Volcan/Lake Arenal: From those I spoke with, it's more the norm than the exception for the top of the volcano to be in the clouds.
Joanne Haase - US (Jan 98)
A quick tip for anyone staying in Playa Grande, a small surfing area on the coast of the Nicoya. The nearest "town" is Tamarindo, which is about 1/2 hour drive away. Tamarindo is small, but really goes off on the weekends. During the day, you may walk there from Playa Grande, along the beach and catch a river-taxi over the estuary (caiman-filled) for about 100 colones per person. However, if you are trying to walk back at night you may not find it so easy. The river taxi stops taking passengers at sundown (6 pm) and you are not allowed to walk on the beach of Playa Grande after dark (it disturbs the nesting Leatherback Turtles). So be forewarned not to go to Tamarindo without a ride back to Playa Grande because I've been stuck there, as have many of my friends, and it really is not a safe place to sleep on the beach. Hostels are usually filled to capacity on weekends, and without a reservation you will not get a room.
Anon (Mar 98)
It would have been great to know that virtually everybody prefers US dollars to colones. The only exceptions are some restaurants and the bus, outside touristy areas. Most hotels, tours, etc. quote prices in US dollars.
Also, it would have been great to get a tip about shaking out your shoes and your sheets for scorpions. I didn't really think about them until I saw a dead one in the bathroom.
Nancy Matson - US (April 98)
It's worth recommending the student travel office in San Jose, OTEC, comparable to Council Travel or STA, which saved me a couple hundred dollars by getting student fares where two other regular travel agents couldn't find them. They often have their own arrangements with national and international airlines, as well as cheap package tours. OTEC is located at Calle 3, Avenida 3.
Max Friedman (May 98)
In Corcovado, the description of the trail from La Leona to Sirena is completely wrong. The actual trail goes basically along the beach, but most of the trail is among the trees and thus is pretty shaded, and only from time to time you have to bypass some rocky heads on the beach itself. The rangers are not reliable regarding information on which rivers are actually full with water, so it is recommended to fill your bottle wherever you can. Anyway don't expect to find any drinking water on the last third of the trail. They say that all the fresh water in the park is drinking water, but I reckon it is a good idea to bring some purifying pills.
Eshed Doni - Israel (May 98)
I would not even bother trying to find a "cargo boat" to take you from Moin to Tortuguerro. Your guidebook makes it sound like a possibility if you have the guts to try it, but we found that on a typical day there is not one cargo boat going that way. I have heard from others that only one cargo boat a week makes the trip. So, suck it up and pay the going rate for a "tourist" boat. You can bargain down - ticos pay $20 for a round trip - maybe you can use this to your advantage if you speak Spanish.
Jonathan Katz, US, (Jan 99)
In Costa Rica, the concept of lining up patiently for a bus disappears the instant the bus is in sight. Do not be fooled by the patience and orderliness exhibited while the bus is not there: once it arrives, it is every man, pregnant woman and child for himself. Anyone who has been in a mosh pit at a punk concert will be scared. Push shove and forget politeness.... no one will hold it against you. In fact, I have never seen so many smiling happy faces on people trying to climb over, under and through me!
Also... if you are lucky enough to take a luxury, express bus with air-conditioning (the extra cost is negligible, and the added comfort is heavenly) make sure that your bladder is empty...even for short rides. The jarring, teeth-breaking roads do wonders for your digestion.
Never, ever, ever ask how much a bus ride is. Even though the fares are set by the company, some less-scrupulous people may try to get more money out of you. When getting on the bus, look above the driver's head... the fares should be listed there. If not, or if you are paying in transit, simply telling the fare-collector (usually not the driver) where you are going and where you got on the bus. Hand him a medium sized bill ( a 500c note is good) and wait for your change. This has always worked for me--if they don't know whether you knw the fare, they will give you the correct change.
Jean-Paul Connock - Canada (Aug 98)
The most valuable asset for transport in the country were the free maps handed out by Ecole Travel detailing bus times and the locations of their departures. EVERY time I used the map, (at least 10 times) the map was correct and the times were as well. I handed out a couple of these maps to extremely grateful fellow travelers in Montezuma. They update the maps once every three months (I seem to remember).
Gerald Keating (Feb 98)
Please mention what a laugh riot the roads are!! just like a video arcade! stop--go--dodge pothole--dodge cow--whoa, no more pavement! And the official signs warning that you proceed on the highway at your own risk. Loved it!!
