www.CostaRicaTicas.com

Hey everybody. I'm taking my maiden voyage to CR in October, from the 14th 25th. All my coworkers, family and friends think I am going for the typical tourist stuff of course, which I do plan on experiencing as much as possible, but I have to admit that I'm a little bit more excited about the ladies than I am about the butterflies and hot springs.

I'd like to be able to describe some "mainstream" experiences from my trip to all of these people (like my parents) with a straight face however, and without showing them fake photos of my trip from flickr.com or something, so I thought I would break up the trip between normal boring stuff and good stuff:

3 nights at the SL (October 14-16)
2 nights near Manual Antonio (October 17, 18 )
3 nights back in at the Amistad/Freebird for a change of scenery (October 19-21)
2 nights in Puerto Viejo/Manzinilla area (October 22,23)
1 final night SJ somewhere (SL? DR?) (October 24).

So, do you think that is too much driving in one trip? Should I bother going to the Caribbean coast in October? Do you think I will be feeling too isolated during those trips to the parks after being surrounded by CRT members and extremely friendly hot women in SJ?

I don't vacation that often, so it probably would be a good idea for me to experience the sights at the national parks. I mean, I'll be in frickin Costa Rica, after all. I also think I need to rack up some stories about things other than Nicas, Ticas, Columbianas, and Dominicans.

Opinions?

Any hotel recommendations for the 2nd and 3rd stays in SJ?

Anybody else going that times besides Bob1817 and killraine?

Thank you!

One thing I would consider changing is skipping the 2 nights in Puerto Viejo and just stay based in SJO taking day tours. Others may disagree as the beaches are nice but there are plenty of great tours & photo op's available fron SJO and that would leave your nights free for fun.
You mentioned "driving" are you renting a car?

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Nope, no renting a car for me - I was planning on sitting on interbus/greyline shuttles for those trips to the parks.

Maybe 1 night at Arenal instead? Then I would have 2 nights in SJ at the end of the trip instead of just one.

A lot of people I talk to are familiar with vacationing in CR, so I wonder how you guys are getting away with telling people you're spending 7 nights or whatever there and never leaving the city of SJ! Cuz all the housewife gringas I talk to are telling me to make sure I avoid SJ. How can I come back and tell them I spent 10 nights there when they warned me about how "seedy" it is?

Simple, you just don't tell them. Go ahead and spend a couple of days in Manuel Antonio, as it is beautiful, and get the lay of the land while you're there. Then tell 'em you spent the entire time there!! Choose another location each trip (eg, Flamingo) and tell them you spent half the time in Manuel Antonio and half the time in Flamingo. Viola. At least that's what I do. After a dozen trips, with 90% spent in San Jose (actually even more limited than that-Barrio Amon), I've got my cover story down!



Ciaociao

Yes we live like secret agents, stay quiet and don't mention CR to gringa housewives, besides how hard is it to lie? You could easily spend an entire trip in SJ and just take day tours to the volcanoes, waterfalls, rafting, coffee, canopy, ATV, etc...throw in a trip to the beach maybe some sportfishing and have enough pics to claim you toured most of the country.
Then on your next trip say very little or tell everyone you you are going someplace boring like FL or NYC and not have to worry with a cover story and what prudish busybody gringas might think.

_________________

Living well is the best revenge
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MwUtj_YnNoY

Meet up with some other guys at SL and we can share our "touristy" pics with you.

Take the guys advice and skip Puerto Viejo for this trip and concentrate on the Manual Antonio area instead.

Change your shirt a bunch of times and take a few photos and it will appear as though you spent the entire time at these beautiful beaches.

Have fun

EdB
aka
CK

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"You will never run out of good things because there is more than enough to go around. Life is meant to be abundant"
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Sounds like a plan!

I you have about 3 1/2 hours or so to Manuel Antonio from SJO.
and about the 4 hours to Puerto Viejo from SJO. I don't think that trip will be a problem. Puerto Viejo is less developed and cheaper in general.
Kind of a laid back Carribean town.

Both beaches are a lot hotter than San Jose so be prepared for that.

King Costa