3 week itinerary for Jan Feb?
Sep 12th, 2008, 06:45 PM
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Sep 2007
Posts: 123
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
3 week itinerary for Jan Feb?
I am just starting to arrange a 3 week trip to CR. I was there for the first time this summer for a week. We were at Playa Flamingo. Had a great time and enjoyed the water and views, but we were disappointed in the hiking and wildlife. So we want to make sure we place ourselves in the right locations this time. We were thinking of one week in the Carribean side, 1 week in MA and 5 nights in Arenal and Monteverde. The one thing I learned on our last trip is that moving around in CR is difficult...well slow. Is there an order to my above destinations that would be more practical? Is there an area that I should add or replace to my first choices? We want to relax, hike , see wildlife. I'm not sure of any special activities. I actually get exhausted when I read some of the trip reports on this site! Any suggestions would be appreciated. I hope I haven't too long to make reservations.
Sep 14th, 2008, 05:34 AM
#2
Join Date: Jun 2008
Posts: 12,268
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Osa for me better wildlife and overall
than Carib side...
www.bosquedelcabo.com
www.jinetesdeosa.com
then
www.manuelantoniopark.com
www.costaverde.com
then
www.arenal.net
www.lostiguanaresort.com
or reverse but fly to Osa.
Have fun,
than Carib side...
www.bosquedelcabo.com
www.jinetesdeosa.com
then
www.manuelantoniopark.com
www.costaverde.com
then
www.arenal.net
www.lostiguanaresort.com
or reverse but fly to Osa.
Have fun,
Sep 14th, 2008, 07:08 AM
#3
Join Date: Jan 2004
Posts: 10,212
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Hi cpcd,
Good point about no wildlife near Playa Flamingo. We always make sure we've had our wildlife fix before going there (and we nearly always go there). I have been doing battle (via e-mail) with the owner of Flamingo Beach Resort who is in the midst of renovations. Many think they are finished. . they've only just begun.
He thinks they are going to turn it into a luxury resort, and I'm trying to tell him there's not enough to draw people to the area. The only thing going for FBR is an absolutely fabulous stretch of beach and GREAT proximity to that beach as well as being centrally located so people can explore beaches to the north and the south, up to Playa Hermosa, down to Tamarindo.
That hotel has a great niche as a moderate (former Holiday Inn and the rooms reflect that) hotel. He is now advertising it as an all-inclusive place (posting signs in the hall telling people they don't need to go elsewhere--how desperate is THAT?) when the food is very mediocre, and it is surrounded by any number of good restaurants! Just a lot of bad business decisions, my opinion, so I've been complaining. WE don't want to see the price go from $104 per night (NO BREAKFAST INCL. ANYMORE) to $250 per night. We wouldn't go there again! And who would? People from Europe who don't know there's no wildlife in the area, I guess. . .but will they be return guests?
Sorry for the rant, I'm just so irritated over the "grab some more bucks" attitude among these types of hotel owners. I told him about the great deal we got at Tulemar Bungalows in Manuel Antonio ($128 per night plus breakfast). And wildlife galore there--as well as LOTS of nearby activites. HELLO!
Don't make us choose. . .
Your plan is good, but a few suggestions:
Arenal/ Monteverde--find your self at least 6 nights to split between the 2 locations--7 better.
Manuel Antonio, also good. . .you can easily enjoy it in 5 nights.
Caribbean side. . .we like it there. It's different and interesting to us. Less infrastructure, no big resorts. I have the name of a very good guide who will take you into some primary forest and you will see all kinds of wildlfe, possibly even including dolphins if you want. This would be a smart choice for one full day.
And 4 full days is enough.
The rest of the days on the Caribbean side. . .this is a good relax place, ride bicycles up and down between Puerto Viejo and Manzanillo, etc. The drive between the Caribbean and Manuel Antonio (or Arenal) is about 8 hours, so don't put these locations back to back.
Bosque del Cabo on the Osa Peninsula is another option. Go there before that area changes forever--I give it about 3 years. It would replace Manuel Antonio in your plans. 5 nights is good here as well. 6 or 7 fine, but you can enjoy it just fine with 5.
Logistics:
1. Caribbean--4 days plenty, 5 okay
2. overnight San Jose
(do a city tour--it really is worth a day of your time)
3. fly to Bosque del Cabo
4. same day, return from BdC and go to Arenal/Monteverde (or reverse order)
5. last night near airport
OR sub MA for Bosque del Cabo. . .it is also an excellent choice. You can also do the above in reverse order. If you want, you can extend your San Jose time a couple of days, and plan a whitewater rafting trip (couple of nights would be GREAT) on the Rio Pacuare. www.riotropicales.com
Just if that sort of thing appeals to you. . .
The good thing about your itinerary is that you can have as many activites as you want or very few. Lots of choice to parallel your chill factor vs. adrenalin needs.
The one thing I WOULD do if I were you if whittle a day or 2 from Manuel Antonio and/or Caribbean and add it to Arenal/Monteverde. 7 nights is not too much in that area (4 at Arenal).
One more suggestion: I don't know what month you are planning, but if you find yourselves in Costa Rica in mid-July or beyond, it would be a great option to couple 2 nights at Tortuguero (turtles nesting) with your southern Caribbean days. Excellent wildlife opportunity, birds and everything else. You have the time to plug it in if you keep your week-long plan on the Caribbean. You can still take a night or two from MA to add to Arenal leg.
Hope this makes sense. . .and hope it helps.
Good luck--planning is half the fun!
