www.CostaRicaTicas.com

I'm planning a week long dive trip to CR the end of May, and am thinking of Playa del Cocos (near Liberia). I was hoping that someone could comment on the diving, nightlife, accomodations, beach, and of course the women. If there's a better place I should go, please comment.

Thanks in advance

Playa del Coco is supposed to be the place to dive, but I don't know, I didn't. A friend took dive lessons there, said he saw a bunch of cool fish, had a great time. I'll take the lessons next time I'm there. The beach is nice, there is a white sand beach on the left side of the bay that is great, and you can walk to where there are lots of tide pools and really clear water.

If you know Jaco, this place is a lot cleaner, more of a tico fishing village with some tourism but it's not too much. There are a few places to get a beer, a place for the younger set to party at night, some good restaurants, and maybe a dozen ladies that hang out at the casino and one other bar I don't remember the name of. There is a small wooden bridge over a stream on the beach and there is a bar just past that bridge, check it out, someone told me that a few ladies will hang there late a night. There is an expat bullshitters' corner called El Bohio, like in Jaco, with cheap beers, and a few other places right next to it.

Coco is much more laid back and quiet than Jaco, I've been to both several times. There is no surf in Coco, if that matters. The bay is really clean and good for swimming. There are some cheap accomodations, one right on the beach just to the right of the road when you go all the way to the end of the road to the beach. You go to the little park at the beach, walk to the right just past the disco, I don't remember the name of it, maybe $30 for a room, no fan, maybe hot water. There is also a Howard Johnson's called Coco Verde (maybe $50 - $60) in town just a 2 blocks from the beach, nice place with a pool, casino, restaurant and outside bar, and the chicas. I think they mainly come from Liberia, one quoted me $100 por la noche, you can probably work down from there.

I don't think any of the other beach towns in the area have any nightlife until you get down to Tamarindo, at least that's what I've heard from friends that have hit some of the other places. Coco is it for this part of the Pacific. You can have a good time there unless you need a DR or Beatle Bar type place for your nightlife. They even have US sports in the casino and a/c for those really hot nights.

Let me know if you go and what you think.

I loved the place.
That said, there is only a couple of women available for mongers. There is also only a couple of bars frequented by the expats. It is pretty much just a quiet fishing village.
The casino does have regular black jack. It seems that a lot of Canadians retire there.
Another rooming option is the Casa Berlin. $25 a night. Take the dirt road north past the new housing and cut a right. Go up a bit and find the boarding house run by an older canadian hippy chick.
Hang out, drink Imperial and watch the sun set. It is a good quiet couple days at the beach.

I meant to say does NOT have regular black jack.[/b]