badbob90713

Hello Fodorites, First I would like to thank all of you for the great info an personal tails of travels trials and tribulations. I have learned much and feel confident heading into my first out of country adventure.
We will be in Costa Rica from July 20th to the 29th. We being myself Badbob an my lovely travel companion Sally. I'm just looking for some feedback on the itinerary I decided on. However I'm also hoping to get some info on places that I can stop at along our way, that are "off the beaten path." We already have a full plate for the first few days but left the last few days for some unplanned come what may day trips.
Well I wrote a little diddy an it goes lika this. Arrive Alajuela 9:30am July 20th get rental 4x4 an head right up to La Paz waterfall Gardens. I have read thats its like a CR disney without the rides but i like the idea of getting familiar with alot of the CR Fuana up close so I maybe can spot them better out in the wild. Plus a fairly easy hike to several waterfalls seems like a good 1/2 day detour. Thought about spending the nite there but I decided to push my luck right out of the gate an make it to Arenal the same day. Speaking of pushing my luck I will also divert up to the Poas volcano on our way fron La Paz because its only 10 miles up the 120 from there. This I picture as a Chevy Chase Grand Canyon stop for those familiar with that movie scene. Then its back down to the CR1 road and up the 142 thru San Ramon to La Fortuna. I know this is over the mtns. an can be fogged in by late noon but as they say "Pura Vida" so no worries an we get there when we get there. I'm sure it will be after dark but with gps an Nat Geo waterproof map an the thrill of it all. That will be ok.
Geez this is turning into along story. I hope I have not lost most of you. I'm just a blue collar type of guy an not much of a writer but I cannot contain my excitement an passion for this trip. So anyway Arenal day2. Horse backride to falls in the am an volcano hike an hot springs in the afternoon. Oh we are staying at Hotel Mtn Paradise. Day3 am Canoa adventures Rio Penas Blancas for slow river ride not white water. Then skytrek in the afternoon. Lazy nite early to bed.
Day4 early start drive around lake an down to Tilaran on 145 toCR1 towards Puntarenas. Were headed for Mirramar to the vista del golfo adventure park. They have a pkg deal room with 3 meals an 25 line conopy tour which goes right past some waterfalls. I think its the only tour that does go close to waterfalls. Not sure if we zip that afternoon or next morning.
Day5 afternoon off towards MA will swing by Carara on the way an just tico time it down to the Arenas del Mar in Ma.
Day6 am boat trip to Damas Island an thats the end of the planned adventures which gives us a few more days for maybe some whitewater rafting, sport fishing or nothing. I think we will go south for a day trip. I read that playa Ballena was good for snorkeling. Anyway hope I did not bore you to death an will greatly appreciate any feedback or constructive criticism an of corse some cool stops "off the beaten path"

hsmithcr

I think you are trying to pack too much in your first day. Distances in Costa Rica can be deceiving and if you estimate how long it will take you to get somewhere, double it.

You are talking about "off the beaten path" but you are going to at least two of the most popular destinations in Costa Rica.

I don't understand your logic for staying at Miramar for the "Vista del Golfo Adventure Park." If you are looking for Disney-type attractions, you will be disappointed.

Costa Rica is famous for its natural beauty and rightly so. If I were you, I would plan on taking advantage of it.

Cool stops off the beaten path: When you arrive in Canas from Tilaran, turn right onto the InterAmerican Highway and about 5 km from there, on your right, will be Las Pumas. This is a wildlife sanctuary and rehabilitation center and you can see not only big cats but other animals here as well. Well worth the short detour. Back on the InterAmerican Highway, just past the cemetery in Canas, turn right and go to Bebedero, a small town about 14 km away on a good road. Here, you can get a boat trip through the Palo Verde National Park.

By the way - no one in Costa Rica uses highway numbers just names such as InterAmerican Highway or "the road between Tilaran and Canas" -- that kind of thing. If you ask someone where is Route 6 or 127 or whatever, they will just look at you.

