Jackie

Got back about a week ago and have seen lots of recent questions posted here about Bosque del Cabo, so thought I’d highlight some of my/our experiences and impressions thinking they might help the “newbies”. I also want to thank everyone who took the time to respond to my endless questions. The background information I received here was invaluable with expectation setting.

First off, I want to share with you that I made my best shoe investment EVER when I bought a pair of Keen sandels. They worked great on the beach, the trails and in the creek. Not for the fashionistas among you, but they worked even better when worn with little white socks. The socks helped to keep out the sand, rocks, and branches.

First night we spent at Orquideas Inn. Chose it because there was a pool and restaurant on site and thought it best not to venture out. Even tho it is close to airport, it took some time to get there because of traffic. Grounds were great, room was just okay, bar service was very slow, and it was too cold to use the pool. But, the best part was the food; breakfast and dinner were my two best of the trip (cosada with beef). I would stay here again just for the food.

Flew Nature Air the next morning. It was an easy 30-minute trip to the airport, a bumpy 45-minute flight to PJ and a hot, bumpy 45-minute drive to BdC. We stayed 3 nights at Casa Blanca and 4 at Casa Miramer. In response to many questions about the casas, I preferred Casa Blanca over Miramer. CB was closer to lodge, was screened in, less accessible to critters and allowed for more privacy, esp in bathrooms. CM had great sunsets, but the CB porch/veranda was soooo much nicer. Regarding animal critters at CM, woke up 2 different mornings to find animal/reptile “poop” in kitchen. Brother-in-law (BiL) found coati trying to get refrigerator open even tho it was fastened down with a bungie cord. They’d pull at cord until it snapped; kept at it up till they discovered him watching. Didn’t find any critters indoors at CB; but ants at both places. Funniest sight was my niece backing into her room at CM with the headlamp on and darkness all around, locking the doors and tucking in the mosquito netting all around her. Even if nature called, she was not coming out until sunrise. Note that she didn’t read the material I sent her about expectations and had some issues with the surroundings.

This is taking longer than expected and gotta get back to work for now. Have pictures to follow.

Mixter603

Glad to hear your praise for the Keens. I just ordered my pair online today for delivery next week.

Looking forward to the rest of the trip report. I can't wait to leave on March 3rd.

fishee

Could you elaborate on the "critters"?

Don't laugh but I'm considering bringing mild tranquilizers to help deal with my bug phobias. Cockroaches and large spiders are a problem for me although I'm trying to de-sensitize myself. My sister's guidebook has a picture of a man holding a roach the size of a small bird and I'm feeling a little queasy. She's going to send it to me so that I don't freak out there. Is it very possible to keep these things off of you while you sleep with the mosquito netting? Are there roaches crawling on the walls at night as a general occurance?

I'm just trying to adjust my expectations so I know what I'm getting into. I really don't want to have to alter my vacation plans as a result of my phobias -- that seems really sad.

danandmelissa

Hi fishee,

I too have some bug phobias, but have to say that once you are in Costa Rica, the beautiful landscape just takes over and helps to distract!!

That being said, if you are staying at Bosque, my husband and I would do a daily "bug check" of our cabina while it was still daylight and then pull the mosquito netting around our bed so that when we came back from dinner (when it was dark), we would not have any problems with unwelcome "friends" in our bed!!

Never saw any roaches and the spiders we did see were in along the trails and easily avoidable. I am very phobic about spiders, and no one I know can believe that I actually went to CR--and loved it so much that we will be back next year!!

Hope this helps!!

Melissa

coolbluewater

I can't wait to read the rest of this report!

I have a huge bug phobia and the pp is correct--except on the trails, spiders were not an issue at all. We only saw one roach--the one Eduardo pointed out to us on our 6pm tour of the grounds. I didn't hear of any occurences of roaches crawling on the walls.

We kept our lights off after dark and after a bug check (which never turned up any bugs)--we put the mosquito nets down and went to sleep.

I feel your pain--you will be OK.

Moonpie

I am sooo happy to hear that I am not alone with my bug phobias! I have had a fear of bugs since birth....just ask my mother. Strangely enough, large furry animals, rodents, birds and snakes do not bother me. I can't wait for the full trip report - I have just completed all our trip plans for BDC April 23-29. Anyone else going at that time?

Jackie

Sorry if my title alarmed those of you with phobias. Spiders, bats, ...was just the title of the pre-walk we did with Philip where he showed us how to find these "critters". We saw all of these and more. It was actually pretty fascinating to look for them. Maybe think about doing this tour on the first night to get use to it.

