weather was still over cast and we got the typical dry morning and rain in the afternoons.
SUNDAY: eat, relax, hangout at the adult pool for sunset. We also went out to a great new restaurant call Kapi Kapi. The food was excellent and not too expensive.
MONDAY: This would be the first full day of sun!!! DH had wanted to go fishing. I had done some research before hand and everything was outragously expensive. The hotel said to come to the desk at about 7am and they would call for a boat. This worked out great. DH got picked up about 8 and had a full day of fishing. It wasn't cheap at $500 but less than anything I found on the internet or thru the various tour guides. What was good was that DH was happy, enjoyed himself, and caught 4 tuna & 2 dorado. Plus, the Anaconda rest. cooked some up for us on our final night. I did a little shopping in town that day and hung out by the pool. No monkey sitings. Darn.
We liked MA very much. Our view from CV was beautiful and the accomodations very nice. We live on a farm, so we are not used to any traffic noise. CV does have some noise from the busses going up & down the hill. To us it was a little distracting, but to others it may be no problem. The view more than makes up for any shortcomings. We paid $125/night. The penthouse was $150. Well worth it.
Days 6-8, Nov. 10,11,12, 2007 Manuel Antonio:
SAT: I was awakened at dawn by the howler monkeys. Wow! What a sound, this is the jungle! The view from the penthouse was spectacular. We still had no sun, but it was warm & comfortable. We saw some capuchine monkeys on our way to breakfast. Costa Verde's ad says: "still more monkeys than people". I was so looking forward to seeing the little squirrel monkeys, but this was not to be. The manager said a few days before we arrived, a boa constrictor ate a monkey near the Anaconda Restaurant. He said it was pretty awful, the monkeys were all going nuts and would probably not be around for several weeks!! Yikes! I wouldn't hang around either!
Moving on ... The hotel moved our stuff to our studio plus in the B building, top floor, overlooking the family pool. This room was also very nice and we never needed the A/C.
MA would be our veg out place. On Sat. we headed to the park. There were no crowds and things were pretty slow. A guide took us thru. We saw sloths, birds, capuchines, raccoons, crabs, leafcutter ants, bats & lizards. We grabbed lunch with our guide at an outdoor BBQ place. We had the best pork ribs, beans, rice, & plantains. I didn't think about it at the time, but our guide ripped us off. He was good, but we paid $30 each instead of the usually reported $20. At least, I think he ripped us off. He did spend alot of time with us and showed us around the town a little bit. It was amazing how these guys can spot things. The weather was still over cast and we got the typical dry morning and rain in the afternoons.
SUNDAY: eat, relax, hangout at the adult pool for sunset. We also went out to a great new restaurant call Kapi Kapi. The food was excellent and not too expensive.
MONDAY: This would be the first full day of sun!!! DH had wanted to go fishing. I had done some research before hand and everything was outragously expensive. The hotel said to come to the desk at about 7am and they would call for a boat. This worked out great. DH got picked up about 8 and had a full day of fishing. It wasn't cheap at $500 but less than anything I found on the internet or thru the various tour guides. What was good was that DH was happy, enjoyed himself, and caught 4 tuna & 2 dorado. Plus, the Anaconda rest. cooked some up for us on our final night. I did a little shopping in town that day and hung out by the pool. No monkey sitings. Darn.
We liked MA very much. Our view from CV was beautiful and the accomodations very nice. We live on a farm, so we are not used to any traffic noise. CV does have some noise from the busses going up & down the hill. To us it was a little distracting, but to others it may be no problem. The view more than makes up for any shortcomings. We paid $125/night. The penthouse was $150. Well worth it.
Jan 2nd, 2008, 03:15 PM
#25
Day 9, Tues, Nov. 13, 2007, MA to Puerto Viejo(maybe)
This was our big travel day. The night before we had called our nephew in Puerto Viejo. The rain had let up but the road between San Jose & Limon had been closed. He didn't know if it had opened. Our hotel staff didn't know either or how to get the info. We had to either leave by 7 am the next morning and drive for 7-8 hours to PV. Or leave later and stop for the night in SJ. We decided to sleep in a little and break up the trip.
We left beautiful MA & Costa Verde about 9:30. Francisco, the desk clerk was very helpful. He grew up in Limon and his family still lived there. He said the highway was open and not to worry. He gave us specific directions how to get to & thru San Jose.
