kloakden

Hello!
We are booking our flights and have the ability to change them. Right now we fly in on the July 23rd and leave August 2nd.

Night 1-San Jose as we arrive late. (july 23rd)
We are hoping to rent a car but are hesitant due to some articles I have read, is setting up buses better?
Day 2-5 (24th-27th)
We would like to stay 3 nights at Arenal. Then drive to Monteverde
Day 5-7 (27th-29th)
Two nights in Monteverde then drive to Manuel Antonio
Day 7-9 (29th-August 1)
Stay in Manuel Antonio and then drive on Thursday to San Jose as we fly out early Friday morning.

We have the ability to add two extra days onto our trip but did not know if it was worth it or with this schedule we would see enough.
We will be planning everything on our own, tours and stuff of that nature.

In Arenal we were looking at Finca Luna Nueva Lodge
In Monteverde we are looking at El Sol.
In Manuel Antonio we would like to have a nice hotel with beautiful views but unique and fun as well.

Please any input would be awesome. We do not want to run out of things to do and wish we had booked a shorter flight but I need to make sure to book the flight soon!!

Thank you so much for your time and help, we appreciate it more than you know!

volcanogirl

We loved staying at Tulemar Bungalows in Manuel Antonio; they have free boogie boards, kayaks, etc. and their own beach.

kloakden

That place looks awesome just a bit out of our price range!!

How should we space out our days? We have 12 nights there. One will be in San Jose the night we land and another will be the night before our flight out. So we will have 10 nights in total to see places and we want to make the best of it! I know the normal trip is Arenal, Monte Verde and then Manuel Antonio but are there other places that we should go to over those places with the time we have? I know that Drake's Bay is supposed to be phenomenal, but is it worth the time to get there?

We contemplated renting a car but it was more affordable to ride the bus than get a car, surprisingly.

Thanks so much volcanogirl!

2globalnomads

We have stayed in National Park Backpackers (www.hostel.cr) and love the place. If you like backpacker scene you might like the hostel, too. It is just beside the national park entrance and surrounded by the jungle and within walking distance from the Manuel Antonio beach.

volcanogirl

Villas Nicolas, Costa Verde, and Mango Moon are popular too. Have not checked prices though.

2globalnomads

Here is also something that might help you: http://costaricaparadisewedding.com/

According to their website they help to organise also honeymoons.

Eliot_Greenspan

In Manuel Antonio, Villas Nicolas and Costa Verde are great values.

Arco Iris is a wonderful and very affordable option in Monteverde.

And then I'd say splurge for Tabacon if you can in Arenal....

Also, private transfers, combined with the Van-Boat-Van shuttle between Arenal and Monteverde are as economical, if not more so, than renting a car.

volcanogirl

We also liked Fonda Vela in Monteverde. They have some newer junior suites that are nice and at a pretty good price. Ours had a bathtub and small frig.

volcanogirl

I forgot to mention that we did a tour of Finca Luna Nueva when we were there on our last trip. It has a neat organic farm, and we had lunch there. It's a neat spot, but it's far from everything. Kind of isolated which can be nice if that's what you're looking for.

kloakden

Wow!!! Thank you for so much information!!!! I am wondering how safe it is to drive or if we should do transfers? We do not want to have that stress if it is difficult, but also want to be able to go places and have some freedom!

Thanks so much!