Start in San Jose Area - 1 night in hotel (there is a Hampton Inn about 1/2 mile from airport and shares parking lot with rental car companies). If you arrive in the evening (after 5:30 pm), I would not recommend renting a car until the next morning. Roads are not welll marked and you might have trouble finding your hotel at night. Get a taxi to your hotel and pick up your car in the morning. Ideally, arrange with your hotel to pick you up at the airport. There are official red taxis you can get at the airport. I have never used one as my family always picks me up, but they have meters, If they don't or don't want to use them, or claim they do not work, then make sure you agree on price up front, however, be prepared when you pay for them to ask for a couple of dollars more when you pay (drives me crazy, I don't know why they do that). Currently $20 dollar is about 10,000 colones. You out to be able to get to any hotel in Alajuela or San Jose or even Heredia for 20,000. Hampton Inn might be 5000.
Day 2 - San Jose central market, Jade museum, Gold museum, shopping (treat San Jose as you would any major city - don't be flashy or foolish, stick to tourist areas - think New York City in late 90's, don't wear much if any jewelry). I really like the San Joe central market area and the plazas, but I haven't spent a lot of time there. I have been to Gold museum, but not Jade museum.
Showing posts with label 2-week Intiniary. Show all posts
Showing posts with label 2-week Intiniary. Show all posts
Tuesday, September 14, 2010
Two-week Intiniary: Days 3-5
Day 3 - Drive though downtown Alajuela and up into the Poas Volcano area - first go to the Poas Volcano - about 2 hours from downtown San Jose - Look for places along the road to have Breakfast once you are heading up the mountain. There are some good places after Savanilla and before Poasito. Have lunch at the La Paz Waterfall gardens, do the tour. If you have time, swing back to Savanilla for a real coffee tour at La Doka Estate. Buy a good supply of their coffee - it is the best. Have dinner at Colbert's (French/Costa Rican cuisine - it is outstanding. Stay the night in the Siempre Verde Bed & Breakfast (http://www.siempreverdebandb.com, (I have not stayed there, but it is reasonably priced compared to some other options and looks beautiful - this is about 40 minutes from airport, so it is also an option in lieu of Hampton Inn. It is also in the middle of a massive coffee plantation. Another option is at the la paz waterfall gardens http://www.waterfallgardens.com/ (have not stayed here either, but the place is beautiful, we have visited many times - it is ridiculously expensive for Costa Rica). There are a lot of road side cabinas in this area, I have used them, but they look cute. There is one very close to Colbert's Restaurant (feels kind of like the North Carolina Blue Ridge Mountains in this area - very nice. Be sure to check out the fruit stands.
Day 4-5 - drive to Volcano Arenal - about 3 - 4 hours from Poas. Take a tour of the lake, check out the Tabecon hot springs and spa. Find someone to take you on a hiking tour around base of volcano. The Tabecon hot springs also has a hotel. Someone from my office stayed there and really loved it. I have been a few times. Once we stayed in a resort about 45 minutes from the the Volcano in a resort called El Tucano http://es.occidentalhotels.com/hotels/ElTucano.asp . The other times we stayed in very small hotels that we passed on our way into the town of La Fortuna, which is at the base of the volcano. The town was renamed to The Fortunate, after the volcano blew out on the side opposite of the town and wiped out another community many years ago.
It is often cloudy here and you have to be lucky to see the volcano... it pours lava out of the top and blows rocks out as well, the most I have seen is a red glow at night. But there are natural hot springs all around and there is a large lake which offers boat tours.
Day 4-5 - drive to Volcano Arenal - about 3 - 4 hours from Poas. Take a tour of the lake, check out the Tabecon hot springs and spa. Find someone to take you on a hiking tour around base of volcano. The Tabecon hot springs also has a hotel. Someone from my office stayed there and really loved it. I have been a few times. Once we stayed in a resort about 45 minutes from the the Volcano in a resort called El Tucano http://es.occidentalhotels.com/hotels/ElTucano.asp . The other times we stayed in very small hotels that we passed on our way into the town of La Fortuna, which is at the base of the volcano. The town was renamed to The Fortunate, after the volcano blew out on the side opposite of the town and wiped out another community many years ago.