The drive went smoothly, going thru Atenas this time. We decided to get thru SJ before stopping for the night. I had the names of some places to stay near Guapiles. So we would see how far we got. SJ was everything I had read about: utter chaos. The GPS was very handy getting us thru the city to the Limon highway.
This part of the country was cooler, rainy, & rugged. The Braulio Carillo park area was so spectacular. The numerous rivers running wild. The highway was crowded with truck traffic going both directions. This is where we learned to drive like the locals: passing whenever we got a chance, double yellow didn't matter.
About 3 pm, we decided to look for a place for the night. I had researched a B&B near Rio Blanco called Casa Rio Blanco. It looked very cute on the website, $75/night. We missed the turn off for Casa Rio Blanco, so we went ahead to check out a Tico hotel along the highway for $25/night. We drove in, saw a very simple place with what appeared to be very small rooms and drove out. I'm sure it was fine, but I wanted some atmosphere.
We drove back to the Rio Blanco turnoff and down a very rough road about 1/4 mile until we found the B&B. It had a very high fence with razor wire. We rang the bell. Annette the owner let us in & showed us the place. It was absolutely wonderful! They have four cabins perched high above the Rio Blanco. The grounds are a beautiful garden of flowers, trees and ponds. Their main house has a common lodge area, kitchen and dining table. This place was even better than the website.
We got to park in a secure gated area and got to meet Herbie, Annette's husband at our cabin. The cabin was rustic but oh so charming. It had polished wood floors with one full wall screened looking over the jungle. There was a king-size bed and eclectic decor. The bath had a sink, toilet and "suicide" shower. This type of shower has a heater coil on the water head: the faster the water, the colder; run the water slower and the coil heats the water. This actually worked pretty well.
This was our big travel day. The night before we had called our nephew in Puerto Viejo. The rain had let up but the road between San Jose & Limon had been closed. He didn't know if it had opened. Our hotel staff didn't know either or how to get the info. We had to either leave by 7 am the next morning and drive for 7-8 hours to PV. Or leave later and stop for the night in SJ. We decided to sleep in a little and break up the trip.
We left beautiful MA & Costa Verde about 9:30. Francisco, the desk clerk was very helpful. He grew up in Limon and his family still lived there. He said the highway was open and not to worry. He gave us specific directions how to get to & thru San Jose.
The drive went smoothly, going thru Atenas this time. We decided to get thru SJ before stopping for the night. I had the names of some places to stay near Guapiles. So we would see how far we got. SJ was everything I had read about: utter chaos. The GPS was very handy getting us thru the city to the Limon highway.
This part of the country was cooler, rainy, & rugged. The Braulio Carillo park area was so spectacular. The numerous rivers running wild. The highway was crowded with truck traffic going both directions. This is where we learned to drive like the locals: passing whenever we got a chance, double yellow didn't matter.
About 3 pm, we decided to look for a place for the night. I had researched a B&B near Rio Blanco called Casa Rio Blanco. It looked very cute on the website, $75/night. We missed the turn off for Casa Rio Blanco, so we went ahead to check out a Tico hotel along the highway for $25/night. We drove in, saw a very simple place with what appeared to be very small rooms and drove out. I'm sure it was fine, but I wanted some atmosphere.
We drove back to the Rio Blanco turnoff and down a very rough road about 1/4 mile until we found the B&B. It had a very high fence with razor wire. We rang the bell. Annette the owner let us in & showed us the place. It was absolutely wonderful! They have four cabins perched high above the Rio Blanco. The grounds are a beautiful garden of flowers, trees and ponds. Their main house has a common lodge area, kitchen and dining table. This place was even better than the website.
We got to park in a secure gated area and got to meet Herbie, Annette's husband at our cabin. The cabin was rustic but oh so charming. It had polished wood floors with one full wall screened looking over the jungle. There was a king-size bed and eclectic decor. The bath had a sink, toilet and "suicide" shower. This type of shower has a heater coil on the water head: the faster the water, the colder; run the water slower and the coil heats the water. This actually worked pretty well.
Jan 2nd, 2008, 03:32 PM
#26
Oops! pushed post too soon!!
