Trip Report -8 day's in Costa Rica I
Jun 26th, 2004, 10:12 PM
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Trip Report -8 day's in Costa Rica I
?Costa Rica es la mejor opción para la Diversión, Scenery y la Aventura?
Costa Rica is the best choice for Fun, Scenery and Adventure
One activity that was a must while traveling to Costa Rica is the well renowned Pacuare River, which is where they filmed the movie by Michael Crighton called Congo. By far this was my Tropical whitewater destination of choice that offered one of the most quintessential jungle whitewater rafting trips in the world and is rated one of the top 5 rivers to float.
The Pacuare flows into the Caribbean from the Costa Rican highlands, picking its way through lush, tropical mountains before depositing its rain-fed wares in the sea. Its setting is so unique that in 1986 Costa Rica's government declared it a Wild and Scenic River?the first river to be offered such protection in Central America. Paddlers, of course, are thankful for this because of the river's rapids: matching the waterway's wild and scenic qualities are 32 miles of Class III-V, emerald green whitewater. Linking the rapids are tranquil pools that reflect orchids swirling in eddies and allow plenty of time to explore side creeks, bathe beneath waterfalls and listen to the calls of the country's 850 species of birds.
One should note that I went to CR to enjoy their advertised "No Artificial Ingredients" and "100% Natural" wild, beautiful and protected parks, to experience these diverse ecosystems, and observe their beautiful wildlife. I am an active person, who would rather hike and become a tourist than sit on a beach for 5 day?s, so my appetite for the activities was definitely met.
Jun 26th, 2004, 10:13 PM
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I traveled first to the Pacaure River that was roughly 2 ? hours from San Jose and included some of the best whitewater and Tropical environment I have ever experienced. The only thing that was missing was the piranhas, gorillas, and native Indians on the river.
My next destination was a Town called Tamarindo that was located in the Northwest section of CR in the Guanacaste region. I awoke at 4:30am for this flight to Tamarindo and after an amazing flight over the central valley at sunrise I was later laughing when our Tamarindo taxi had to cross a river ?literally drive in it, in the van just to leave the airport! Tamarindo is considered one of the best Surf spots in on the globe due to it?s constant waves and areas of surfing there. A nice little Surfer town that after 2 day?s you get to know most of the people there locals/tourist. Being a non-surfer it didn?t take long for this land-locked Coloradoan to take heed from my Australian buddy and hit the waves. After 100 attempts to get thru these massive waves I was able to get up on 3 rides, than too waterlogged to continue and in need of a much needed beer break, my day was over. The next day was much better seeing how my one-hour of surfing consisted of riding 12 waves and a few undiscovered tricks that I pulled out of somewhere. After having a bit of fun and growing tired of the Beach and no rainforest I was off to the Quepos/Manuel Antonio area.
The Quepos area is a 5-hour ride Southeast of Tamarindo and is located in the Central location of the Pacific. Quepos is known as a Fishing village and this little town was very hospitable within walking distance from the beaches, bars and the rainforest. How weird is it to be on the beach and a few steps off the beach in you?re in the jungle viewing amazing wildlife and watching monkeys playing beside you on the beach.
My next destination was a Town called Tamarindo that was located in the Northwest section of CR in the Guanacaste region. I awoke at 4:30am for this flight to Tamarindo and after an amazing flight over the central valley at sunrise I was later laughing when our Tamarindo taxi had to cross a river ?literally drive in it, in the van just to leave the airport! Tamarindo is considered one of the best Surf spots in on the globe due to it?s constant waves and areas of surfing there. A nice little Surfer town that after 2 day?s you get to know most of the people there locals/tourist. Being a non-surfer it didn?t take long for this land-locked Coloradoan to take heed from my Australian buddy and hit the waves. After 100 attempts to get thru these massive waves I was able to get up on 3 rides, than too waterlogged to continue and in need of a much needed beer break, my day was over. The next day was much better seeing how my one-hour of surfing consisted of riding 12 waves and a few undiscovered tricks that I pulled out of somewhere. After having a bit of fun and growing tired of the Beach and no rainforest I was off to the Quepos/Manuel Antonio area.
