vbookshelf

Wife and I had initially planned to see Arenal and MA by rental car Jan 2008 but seems there are alot of postings to avoid MA and support a flight to Osa for 3-4 days. Maybe stay at Bosque del Cabo for 2-3 nights then Corcovado tent camp? for 2 more. Is that too hard considering transportation? What about Lapa Rios instead of BDC? (The family style dining at BDC is a turnoff for us).
Or is there a near equal beach type area we could reach by rental car from Arenal that would offer an uncrowded setting with lots of natural beauty?
Finally, can anyone recommend a good travel agent for CR or is it best to do it yourself? Thank you.

volcanogirl

Hi, v - we just got back from BdC and wanted to let you know that the group dinner dining is not a requirement. They offer you the opportunity to dine with just your family if that's your preference. We saw people doing that when we were there - just have to let them know. The group dinners turned out to be quite fun and a great way to learn about all the activities that people liked, but it's not something you have to do if it's not your thing.

Personally, I would love an Arenal/BdC combo trip - that's the best of both worlds for us.

volcanogirl

Regarding booking things yourselves, we've been twice and had no problems arranging everything on our own. Check out this board and tripadvisor.com for hotel reviews, and you'll be on your way.

If you decide you'd like the convenience of an agent, Pat Hewitt is on this board all the time, and I'm sure would be a great help to you.

hipvirgochick

First, I think people go to MA and Osa for different reasons and there aren't really comparisons between the two. That said, I've been to Osa, and I still intend to go to MA because from the research I've done I still think it's worth a visit. Arenal is also a great place to go and very much worth a few nights.

Second, why is family style dining a turn-off to you? Are you just looking for more privacy/romance? I'm just curious because it's one of the things I think most/all of us here enjoy about BDC. Meeting people, talking about our adventures and laughing together. I can't imagine that being a turn-off. The family seating is at dinner only, and you can request to sit separately, it's just not the norm. Either way, I'd always choose BDC over Lapa Rios.

Do you normally use a travel agent? It won't save you money, but if you don't like doing your own research/planning, the option is there. You'll get the best firsthand advice from the Fodorites here and booking yourself is easy.

cmerrell

Hi vbookshelf,

We really enjoyed MA last year. Combined with Arenal, it makes for a terrific first time visitor's itinerary. There are lots of hotel, restaurant and activity choices, beautiful beaches inside the park and lots of wildlife sightings. It's a popular, more heavily-visited destination as opposed to the more remote, untouched Osa Peninsula if that is a consideration for you.

If the Osa has a greater appeal, you could also look into some of the Drake Bay lodging options if BdC doesn't sound like your cup of tea. BdC is such a big hit with so many of the posters here that the Drake Bay side of the peninsula just doesn't get mentioned as much in comparison, but I've read lots of good things about places like La Paloma and Casa Corcovado.

As VG and HVC mentioned, Costa Rica seems to be a pretty easy place to make your own arrangements, but if you prefer to work with an agent, Pat Hewitt can help you tailor a trip based on your travel preferences. He knows a lot about CR and does not charge a fee for his services.

I've also used tico travel www.ticotravel.com and felt they did a good job.

Happy planning!

vbookshelf

Thank you all so much. You've given me some new direction. For our first trip to CR, I'd really like to keep it simple and stick with a rental car and minimize making alot of different in-country transportation arrangements (thus the interest in a travel agency). We usually do our own travel planning. That said, starting in the Arenal area, can anyone a nice, quiet, beautiful beach area with wildlife within a 4-5 hour drive?

volcanogirl

v, you may like Manuel Antonio. It's about 5 1/2 hours from Arenal, and it has tons of wildlife and a beautiful beach. It really is a nice area - just not completely unspoiled like the Osa. It has restaurants and cars and people - if that doesn't bother you, you might give it a try.

ShellD

vbookshelf - regarding the family style dining at BDC - that was something that my husband and I were a bit leary of as well. Usually when we go away, we usually don't end up meeting other people or hanging out with them. It just seemed like it would be "odd" to eat with complete strangers. But let me tell you - having dinner with the other guests was great! The place is relatively small, so you really see the same guests throughout your stay, so by the time you have dinner, you feel as though you know most of the people. Those that you don't know, you quickly get to know. And you'll find that you have something in common with a lot of the people there. You'll want to share your experience about your trip - the excursions, the hikes, the nature - the animals you've spotted! Where else you've travelled....etc. Really, it was quite fun! Breakfast and lunch you eat alone, it's only dinner that is family style, and as other's mentioned, you can eat alone.

Also, as virgochick mentioned, I don't think MA is undesirable to visit - it's just different. I too plan to visit there on our next trip to CR. This past trip we went to Arenal, Osa and Peace Lodge/Poas Volcano. Next time we'll bring the kids and go to Arenal, MA and probably spend a night or so back at Peace Lodge because the kids will love it!

We chose BDC over Lapa Rios mainly due to the price difference. Having now been to BDC I don't think that we could have made a better choice.

I also think you can plan the trip on your own without a travel agent. I started out looking at a lot of travel agent web sites to get ideas of their packages and then ended up booking everything on my own. It was very easy to do. The people here were a huge help and should be able to answer most questions you would have.

MarciaM

Lapa Rios is a beautiful place, and very romantic if that is what you are looking for. From Arenal you could always try Xandari on the Pacific. Its a new property outside of Jaco, but I haven't heard reviews from people staying there yet.

tully

I agree with the other comments that the bar/dinner time is one of the great things about BdC - so cool to sit around and meet like-minded people from all around the world. What they did thay day, what they saw, etc. Also, I hope any of my postings were taken to avoid MA - I've been there twice!