Casa Rio Blanco continued: The cabin had a small deck just outside the screen. Annette fixed dinner for us for $10/person. It rained all night, but this added to the atmosphere of the roaring river below and the rain on the tin roof above. In our cabin that night, DH & I kept looking at each other and saying "can you believe this place, it's so cool!"
The next morning, we had a great breakfast fixed by Herbie. We visited with him & Annette. She is Dutch & he is Africaaner from S. Africa. They have owned the B&B for about 3 years and have done a major overhaul. They have done a great job & are excellent hosts. They also have guide books made up for hiking the property and have trails down to the river. While at breakfast, we saw an emerald balisk lizard in the garden. Afterwards, we hiked down to the river. I think if we ever return to CR, this is one area we will try to explore further.
More to come ...
MY
Casa Rio Blanco continued: The cabin had a small deck just outside the screen. Annette fixed dinner for us for $10/person. It rained all night, but this added to the atmosphere of the roaring river below and the rain on the tin roof above. In our cabin that night, DH & I kept looking at each other and saying "can you believe this place, it's so cool!"
The next morning, we had a great breakfast fixed by Herbie. We visited with him & Annette. She is Dutch & he is Africaaner from S. Africa. They have owned the B&B for about 3 years and have done a major overhaul. They have done a great job & are excellent hosts. They also have guide books made up for hiking the property and have trails down to the river. While at breakfast, we saw an emerald balisk lizard in the garden. Afterwards, we hiked down to the river. I think if we ever return to CR, this is one area we will try to explore further.
More to come ...
MY
Jan 3rd, 2008, 11:49 AM
#27
Casa Rio Blanco cont...
Ahhh, Casa Rio Blanco. We wished we could have stayed longer. Rustic, yet comfortable. This place is a true gem. Herbie & Annette are also very helpful with touring suggestions. They wanted us to perhaps stay with them on our way back to SJ on Sunday, but we couldn't cancel at Orquideas. They enjoy hosting Americans and we hope to see them again some day.
Day 10, Wed. Nov. 14, 2007, the road to Puerto Viejo:
We took off for PV. The road drops into the Atlantic Slope, banana & pineapple plantations. The road is again full of trucks. A truck passes us and proceeds to affixiate us with fumes!! This was pretty bad so we pass him. He is determined to get ahead of us, but no way!! We stay ahead until we hit more hills, then he can't keep up.
Thru Limon and the road to PV doesn't seem too bad, yet. Our nephew, P & his wife, S live in Hone Creek. Friends from Sacto own the house they have been taking care of. Both have been working with a Christian group in PV. The group has built a skate park for the youth in PV and hope to have a music cafe soon. They want this to be a safe place for kids to hang out.
We reach the place in Hone Creek and call P. We are to meet him in PV. We get past the split in the road and see what everyone has been saying about the roads. Horrendous! The pot holes are unbelievable. Although it is not far, the drive to PV is tedious.
We finally met up with P and have lunch at Bread & Chocolate. Nice place, nice people, nice food. We head over to the boutique where S is working. It is a nice clothing and jewelry store. It is so great to see both of them. We go and hang out at the skate park and check out the beach.
PV is very different than where we have been. A surfer town with the Afro/Caribe influence. Its rag-tag with shops, restaurants, street vendors. And all the streets are pot holed. We are warned by P not to splash walkers or bike riders as we try t avoid the puddles. Later, we have dinner in Cahuita.
Day 11, Thu, Nov.15, 2007 - PV
DH & P head out early to fish out of Manzanillo. S & I head to PV for what would become our daily ritual: breakfast at Cafe Kire. Each day we ordered the iced coffees and tried various yummy items. We especially liked their crepes, coffee drinks, and fruit.
S goes to work and I drive down to Manzanillo beach. On the way, some bike riders are stopped and looking in the trees. I stop too and get to see a troupe of howler monkeys. By the sound they make in the morning, you would think they were the size of gorillas!! They were making cute little monkey sounds, swinging & eating.
Later, I returned to PV for a treat. I had a chocolate facial & massage at the Pure Jungle Spa. I loved it. The palapa housing the spa is beautiful. The chocolate facial uses organic chocolate made by the Bri-Bri. I also purchased lots of goodies for gifts. Dinner that night was at Jenny's Place, an Italian restaurant. Great pasta & steak.