Sara Vazquez (May 98)
Experienced cycle tourist with a love of the mountains will probably enjoy Costa Rica - but you certainly need to be fit, and bring a mountain bike to get the most out of it - the roads are certainly rough and steep - you will not cover the distances you may be used to on good roads in North America or Europe.
If you bring your own bike you know what you are getting, and it will be fully equipped for touring - and be warned one water bottle is not enough for the exertion and high temperatures you will encounter! If you only want to do occasional riding within a holiday then hiring is probably the better option. We also met cyclists who had brought their own bikes, found it tougher than expected and hired 4WDs to travel with their bikes doing a mix of driving to cover some distances and local exploration by bicycle. You may be lucky and bluff your way onto buses with bikes, but don't plan on it - luggage space is not geared up to bikes. We did meet some Americans who had persuaded the bus driver to take their bikes on the regular service up Volcan Poas from Alajuela - for a mega swoop freewheeling back by bike.
Pauline & Ian Smith - UK (May 98)
Parque Nacional Volcan Arenal is now open an hour later at 8am. The day we decided to go there the visibility was promising so we were at the entrance shortly before 7am at a locked gate. The staff/guides were there and after some 20 minutes and some talk they were willing to let us in. It was great since we had the volcano and the partk "only for ourselves." Costa Rica is a beautiful country full of warm and open ticos.
Silvie, Check Republic, (Feb 99)
The lovely Poor Man's Paradise is a 2 1/2 hour hike from Corcovado National Park, assuming you don't get lost. If you don't want to do the hike, Poor Man's Paradise will take you there for a hefty fee by boat. We like the people who visited and the outfit, but we spent an awful lot of money, much more than we had planned. Campers beware!
Joanna Sullivan - US - (Jan 99)
The bookstore Booktraders, in San Jose does not exist any more.
Jenny Jaffee - NTL (Oct 98)
I've been teaching English here in San Jose and the surrounding area since June 1998. For those who are travelers and interested in this option, its an excellent experience to see many parts of Costa Rica from a perspective the average tourist will never see. (Many of us are sent into the FreeTrade Zones to teach.) I work at: Ingles Empresarial S.A. Tel. 283-0175 o 225-7920 fax 506/283-6811 contact: Davie Dubeau.
Stef Krook - USA (Oct 98)
Hotel Playa Negra one of the best kept secrets in Guanacaste. Accessible only by car this place is heaven on earth. Charming thatched roof huts on a beach that is primarily frequented by surfers. (Apparently this is one of the best surfing beaches around) Tranquillity, ocean breezes and the everpresent sound of the surf make this a tryly idyllic spot for relaxation.
For great breakfasts your should visit the Las Hermanas bakery shop which is Canadian and American owned. It's just down the road and chatting with Jackie and Nana is a true delight. It also offers lunches, breads and other baked goods and yummy tropical fruit drinks.
Delia Fasiolo - CAN (Oct 98)
Reserva Biologica Monteverde/Santa Elena: While luck of course plays a major role in wildlife viewing, those disappointed readers probably did not take the night tour, which is as close as we came to guaranteed excitement. The night tour deserves more than the passing mention on page 235 of the guide. The night we went on the tour in late December, we saw a kinkajou, numerous frogs and lizards, bizarre insects such as a walking stick and five or six species of cockroach, a sleeping bird, three tarantulas, and glow-in-the-dark mushrooms (the light attracts insect which then spread the mushroom's spores). Friends in another guided group that same night saw most of what we saw (except the kinkajou), and also saw a margay! Other friends who had gone on the night tour two days previously saw a howler monkey and blonde tree snake. Spotting large mammals on the night tour is far from guaranteed, of course, but the sights and sounds of the cloud forest at night, along with the keen eye and knowledge and enthusiasm of the well-trained guide make this tour a "can't miss" opportunity. The tour still costs $13 US.
Mike Crimmins - US (Jan 98)
Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve: We enjoyed walking in the reserve tremendously. We hired a guide for one morning and spent another afternoon on our own. Our guide here was named Oscar and we heartily recommend him. One thing Oscar impressed upon us is to consider wildlife spotting as a continuous process. Visitors should not expect to find all wildlife in one place (and therefore feel disappointed in they weren't lucky to see them that day) but realize that through the course of a trip, you will have the opportunity to see different things across places for a broad exposure overall. It was very sound advice. We wanted more trails though and looked forward to them expanding current offerings. Our guide helped spot a Quetzal so we were fortunate to see one here. Apparently there is a new canopy viewing option called Sky Walk. We opted against it. After later talking to a few people, we regret not having done this as it sounded like an easy and affordable way to view the canopy ($15 per person with no rope climbing required, just bridges).