After Manuel Antonio, you can head for the Osa Peninsula, one of the best places for wildlife and unspoiled nature.

Allylam

I have to agree your first day is way too much! Perhaps since the second half of your trip is not planned, you can see Poas on your return to San Jose area?
I'm tickled by your excitment for your trip!

1bhcrashman

Your drive time will be at least 50% more than you are thinking. The hwy #'s on the map & GPS do not always relate to the existing roads. I agree with above post by hsmithercr and when you ask for directions, alot of people can't read a map and don't know where they are on it. Good luck and you will be experiencing Pura Vida which will take on a whole new meaning once your here.

cgenster

"alot of people can't read a map and don't know where they are on it"

This is so true. We were lost and had a map. We had a general idea where we were, and stopped and asked a construction worker if he could point out on the map exactly where we were. He pointed to a place where I knew we could not possibly be. I just thought he was fooling around with us, but soon realized that he just couldn't read the map.

LindainOhio

You mention doing SkyTrek and then another canopy tour. Perhaps you would just want to do one of those--and looks like the second one is included in your room rate.

We enjoyed Skytrek but I would schedule it for the morning. The views are beautiful and you have a better chance of clear weather in the morning. We did it on a beautiful day.

hsmithcr

As for reading or not reading a map -- most Costa Ricans don't have cars and ride the bus, mostly. So for them, reading a map is not a necessary skill. And even many Costa Rican drivers don't take a map with them. If they don't know where to go or where they are, they just stop and ask. This is not really a map issue; it is a communication issue. It is probably a good idea to learn some rudimentary Spanish such as "donde esta" and things like right and left and some numbers.

beaker

The Osa peninsula is a great place to get away if you want to see nature. Bosque del Cabo is a resort ( a little pricey), but there are cheaper places in the Osa. I have been to CR 8 times and to all of the places you are thinking about. It is a 1 hour flight from San Jose or about a 8 hour drive.

Fantastic isolated place.

cgenster

hsmithcr, very true and with my elementary espanol the construction worker could tell me how to get to where I wanted to go, we just didn't use the map.

Badbob, if you do plan on going off on your own which my husband and I did without any problems, it is best to know a little be able to speak and understand a little Spanish just in case you get lost.

gannetmusic

I agree you are trying to do far too much your first day. Don't recommend driving up to Arenal at night.

baldone

Ditto all the above. We did some of the stuff you want to do last winter. It'll be more like noon when you get on the road after you get your rental. 10 miles in CR can be an hour. The roads look short on maps, but they're deceiving. Toss in getting lost (and you will, there are no addresses) and a mudslide with the fog, and you're screwed. Not to mention getting behind trucks that only do 10 mph uphill. And it's always uphill in CR. I also don't see you doing horseback, falls, volcano, and hot springs all in one day while at Arenal. I really, really, really think you're cramming too much into 9 days. Esp. if you're a first-timer out of the US which might mean your Spanish skills need a brush-up. Please don't drive at night. It's dangerous with livestock on the road plus you'll miss the great scenery between Poas and La Fortuna. Google "travelexperta" she can help you with an itinerary.