Friday, Nov. 16 - We were supposed to go up to Tortuguero today for an overnight trip with the Watsons. I cancelled on our first night in PV. We were tired and thought it would be best to spend more time with P & S. In retrospect, we should have done the trip with the Watsons. Another reason to return to CR.
Today we had a fun hike thru the park in Cahuita with a guide. We saw the usual sloths, birds, lizards and a snake that looked like a stick. At the end of the trail, I hung out on the beach and DH did some line fishing along the river. We had dinner at a new Italian place in Cahuita called Corleone's.
Sat. November 17, 2007 - our last day in PV
Today we tried to go to the beach, but got rained out. So we hung out in town at Beto's Bar, having 2 for 1 daquiris. That night we had our final dinner with P & S at their favorite, La Pecora Nera. We had a great meal, wine & company. It was fun getting to know our family better.
More to come .....
MY
Ahhh, Casa Rio Blanco. We wished we could have stayed longer. Rustic, yet comfortable. This place is a true gem. Herbie & Annette are also very helpful with touring suggestions. They wanted us to perhaps stay with them on our way back to SJ on Sunday, but we couldn't cancel at Orquideas. They enjoy hosting Americans and we hope to see them again some day.
Day 10, Wed. Nov. 14, 2007, the road to Puerto Viejo:
We took off for PV. The road drops into the Atlantic Slope, banana & pineapple plantations. The road is again full of trucks. A truck passes us and proceeds to affixiate us with fumes!! This was pretty bad so we pass him. He is determined to get ahead of us, but no way!! We stay ahead until we hit more hills, then he can't keep up.
Thru Limon and the road to PV doesn't seem too bad, yet. Our nephew, P & his wife, S live in Hone Creek. Friends from Sacto own the house they have been taking care of. Both have been working with a Christian group in PV. The group has built a skate park for the youth in PV and hope to have a music cafe soon. They want this to be a safe place for kids to hang out.
We reach the place in Hone Creek and call P. We are to meet him in PV. We get past the split in the road and see what everyone has been saying about the roads. Horrendous! The pot holes are unbelievable. Although it is not far, the drive to PV is tedious.
We finally met up with P and have lunch at Bread & Chocolate. Nice place, nice people, nice food. We head over to the boutique where S is working. It is a nice clothing and jewelry store. It is so great to see both of them. We go and hang out at the skate park and check out the beach.
PV is very different than where we have been. A surfer town with the Afro/Caribe influence. Its rag-tag with shops, restaurants, street vendors. And all the streets are pot holed. We are warned by P not to splash walkers or bike riders as we try t avoid the puddles. Later, we have dinner in Cahuita.
Day 11, Thu, Nov.15, 2007 - PV
DH & P head out early to fish out of Manzanillo. S & I head to PV for what would become our daily ritual: breakfast at Cafe Kire. Each day we ordered the iced coffees and tried various yummy items. We especially liked their crepes, coffee drinks, and fruit.
S goes to work and I drive down to Manzanillo beach. On the way, some bike riders are stopped and looking in the trees. I stop too and get to see a troupe of howler monkeys. By the sound they make in the morning, you would think they were the size of gorillas!! They were making cute little monkey sounds, swinging & eating.
Later, I returned to PV for a treat. I had a chocolate facial & massage at the Pure Jungle Spa. I loved it. The palapa housing the spa is beautiful. The chocolate facial uses organic chocolate made by the Bri-Bri. I also purchased lots of goodies for gifts. Dinner that night was at Jenny's Place, an Italian restaurant. Great pasta & steak.
Friday, Nov. 16 - We were supposed to go up to Tortuguero today for an overnight trip with the Watsons. I cancelled on our first night in PV. We were tired and thought it would be best to spend more time with P & S. In retrospect, we should have done the trip with the Watsons. Another reason to return to CR.
Today we had a fun hike thru the park in Cahuita with a guide. We saw the usual sloths, birds, lizards and a snake that looked like a stick. At the end of the trail, I hung out on the beach and DH did some line fishing along the river. We had dinner at a new Italian place in Cahuita called Corleone's.
Sat. November 17, 2007 - our last day in PV
Today we tried to go to the beach, but got rained out. So we hung out in town at Beto's Bar, having 2 for 1 daquiris. That night we had our final dinner with P & S at their favorite, La Pecora Nera. We had a great meal, wine & company. It was fun getting to know our family better.
