Length:     24 days (14 on tour, 10 solo)
Tour Company:     G Adventures
Tour:     Basic Costa Rica
Traveler:     Dave

Places visited*:

1. San José, San José Province (Tour)
2. Puerto Viejo de Talamanaca, Limón Province (Tour)
3. La Fortuna, Alajuela Province (Tour)
4. Monteverde / Santa Elena, Puntarenas Province (Tour)
5. Playa Sámara, Guanacaste Province (Tour)
6. Playa Santa Teresa, Puntarenas Province (Solo)

*It’s important to include the province as the same city names are used in almost every province.

San José, San José

Upon arrival in San José (SJO) Aeropuerto Internacional Juan Santamaría, immigration is quite easy to navigate and clear. Next stop is the baggage area which has a few options for local SIM Cards.

I used Kolbi, which I found has excellent coverage throughout Costa Rica, with the exception of Playa Santa Teresa, Nicoya, but honestly, with that beach and surf, who wants their phone? It costs $20-$22 (July 2016 price) for 30 days, 2 GB of 4G data, 500 local texts, and 100 local minutes of talk. The extra $2 is if they make you pay for the SIM Card (I had to pay in November 2015, but not on this trip). The best part? They will put the card in and set it up to work for you! Be sure to bring your SIM Card door tool (or a small paperclip), if your phone needs one to get the card out.

After collecting my baggage, I was met outside the baggage area by my driver, who had a sign with my name on it, and took a private cab (one set up by the most amazing guide, Adri) to Hotel Casa Las Orquídeas. 

Hotel Casa Las Orquídeas (The Orchids House) is a small boutique hotel located in a decent area near restaurants and bars. There is a bus stop across the street from the hotel that gives you the ability to get around the city. There is a large super market 70 meters from the hotel, which is very convenient for snacks and drinks. The beds are comfortable for the level of hotel and there is a flat screen TV with plenty of channels. The showers are hot and have good pressure. WiFi was available in the hotel, but some places had weak signal. One of the only negatives of the hotel is the noise. The walls/doors don’t stop much noise and the window to the lobby (in the room I had) allowed all conversations from the lobby to be heard.

Day 2 started with a quick 20 minute ride to the bus station (Terminal Atlántico Norte) for the 6 hour public bus ride to Puerto Viejo de Talamanaca, Limón.  Be sure to use the restroom before heading to the terminal. Once there, to use the restroom, you have to pay the attendant 2 Colónes and he/she will let you in and give you some toilet paper. Arrive approximately 1.5 hours before the departure time to buy your bus tickets as they can sell out fast. The bus will stop in Limón (4.5 hours) for 10-15 minutes to allow for snacks and bathroom break. You have to pay for the restroom here as well. Then hop back on the bus for the last 1 – 1.5 hours of the journey, driving past the major fruit company shipping yards.

Puerto Viejo de Talamanca, Limón

Once you arrive in Puerto Viejo de Talamanca, the vibe is that of a laid back, care free, Caribbean island. There are backpackers and locals roaming the streets in bathing suits, flip-flops, and generally loose, relaxed clothes. Most people are mellow and just looking for the next place to have a good time, after their early morning yoga session, surf session, or hangover breakfast. Drinks are flowing, music is playing, and the warm Caribbean waves are rolling on the beach, begging you to swim, snorkel, dive, and surf.

Some of the highlights to see in the area are:
Parque Nacional Cahuita:  Take a nature walk looking for sloths, birds, insects, etc.
Jaguar Rescue Center:  See many local animals being rehabilitated by volunteers
The beach:  No explanation needed! Surfing, swimming, snorkeling, etc.

I tried my hand at surfing, but it was more difficult than I expected. Thanks to Alonso with Happy Days Adventure Company and the my instructor (Naima), who was super nice, patient, helpful, and truly loves to surf, it made for a great time, even with the large number of falls.

The hotel for the next few nights was Kaya’s Place, located 200 meters ( West of the bridge into town, across the street from the beautiful Playa Negra which has some of the softest black sand I’ve ever walked on. The walk into town is easy and there is plenty to see and do. The hotel has a great reception area / bar / restaurant and serve a wide variety of pizza, Italian food, and drinks. The room I was in was small and the shower’s electric heated shower head has some poor connections which made for a tingle if you touched the shower head (not recommended to touch it, just in case). The rooms upstairs over the bar had a great view of the ocean and some hammocks and sofas on the deck.