badbob90713

I just want to thank everyone for the advice. I knew I would get some great feedback here. Sorry for not being more clear on my plans. The map issue is surprising but it does make sense that locals would not need a map. However with all I have read it made me think that the locals were fairly literate people so I thought they would be able to do so. I do live in LA so I do speak some Spanish and I'm studying hard to add a lot of travel lingo as well. I don't want anyone to get the wrong impression of me. I could see that my plans may seem like a lot or even foolish. However my time frame is based on tripreports,my travelmap,fodors travel book and CR tourism site. So I don't feel the responses telling me to double my travel time are accurate. If all these resources are telling me these timeframes I'm going to believe it. Short of a natural disaster or severe wheather conditions I don't have to actually set foot in any giving location to know how far I've traveled at an avg. Speed of 15mph. Right? I am not taking this trip as a clueless first timer but as someone who has done his homework an will be prepared for the worst. This to me is one of those so called "trips of a lifetime" so I do want to get my travel dollars worth so to speak. The Poas detour will be based on the actual time we get to the fork in the road after La Paz waterfalls. The suggestion to do Poas on the last day was a very good one an I had not thought of that. As far as the horseback /waterfall an volcanohike/ hotsprings the horseback is in the am an hike is in the afternoon. I can't see a problem there. I do like the idea of switching the canopy tour to the am an the canoe ride to the afternoon. I'd rather zip with a lesser chance of rain. I really do enjoy this forum and the responses to my post so thanks again for the advice. I am aware that driving at nite is something I don't want to do and will try very hard to avoid it. However whats the point of going on such a trip if I would limit my experiences because of being afraid. Everyone says the people are friendly an its not a country with a lot of civil unrest. I have some experience driving mountainous roads with a 4x4 an I will be prepared as much as I can be. So I'm not that worried. I could be in big trouble getting lost, roads closed or running into some wild or domestic beast but you know what, short of getting robbed or kidnapped I will just make the best of it an move thru are trip the best I can. Although we are doing a lot of the main tourist traps if you can call em that because its such an amazing natural place. My tag line of off the beaten path will hold true. That's why I'm driving myself. HS one of the first responses had some good suggestions. That's what I'm looking for here. Oh by the way HS I'm not looking for a Disney type of attractions. I meant I was going despite the fact it was described as such. I was horrified and amused that you may have thought that's what I'd be looking for in CR. Well folks thanks again for what I feel is a genuine concern for my safety an well being I truely appreciate it. I can't wait to let you know how my adventure turns out. Oh one more thing my back up plan for getting lost was when I come to a small town if I could find one was to hire a taxi or a local to allow me to follow them to my next destination perhaps a crazy thought but do you think that's possible if I got that desperate? Not a good use of travel dollars but certainly a way to boost the local economy. LOL

hsmithcr

"However with all I have read it made me think that the locals were fairly literate people so I thought they would be able to do so." If you understand the map issue, then why do you say this? Do you mean "map literate?" As I said before, most Costa Ricans have no need for using a map so they don't. As for literacy - the country has a 95% literacy rate so they are "fairly literate."

Glad to see that you have worked out your plans and it looks like you will have a great time. I really like the idea of exploring - I have done this many times in CR.

If you get lost, just ask someone where you are. Then check your map. If you get lost, just ask someone! The most common thing to say is, "Perdon, senor (or whatever) una pregunta - " then ask your question. If you know that, according to your map, the road to Aguas Claras is about here and there is a road there but no sign, ask someone. Is this the road to Aguas Claras? It will be a real waste of money to hire a taxi to "guide" you somewhere - but - this is up to you. If you get lost, you won't be in "big trouble", you will lose nothing but time (and some gas maybe). Tranquilo!

Running into some domestic or wild beast? Cows are routinely pastured along the back country roads but are not stupid enough to go into the road - there is no grass there! Anyway, you will be going slow enough on these roads that it won't matter.

I am curious to know how everything turned out. Please do write a trip report and let us know. I think you will have a great time and really see Costa Rica.

tully

I think your first day is really just too busy. At most, you'll have about 3 - 3.5 hours at La Paz Waterfalls, then a good drive to Arenal in the dark. Personally, I'd either stay at La Paz that first night (or nearby Poas Lodge) or just skip that part and head directly to Arenal upon landing.

Have never heard of the adventure park. I'd skip a stop there and instead do your ziplining in Arenal at SkyTrek or Canopy Safari in Manuel Antonio. Both are great fun.