More to come .....
MY
Jan 3rd, 2008, 01:09 PM
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Michelle -- So it sounds like you enjoyed the Jungle Spa...good because I plan on going there as well. 
Where did you stay in PV? We stayed on Playa Negra last time, but next time near Playa Cocles.
Where did you stay in PV? We stayed on Playa Negra last time, but next time near Playa Cocles.
Jan 3rd, 2008, 02:27 PM
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MY,
thx for the great posting. We are returning in 23 days to CR for 2nd visit, family with 2 high school teens. Last time had fabulous visit to Arenal (sorry to say we had spectacular weather and astounding views from AOL for days, so you must return to see your fair share! And we were there in rainy season, go figure) a few days to see Poas and La Paz, and we surfed and roughed it in Dominical. Family favorite was BdC in Osa, and of course our wonderful driver, Oscar. Enough background...
We are trying the Carib side this time, especially since we will again have Oscar along to show us the ropes and take care of things. Staying nearer the Panama border at Banana Azul, recommended by Hipvirgochic. Any suggestions/thoughts about that part of your visit compared to the other areas? I look forward to the drive around Braulio Carillo, since you said it was spectacular. Great info about the Casa Rio Blanco B&B you loved, by the way.
After PV area we will head to Sanchirri cabinas in Orosi valley, east of SJ, and hike around the smaller Tapanti National Park to seek elusive Quetzals, before flying down to Osa this time. The drive from Dominical to Golfito (then take a launch across the Golf to PJ) is very enjoyable if you have the time: not so for us this trip, school is in session so every minute counts! Daughter will turn 18 at BdC, her dream come true!
thx for the great posting. We are returning in 23 days to CR for 2nd visit, family with 2 high school teens. Last time had fabulous visit to Arenal (sorry to say we had spectacular weather and astounding views from AOL for days, so you must return to see your fair share! And we were there in rainy season, go figure) a few days to see Poas and La Paz, and we surfed and roughed it in Dominical. Family favorite was BdC in Osa, and of course our wonderful driver, Oscar. Enough background...
We are trying the Carib side this time, especially since we will again have Oscar along to show us the ropes and take care of things. Staying nearer the Panama border at Banana Azul, recommended by Hipvirgochic. Any suggestions/thoughts about that part of your visit compared to the other areas? I look forward to the drive around Braulio Carillo, since you said it was spectacular. Great info about the Casa Rio Blanco B&B you loved, by the way.
After PV area we will head to Sanchirri cabinas in Orosi valley, east of SJ, and hike around the smaller Tapanti National Park to seek elusive Quetzals, before flying down to Osa this time. The drive from Dominical to Golfito (then take a launch across the Golf to PJ) is very enjoyable if you have the time: not so for us this trip, school is in session so every minute counts! Daughter will turn 18 at BdC, her dream come true!
Jan 3rd, 2008, 07:25 PM
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Awww, sad about the titi monkey and boa, I guess that's nature 
They are the cutest little guys. Casa Rio Blanco sounds really nice, I checked out their website and it looks really peaceful. How far would you say it is from San Jose? The chocolate facial sounds delicious, they could just dip me in vat, put some sprinkles on me and I'd clean myself up!
They are the cutest little guys. Casa Rio Blanco sounds really nice, I checked out their website and it looks really peaceful. How far would you say it is from San Jose? The chocolate facial sounds delicious, they could just dip me in vat, put some sprinkles on me and I'd clean myself up!
Jan 8th, 2008, 02:44 PM
#32
HVC, Tully, & 4explore:
Thank you for your comments. My computer has been having warranty repairs since Thanksgiving, so I have to impose on friends to write this.
HVC: We stayed in Hone Creek with our nephew. The ride back & forth to PV got old. The road is very potholed and gets worse with every rain. I did not visit the area near Banana Azul, but we did go to the beach just before Playa Cocles. We thought is was lovely. Where are you staying? I think you will like being closer to the action. The Pure Jungle Spa was wonderful. When they put the chocolate on my face, I said it made me hungry. They then brought me a piece of the organic choc. to nibble on. I met two women from LA on the beach. They had the body wraps and said they were fabulous also.
