www.CostaRicaTicas.com

For any of you that have traveled down there thru into Panama I have a few more questions please:

1. Although the border/customs agents are not always a pleasure to deal with does it take a long time to cross thru if all your ducks are in a row (passport obviously, return ticket out of CR for tourists, $500 cash or credit card, anything else??)?

2. Best times to cross when there are not a maximum of travelers? I plan to cross the 11th of Dec. and either come back a few days later or cross a couple different times the same timeframe if not too painful. Might be easier on me to take a couple day trips from inside CR so I wont have to carry so much on me and risk it lost if I get robbed. I could keep most of my crap inside my hotel room in either Golfito or Neilly. I only really want to get a broad brush look at David (35 min. from border, Boquete - 2 hrs. RT from David and the main beaches nearby). Might even be able to do in one longer day.

3. Any good tour providers for day trips into Panama from CR?

4. Any good companies that might help with the immigration hassle, expedite or smooth it out?

5. Also read in the travel guides that Golfito can become quite crowded on the weekends due to Ticos coming down for the free trade zone and/or shopping excursions into Panama. Are weekends in Golfito completely filled out? Should I try to do it during the week instead?

I found a few more tidbits of info. on the internet plus studied the trip logistics some more this morning at work (hehehe). It just looks too damn complicated to squeeze into an 8 day trip from SJO.

I will either go to Panama direct for 5 days and not stay in Golfito or Neily (good hotels looking scarce) or go to Domincal, proly bookending the trip in SJO.

hey Jester, been into PC a couple times while I was staying in Pavones.
Funky little place. I went in to have a emergency root canal done. You can cross into Pananma without going thru the station very easily, the locals cross back and forth all the time. No fence, nothing. just some grass between the roads. However if you are going 30 miles in you might wanna do it the right way.
The Sierra hotel in Golfito is decent. Its right at the "airport" older place but ok. Rental cars can be had there also. A small casino onsite also.
I don't think the ticos are staying over on the weekends and rooms should be available.
Golfito is probably 30-40 min drive from PC if I remember. Only drove there from PC once. Don't know anything about tour operators.
Wouldn't stay in PC personally, if I could help it.
Worth a day trip for the vibe if nothing else if you are in the area. Wouldn't drive there just for PC or Golfito.

David is not a great place to monger. I walked into and right out of the strip club and MP(I forget the name). You mostly have to find chicas by chatting them up on the street or in the stores. There are some hot college girls if you can find them. If you can, flying on Natur Air is the best way.

agree with Greengo, you don't see many. But the beer sure is cheap and the hotels are dumpy, err, adequate.


PURA VIDA!

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Livin' & Lovin' in Key Largo....oh....And the one in The Keys, too!