Enjoyed your report, Volcanogirl!

vg, you are so lucky to have seen rio celeste. we spend 3 nights at la Carolina lodge, and each day wanted to hike the rio celeste, but it rained (a lot) every night so the celestial blue color would not be there.
great report!

Hi, x - yes, we really loved Savegre. My husband is more into birding than I am, but it was amazing seeing so many quetzals at one time. I think nesting season is more during the winter time if I remember what Marino said. I tote that "Birds of Costa Rica" book everywhere! We used it in Belize too.

AOL is huge; I think the hike would be better if they had a couple of different guides taking people out so the groups would be smaller, but it was free so I can't really complain. Everyone that I talked to was staying at the hotel. One night we went to the restaurant and could barely find a seat, so it definitely fills up.

They eyelash vipers are fun to see. Their faces are so expressive and kinda creepy! It seems like they stay in one place and never move, which is a quality I like in a snake.

I have some photos up on tripadvisor if you want to check them out. I hope you have a great trip to Honduras; that one is still on our bucket list.

xyz--The Birds of Costa Rica is the guide most people use when visiting.

However, there is now a Birds of Honduras guide--limited edition printing, so not very cheap.

http://www.amazon.com/Guide-Birds-Ho...3627812&sr=1-1

Actually, available for cheaper here:

http://www.buteobooks.com/product/14468.html

Thanks, janie!

plambers, oh no, that would be so disappointing. With the rain, we weren't sure if we would see it either. I would have been ticked if we hiked that far and didn't get to see the beautiful color! I've always thought La Carolina Lodge looked like an amazing spot. I wish they still allowed swimming at Rio Celeste, but can understand the need to protect it. Maybe you'll make a trip back someday!

vgirl-apologies for my faulty memory but which adventures did you do through AOL and how did you enjoy them? I'm planning on doing EcoTermales; the ziplines and hanging bridges (Sky-something), the longer hike up the smaller volcano and down to the waterfall; and perhaps the bird watching hike.

Hi, Minn - we didn't do any of our tours through AOL other than the free guided hike that they offer each morning. We usually book our tours on our own and have used Desafio, Sunset Tours, and Rios Tropicales - all of those have been excellent. Some things we've enjoyed in the area are the natural hot springs at Eco Termales and Tabacon, hiking at the waterfall (did on our own), volcano, and Hanging Bridges (get a guide to increase your chances of seeing wildlife), the Proyecto Asis animal rescue center, tubing at The Springs, ziplining at Sky Trek, rafting with Rios Tropicales, the Cano Negro tour and Penas Blancas river float to see wildlife, and waterfall rappelling with La Roca.

Eco Termales does sell out, so I'd recommend booking that one ahead if you can. You'll enjoy zipping at Sky Trek; they have some of the highest, longest lines in the country, and you can get some good views of the lake and the volcano. For the longer hike, are you talking about Cerro Chato? I know you can do that through AOL, but it looked pretty intense to us. Not sure if that's the one you're planning on doing.

VG - I miss CR, I hope Honduras will be a decent "other" option. But it has snorkeling, something that CR does not have...

RAC, I think I'll use the CR book and see how that goes. I am not a real birder, more a bird photographer, and I hope the one I have will do. Thanks for the other links, though - I'll keep them in mind, who knows?

VG-thanks for the feedback, especially on EcoTermales. Will make sure to book before I leave. Do you feel those tour operators that you've used do a better job than booking through AOL? I would think booking through AOL would be less hassle, so would appreciate your thoughts on why you haven't reserved through them.

Yes, Cerro Chatto is what I was thinking. In what ways did it look intense?

x, yes, I can't wait to hear what you think. We've thought about going to Roatan - I hear good things!

Minn, it's really easy to just book everything online through the websites, so that's what we do. Sometimes hotel front desks only work with certain tour companies. If you want AOL to book things for you though, I'm sure they would do it. We had a good chicken dinner at Eco Termales when we went. I loved the atmosphere, small and charming compared to some of the biggies.