It is often cloudy here and you have to be lucky to see the volcano... it pours lava out of the top and blows rocks out as well, the most I have seen is a red glow at night. But there are natural hot springs all around and there is a large lake which offers boat tours.
Two-week Intiniary: Days 6-9
Day 6 Drive to the Monteverde Cloud forest - get a reservation for a hotel there and fill up on gas before going up the mountain - never know about the gas supplies there. I have been once... it was neat, kind of a hippie artist refuge. Originally founded by quakers from the US in the 1950's. Has a nature refuge and a lot of interesting art shoppes and gallaries.
Day 7 Pass the day checking out the National Park in Monteverde and enjoying the artist village atmosphere.
Day 8-10 Drive to Manuel Antonio National Park - Be sure to check out the Bar made out of a B-52 bomber perched at the top of the hill coming into Manuel Antonio (you will need reservations here - very popular place. Spend a day checking out the sites in Manuel Antonio outside the park and in the surrounding town. This is my favorite beach in Costa Rica. This place looks like the perfect white sandy beach with palm trees and blue water that people think of when they think of paradise. The town is very cool as well. There are a number of resorts and hotels in the area. On your way into the town of Manuel Antonio, you pass through the town of Quepos. There is a Best Western hotel
http://www.kamuk.co.cr/looks very nice, it has always been sold out, and we ended up staying at a hotel around the corner called Hotel Melissa or the one next to it, Hotel Malinche, both were cheaper, clean, and safe, but definitely no frills. There is also a pretty good restaurant around the corner from Hotel Malinche that is facing the beach (http://www.elgranescape.net/restaurant.html). With both Melissa and Malinche, the reservations were made in Costa Rica on the phone the day we were leaving for our trips by Costa Ricans.There are a lot of hotels to choose from, these are just the ones I am familiar with.
Spend at least a day in the National Park - get there early and avoid the lines - they limit the number of vistors in the park at anyone time. I have not been for a couple of years. The last time I went we had to wait in line to get into the park. I heard about someone else who went at Christmas and never made it into the park because of the limit on the number of vistors in the park. So it definitely pays to get there early.
Day 7 Pass the day checking out the National Park in Monteverde and enjoying the artist village atmosphere.
Day 8-10 Drive to Manuel Antonio National Park - Be sure to check out the Bar made out of a B-52 bomber perched at the top of the hill coming into Manuel Antonio (you will need reservations here - very popular place. Spend a day checking out the sites in Manuel Antonio outside the park and in the surrounding town. This is my favorite beach in Costa Rica. This place looks like the perfect white sandy beach with palm trees and blue water that people think of when they think of paradise. The town is very cool as well. There are a number of resorts and hotels in the area. On your way into the town of Manuel Antonio, you pass through the town of Quepos. There is a Best Western hotel
http://www.kamuk.co.cr/looks very nice, it has always been sold out, and we ended up staying at a hotel around the corner called Hotel Melissa or the one next to it, Hotel Malinche, both were cheaper, clean, and safe, but definitely no frills. There is also a pretty good restaurant around the corner from Hotel Malinche that is facing the beach (http://www.elgranescape.net/restaurant.html). With both Melissa and Malinche, the reservations were made in Costa Rica on the phone the day we were leaving for our trips by Costa Ricans.There are a lot of hotels to choose from, these are just the ones I am familiar with.
Spend at least a day in the National Park - get there early and avoid the lines - they limit the number of vistors in the park at anyone time. I have not been for a couple of years. The last time I went we had to wait in line to get into the park. I heard about someone else who went at Christmas and never made it into the park because of the limit on the number of vistors in the park. So it definitely pays to get there early.
Two-week Intiniary: Days 10-14
Day 10-12 drive to Jaco beach (North back the way you went) pay for surf lessons from one of the hotels there. I have never stayed a single night at Jaco Beach but I have gone there for the day and surfed there. Not exactly in Jaco Beach, but in the area. A quick search of google and you can find a lot of options for Jaco. there is also a Best Western in Jaco that I have heard is nice.
Day 13 - Drive back to San Jose - about 3 hours. Pass the day in San Jose - if you missed central market - this would be a good time to go and pick up souvineers.
Day 14 - Fly home.
Day 13 - Drive back to San Jose - about 3 hours. Pass the day in San Jose - if you missed central market - this would be a good time to go and pick up souvineers.
Day 14 - Fly home.
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