At Miramer (no screens on windows), I/we found some really large beetles(?) in my packed clothes; a small lizard come out of my sneeker, a bat in my niece's room, a 6" grasshopper (?) and nightly lizards on the bedroom walls. Walking out of the room at 6am to use the bathroom, the coatis were outside the door. Most scattered when the saw me. On the trails, there were only 2 that scared me, one was a boa constrictor and the other some wild pigs.

The mosquito netting worked fine for me, but it did get hot behind the netting. Alto I don't have phobias, I did not want to leave my doors opened.

haydencat

Moonpie, we'll be at BdC from April 25-29. My husband and I live in San Francisco, and we're traveling with another couple who live in NYC. We're all city dwellers, so living among the flora and fauna for a few days will be a real thrill (and challenge) for us!

fishee

I love your title because I felt like it allowed me to ask. I've been afraid someone was going to tell me, "If you have to ask, why don't you just go to Disneyworld... "

I can't believe there are so many other people who are going to CR despite the bug fears. People close to me can't believe I'm even considering this but I keep imagining that if I take it for granted that I'm in their enviornment, I won't panic when I see them.

One person is threatening to pull out of the trip if I can't get a grip on the problem.

Moonpie

Haydencat,

I'm so happy that we will be there at the same time. This trip is my 30th Birthday present! We live in upstate NY and presently are getting 3ft of snow. Can't wait to get to BDC. It should be easy for us to meet considering the size of BDC.

Don't worry Fishee....you'll be fine. If I can do it, anyone can. I am actually very fascinated by bugs and spiders. The problem is how close they get to me! I do NOT want them in my bed. Hopefully my trip to BDC will show me a new appreciation for many living creatures.

tully

Great reading your report, I would loved to see the boa but would have passed on the pigs (probably my biggest, and silliest, phobia).

To the bugaphobes, and I am one, it's really not that bad. I keep going back you know? I've never had any moments like that expedia ad, just more like "eek!!" cause I'm jumpy and then you relax.

Jackie

Back to the “critters” for a minute, I don’t want to minimize anyone’s fears, but I think you have to put it all into perspective. There are worse things that can get you, like the heat. This trip to Osa was my second one into the “jungle”. The first was in Belize where I had my first taste of the bug world. I was simply in awe of everything I saw, especially the size of both bugs and plants/shrubs. Seems like the fascination alone took the place of my anxiety. The experience in Belize is what made me want to check out CR.

Back to the trip report…I just came in from shoveling frozen snow from the front steps and I can’t believe that I am going to say this, but it was just way too hot there for me. When I left Boston, it was 2 degrees. When I returned it was 20ish and it felt real good getting into my cold bed. There were no thermometers or newspapers around to indicate the temperature, it was just sweaty hot and humid. I got sick on two different days and blame it on the heat. Both days I had spent too much time in sun and probably didn’t drink enough water. So, be forewarned about drinking plenty of water.

Lots of questions recently about activities—you should be aware that the list of available tours is larger than on the website; they are also more expensive than on the website and that the roundtrip taxi to town is $60. I already wrote about some of the ones we did, so I won’t repeat here. I do want to share my massage story tho. If you are thinking you would like to get the massage, know that it is not for the feint of heart. The massage table is outdoors up a trail. It sits between some huge trees in an extremely peaceful setting. Lying there I watched a humming bird hover over its nest of babies (or eggs, couldn't be sure). And, that’s where the serenity ended. The massage therapist asked what area I wanted to focus on and I said my back and neck. She then used reflexology in my feet to get at the pressure points that supposedly affect the lower back. And, she told me it had to really hurt to be effective. While this excruciating pain was occuring, I was watching a cute little monkey in the tree about 100 feet up thinking I hope it minds its own business. The MT finishes with my feet and has me turn over. Once I turnover, something falls on my bare back, I can’t see a thing and there’s a lot of rustling going on behind me. She tells me that in all her years nothing has ever fallen on anyone. I’m thinking it’s the monkey. She shoos it off and then picks it up to show me. It looked like a cross between a frog and a grasshopper. She goes back to the massage and then she stops and all is quiet. Again, can’t see, but know something is going on behind me. She tells me that something just “sh#t” on the bed. Now, I know it was the monkey, but at least it didn’t fall on me this time. Did solve my back problems, but it goes down as my freakiest vacation experience. Should add that my sister and niece also had massages and said they were the best they’d ever had. Of course, nothing fell on them.

Going to end here for now.

shillmac

Oh my, I'm just coming from a really great Valentine's Day massage--mine was quite calm compared to yours at BdC! LOL! Sorry, but that isn't my idea of relaxation either. Enjoying and watching nature doesn't jive with relaxing massage. The sound of waves, yes. Animal antics, no!

haydencat

Oh my gosh, that massage story is HILARIOUS! I think it reflects part of the reason people go to BdC - all the unexpected and unpredictable encounters with nature. That said, I am glad for you that the monkey did not have better aim. ;-)

Moonpie, we're in our mid-thirties and I'm sure we'll meet up with you at BdC. We'll have to toast your 30th with an Imperial or two!