I believe most people here are giving you opinions on doubling your travel time not to be a bummer but just out of personal expeience.

badbob90713

Thanks HS, I guess I was just generally figuring map reading as part of literacy. But I concede that if you always know were you are an never venture far the of course a map would be a foreign object to anyone in any part of the world. I was not being condescending or ment no disrespect to the locals. It was my mistake to assume map reading is general knowledge. Thank for the Spanish lesson aswell it will certainly come in handy. I was half joking about the taxi guide. I'm not so confident that I would drive to far withoutw asking for directions if I felt I was lost. Your also right about the beast. Slow an steady is my mode of transport. I feel if you have driven on 1 white knuckle 1 an 1/2 lane muddy mountain road you have driven them all. So going at a safe speed with plenty of reaction time should always get you where you want to go. I'm not going to CR for a rally race. Correct me if I'm wrong but does "Pura Visa" roughly translate to just enjoy life no matter what happens good or bad? That's what I think it means. Anyone else got a thought on that.

1bhcrashman

Forewarned is forearmed as they say. We used the taxi idea in Vienna and it worked great when we had driven onto the Graben in error. However, where you will likely to get lost in CR, there will probably be no taxis. "get to the fork in the road after La Paz" Hope it's not so fogged in you can't see the road much less the fork. Those potholes that can swallow your car are hard to see at night and it is the Green Season so rain is an issue. But, I wish you Pura Vida.

vova

badbob...you need to break up your writing into paragraphs my friend...it's like a huge wave of words coming right at me

Costa Rica is fun and you'll love it. Driving is relatively uneventful there except those random huge potholes right in the middle of an otherwise perfect road. Almost lost it a few times while driving at "dusk"...driving at night is stressful and not worth it. Night is when you drink rum and relax at a bar.

Anyhow - I second the Osa Peninsula and Corcovado National Park...some of the most pristine nature I've seen. It is hard to get to so I don't think w/ only a day or so it would be worth it. Another thing we did that was excellent and one of our trip highlights was we did an overnight rafting trip on the Paquare river. It would leave out of San Jose and eat up 2 of your days but it was so much fun.

badbob90713

Thanks for the good wishes an ours vida. I m so sorry about the giant paragraph. Using a smart phone is no excuse for bad gra
mmer. I was just lazy
I spoke with the car rental place today an the eastern access to Paos is no longer there so all this nite driving business is a non issue now. They also updated me as to the actual time of sunset so I have a more concrete answer there.
I already have Arenas Del Mar for the last five nites but when I get there I will ask if I can drop the second last nite an possibly go to Oso from one morning to the next nite or just take a boat out of Dominacal to Oso. Thanks again to everyone for the advice.

tully

The Osa isn't a 1 night type of place, too much time to travel there and back. Also, the Osa is an entire peninsula, not a town. If you want to explore somewhere South of Manuel Antonio head to Dominical, about 45 minutes, or Uvita, about 2 hours. with a short trip, I would really keep it to Arenal and MA, maybe a day trip to the places I mentioned above.

The sun sets around 5:45 pretty much year round in CR, was this in question? lol

baldone

Here's why I think you've got too much on you plate in 1 day at Arenal. Or maybe you already know. If you're going to La Fortuna falls, there is a hike after the horseback ride. Then, swimming and hiking back out. Then back down on horseback. Then to your next activity. Then the next. It's just a lot to cram into one day. Save enough time for beers! We also stayed at Mtn. Paradise (the gps says there are 2); you shouldn't be disappointed. They've got a great swim-up bar and nice heated pool if you can't make the thermals. The restaurant there is decent, but pricey. Sky Trek was the bomb; I'd have paid double. It's good you're not driving at night, it doesn't make sense to jeopardize the trip of a lifetime with all the risks involved. Gps or not, the highways are poorly marked, if at all, and there are no addresses in CR. Daylight driving will allow you to get off the beaten path, should the opportunity arise, you can do so in the day whereas you can't at night.
Regarding La Paz, we actually went there after Poas thinking as you did. The road was a disaster, being rebuilt after mudslides. The staff at La Paz advised us to plan on 4-6 hours to tour the grounds. The delay on the road caused us to bail on La Paz.
Your ambitious itinerary highlights the problem of going to CR: So much to see, so little time. If you're not able to do it all, Pura Vida also means save something for next time!!