The Quepos area is a 5-hour ride Southeast of Tamarindo and is located in the Central location of the Pacific. Quepos is known as a Fishing village and this little town was very hospitable within walking distance from the beaches, bars and the rainforest. How weird is it to be on the beach and a few steps off the beach in you?re in the jungle viewing amazing wildlife and watching monkeys playing beside you on the beach.
Jun 26th, 2004, 10:13 PM
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The mountains surrounding the beaches quickly rise as you head inland from the water however, the park was created to preserve not only its beautiful beaches, but its forests, home to endangered squirrel monkeys, three-toed sloths, purple-and-orange crabs, lizards/geckos and hundreds of other species of birds, mammals, and plants. Manuel Antonio is the most popular National Park with Ticos. One reason for this is the unspoiled beaches that lie within easy walking distance of the entrance station. After a short trip there it was back to San Jose for my next day flight. One thing I would recommend in my short 8 day?s of travel there is to pick just a few locations to see and stay near and to spend as LITTLE time as possible in SJ seeing how crime is rampant there and there is nothing to see there.
How was the food you ask? The food was much better than I had expected unlike Mexico where you hear horror stories about people getting sick all the time from that and the water. Beans and rice are favorite of every meal served so get used to eating it for every meal if you make it there. I imagine that for seafood fans you?re in paradise seeing how it?s very fresh and dirt-cheap. For as little as $20 a day you can have a nice breakfast, good lunch and go crazy at a nice restaurant with wine and 3-4 course meal. The Sanitary conditions were likewise much better than Mexico, reflecting CR's more advanced development. I drank the water, Margarita?s and ate the lettuce and didn't get sick so luck was on my side. Being a Dog lover CR was good and bad in retrospect, good because there were lot?s of Dog?s out wandering around to play with on the beaches (especially around restaurants) this was due to them being the best protection against crime in some areas, but many were homeless so that was tough to see. As far as the beer goes here, Imperial is the beer of choice and who can blame it when it taste great and cost all of $400 colones, about $1 a six pack and you can take it anywhere, beaches, bars and restaurants with you so you save even more money when taking this or water while eating meals.
The roads here are absolutely terrible, much like driving thru mine fields of Cambodia. Huge (5 feet x 3 feet, and 1-2 feet deep) potholes were everywhere -- in roads that were paved. While our driver Carlos was navigating our van in and out of lanes Trucks ahead were doing the same and this game of chicken was not worth playing, especially when your head kept hitting the ceiling! Unpaved roads tended to be terrible rough and to own a car here you could see is a very expensive hobby. Bridges that look like they might collapse including one where we had to get out of the car to make sure the tires were above the main I-beams because the cross supports (driving surface) was missing for a 3-foot stretch! The funniest part of highway travel was that you would encounter casual strollers in the middle of the road day/night while vehicles swerved at 65 mph to miss these casual strollers and bicycle riders!
Travel is ?extremadamente barato? Mucho Cheapo here, with a standard bus ride to anywhere in CR for about $2, but you may have to stop often for the local Tica?s to get on/off. For all of $4 you could take a direct bus to anywhere with hardly any stops along the way. For those looking for a faster means the Shuttle vans cost $20 and were faster, cleaner and you may get the VIP meal/drinks treatment. For the ?Big spenders? which I was a part of for just a day included taking a 6-10 seater Plane to just about anywhere in the country for $40 which is great if you?re traveling far north or South in CR.
Hotels I came across were extremely reasonable and for what they included I was very happy. Hotel rooms on the beach went for $10 a night including a nice room with private bath, own deck, fan and breakfast. Many went for $20 that had a pool, hammock, AC, and breakfast as well it just depended on what you were looking for. In San Jose I got a great deal, for $25 a night I got a spacious private bedroom/bathroom with a courtyard, free breakfast, free internet and laundry services as well as a free Shuttle pick-up from the airport (that normally cost $15 via taxi) so all in all very reasonable!