Joanne Haase - US (Jan 98)
I went to the privately run "El Mundo de la Totuga" museum at Playa Grande. It is SO amazing. It is a very impressive audio tour of a photo gallery. It opens your eyes and stuns you by the beauty and peril of the turtles. By speaking with the owners, they seem to be truly concerned with the well-being of the turtles, and are working hard to make changes (to the continual lack of protection from poaching, disturbance of laying and nests). They are very well-informed and would be the ones to talk with about the issue. They offer tours to see the turtles for a very cheap price, and most (if not all)) of the money goes to the park. I think this place is quite new.
Kimberly Pearson - Canada (Jan 98)
We did not spend much time in the San Jose area, but I must mention our little, out-of-the-way Bed & Breakfast in San Pedro and its delightful proprietor, Marco Solano. The unassuming, seven-bedroom Residence Saint Pierre is tucked away down a couple of back streets in San Pedro (100 Norte 50 Este Banco Popular, San Pedro de Montes de Oca, San Jose; 1martin@sol.racsa.co.cr; tel: 506 283 1526, fax 506 253 0602) One of the clean double rooms is $30 US/night, including a light breakfast of cereal, toast, fresh fruit, coffee and juice. We also had late-night brownies made by hard-working Marco, who is the real treat here. Marco is a professor of languages at the local university and also teaches French and Spanish at a language school. He is Costa Rican, but has lived abroad in, among other places, Paris, Moscow and Los Angeles. He speaks excellent English, despite his protestations to the contrary. In fact, English is his fifth language, as he is fluent in French and Italian and also claims his Russian is better than his English! Marco is an excellent host and intriguing man.
Mike Crimmins - US (Jan 98)
The highlight of my trip was my excursion to Corcovado. I booked a cabin at Cocolito Lodges in Quepos, then flew via Travelair to Plamar Sur. The flight captain was a genial host, pointing out highlights along the way, traveling very low to the ground, about 2000 ft. , along the coast all the way down with the windows open. Once I landed in Palmar, a man greeted m e and away we went on the taxi toward Sierpe, then the river journey through Rio Sierpe to the ocean and Cocolito.
Once in Cocolito, the host Mike made my stay one to remember. His cooking was incredible, with the guests actually applauding one night, the cabins perfectly rustic and comfortable, and Mike continually planned any trips I wanted to take, from snorkeling and rain forest hikes, to booking my flight back to SJ! His hospitality couldn't be greater.
Gerald Keating (Feb 98)
For anyone interested in seeing turtles who can't afford the exorbitant prices in Tortuguero, we made an amazing find. The Pacuare Reserve near the mouth of the Pacuare river is a private reserve which wants/needs volunteers to patrol beaches and help save the leatherback turtles. There is a minimal cost of $100 which includes food and room-well within a backpackers budget and they ask that you stay a minimum of one week. Responsibilities include walking a four km stretch of beach at night to deter poachers, tagging turtles, and moving nests. Days are your own to lie in Hammocks, paddle in the lagoon, swim in the Caribbean sea, or go exploring. this is a hands on once in a lifetime experience . Contact Carlos or Maggie in San Jose at 233-0451, 391-9975 or 233-0508, email: desmagasol.racsa.co.cr or stop by Av 8 & 10, Calle 19 no. 837.
Erin Pass - US & Adrian Miller - OZ (April 98)
The Museo at Playa Grande, called El Mundo de la Totuga. This is an audiovisual presentation of the life of the leatherback turtle. The presentation is self-guided, using a Walkman, like in a modern art museum, to guide the visitor from one large black-lighted colour photograph to another. The visit takes perhaps 30 minutes and emphasizes the egg-laying. It is designed to be an introduction for the tourists before they actually go to the beach to witness the egg-laying. The astonishing thing is that the "museum" is entirely due to the initiative of three young French turtle-enthusiasts in their early 30's. They (mainly their leader Corinne Esteban) bought the land for the museum for US$60,000 and built and equipped the museum for another $160, 000, going into debt to that extent. At the end of five years they expect to give the museum to a Costa Rican organization which will continue their work.
The museum was opened late 1996. The phone # is (506) 653-0471. The fax is (506) 653-0491 and the address is ADP 238/5150 Santa Cruz, Costa Rica.
Donald Patterson - Canada (June 98)
COSTA RICA
