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Can anyone tell me if it's necessary to book the various one day trips in advance, or can you just make arrangements at your hotel the day before? I'd like to take a trip or two during my stay, but much of the advise I've gotten on this board seems to suggest most plans go out the window once you arrive.

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You can do it the day before. The reception desk will gladly book it for you.

Ditto, Orange is correct. Any receptionist in any hotel can set it up with a single phone call.

Take the 4 in 1 tour or the long day Calypso cruise to Isla De Tortugas...or whatever, but see more than just the gulch.

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Providing humanitarian assistance to self employed chicas, one cash grant at a time.

Thanks guys, thats how I hoped it would work. And El Viejo, the two trips you mentioned are on the top of my list.

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Also check out the LaPaz Waterfall Park tour. The park has a website. Spectacular! When you do the 4 in 1 you will see the bottom of the La Paz waterfall from a bend in the road, but seeing the park itself is a whole day in itself.

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Providing humanitarian assistance to self employed chicas, one cash grant at a time.

Keep in mind, the 4-in-1 tour is a LOOONG day. They pick you up at about 6:30am, and you don't get back till about 8-9pm. But it's fun, bring a date and comfortable shoes. A lot of walking and bus riding, it will help to have somebody to talk to.

The Calypso tour iss equally long, but fun.

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Providing humanitarian assistance to self employed chicas, one cash grant at a time.

The length of the trip is ok. I like the idea of bringing a date, but I'm not sure thats very likely.




I've seen photos of people in the water under the falls. I think thats the tour I should be looking for as opposed to doing a drive by from a bus.

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The 4 in 1 bus will stop for 10 minutes at the base of the waterfall. You can get pics as well as buy souvenirs from vendors accross the road.

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Providing humanitarian assistance to self employed chicas, one cash grant at a time.

Ramair, I've done the 4-in1 three times, one of those times was with Cyrano. Yup, makes for a very long day, buy well-worth it. There is also a shorter version available (depending on the hotel) that leaves out the Sarapiqui boat trip; Poas and the La Paz gardens are real close to one another, while the Sarapiqui requires an hour or so side trip, which makes for the long day.

You can book all tours at once if you for certain what your schedule will be; I usually do so. Of course, after the first day you may just want to spend your time drinkin' and phuckin' so booking ahaead may not be a good idea. Decide beforehand what you're gonna do.

Easier said than done. When I booked the trip I planned to stay mainly in the gulch, but after looking at all the other things available it's obvious I should have booked a longer trip.

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[quote="Ramair4Easier said than done. When I booked the trip I planned to stay mainly in the gulch, but after looking at all the other things available it's obvious I should have booked a longer trip. [/quote]

You can do quite a lot in a short trip. My first trip was just four days, and I did two tours: the half-day versions to Irazu and Poas. The second trip was also four days (I was doing 4 days at a time for my first six or so CR trips) and I did three tours: the full-day version of Irazu (Lankester Gardens), the 4-in-1, and the Rain Forest Aerial Tram. All that and still had ZB and DR action.

Obviously a lot of all-day tours will cut down on daytime chica action, but you can make up for it at night.