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I finally visited the northwest coast of Guanacaste this week, and I am glad I did. My 3 buddies and I enjoyed two days of world class fishing thanks to our good friends, Victor and Mikey B at Vic-Tours. I just saw my 3 wingmen off on an Interbus airport shuttle and have some free time to draft a quick trip report before breakfast.

The six hour trip to Playa Flamingo last Monday passed quickly, and we were at the gates of Flamingo Beach Resort by mid-afternoon. We made the trip in a 7-passenger SUV rented from Vamos Rent-a-car in Heredia. Overall, I was satisfied with the service from Vamos. The car was delivered to Hotel Castillo as promised. The vehicle was 5 years old and seemed to be properly maintained and in good working order. The entire bill for four days of rental (including delivery & pick-up and cell phones) came to $225.

Flamingo Beach Resort is a beautiful hotel and has one of the nicest swimming pools I ever experienced. FBR is a little pricey for my wallet, but now and again, it doesn’t hurt to splurge. The outside bar became a favorite hang-out after a day of fishing… Margie the barmaid takes exceptional care of her customers. I was also impressed with the quality of food available in the restaurant and the preparation of our catch of the day.

The rooms are large and comfortable. I enjoyed a second floor unit with a balcony overlooking the pool. The free coffee in the room is a welcome touch especially in the morning. The staff is courteous and friendly. I even met two of the guys from “corporate” who spent a lot of time chatting with me and ended up buying me dinner. Like with any hotel, the died-in-the-wool critic can find issues with the accommodations. In spite of the scarcity of hot water, a leaky faucet and condensate-dripping AC, I managed to survive 3 nights in this comfortable 4 star hotel. P4P is available (in limited amounts) at a nearby club called “Ambers.”

I can’t say enough good things about Vic-Tours. Vic-Tours is located on the mezzanine deck of FBR. The two partners, Victor and Mikey B (of CRT fame), worked very hard to make our two days of fishing memorable. I know my buddy, Fred, was still walking on air when he left the Castillo this morning.

Our first day of fishing was spent with Victor and the crew of “La Macha” about 22 miles off-shore. The scenery is breathtaking going out and coming back in. I landed the first two fish, dorados, while my buddies followed with half a dozen yellow-fin tunas. We had at least two billfish visitors. One broke the hook and left my friend, George, heartbroken. Another rascal decided he wanted to play with the bait rather than bite it. After another round of dorado, and a few more beers, we headed in and enjoyed a wild variety of tuna and dorado dishes prepared by the very-capable culinary staff at FBR.

Over a few drinks at the bar, we told Victor that we would like to do another half-day of in-shore fishing. The next morning, we were aboard the “Extasy” enjoying Bachata and beers. We were not expecting to run into marlins that close to shore. Fred was pleasantly surprised when a 200 lbs striped marlin engaged him in a 45-minute battle from the water to gunwale. This was the first marlin for Fred, and one he will always remember.

Both boats are capable fishing vessel with plenty of power and fishing room, and the crew always provides more than enough food and drink for an army of hungry anglers. The cost for 1 ½ days of world-class fishing ($1300) was well worth it…and very affordable when split up among four friends. I anticipate another fishing trip very soon!

Pictures of the Fishing Trip are posted in the Costa Rica and World Scenery section of the VIP gallery.

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Blue Devil

Pura Vida...enjoying life to the fullest...

BlueDevil,

Thank you for the kind words, my friend. It’s always great to see fellow CRT’ers enjoying themselves. And whenever I can do something to help them achieve that goal, it also gives me great pleasure.

It’s good to see that my partner Victor took care of you guys! I told you he was a real “character” !!!! He’s got that whole area “dialed in”! He knows everybody around, and they all know him! He’s turned out to be a great business partner, and our assistant (Diego) does a great job for us. When I’m not in town, we communicate via phone and email all the time.

The pool and poolside bar at the hotel have just been renovated, within the past 3 months. I like the new rock waterfalls they added. The poolside bartender Margie is definitely a sweetheart, and the other bartenders (Jorge, William & Orlando) are also great guys! As of 3 weeks ago, the hotel was still not done with the renovations to the restaurant along the beach, but it’ll be real nice once it’s completed. And that’s one of my favorite breakfast spots!

Every once in a while, you’ll find a diamond in the rough at Amberes, but it’s usually the same handful of chica’s that hang out there. Been there, done that!!! But every so often, a fresh new chica shows up! I always try to give the new ones a shot, so I can give recommendations to wingmen in the future. I feel a sort of "obligation" to take one for the team every so often!

There are several excellent restaurants in and around Flamingo, within walking distance, or no more than a 10 or 15 minute drive. There’s also a few “local” places, off the beaten path that are fantastic, but you’d never find them on your own.

Again, thanks for the kudos, and glad you guys had a fun trip! Maybe on a future trip, we’ll all hook up in Flamingo, and we’ll go offshore, and hit some of my “hot spots” !!! After that, I can show you some of the not-so-well-known “attractions” around town!

Pura Vida,
Mucho Gusto

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You ALWAYS have an option ....... "NEXT" !!!