La Fortuna, Alajuela

For those that love outdoor activities, there is plenty to do in and around La Fortuna. The town is small, lively, and has a good amount of restaurants and shops around the central square, Parque de La Fortuna. In and around the La Fortuna area, travelers can hike up a volcano, see waterfalls, ride horses, whitewater raft, stand up paddle, kayak, go canyoning, relax in natural hot springs, and so much more. The most photographed thing, if you are lucky enough to see it, is Arenal volcano, the source of the geothermal activity in the area. In 2 trips to La Fortuna, the picture below is the most clear view I had of the top of the volcano.

One of the biggest, and in my opinion best, tour operators in Costa Rica, is Desafio Adventure Company. Desafio provides transportation to and from your adventure from either your hotel or their main office. Some tours include a meal and most include some sort of snacks (generally delicious fresh pineapple, watermelon, or other fruits) and ALL tours include lots of fun. The guides are very knowledgeable about the tour and make sure everyone has a great time.

I’ve done the following tours. Click the tour name for details of the tour and click the Video link for my GoPro videos of the tours.

Stand Up Paddle (SUP) on Lake Arenal     (Video Part 1, 2, 3, 4)
Canyoning in the Lost Canyon     (Video Part 1, 2, 3, 4)
Gravity Falls     (Video) **My personal favorite so far**
Whitewater Rafting – Sarapiqui River Class 3 and 4     (Video)

We stayed at Hotel Cabañitas Resort and Spa (Little Cabins, for obvious reasons) for the few nights spent in the area. The hotel is located about 15 minutes from the town, but it’s an easy walk along the main road. Each “room” is its own little cabin. The rooms have their own restrooms, air conditioning, and WiFi is available around most of the property. Some of the father rooms from the lobby have trouble connecting, but you can always connect by the pool or in the lobby/restaurant if you need. The room was comfortable, but the air conditioner in my room must have had a clogged drain line, because it would eventually have a waterfall run down the wall and onto the desk underneath it, but not one else in the group seemed to mention a similar issue.

Monteverde / Santa Elena, Puntarenas

Crossing the mountains from La Fortuna to Monteverde / Santa Elena, there is a noticeable change in the weather. The air dries out and cools down and the more tropical jungle gives way to a dense cloud forest. 

Santa Elena is a very small town, with the majority of it being located within 3 roads, forming a triangle, with each leg being about 125 meters long. The streets are lined with shops, restaurants, and the one bar (Bar Amigos) is located just off the main street. My favorite place to eat has been Taco Taco. This small, Mexican restaurant was created by the attached hotel (Pension Santa Elena) in response to guests’ requests for breakfast at the hotel. They serve locally sourced, hand-made, farm fresh food, that is well worth the wait, even when it’s really busy. In addition to amazing tacos, they have some of the best burritos and, of course, breakfast. A must visit if you find yourself in the Monteverde / Santa Elena area.

The biggest attraction in this area is the cloud forest, which is beautiful to walk through, especially along the bridges in the canopy. If you’re looking for a little more adventure, you’re in luck. Zip Lines (including the longest in Central America at 1590 meters / 5,216 feet), Bungee Jumping (143 meters / 470 feet with fall of 80 meters / 262 feet), Night Walks to check out what goes bump in the night, and more!

I’ve done the following tours. Click the tour name for details of the tour, the company for all their tours, and click the Video link for my GoPro videos of the tours.

Zip Line / Tarzan Swing     100% Aventura (longest Zip Line in Central America)    (Video)
Bungee Jump     Monteverde Extremo Park     (Video)
Night Walk     Kinkajou Night Walk

Playa Sámara, Guanacaste

Departing Monteverde / Santa Elena and descending towards the coast, the Nicoya Peninsula comes into view. A 3 hour ride is greatly rewarded once you see Playa Sámara. Now, there are some beautiful beaches along the Pacific coast, but of the Pacific coast beaches I’ve been to (Playa Manuel Antonio, Playa Sámara, and Playa Santa Teresa), the ones on the Nicoya Peninsula (Playa Sámara and Playa Santa Teresa) have been my favorite. First, let’s talk about Playa Sámara. This beach and town are nestled in a bay called Bahía Sámara. This makes the waves small enough for comfortable swimming and activities, but big enough to be surfed. The town itself is small and easily walked. There are restaurants all along the beach and nightlife at most of them.

