Costa Rica

[Playasol]

I'm heading to Costa Rica for three weeks in February.

Does anyone have any info or
comments about their recommendations
and experiences in San Jose and/or the resort coasts.

Lodging, fishing, excursions etc.

Thanks for your time.
P.

[giantwinner]

Originally Posted by Playasol

I'm heading to Costa Rica for three weeks in February.

Does anyone have any info or
comments about their recommendations
and experiences in San Jose and/or the resort coasts.

Lodging, fishing, excursions etc.

Thanks for your time.
P.

1) San Jose is a sh*thole...be careful.

2) Been to a few resorts. Try Los Suenos. Its about 2 hrs from San Jose. Get a driver do not rent a car. The roads are tight and wind through the mountains. Good fishing. A very nice Marriott resort with golf, casino, etc.

3) Go to the Del Rey in San Jose. It will be an eye opener for you.

[The Judge]

Although the Hotel Del Rey is definately a must see, my favorite hotel in San Jose id the Hotel Dunn Inn but you really want to get out of San Jose as quickly as you can and head for the Pacific coast where the rain forest dies right into the ocean. Jaco Beach is a nice little fishing/surfing village with enough night life to keep you happy but still has a quaint charm to it. Check out the Beatle Bar where you will find plenty of "action" as well as Monkey Bar.

My favorite place to stay in Jaco is Canciones del Mar which is right on the beach and every room has a small kitchen and the service there is first rate. Another good spot is the Copacabana Hotel, also right on the beach. Both offer a free breakfast and wireless internet.

The deep sea fishing is incredible with a variety including sailfish, marlin, yellowfin tuna, dorado, roosterfish, wahoo, snapper and mackerel. I have had great success with Hooked on Costa Rica who operates out of the Los Suenos resort near Jaco. Costa Rica Fishing Charters also runs a great operation and with either of these guys you are virtually guranteed to catch fish until you are worn out.

Many daytime excursions are widely available including ATV and horeseback tours in the rain forest as well as zip line canopy tours. A great American run tour If you are going to be there for more than a couple of days I recommend heading south of Jaco from Quepos where Manuel Antonio National Park is located.

Enjoy your trip and I am sure that you will fall in love with this country as I have.

[Playasol]

Giantwinner and The Judge.....

Thank you both for taking the time to
offer information and advice.

Very much appreciated.
P.

[hblocal]

If you are in Guanacaste region, a great little hotel is called hotel bula bula. You can find the hotel on line. I have stayed there multiple times and they are awesome. They are located in Playa Grande, which is near Tamarindo. if you are near Jaco then i agree with Judge. Definitely hit up manuel Antonio national park. it is beautiful.
If you want to surf go to Playa Avellanas about 30 minutes south of playa grande. if you rent a car go visit Arenal volcano. you can find places to stay just by driving around. My lady and i found a place for $50 us a night. The whole wall that faced the volcano was a large window and you could see the red ambers shooting out the top at night, because it is still active.
Have fun it is a beautiful country. I love it so much i own land near Tamarindo and am going to build a house this year.
San Jose is great for bargains on shopping, but other than that head to the Pacific Coast

[Playasol]

hblocal,
Thank you very much for the additional insight.
PlayaSol
(SunnyBeach)