Cerro Chato has a reputation for being a really tough hike, several hours, lots of it uphill, muddy, snakes, etc. We've talked to a few people who did it, and they said it was pretty difficult. A couple we met at Savegre Hotel had just done it. The man loved it, and his wife said it was awful!

Hmmmm, vg-difficulty doesn't phase me but as you can imagine, you may have lost me at "snakes".

Yes, the wife was telling me she had to pull herself uphill by tree roots through the mud and that she saw snakes. I decided it probably wasn't for me, but I think people who have done it feel a sense of accomplishment because it isn't easy. And you can swim in the volcanic lagoon at the top which seems pretty amazing. To be fair, we've seen snakes everywhere in Costa Rica, but a little scarier when you're that isolated and far from things.

So I guess I never really ended my trip report, so here's the last little bit. My husband likes to be at the airport at least two hours before our flight, and it was a 40 minute drive or so to the airport, so at the appropriate time, Leslie calls a taxi service for us, and the driver comes to pick us up. He was really interesting and spoke English well. We were talking about how Americanized this part of CR seems with the Denny's, Wal-Mart, etc. and he said, "Yes, even my high school is named Abraham Lincoln High!" I never would have expected that!

The ride to the airport is easy. Our driver points out the soccer stadium as we pass it and tells us the local team players are the national champions. When we arrive at the airport, we pay our $29 per person departure tax, breeze through security and have enough time to grab lunch and shop. We buy some souvenirs for friends and family at one of the big Britt shops. Lunch choices are also pretty Americanized - things like KFC, Smashburger, and Cinnabon. I guess this is a good way to transition back to America! If you want something more substantial, there's a good sit down restaurant named Malinche. We end up getting Smashburger and soon enough it's time to board our plane. Just a heads up for anyone who has not traveled to CR before - they will not let you bring bottled water on the plane with you even if you purchase it at the airport after you've gone through security. We made that mistake our first trip! They do a thorough search of each person's carry on items before we can go down the jetway. And with that we're off with another fantastic trip to Costa Rica under our belt. We had a great time and look forward to the next one!

Thanks for the great report, really enjoyed it.

Will you have bird photos?

Great report, vg. Can't wait for my first trip to Costa Rica in late January. Thanks for the input.

Thanks for reading it, m! I have some up at tripadvisor if you want to see them.

Thanks, Minn - I hope you have an amazing time. Let me know if I can help in any way.

Nice display pose by your curassow!

Thanks, m - he was putting on quite a show! Is that mating behavior? I wasn't sure what it was all about!

Yes, I think so. He has the swollen yellow knob which signifies the peak breeding season.

I was told by my guide at Hacienda Baru that they make great eating, and were hunted. They are designated 'Vulnerable' and there are programs to reintroduce them and (try) to ban hunting.

It's a striking bird and a great sighting, especially so close. Apparently they can become quite tame!

That's interesting, m; someone at Toucan Rescue Ranch told us that all hunting in CR has been banned. I was surprised by that - seems like some people would need to hunt to eat, so maybe I misunderstood them. Any other good birding spots you would recommend? For viewing, not hunting!

VG,
I could not find your pictures on TA...I need a hint ;)

Have you been to Ecuador yet, vg? Unfortunately not quite as easy or inexpensive to get to from the west coast now. But once you are there it is less costly than Costa Rica, so I think it washes out if you don't mind the flight times.

Mindo is a birding hotspot and there are both independent birding guides as well as lodges. Both Julia Pantino and Marcelo Arias are good, and there are others. There are also excursions such as the famous "Paz de Aves".

Even the 'expensive' places are really not that bad, but I've also stayed in Mindo for $17 a night. Cabanas San Isidro and Guango are two lodges that you can book on the east coast.

