We loved our last trip to CR and are planning another. We went to Monteverde, Arenal, and the Osa. We loved our stay at Bosque del Cabo and would like to find another place with that same atmosphere in another part of CR( maybe Tamarindo or MA area). Does anyone have any suggestions? We like to hike, swim, see nature. Not interested in zip lines or horses. We will go back to Finca Rosa Blanca.

Judyrose, I think you will find Tamarindo and Manuel Antonio very developed and touristy after visiting the Osa. You may want to look into another, less popular area on the Nicoya Peninsula (the southern part) or some beach areas south of Manuel Antonio.

We really liked Malpais/Santa Teresa near the southern tip of the Nicoya Peninsula. It has a different atmosphere than the Osa but it is quiet and not overly developed, with a beautiful beach. There is nice hiking at the Cabo Blanco Reserve nearby.

If you decide on Tamarindo, I would suggest you stay away from the town (I heard really good things about Playa Grande, just north of the town of Tamarindo). And if you are in that area you could spend a few days at Rincon de la Vieja.

You may be interested in a trip such as our 2004 trip.

We started with a Pacuare Rafting trip, then to Tortuguero, then over to Montezuma and ended at La Paz.

I posted a report of this trip a few months back, if you are interested.

Do you have any suggestions for hotels in the Malpais area that you mentioned? Anything intimate like Bosque?

We went to PLaya Samara on the SW tip of Nicoya and absolutely loved it. It is a very small beach town but is absolutely delightful. Enjoy it now before it turns in to a Tamarindo (the road has only been paved for the last year). There is a tiny island a mile off shore we went to that has a beautiful coral reef to snorkel on. There are also fishing opportunities. Its worth going to if you want a more remote place.

Judyrose, we stayed at Florblanca (very upscale and expensive but we loved it). Check it out at www.florblanca.com. Right next door to Florblanca is a small hotel called Milarepa that gets very good reviews. I think you may enjoy that hotel. You can check it out at http://www.milarepahotel.com/

For more information about that area check out this website:
http://www.nicoyapeninsula.com/

Try across the Gulfo Dulce- Playa Zancudo and Pavones.

Our trip has been shortened to only 8 days. So I was thinking of flyng to Liberia day 1 and stay in Tamarindo(Suena de Mar) for 3 days and then fly to San Jose(Peace Lodge) and do that area for 3 days and fly home day 8.These are areas we haven't been to although they are touristy. I can't do it all, so I guess we will try again to see other places that are harder and longer to get to when we have more time. Thanks for the suggestions!!

Judyrose, this sounds like a good plan. Sueno del Mar in Tamarindo is located on Playa Langosta which is much more peaceful than the main Tamarindo beach. Sueno del Mar has been owned and operated by the same couple who built Florblanca in Malpais. It gets very good reviews. And Peace Lodge sounds fabulous too. Enjoy your trip!

Iza, do we need a car in Playa Langosta to get around?

I would suggest you rent one if you want to go out to dinner in Tamarindo and explore the area. You don't need a 4x4, a regular car will do just fine in that area. It is probably a half hour walk to the center of Tamarindo from Sueno del Mar. Or you can just get a taxi for going out to dinner and rent a car locally in Tamarindo for a day or two if you want to explore the neighboring areas.

Thanks Iza. That sounds like a good idea. I don't think I want to walk for a half an hour in the dark. Do you know how much car rentals are in that area?