Good point about no wildlife near Playa Flamingo. We always make sure we've had our wildlife fix before going there (and we nearly always go there). I have been doing battle (via e-mail) with the owner of Flamingo Beach Resort who is in the midst of renovations. Many think they are finished. . they've only just begun.
He thinks they are going to turn it into a luxury resort, and I'm trying to tell him there's not enough to draw people to the area. The only thing going for FBR is an absolutely fabulous stretch of beach and GREAT proximity to that beach as well as being centrally located so people can explore beaches to the north and the south, up to Playa Hermosa, down to Tamarindo.
That hotel has a great niche as a moderate (former Holiday Inn and the rooms reflect that) hotel. He is now advertising it as an all-inclusive place (posting signs in the hall telling people they don't need to go elsewhere--how desperate is THAT?) when the food is very mediocre, and it is surrounded by any number of good restaurants! Just a lot of bad business decisions, my opinion, so I've been complaining. WE don't want to see the price go from $104 per night (NO BREAKFAST INCL. ANYMORE) to $250 per night. We wouldn't go there again! And who would? People from Europe who don't know there's no wildlife in the area, I guess. . .but will they be return guests?
Sorry for the rant, I'm just so irritated over the "grab some more bucks" attitude among these types of hotel owners. I told him about the great deal we got at Tulemar Bungalows in Manuel Antonio ($128 per night plus breakfast). And wildlife galore there--as well as LOTS of nearby activites. HELLO!
Don't make us choose. . .
Your plan is good, but a few suggestions:
Arenal/ Monteverde--find your self at least 6 nights to split between the 2 locations--7 better.
Manuel Antonio, also good. . .you can easily enjoy it in 5 nights.
Caribbean side. . .we like it there. It's different and interesting to us. Less infrastructure, no big resorts. I have the name of a very good guide who will take you into some primary forest and you will see all kinds of wildlfe, possibly even including dolphins if you want. This would be a smart choice for one full day.
And 4 full days is enough.
The rest of the days on the Caribbean side. . .this is a good relax place, ride bicycles up and down between Puerto Viejo and Manzanillo, etc. The drive between the Caribbean and Manuel Antonio (or Arenal) is about 8 hours, so don't put these locations back to back.
Bosque del Cabo on the Osa Peninsula is another option. Go there before that area changes forever--I give it about 3 years. It would replace Manuel Antonio in your plans. 5 nights is good here as well. 6 or 7 fine, but you can enjoy it just fine with 5.
Logistics:
1. Caribbean--4 days plenty, 5 okay
2. overnight San Jose
(do a city tour--it really is worth a day of your time)
3. fly to Bosque del Cabo
4. same day, return from BdC and go to Arenal/Monteverde (or reverse order)
5. last night near airport
OR sub MA for Bosque del Cabo. . .it is also an excellent choice. You can also do the above in reverse order. If you want, you can extend your San Jose time a couple of days, and plan a whitewater rafting trip (couple of nights would be GREAT) on the Rio Pacuare. www.riotropicales.com
Just if that sort of thing appeals to you. . .
The good thing about your itinerary is that you can have as many activites as you want or very few. Lots of choice to parallel your chill factor vs. adrenalin needs.
The one thing I WOULD do if I were you if whittle a day or 2 from Manuel Antonio and/or Caribbean and add it to Arenal/Monteverde. 7 nights is not too much in that area (4 at Arenal).
One more suggestion: I don't know what month you are planning, but if you find yourselves in Costa Rica in mid-July or beyond, it would be a great option to couple 2 nights at Tortuguero (turtles nesting) with your southern Caribbean days. Excellent wildlife opportunity, birds and everything else. You have the time to plug it in if you keep your week-long plan on the Caribbean. You can still take a night or two from MA to add to Arenal leg.
Hope this makes sense. . .and hope it helps.
Good luck--planning is half the fun!
Sep 14th, 2008, 07:53 AM
#4
Join Date: Feb 2003
Posts: 1,951
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Yeah, I'd do at least 6-7 nights for Arenal-Monteverde.
Manuel Antonio, from what I can gather, you can see everything you want to see in 3-4 days. A week would be pushing it.
The central valley has cool stuff as well, such as Poas and rafting the Pacuare.
Manuel Antonio, from what I can gather, you can see everything you want to see in 3-4 days. A week would be pushing it.
The central valley has cool stuff as well, such as Poas and rafting the Pacuare.
Sep 14th, 2008, 08:44 AM
#5
Join Date: Aug 2003
Posts: 3,750
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
With 3 weeks you have a good amount of time to spend time in several areas, that's the great part. Deciding where to go is the hard part! You have good suggestions here and for me, I do like the Puerto Viejo area better than Manuel Antonio, although MA is gorgeous and the park and beaches are wonderful. Agree with shillmac that including Tortugero (depending on what month you're going) might make sense too. Osa would however, be at the top of my list, especially Bosque del Cabo. We've been to Arenal twice now (3 nights each) and still think there's plenty to do in the area so 3 nights minimum for sure.
Sep 14th, 2008, 09:10 AM
#7
Original Poster
Join Date: Sep 2007
Posts: 123
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Thanks everyone for the great suggestions. I was thinking of Osa after reading so many of the trip reports on this site. Since it will be last week in Jan. and first 2 in Feb. can I expect dry conditions in the Central Valley, Arenal, and Monteverde or are they always wet? I'll set aside time to review and research what everyone said. I don't think I've ever spent so much time arranging a vacation as I have for CR!
Trending Topics
Thread
Original Poster
Forum
Replies
Last Post
btheld
Mexico & Central America
16
Oct 15th, 2007 01:25 PM