DOCROX

Loved your massage story! We hade several episodes of "mist" coming from the trees above. Only to look up and discover that a group of monkeys were urinating! By the time it got down through the trees to us it was mist. One particular Howler monkey didn't like the time I was taking to get a perfect picture of him. I was standing right under him on a branch about 30 ft. up. No one else around. He moved just a bit farther on the branch and pooped to try to get me to move on! Luckily, I stepped back and he missed me. I got a great laugh out of it but sadly the other girls had already walked on to Miramar and missed it.

Suzie2

Love your massage story. I always do say that nature comes to you at Bosque! That was a little too natural even for me.

I have always had a huge spider phobia and as a kid stood out on our back door stoop for two hours in the pouring rain waiting for my mother to get home to remove one that just inside over the door. That said, I have never had an issue with the bugs at Bosque. After a huge one just about crawled on my hand at a homestay in CR the hostess came in with an old fashioned pump sprayer and sprayed the room. I think I was more in danger of dying from the spray that is probably banned in the US than I was the spider crawling on me.

Earthtraveler

I watched Snakemaster on TV last night and guess where he went to find the "big one". Yep you guessed it, Costa Rica down by the Osa. Fortunately for the rare type he was looking for he traveled up river to the dense jungle where there was no people, so he said. What a variety he found and ofcourse "played with". Too many of them were shown swimming in the river pools just like the places I like to go for a dip to cool off. Watch where you put your hands and feet! And swim.

Jackie

Back for the last installment…

Activities continued. Favorite trail was the Creek Trail and beyond. At end of the actual trail, we got in creek and walked till we hit the waterfall then rapelled down to pools and falls. Also enjoyed walking to the waterfall as reached from the Pacific trail.

I planned on taking the yoga class as written up on the website, but it was no longer offered. Gerly (front desk) offered me a yoga mat to do on my own. So, at 8am with everyone gone to breakfast, to the sound of birds and silence, I did my yoga practice on the porches of Casa Blanca and Casa Miramer. It was heavenly.

We did the 6:00 pm walk with Philip and saw lots of toads, spiders, and lizards that I would not have spotted on my own. I learned that the trick is to hold the flashlight up to your eye and search for diamond-like images in the bushes. If, like me, you don’t have a keen eye to spot on your own (and are at BdC), there is a little pond on the left as you walk up the road from the lodge toward the houses; from here you can see a lot of the nightlife of bugs, etc. One of Philip’s rules for the hike is that you can’t talk or ask questions. I’m a very inquisitive person and found myself bursting at the seams.

Food/drinks. I am a minority here, but I wasn’t crazy about breakfast or lunch. Mostly the portions were too generous. Went to bfast first morning and had the banana pancakes; didn’t like them and opted out of eating bfast for remainder of trip. Had lunch a couple of times and found it to be just okay. Ordered the box lunches a couple of days and found they had no taste. Dinner, with seating beginning at 7, was buffet style with many, many choices. Food was good. Made me realize that one of the things I enjoy about vacationing is trying different foods and different restaurants, so I missed that. The bartender, Jose, was attentive, but I didn’t like the drinks—as an example, they don’t serve chardonnay wine, so I tried the red wine and it was served hot. I was glad that I had picked up a bottle of gin at the airport and could fix my own gin and tonics.

Tipping. I wish I had paid more attention to tipping etiquette in CR. We were most uncomfortable about this aspect since it is not included in the rates. So, if you are reading this and on your way to BdC, you might want to do some research on tipping.

All in all, I found the service to be excellent and there was plenty to keep us busy for the 7-days at BdC. Even tho it was my most active vacation ever, it also was my most relaxing because I wasn’t trying to run all over the place to see a zillion different tourist sites.

I’ve got quite a few pictures to post, which I will do once I figure out how to use my new computer. Its my first Apple and it’s a whole new world.

sparklegem

Thank you, Jackie, for posting all the great information. Do you plan to return to to BdC? Can't wait for your picures!!

tully

Jackie you should of went with the gallo pinto for breakfast, that's probably my fave meal in CR (so plain I know but I love it). The eggs, fesh tortillas, a little lizano - yummy! I've never had the boxed lunches as I always timed my hikes so I'd be back for lunch but I know their tuna melt is to do for, something else...the arenal salad or something like that was awesome too.

As for tipping, for future travelers there, I usually budget about $150 or so for a 5-6 day stay for myself.