First Time to Costa Rica

I’m not a “beachy” person, but some of my travel companions usually are. Our favorite spot is Dominical. You can venture south to Uvita, or north to Jaco and Manuel Antonio. The road is very good along the coastline so day trips are easy. Dominical is a relaxed little surfer town with some great restaurants and places to stay.

From Dominidal, you can go east to San Isidro del General (45 minutes) and Chirripo Valley area (less than 1 1/2 hours) for some gorgeous mountains. Perhaps some hiking to the the summit of Mt. Chirripo. From Dominical, you would be 15 minutes from Nauyaca Waterfalls and less than an hour from some fun ziplining places. If you enjoy the mountains, cross the mountain of death and make it to the Orosi Valley area for a few days.

There are sooooo many gorgeous places to visit…..you will be back!

[quote=”Jaymog39″]I am planning a 2-3 week trip to Costa Rica w/ my wife in Febuary 2013. It will be our first time. We would like to see as much as possible but would also like to rest some. We love the outdoors and particularly the ocean. Sailing, fishing, snorkeling ect.. We would even love to try surfing (it’s on the Bucket List). We would like to stay perhaps in a small village near the water perhaps were we could drive to see other parts of Costa Rica. Any sugjestions?
[/quote]

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If you are planning to be in Costa Rica for up to 3 weeks, you can stay in different parts of the country. I agree with Victoria that the Arenal area is worth a visit. Taking a 1/2 day or so traveling from one lodging site to another is a day of adventure. We put 500 miles, give or take, on our car each time we visit. We’ve stayed in so many places, and had so many adventures.

Some folks prefer to vacation in a resort atmosphere similiar to what they can find anywhere in the states and eat at chain restaurants. Some, like us, prefer to stay in houses and mingle with the local Ticos/expats, shop at the local markets, eat at the wonderful roadside sodas, and travel the countryside. Only you know your vacation “style”.

I envy you going in March. I won’t be back for another 8-9 months……

We have a place in Tamarindo and it’s our fave. Worth checking out. Lots of expats, great beach, shopping, small town feel and restaurants….

It is not hard to see a LOT of Costa Rica in a short time. However, it takes some getting used to the roads and navigation in CR. You can pass through a dozen little towns without seeing a sign to say where you are and the roads are rarely marked with route markers. Get a good map (the big on-line book guys currently have the National Geographic Adventure map of Costa Rica. It is as accurate as any and it is soft pliable waterproof material. N.Geo also has a travel guide that covers different things than the others.

We were lucky in that we have friends in Northern Costa Rica near CIUDAD QUESADA (San Carlos). From that remote point you can easily drive anywhere in CR in a day.

Many guidebooks recommend you do not drive at night. Its good advice. In CR parts of the road can be missing and there be no warning, no flares, not lights, just a big gaping hole. Then there are cows wandering down unlit curvy roads. . . So plan your travel time and be careful. After a few trips there you may feel at ease driving at night.

Probably the most underdeveloped popular beach town in CR is Cahuita. We were shocked when we got there at sundown that there were no sizable hotels or anything recognizable as a hotel/motel. Just as it turned dark we managed to find Hotel La Diosa as the manager was closing the gate. It is a wonderful little place with cabins very close to the beach. They have a web site, look then up. Note that while this is a little out of the way place they host international conferences and can be booked up for weeks.

We had a similar experience on the way to Cahuita in Orrosi (just South of Paraiso). We found the hotel Sanchiri just as they were closing the gates. This place had very nice large rooms with one of the most fantastic views of anywhere we visited in CR.

We were very lucky to find this place AND the fact that they were open and had rooms. We had left San Carlos early in the morning and took a road over the mountains that is barely on the maps. . (I can’t find it now) and arrived in San Jose at rush hour. It took us several hours to get through San Jose (where we had no intention of staying). In the morning we back tracked to see the old and new cathedrals in Cartago before setting off to Limon and Cahuita.

There are little out of the way places like these all over Costa Rica that are not in the guide books. Often we would find a place when driving through one week and stay there the next (or next trip). I made reservations one year for the bridal suite or Honeymoon Cottage on Valentines day at Linda Vista near Vol. Arenal for less than what you would pay for a common chessy motel room in the US.

Our difficulty in traveling as a turista is that we are used to covering up to 500 or 800 miles a day in the US with the goal of getting to a specific place. On our trip to Cahuita and back we had no specific plan, no reservations. The trip itself was the goal, not getting “there”. While we only spent 3 days “on the road” we could have spent a week or more on the same trip. We managed without any Spanish but would have probably enjoyed it more if we could speak the language. Take your time, have fun!

[quote=”guru”]
Probably the most underdeveloped popular beach town in CR is Cahuita. We were shocked when we got there at sundown that there were no sizable hotels or anything recognizable as a hotel/motel. [/quote]

Another anecdote. It looks like Cahuita has not changed much. In 1979 I stayed on the beach overnight in a 150cm long tent [I am 185 cm long].
I awoke at dawn to find a determined and extensive regiment of leaf cutter ants quick-stepping across my ankles with their loot. Fascinating. 😛