​COSTA RICA BABY!!!

My Costa Rica trip was more then I was ever expecting! I was looking forward to the trip so very much, but really didn’t know what to expect. I had never really anticipated the beauty of the country…or the distance between each different areas in Costa Rica. We flew into SAN JOSE for 2 nights in the city area, which are highly recommended. From there we moved to other areas of Costa Rica.

We spend 2 nights at the Melia Cariari, which is located in San Jose about 10 mins from the airport. It is smaller hotel but very nice little hotel, with good food and nice clean rooms as well as convenient to a lot in the downtown area. This hotel has 2 restaurants, 1 main and 1 specialty resturant, nice pool, small beauty shop, small casino and 2 shops.

My first day in Costa Rica was a Coffee Plantation/History Tour. Now let me be honest in that I was really not looking forward to this at all, come on how interesting can a coffee tour be? Well, I was surprisingly very wrong! I enjoyed it and would recommend it to everyone that stays in the San Jose area. You have to experience it yourself, but I can say that they made it very enjoyable. The tour also includes a wonderful lunch!

Then it was off to the Arenal area for a night by the Volcano. But first we had to get there…4 hour bus ride but keep in mind that the roads are NOT like ours. Although it wasn’t really has bad as it sounds. Our tour guide was very entertaining and kept us looking for birds, monkeys, butterflies, slothtes and you have to remember to look out at the beautiful scenery. Let me tell you once we arrived and settled in our rooms at the El Tucano we forgot all about the ride. The Occidental El Tucano Spa: Very quaint hotel, clean rooms, but NO AIR!!! It only has 1 restaurant with a small bar (CHEAP DRINKS TOO!!!) it also has a very small gift shop. Time for a relaxing afternoon…nope, there is way too much to see! Back on the bus for a ride to the Hot Springs and closer look at the Volcano. The Tabican Hot Springs …what a different experience! It was really lush and tropical with a water falls and plenty of room to spread out and relax. The water is hot is some places but the further you go up the cooler is gets. I found a nice spot that cool water comes flowing out so I had the best of two worlds. There are also places to sit and look right up at the volcano. Of course you have to have clear day, which we were lucky. After we were finished at the springs we loaded up back on the bus (our home away from home) to the Volcano. Carlos always on the look out for wildlife, goes leaping off the bus, he has spotted a white hawk that is very rarely seen. He was so excited because he only see’s it about once a year. From there we went on our way, stopped at Lake Arenal which is the lake was enlarged to 3 times it's original size to form a basin for the hydroelectric project that now produces 70% of Costa Rica's electricity. It provides windsurfing, fishing, boat tours, as well as a boat shortcut to the Montverde Cloud Forest. We did have dinner near the volcano at a new resort that is being built with rooms that face the Volcano. 2 rumbles from the Volcano while we were eating. WOW, and then we also got to see the hot lava flowing down the side. WAY WORTH the drive!!!

Back on the bus for another adventure to Montverde Cloude Forest area, this time 5 hours with the lovely 2 hour dirt road. By now I am used to it. If you tend to get car sick…TAKE SOMETHING. I was in the front and taking something and I still got bothered by it. We stayed at the Montverde Cloud Forest Lodge…not your normal resort, very rustic like a camp. The rooms are ok, NOTHING FANCY, No TV, no air or heat and no phones. The Lodge where all meals are served…meals are like home cooked, very good! Way too much but who can say no to home cooked. Lodge also has a small TV and couch, small bar, and porch with GREAT VIEWS. Lots of humming birds here. Just a very secluded lodge way up in the middle of the mountains. Some of us took a Canopy Walk which was great! Foggy and overcast the day we were there but it was neat. This is where the “zip line” is too over the forest…we didn’t have a chance, but I talked to someone who did it…it was fun but more like a amusement then seeing anything, you go to fast to see. J

Back on the bus, 1 last long trip to the beach area. We arrive at the Grand Papagayo by Occidental where we will stay for 1 night, greeted with a welcome drink and check in a desk with personalized service. Beautiful resort with lots of foliage and great view of the ocean. It does have a few stairs to get you to the pool, buffet restaurant and then to the beach. (which wasn’t the greatest.) This property which is an All Inclusive –Buffet/ Beach Grill and then 2 specialty resturants, Oriental and Itailian, we had an excellent dinner at the Oriental Restaurant. Internet is available 24 hours a day; SPA and small SMALL work out room. The rooms are very spacious with most facing the ocean, big bathrooms. Very clean over all. I like it!

This is definitely a destination I have to qualify my clients for. It isn’t for everyone, the whole trip that is. Some can only so the beach area or some clients may be ok for the whole adventure. I think to truly see the whole country and the diverse areas you have to see the VOLCANO, CLOUD FOREST and the Beach area. It is so pretty but yet all so different. There is so much wildlife to see and so much to take in. I will go back and take my hubby for sure. You may have noticed that I didn’t note if hotels were handicapped accessible. A lot of them are not, but there are some that can accommodate, you just have to be careful which ones. Personally if my clients were traveling with a handicap, I know where I would send them that would work out well. I have many ideas for your COSTA RICA trip. Contact me at Tana@FirstChoiceTravelandCruise.com or 262-542-5955.

See I don't just sit in the office behind a desk!

I can horse around too! 

Guess where I am? I could get lost here. I have never seen anything like this before, have you?