4explore:
As others have said here, the Caribbean side is different. More Afro-Caribe people and a real mix of people from all over. Our nephew & his wife described it as a place people come to get away and it is pretty transient. Someone will be there for 6 mos. or a year, then be gone, without saying goodbye. PV is a surfer town, lots of restaurants, shops, vendors. If we go again, I would try to stay closer to PV for ease of access to food & fun. We were in PV at the end of our trip, so we were pretty tired, so we really didn't do a whole lot. I would go back.
Tully:
The Casa Rio Blanco is, according to them, 1 1/2 hrs. from SJ. It took us longer. They say many guests stay there for their 1st night in CR on there way to the Caribbean. It was $75/night. The owners, Annette & Herbie also gave us a short-cut map back to the airport. This way we avoided downtown SJ. This came in handy. I LOVED our stay there and highly recommended it. I found it in Lonely Planet guide, checked their web-site and took a chance.
I will try to wrap this report up this week.
MY
Thank you for your comments. My computer has been having warranty repairs since Thanksgiving, so I have to impose on friends to write this.
HVC: We stayed in Hone Creek with our nephew. The ride back & forth to PV got old. The road is very potholed and gets worse with every rain. I did not visit the area near Banana Azul, but we did go to the beach just before Playa Cocles. We thought is was lovely. Where are you staying? I think you will like being closer to the action. The Pure Jungle Spa was wonderful. When they put the chocolate on my face, I said it made me hungry. They then brought me a piece of the organic choc. to nibble on. I met two women from LA on the beach. They had the body wraps and said they were fabulous also.
4explore:
As others have said here, the Caribbean side is different. More Afro-Caribe people and a real mix of people from all over. Our nephew & his wife described it as a place people come to get away and it is pretty transient. Someone will be there for 6 mos. or a year, then be gone, without saying goodbye. PV is a surfer town, lots of restaurants, shops, vendors. If we go again, I would try to stay closer to PV for ease of access to food & fun. We were in PV at the end of our trip, so we were pretty tired, so we really didn't do a whole lot. I would go back.
Tully:
The Casa Rio Blanco is, according to them, 1 1/2 hrs. from SJ. It took us longer. They say many guests stay there for their 1st night in CR on there way to the Caribbean. It was $75/night. The owners, Annette & Herbie also gave us a short-cut map back to the airport. This way we avoided downtown SJ. This came in handy. I LOVED our stay there and highly recommended it. I found it in Lonely Planet guide, checked their web-site and took a chance.
I will try to wrap this report up this week.
MY
Jan 17th, 2008, 07:16 PM
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MichelleY - this is a very interesting report. Sorry, too, about the rain at Arenal. We had such good weather there that it's hard to imagine it the way you describe. Glad the GPS turned out to be useful. It certainly made a huge difference for us. Looking forward to the rest of the report when you have time.
Jan 22nd, 2008, 05:45 PM
#34
I hope I can finish this report tonight...
Sunday, Nov.18, 2007
We were once again awakened by the howler monkeys. We took some photos of the house and grounds. We also spotted a toucan in the trees, very cool.
Off to PV for our final breakfast at Kire: ice creamed coffee, and fruit plate for me. Coffee, eggs & bacon for DH. S couldn't join us, she had to be at the skate park for the kids class. We said our good-byes and were on our way. We stopped near Cahuita to take a photo of those long, hanging birds nests.
Since it was Sunday, the streets of Limon were pretty dead and travel was much smoother on the main highway. As we climbed the mountains, truck traffic backed up, but hey, we were now driving like the locals: passing on double yellow!! Fun!!
At the top of the mountain, the weather hit. A real gully washer. The wipers could bearly keep up!! We could see why this road has landslide problems. At one point, we saw muddy water and gravel coming off the hillside onto the highway. We were glad to be into the home stretch and thru the torrent.
As we neared SJ, we watched for the short-cut turn off Herbie and Annette of Casa Rio Blanco had given us. We turned at the Radisson and wound our way to Rt. 1 and the airport. Once again, our GPS took us on the scenic route to Las Orquideas. We ended up in someones yard, so I reset for the cemetary and once there, reset for the hotel.