The people ?Tica?s? of CR were friendly. Speaking Spanish appeared to generate a different reaction from people than what we observed was received by a surprising number of tourist who made absolutely no effort to say a single Spanish word -- not even "hola," "buenos dias" or "gracias" and just asserted themselves in (usually) English. I met many people who didn't speak any English and they did fine. Every single one of the Tica?s were extremely patient with me, as I tried to understand them and express myself in Spanish. Someone as remedial as I was in Spanish (ok I?ve taken 2 classes and can carry on a short conversation) would do fine traveling here since many spoke some English and just a little knowledge of Spanish could go a long ways with others that I came across at times.
People I met along the way were nothing but friendly, local Tica?s and other tourist.
90% of the Tourist I met was ironically from either Colorado or California so this was definitely a big destination for those from these locations. Traveling alone is pretty popular here and it usually didn?t take long for me to meet others or for others to invite me to Party?s, dinner or some surfing.
A popular trend by the travelers I met from various countries (England, Australia, and Ireland) was that of being world travelers. I felt inadequate at times because everyone else were traveling anywhere from 3 weeks to 2 months with many traveling the globe and CR just being a short stop to another amazing country in sight. I guess one day when I save more money and can bring Zeke along I?ll look into that!
Being the off season when I went (which basically meant cheaper prices, better weather, and a rainy season that comprised of only an hours worth or rain the whole time) was by far the best time of year to go and you had no crowds to deal with. Bugs?.Way overrated, all I heard was watch out for the bugs and I didn?t even spot one bug bite on me the whole time.
In these senses, travel in Costa Rica was a sheer joy and I will be returning very soon para más entusiasmo~
How was the food you ask? The food was much better than I had expected unlike Mexico where you hear horror stories about people getting sick all the time from that and the water. Beans and rice are favorite of every meal served so get used to eating it for every meal if you make it there. I imagine that for seafood fans you?re in paradise seeing how it?s very fresh and dirt-cheap. For as little as $20 a day you can have a nice breakfast, good lunch and go crazy at a nice restaurant with wine and 3-4 course meal. The Sanitary conditions were likewise much better than Mexico, reflecting CR's more advanced development. I drank the water, Margarita?s and ate the lettuce and didn't get sick so luck was on my side. Being a Dog lover CR was good and bad in retrospect, good because there were lot?s of Dog?s out wandering around to play with on the beaches (especially around restaurants) this was due to them being the best protection against crime in some areas, but many were homeless so that was tough to see. As far as the beer goes here, Imperial is the beer of choice and who can blame it when it taste great and cost all of $400 colones, about $1 a six pack and you can take it anywhere, beaches, bars and restaurants with you so you save even more money when taking this or water while eating meals.
The roads here are absolutely terrible, much like driving thru mine fields of Cambodia. Huge (5 feet x 3 feet, and 1-2 feet deep) potholes were everywhere -- in roads that were paved. While our driver Carlos was navigating our van in and out of lanes Trucks ahead were doing the same and this game of chicken was not worth playing, especially when your head kept hitting the ceiling! Unpaved roads tended to be terrible rough and to own a car here you could see is a very expensive hobby. Bridges that look like they might collapse including one where we had to get out of the car to make sure the tires were above the main I-beams because the cross supports (driving surface) was missing for a 3-foot stretch! The funniest part of highway travel was that you would encounter casual strollers in the middle of the road day/night while vehicles swerved at 65 mph to miss these casual strollers and bicycle riders!
Travel is ?extremadamente barato? Mucho Cheapo here, with a standard bus ride to anywhere in CR for about $2, but you may have to stop often for the local Tica?s to get on/off. For all of $4 you could take a direct bus to anywhere with hardly any stops along the way. For those looking for a faster means the Shuttle vans cost $20 and were faster, cleaner and you may get the VIP meal/drinks treatment. For the ?Big spenders? which I was a part of for just a day included taking a 6-10 seater Plane to just about anywhere in the country for $40 which is great if you?re traveling far north or South in CR.
