costarica0121 wrote:
nosejelly wrote:
Itinerary way too busy for your first CR trip. Almost none of it will go as planned. CR doesn't work like the USA. Why not just relax and enjoy the Poon in San Jose and gather intel for future trips from the many Gringo Mongers you'll meet along the way???
lol spending 2 weeks on SJ sounds awful! I have decided to drop the carribean side, so 4/5 days in SJ, 3 in Arenal then Tamarindo for the rest!
thanks
Better than your initial plan in my opinion...just more doable. The other might have been doable with a dedicated driver and van...but would have been extremely tiring...too much travel and uncertainty.
I personally might find a lot of time in Tamarindo a bit much...it's a tourist party town, and surfer hangout...although I don't think it is great for serious surfing. Lots of beaches up and down from there...that could be fun to go to a different one each day or something like that if that is your thing. I basically spent half a day in Tamarindo and that was too much for me. I went up a ways further north and stayed at a little hotel right on a beach...and got to know people there...had 3 or 4 days of peace and relaxation...conversation, great food, walking on the beach..it worked for me. In a very small town.
Arenal again is good for a short time in my opinion. But depending on what you like. You can do hot springs, hiking, tours around the lake, windsailing, tours to the rivers to the north...all our of Arenal if you are big into activities. The volcano is impressive, but not active as far as I know. So no lava flow views or anything like it was a few years back.
San Jose is great for what this board is all about...and there are other activities and things to see and do if you like museums, etc. I have been to most of the places around the country...but spend most of my time in San Jose when I'm there...not saying that is always good...but it has worked for me.