Orquideas was very nice. Our room was comfy and it felt great to have all the ammenities we had missed in Hone Creek: hot water, good beds, AC and no gekko poop! We went for our comp cocktail, more cocktails and dinner. I was a little uncomfortable: itchy!! I figured it was maybe no-see-ums, but back in the room, I found more bites on my upper legs and tummy. I told DH that the pants I had worn today had been hanging up in PV and maybe something had been in them and bitten me. He said it sounded like I had Ants in my Pants!!! ha, ha, my DH is a real comedian, but who knows, maybe I did!!
It was nice to have a long warm shower and comfy bed.
Conclusion to come .....
MY
Sunday, Nov.18, 2007
We were once again awakened by the howler monkeys. We took some photos of the house and grounds. We also spotted a toucan in the trees, very cool.
Off to PV for our final breakfast at Kire: ice creamed coffee, and fruit plate for me. Coffee, eggs & bacon for DH. S couldn't join us, she had to be at the skate park for the kids class. We said our good-byes and were on our way. We stopped near Cahuita to take a photo of those long, hanging birds nests.
Since it was Sunday, the streets of Limon were pretty dead and travel was much smoother on the main highway. As we climbed the mountains, truck traffic backed up, but hey, we were now driving like the locals: passing on double yellow!! Fun!!
At the top of the mountain, the weather hit. A real gully washer. The wipers could bearly keep up!! We could see why this road has landslide problems. At one point, we saw muddy water and gravel coming off the hillside onto the highway. We were glad to be into the home stretch and thru the torrent.
As we neared SJ, we watched for the short-cut turn off Herbie and Annette of Casa Rio Blanco had given us. We turned at the Radisson and wound our way to Rt. 1 and the airport. Once again, our GPS took us on the scenic route to Las Orquideas. We ended up in someones yard, so I reset for the cemetary and once there, reset for the hotel.
Orquideas was very nice. Our room was comfy and it felt great to have all the ammenities we had missed in Hone Creek: hot water, good beds, AC and no gekko poop! We went for our comp cocktail, more cocktails and dinner. I was a little uncomfortable: itchy!! I figured it was maybe no-see-ums, but back in the room, I found more bites on my upper legs and tummy. I told DH that the pants I had worn today had been hanging up in PV and maybe something had been in them and bitten me. He said it sounded like I had Ants in my Pants!!! ha, ha, my DH is a real comedian, but who knows, maybe I did!!
It was nice to have a long warm shower and comfy bed.
Conclusion to come .....
MY
Jan 26th, 2008, 01:48 PM
#35
Monday, November 19,2007 - Home
We enjoyed the great breakfast at Orquideas. Good food and nice atmosphere. We met a young couple with a small child who had sold everything in California and bought a B&B near Dominical. They said they hadn't regretted it and loved CR. They were picking up their parents for the holidays.
Our flight wasn't until 2:30, so we took the time to check out the Ave Zoo. It was easy to get to and only took about an hour or so to get thru. It allowed us to see some of the animals we missed out on, such as the titi. They were very cute and active. I wished we could have seen them in MA in the wild, but for now this would have to do.
We headed back to the hotel to check out. Again, we used the GPS to get to Tricolor and it took us thru some small back streets, but eventually, we made it and checked in at the airport.
I did some major shopping at the Britt store. I picked up coffee, chocolate cover coffee & macadamias as gifts. Wood earrings and braclets. I also picked up 4 of those polished wooden place mats. 4 was all I could afford at $40 each!! DH turned out the be the biggest shopper of all. He bought one of the Costa Rican Rocking Chairs. I didn't see the point in it: we didn't need it, but he really wanted it and thought it would come in handy. So, I gave in and now it is sitting in the living room not being used. Maybe this summer we can put it on the deck -- maybe???
We headed home, with a layover in San Salvador and arrived in SFO about 11pm.
REVIEW
Overall, we had a great trip. I would like to return and would re-visit all the places we stayed. DH wouldn't mind visiting again, but would prefer a week of just relaxing by a pool or beach, reading, eating, drinking, then do some more adventurous activities. I think this is beacause he is a farmer and his work is more physical, so just relaxing is fun for him.
As far as favorite places, we liked all the places we visited. Peace Lodge for the luxury and amenities and handy activities. MA and Costa Verde for the view, beach, activities near by, restuaurants.
Casa Rio Blanco for the mountain eco-experience. I loved this place and would really like to explore this area more if we return.