While I opted for a hammock, a towel, and sunscreen, there are certainly other things to do in the area. You can ride horses on the beach, rent an ATV and go explore the area and remote beaches, watch volleyball tournaments, walk the beach, and more.

For the few nights in Playa Sámara, I stayed at Hotel Casa Valeria, a small 10 room hotel with eating area and hammocks, has a fully stocked kitchen that guests can use to cook their own meals, and is located directly on the beach. There is a market located about 50 meters down the street and the main area of town is 300 meters away. The room I was in was a double room, had a ceiling fan, a floor fan, restroom with shower, hot water, and WiFi was strong across the property, but faded quickly once on the sand. As with any amazing beach, who really needs WiFi out there? Disconnect and enjoy life!

Playa Santa Teresa, Puntarenas

The final stop on this trip was Playa Santa Teresa, a little slice of heaven on the Pacific coast. I was fortunate enough to have 9 days on the beach to relax and forget about the world. Located near the southern tip of the Nicoya Peninsula, getting there from most of Costa Rica is a lengthy bus or van ride, but worth every second. The main street is where most of the hotels/hostels, shops, and restaurants are located.

There is one main activity in Playa Santa Teresa, surfing. From one end of the beach to the other, the waves are full of surfers and the beach filled with people tanning and watching the surfers. For a more secluded visit, head to the North end of the beach, away from the center of town. The surfers and people stay more towards the south end, near the main access path from the street. No matter where you are on the beach, it’s beautiful. One drawback to the beach can be the amount of dogs running around. Most dogs are well-behaved and don’t bother you, but some may bother you or even act aggressive towards you if you’re close to where they are laying. Definitely not something to keep you away or ruin your day, just be aware.

I opted to try Airbnb to find a place to stay here, and found the process to be quick and easy. No complaints. I found Hotel Meli Melo, located about 50 meters north of the main access path and, 400 meters north of Super Ronny #2 (the main general store). This hotel was a great value. The owners and their 2 children live on the upper level and are extremely nice and helpful. There are bikes you can borrow during the day to get around, a fully stocked kitchen with a fridge and storage space that has each room number on it to keep items separated and give everyone equal space, books, and hammocks. There are only a handful of rooms and the property is beautiful. My room was a double room, had a ceiling fan, air conditioner, and its own restroom with large, hot shower. You can also have the owners book activities for you, such as Surf Lessons, Yoga/Pilates, Massage, Horseback Riding, Cabo Blanco Nature Reserve, day trip to Isla Tortuga, Curu Wildlife Refuge, Scuba Diving, Sport Fishing, Quad Rentals (best way to get around to some of the farther places like Montezuma and Playa Hermosa), Rainsong Wildlife Sanctuary, Montezuma Waterfalls, Canopy/Zip Line, etc.

Getting back to San José was quite east. In additon to private or shared vans, a public bus runs twice a day from Santa Teresa to San José, 6:00am and 2:00pm. The bus at 6:00am goes direct to San José and the bus at 2:00pm stops in Cóbano, where you need to buy a ticket and switch busses to get to San José. If you take the 2:00 bus, be sure to get to the ticket counter quickly as tickets may sell out and you could be stranded in Cóbano for the night. I was lucky enough to get a standing room ticket, yes, standing for the 4.5 hours to San José (with the exception of the ferry from Paquera to Punta Arenas). The bus makes 2 stops in San José, the first at (SJO) Aeropuerto Internacional Juan Santamaría, and the second at the central bus station.

I hope this gives you some inspiration to take a trip to Costa Rica. It truly is amazing and you will love it. For photos from the trip, check out my album on Facebook.

Please share with your friends using the links below. If you have any questions or comments, please reply using the box below.

Thanks for reading!