[newyorkc]

Anyone done this before? I saw the other thread with the couple going to Nosara; I've been there before and loved it, but we did have an issue with theft and that's not something I want to have to worry about too much.

planning to go in february for 5 days and would like to stay on the beach or in very close walking distance. A friend recommended Montezuma/Mal Pais/Santa Teresa but that area seems like a long drive from the airport.

Any recommendations including areas, hotels, hikes, restaurants etc. are appreciated. I would like to do some surfing, but it's not the focus of the trip (boo). thanks in advance!

[surfnli]

this is probably not helpful, but: why else would you go to costa if not to surf?  i've only been hermosa south to pavones, but i can't see myself there just to vacation

[newyorkc]

wildlife, hiking, volcanoes, beautiful beaches, weather, relatively inexpensive, possibility of a surf lesson for girlfriend

[tummee]

That couple could be me and my girlfriend. She had only tried surfing once in Puerto Rico and that effort nearly got us both drowned, but she braved the waters again in Playa Guiones for a lesson and liked it so much she went again a few days later.

Sorry to hear about your previous difficulties in Nosara. Should you be willing to brave the area again, I have nothing but good things to say about our stay in Guiones. For me, the surf was awesome. Outside of those sessions, though, there was plenty for me and my girlfriend to do. We took a zip-line canopy tour, a sunset horseback ride, a free salsa lesson. My girlfriend took a class at the yoga institute and the aforementioned surfing lesson. There's plenty to do at night. Gilded Iguana, where we stayed, has live music two nights a week. There probably be a World Cup game on at least one night you are there.

Only downside was the first of three frickin' speed traps on the road to Nicoya.

[newyorkc]

that's funny you stayed at the Guilded Iguana, that's where I was as well. Really liked the place but unfortunately petty theft is the name of the game in that country.

[tummee]

Ah! That sucks. Aside from being on the receiving end of a shakedown at that first speed trap, we were fortunate not have to deal with any more issues.

Would love to hear about other areas of the country. We were stoked on the vacation and will definitely go back.

[little_nasty]

i've went to CRI with wife and a gaggle of her girlfriends and had a great time.  there's a few resorts down there that have enough variety to keep everyone entertained.  personally i liked punta islita - nice villas and spa for the girls and decent breaks within walking distance.
 
http://www.hotelpuntaislita.com/
 
haven't been, but supposed to be pretty nice:
http://www.paradisus.com/
http://www.reservaconchal.com/paginaInterna.aspx?id_categoria=4
casa chameleon in mal pais
 
others a little more rustic, but lotsa wildlife if you're into it
 
http://www.gaiahr.com/
http://www.ranchopacifico2.com/
 
there's also this place down in Osa that's like a treehouse up in the jungle - it's pretty cool, i'll try to remember the name.
 
 
 
 
 

[kookymonster]

I went to Manuel Antonio with my non-surfing, non-adventurous wife.  It's definitely the most touristy (and seemingly safest) place I've seen in CR.  It's also one of the most expensive as well.  That being said, it's still a deal compared to what you would pay in the US and there are all kinds of activities available.  Her favorites were (surprisingly) whitewater rafting down the Naranjo and ATV-ing in the pouring rain.  For the surfer, the problem is that the beach can be outside of walking distance, depending on where you are staying (but I'd rather just drive to the beach and pay the 2000 colones for parking), the waves don't really seem to barrel like in Hermosa (if that's what you're looking for, but they're plenty rippable), and they're generally smaller than nearby breaks.  Finally, I would highly suggest that you do not spend your money on eating at a lot of high-end restaurants.  At least in my experience and for my palette, these chefs don't know how to cook and season the food in a subtle and skillful manner as I would expect in similar places in the US.  Most of the time, the food was overcooked, seasoned overwhelmingly, or too oily.  It's a shame, since they have the freshest fish they can get coming in through Quepos.

[little_nasty]

also.
 
http://www.losaltosdeeros.com/
http://www.villashermosas.com/

[BOB]

they have skeleton keys that open all rental cars; we had valuables stolen from our locked car literally when we turned our back for under 3 minutes to pay for something at a roadside stand.

[snaggletooth]

ditch the girlfriend.
 
ok, if you don't ditch the girlfriend, check out the osa penninsula, like LN mentioned. it's the dry season, so most of guanacaste is going to be not-so-pretty (VERY DUSTY). pavones, across from the osa penninsula, is a great wave, but your girlfriend will never speak to you again if you take here there and leave her alone to go surfing.
there's an eco lodge near matapalo on the osa where the Parque Nacional Corcovado is. it's supposed to be beautiful with macaws and all kinds of wildlife. there happens to be a great wave nearby. not sure how it does on north swells, since you're not really in southern hemi time. if you're not lugging surfboards around, i'd also recommend taking the puddle jumpers instead of driving. faster, great views, costs about the same. i think that lodge has their own plane (sorry can't think of the name).
you could break the trip up (again, assuming you are not lugging boards around), and go to the cloud forest, do the zip lines for one day, and then hop a flight down to osa for 4 days, hop a flight back to SJO the day you leave.

[newyorkc]

thanks guys/girls for the recommendations. i don't plan on bringing a board with me so it looks like all of the above are potential options.

[DACK]

I just moved back from Costa after living there for over 3 years (with wife and daughter) and worked in a travel company for surfers for many years before I moved. If you would like to email me at dackholland@yahoo.com I can share what I know.

[frroK]

I buried my sandals in the sand at Guiones and they still got stolen...other than that no issues. never ever ever leave anything in your car, thats for anywhere you go really.

[onefinookas]

I just moved back from Costa after living there for over 3 years (with wife and daughter) and worked in a travel company for surfers for many years before I moved. If you would like to email me at dackholland@yahoo.com I can share what I know.

For everyones info, Dack is a super nice guy as is the rest of his family.  About, a bunch of years ago, Dack helped me and a buddy out on our first trip to Costa Rica.  Thanks, Dack.  And he certainly knows his brown trout.