If anyone has any top tips on which of these two countries
would be best for a short may trip please feel free to email
me. I'm interested in costs, flights, weather, sites and
what the people are like.
Thanks!
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Costa Rica is safer, cheaper and better set up for all kinds of visitors. However it is quite Americanised with shopping malls and Burger King in San Jose (which is boreing), and loads of Americans (but NO Brits which can be refreshing).
The National Parks in Costa Rica are amazing and completley untouched, but they all have visitors centres etc. and are easily acessable.
Belize can be quite dangerous (Belize City is pretty but full of crack heads), and is much more expensive than any of the other countries in CA. The jungles however are more unexplored, and the reef and Cayes are more idilic than the CR coast. If you are into diving Belize is amazing.
With just 2 weeks I would say Costa Rica as it is easier to travel etc. Go to Manuel Antonio NP, Volcan Aranal and Montezuma. It is probably the most beautiful country I have been to in the world.
We just got back from Costa Rica and it was outstanding.
San Jose is a big, modern busling city. The Hotel Johnston
is a good place to stay right down town. Be careful of
purse snatching.
Volcan Arenal is outstanding. Hard to get to by bus, but
worth it. I'd stay at the cheapest room (US$47) at the
Observatory Lodge. Still expensive, but worth it, it's
right at the foot of the volcano. Hire a guide to take you
up the side at night to watch the lava flow.
If you're really into nature, Monteverde, a cloud forest is
magnificient. There was a pair of Questzal birds nesting
at post market 4 on the Nostotros Trail 2 weeks ago.
The weather was in the mid seventies every day, pretty much
all day. I would stretch a point and take a 6 hour direct
bus ride from San Jose (Palandine bus leaves at 10:00 am)
to Bocas del Toro, an island in Panama. Beautiful and
still undiscovered. Swim and dive to your hearts content.
Have a great trip.
Everyone always talks about how friendly the belizeans are,
but if you are asian looking, I can guarantee (I was there
in January and left the country early) that you will be
treated like dirt. People will glare at you, not answer
you if you say good morning, say derogatory things to you on
the street for no reason, and answer questions without
looking at you (if they answer at all). Sound like fun?
Now you know why I left the Belize early.
Costa Rica
you don't need to stay in san jose when in cr. there are
many places around arenal and poas where you will never see
anyone who isn't tico. although if you stay in the smaller
towns, you need more than a rudimentary knowledge of
spanish. don't expect most ticos to speak english, except
in heavy tourist areas, which won't give you the real feel
of the country, anyway. also, everywhere in cr there are
two different rates for admissions; tico and tourist. if
you can't pass for a tico, be prepared. but, hey, it's
still well worth it. have fun!