Hotels I came across were extremely reasonable and for what they included I was very happy. Hotel rooms on the beach went for $10 a night including a nice room with private bath, own deck, fan and breakfast. Many went for $20 that had a pool, hammock, AC, and breakfast as well it just depended on what you were looking for. In San Jose I got a great deal, for $25 a night I got a spacious private bedroom/bathroom with a courtyard, free breakfast, free internet and laundry services as well as a free Shuttle pick-up from the airport (that normally cost $15 via taxi) so all in all very reasonable!
The people ?Tica?s? of CR were friendly. Speaking Spanish appeared to generate a different reaction from people than what we observed was received by a surprising number of tourist who made absolutely no effort to say a single Spanish word -- not even "hola," "buenos dias" or "gracias" and just asserted themselves in (usually) English. I met many people who didn't speak any English and they did fine. Every single one of the Tica?s were extremely patient with me, as I tried to understand them and express myself in Spanish. Someone as remedial as I was in Spanish (ok I?ve taken 2 classes and can carry on a short conversation) would do fine traveling here since many spoke some English and just a little knowledge of Spanish could go a long ways with others that I came across at times.
People I met along the way were nothing but friendly, local Tica?s and other tourist.
90% of the Tourist I met was ironically from either Colorado or California so this was definitely a big destination for those from these locations. Traveling alone is pretty popular here and it usually didn?t take long for me to meet others or for others to invite me to Party?s, dinner or some surfing.
A popular trend by the travelers I met from various countries (England, Australia, and Ireland) was that of being world travelers. I felt inadequate at times because everyone else were traveling anywhere from 3 weeks to 2 months with many traveling the globe and CR just being a short stop to another amazing country in sight. I guess one day when I save more money and can bring Zeke along I?ll look into that!
Being the off season when I went (which basically meant cheaper prices, better weather, and a rainy season that comprised of only an hours worth or rain the whole time) was by far the best time of year to go and you had no crowds to deal with. Bugs?.Way overrated, all I heard was watch out for the bugs and I didn?t even spot one bug bite on me the whole time.
In these senses, travel in Costa Rica was a sheer joy and I will be returning very soon para más entusiasmo~
Jun 27th, 2004, 12:08 PM
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Denvdawg,
What a great report! Thank you so much for all the wonderful information. I'm glad to hear you enjoyed your trip. I too am so jealous of those people I meet while traveling who are doing a 'round the world trip or extended journey. If only I could find the time and money
I've heard so many great things about the Pacuare and would love to give it a try, but my hubby and I have never been WW rafting before and I'm a heavy, out-of-shape, chick. I've been working out regularly for the last few months, but have a ways to go. Do you think the Pacuare is suitable for a couple like us, or should we stick to the Sarapiqui for our first WW trip? I suppose not doing it this trip would give us an excuse to go back again in about a year when I'm really in good shape
Oh yeah, what was your favorite restarants in the Quepos/MA area? The only meat I eat is seafood and it sounds like you found some good places for that.
What a great report! Thank you so much for all the wonderful information. I'm glad to hear you enjoyed your trip. I too am so jealous of those people I meet while traveling who are doing a 'round the world trip or extended journey. If only I could find the time and money
I've heard so many great things about the Pacuare and would love to give it a try, but my hubby and I have never been WW rafting before and I'm a heavy, out-of-shape, chick. I've been working out regularly for the last few months, but have a ways to go. Do you think the Pacuare is suitable for a couple like us, or should we stick to the Sarapiqui for our first WW trip? I suppose not doing it this trip would give us an excuse to go back again in about a year when I'm really in good shape
Oh yeah, what was your favorite restarants in the Quepos/MA area? The only meat I eat is seafood and it sounds like you found some good places for that.
Jun 27th, 2004, 01:48 PM
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Great to hear about your visit. We along with our teenage son enjoy active vacations...one of our favorites was to view iceberg lake in Glacier...anyway, we think we will attempt the Pacuare when we go in Aug. Did you do 1 or 2 day trip? This will be our first "active trip" outside of US and we are very excited! They just go by so quick...Joyce
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