Planning Our 1st Trip... Help!!!
 

My boyfriend and I have decided that when I finish my spring semester of school we want to take a vacation to Costa Rica because of all the great reviews and beautiful pictures we have seen. Staying near the beach is a must! We are both very active and would like to try hiking as well and good snorkeling. Where is the best place in Costa Rica for our first experience? We also want to check out real estate while we are there. We are interested in purchasing a second home that we can rent out. What places are worth looking in to?

I'm trying to research on my own, but I am getting so overwhelmed with information and would like some opinions on people who have vacationed there and can give input on what towns near the beach are worth investing in. Thanks in advance everyone!!!

The Manuel Antonio area has a beautiful beach inside the national park and lots of easy access to wildlife, especially monkeys. Tons of hotel and restaurant choices too. If you want more off the beaten path, maybe check out the Puerto Viejo area on the Carib. side or the Guanacaste beaches of the northern Pacific or Dominical. We haven't found great snorkeling in CR.

If you stay south of Dominical (Uvita), there are fabulous deserted beaches, and you could take a day trip to Cano Island for snorkeling. Or mangrove tours, or even day trips to Corcavado NP (all of which leave from Sierpe, less than an hour from Uvita). But as volcanogirl says, don't expect great snorkeling in CR.

The area south of Dominical is a good suggestion. You might also love the southern Caribbean coast. You could do a Pacuare river trip on your way down there. The best time for snorkeling on the Caribbean coast is Sept/Oct. The seas can be a bit choppy much of the rest of the year, although Manzanillo's reef is fairly protected.

Real estate markets are a whole 'nother ball of wax. The strongest rental market is around Jaco/Playa Herradura, and behind that parts of Guanacaste.

i second and third their comments above -= if you are going in jan/feb/mar time - go to uvita/dominical area for a less tourisyt experience - when i was there i stayed at la cusinga lodge and loved it.

if you are going in sept/oct though - you should go to the caribbean (we made that mistake on our first trip - and went to the pacific coast in these months, which is NOT a good idea:)