Planning
Planning Your Costa Rican Adventure

"Visiting my good friend Tim for three weeks in July was an excellent introduction to Costa Rica. I flew to San Jose then took a ferry to Santa Teresa to reach the Nicoya Peninsula on the Pacific side of the country where Tim lives. From there we had a wonderful time touring the country, hiking and trekking."

"Costa Rica is an excellent destination for ecotourism. It is the outdoor activities that let you experience the amazing nature that are worth coming for. There is not so much of interest in the towns and cities."

"We drove around in Tim's old hummer vehicle which is perfect as the roads are not well maintained. There are giant pot holes and mud holes with tall sticks in them to indicate spots to avoid. You really do need to drive a 4wd vehicle when exploring Costa Rica."

"Another good option is to take the bus to get around. Buses are actually like touring coaches, very comfortable and in good condition complete with seat belts and TV."

Highlights

Activities: "You'll find great ziplining everywhere and cloud forest canopy tours. White water rafting, surfing and bird watching are all popular here. At the Tortuguero National Park you can watch the baby turtles hatching under the guidance of park rangers."

Beaches: "The beaches here are really beautiful on both the Caribbean and Pacific sides of the country. Many are secluded and empty. It is a real joy to walk along them. It seems that everywhere you go you see monkeys and lots of birds. It really is a paradise."

Monkeys: "Monkeys are so prevalent here that people have them as pets. You'll even see them in restaurants with their owners."

Volcanoes: "The volcanoes are a big attraction in Costa Rica. The National Park at the Po'as Volcano has two crater lakes. The road is very windy and it takes about one hour to get close to the lakes. You'll see coffee plantations along the route. Then you take a moderate hiking trail to see the crater lakes. You may have to wait a while though as steam from the crater often hides the view. The lakes are sulphur so there is a distinctive smell. The entrance to the park is only U.S.$5.00 which includes parking."

Tamarindo: "Tamarindo is an area with many resorts near the Arenal Volcano. We like to recommend the Arenal Paraiso Resort and Spa as it is right at the base of the volcano. This is a quieter resort with accommodation in cabins. The resort has a lot of ecotourism activities right on site including a rain forest canopy tour and horseback riding."

Nicoya Peninsula: "The Nicoya Peninsula on the Pacific side is still off the beaten track. There are a a few boutique hotels here rather than all-inclusive resorts. There are several surfing villages as conditions are perfect for this sport. In Mal Pais, the farmers market is very good. You could easily prepare your own meals if you had self-catering accommodation."

Tips

• Fly to the capital city, San José, but then head out of town to experience the best of Costa Rica. San José has a modern centre with large malls and grocery stores just like here. The old town does not have much of interest.
• Don't take travellers cheques as you won't be able to cash them. ATM's are found in all the towns. U.S. dollars are used as much as the local currency. In fact ATM's sometimes give you U.S. dollars instead of the Costa Rican colons.
• If you are driving be sure to hire a 4wd vehicle as you'll need this to manage the roads.
• GAP Adventures has a very good independent tour which includes either a 4wd vehicle for self drive along with map, GPS, and cell phone, or a bus pass. You have the option of 7 to 15 nights and the accommodation and other options are customizable. GAP also has some escorted tours with standard or more upscale accommodation.
• Eating out in Costa Rica costs about the same as in major Canadian cities.
• The people are very friendly and English is widely spoken. They eagerly share their favourite out-of-the-way places with you. You'll also meet Canadians and Americans along the way as there are many living in Costa Rica.
• Occasionally we ran into people selling things but generally you are not bothered at all so you can enjoy the beautiful beaches in peace.
• Costa Rica is a safe place to visit and you can easily wander the country without worry.

Article by Susan Milne, 2009