Puerto Viejo - for a different feel. This area reminds me of Santa Cruz in the 1960's: a bohemian/hippy community, but mixed in with people from all over the world. The beaches were nice, water warm, food and drink good.
Arenal was somewhat of a disappointment because of the constant rain and chill. I think we would have to return to hopefully get the full benefit of this area, but it would be hard to convince my DH. I don't know if we stay at the AOL again. Our room was just OK, and DH prefers being closer to the action(short attention span). But being that close to the volcano and seeing the "hot rocks" on our last night was well worth it.
REGRETS
I have a few. Of course, Arenal being so rainy for us. We skipped doing the Cano Negro tour because of the weather and the fact we were going to Tortuguero.
Not doing more in MA - DH didn't want to horseback ride, or go on the mangrove tour. He went sportfishing, which he enjoyed and did well. I should have done something without him instead of hang out by the pool all day.
Skipping Tortuguero. In hindsite, it was a mistake not going to Tortuguero with the Watsons. We should had taken the opportunity, but we made the decision to cancel when we were tired. If we return to CR, Tortuguero would best be done at the start of a trip, before we wear ourselves out!!
Again, thank you all for your input while planning this trip.
MY
We enjoyed the great breakfast at Orquideas. Good food and nice atmosphere. We met a young couple with a small child who had sold everything in California and bought a B&B near Dominical. They said they hadn't regretted it and loved CR. They were picking up their parents for the holidays.
Our flight wasn't until 2:30, so we took the time to check out the Ave Zoo. It was easy to get to and only took about an hour or so to get thru. It allowed us to see some of the animals we missed out on, such as the titi. They were very cute and active. I wished we could have seen them in MA in the wild, but for now this would have to do.
We headed back to the hotel to check out. Again, we used the GPS to get to Tricolor and it took us thru some small back streets, but eventually, we made it and checked in at the airport.
I did some major shopping at the Britt store. I picked up coffee, chocolate cover coffee & macadamias as gifts. Wood earrings and braclets. I also picked up 4 of those polished wooden place mats. 4 was all I could afford at $40 each!! DH turned out the be the biggest shopper of all. He bought one of the Costa Rican Rocking Chairs. I didn't see the point in it: we didn't need it, but he really wanted it and thought it would come in handy. So, I gave in and now it is sitting in the living room not being used. Maybe this summer we can put it on the deck -- maybe???
We headed home, with a layover in San Salvador and arrived in SFO about 11pm.
REVIEW
Overall, we had a great trip. I would like to return and would re-visit all the places we stayed. DH wouldn't mind visiting again, but would prefer a week of just relaxing by a pool or beach, reading, eating, drinking, then do some more adventurous activities. I think this is beacause he is a farmer and his work is more physical, so just relaxing is fun for him.
As far as favorite places, we liked all the places we visited. Peace Lodge for the luxury and amenities and handy activities. MA and Costa Verde for the view, beach, activities near by, restuaurants.
Casa Rio Blanco for the mountain eco-experience. I loved this place and would really like to explore this area more if we return.
Puerto Viejo - for a different feel. This area reminds me of Santa Cruz in the 1960's: a bohemian/hippy community, but mixed in with people from all over the world. The beaches were nice, water warm, food and drink good.
Arenal was somewhat of a disappointment because of the constant rain and chill. I think we would have to return to hopefully get the full benefit of this area, but it would be hard to convince my DH. I don't know if we stay at the AOL again. Our room was just OK, and DH prefers being closer to the action(short attention span). But being that close to the volcano and seeing the "hot rocks" on our last night was well worth it.
REGRETS
I have a few. Of course, Arenal being so rainy for us. We skipped doing the Cano Negro tour because of the weather and the fact we were going to Tortuguero.
Not doing more in MA - DH didn't want to horseback ride, or go on the mangrove tour. He went sportfishing, which he enjoyed and did well. I should have done something without him instead of hang out by the pool all day.
Skipping Tortuguero. In hindsite, it was a mistake not going to Tortuguero with the Watsons. We should had taken the opportunity, but we made the decision to cancel when we were tired. If we return to CR, Tortuguero would best be done at the start of a trip, before we wear ourselves out!!
Again, thank you all for your input while planning this trip.
MY
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