For hummingbirds and tanagers there are quite a few well known feeders around the country. Even better than CR, I think.

artiejay did a good trip report

http://www.fodors.com/community/sout...g-in-mindo.cfm

I have only done the one trip to Costa Rica (other than a single day off of a cruise ship) We went up to Monteverde to one of the hanging bridge places but the timing was not great and the birding is difficult in heavy forest cover. I did manage to spot the black-faced solitaire which has such a beautiful song but likes to hide.

There are some good guides at Hacienda Baru but I don't think it will be much different than other places around Manuel Antonio.

Two corrections...there is no east "coast" of Ecuador...I meant east slope (of the Andes). LOL>..

Julia's last name is Patiño not Pantino.

x, maybe click on Toucan Rescue Ranch - that should link you to pics.

m, no we have never been to Ecuador. Thanks for the info. on that. I'll check it out. Honduras interests me too.

Ahaaaaa, got them! I miss CR :(

We stayed at Sacha lodge in Ecuador and had a great time. And, of course, Galapagos cruises are great.

Hey there vg! I haven't stopped by here in forever, but I just popped in and saw your trip report! I love that you got to AOL finally! Isn't it amazing! We loved it there. And yes, that road to get there is crazy! Thanks for sharing! I'm going to have to check your pictures on tripadvisor! I wish you could post pictures here with the trip report....

Can't wait for your next adventure! :)

Glad you found them, x. It's never too early to start planning another trip! :)

alisa, yes, I'm sure we would love the Galapagos area. Looks amazing!

Hey, Shell, good to see you! Do you have any trips planned? We loved AOL. We loved our room with all the animals constantly going by - so amazing. I think it's becoming our goal to try all the hotels in La Fortuna!

Hey vg! I've been busy with my travel business, which is so exciting! I was just in Jamaica for a conference. But this summer my mom and I went on a river cruise, from Paris to Normandy. That was amazing! DH, the kids and I also took a trip back to Riviera Maya over the summer, which is one of my all time favorites, especially for a family getaway.

As for trips coming up, nothing really set in stone. I have another river cruise coming up sometime in the spring, but I'm not sure when. Probably on the Rhine River. The kids both want to go on another cruise too. That's their favorite type of vacation - by far. Me, I just love to travel, so I'm happy anywhere!

So, how many times have you been to Costa Rica now? I think you are going to break a record! :)

VG-I meant to ask you. Did you receive any vaccinations before any of your CR trips? The CDC website recommended both Hep A (however the second shot is 6 months later and I am pretty sure I had that vaccine about 15ish years ago). It also recommends typhoid. For rabies, it recommends it if you will be staying in any areas that may put you in contact with wild animals, which of course is part of the reason for staying in Arenal.

Curious what your approach has been, as well as what you may have heard from any other travellers to CR.

Shell, that sounds amazing. My parents have always gone on river cruises and loved them. My husband and I have lost count of how many trips we've made to CR. We were trying to remember this trip because people always ask you, and we think eight, but not sure anymore. Too many, but not enough I guess!

Hi, Minn - I've had both Hep A and B vaccines since my doctor recommended those for anyone visiting Central America. They aren't required though. I don't think most people even get those. I've never heard of getting one for typhoid or of anyone having typhoid in any of the areas we've traveled. Dengue seems to be the biggie, but it's my understanding that there's no preventative for that other than wearing repellent, which we do if we're in a buggy area. No on rabies as well. Has never been a problem for us.

Thanks VG. I'm pretty sure I had the Hep A vaccine years ago but am checking with my doctor. I'll probably get the typhoid vaccine or oral vaccine as well.

Glad to hear that rabies has never been a problem for you!!! <G>

I'm so glad you loved the Toucan Rescue Ranch. We are going back in a few months and there's no way my kids will let me skip it. I was thinking of flying into Liberia, but they would be heartbroken to not go back!

Yes, clover, what a great place. I love the work that they do, and seeing the animals up close was such a treat. This board is great for new ideas regarding places to visit.