Things to do in Quepos
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Café Milagro
Serving some of the country’s best cappuccino and espresso, this is a great place to perk up in the morning – try the perezoso (meaning ‘lazy’ or ‘sloth’), which is a double espresso poured into a large cup of drip-filter coffee. Or, if you want to simply relax and read the English-language newspapers that are available, you can indulge in a baked good or a freshly made deli sandwich.
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El Patio
This Nuevo Latino spot is adored by locals and tourists alike, in part because its menu changes daily yet never fails to entice and surprise. The unspoken rule here is fresh and local, which means that meats, seafood and produce are always of the highest quality, and always prepared in a way that highlights their natural flavors. If you’re a fan of tapas, sample a few dishes here, though go slow and enjoy your meal over a few glasses of imported wine.
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Tropical Sushi
Quepos has gone cosmopolitan: for authentic Japanese (yes, the sushi chef is from Japan!), try this colorfully decorated restaurant, which packs in the hostel crowd for all-you-can-eat specials (US$20). If you’re a purist, you can stick to the tuna sashimi spreads, though it’s worth venturing out a bit and sampling some of the local Costa Rican–style rolls.
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Monchados
Although the food is inconsistent, this is something of a Quepos institution among gringos. The long-standing Mex-Carib spot offers traditional Limón-style dishes and Mexican standards. Food here is eclectic, innovative and never bland, a theme that is also reflected in the vibrant decorations and fairly regular live music.
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Amigo Tico Complete Adventure Tours
Offers a range of tours, including rafting, walks in national parks, mountain biking and fishing. There’s no office in Quepos; book by phone or through your hotel.
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Books2Go
Susan runs a quaint little bookstore that also serves as the travelers’ meeting place. You can post messages, store your bags, burn photos to CDs, use the internet (₡1000per hour), or just hang out and read a good book.
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Iguana Tours
With tours that leave for destinations all over the central Pacific coast, this adventure-travel shop offers reputable river rafting, sea kayaking, horseback riding, mangrove tours and dolphin-watching excursions. It's no fly-by-night operation – it's been around since '89 – and has a proven commitment to ecotourism principles.
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Discoteca Arco Iris
An industrial-sized discotheque just north of town that brings out the locals with thumping dance beats. Don't even think of coming here early; you'll be drinking alone. There's a cover of about US$6 every night to dissuade the riffraff.
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Sargento García
This Stars-and-Stripes tribute bar may be a bit heavy on the Americana for some, but look no further if you’re craving a Budweiser and some big-screen sports. On Wednesday nights it offers free salsa dancing classes at 8pm.
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El Gran Escape
A fisher-friendly bar and restaurant that is good for cold beer, warm pub grub and some light-hearted chit-chat about the one that got away.
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h2o Adventures
The venerable Costa Rican rafting company Ríos Tropicales has an office in Quepos called h2o Adventures. Rates for class III and IV rapids runs start at US$67 in low season. In summer they are US$82.
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Four Trax Adventure
Four-hour ATV tours are US$95 per person.
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Luna Tours
Located in Best Western Hotel Kamuk.
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Bluefin Sportfishing
Across from the soccer field, this outfitter does excellent fishing trips. It also offers a laundry list of other tours.
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Costa Mar Dream Catcher
Next to Cafe Milagro.
reviewed
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Super Mas
Don't mistake this market for your average supermarket: the wondrous aisles of Super Mas have an astonishing array of imported goods, fresh bread and liquor.
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Soda Como Bien
A discussion about which is the best of of the mercado's sodas can quickly become contentious, but little Como Bien, in the northeast corner of the market, is among the best on the whole coast. The daily rotation of delicious cafeteria options might include fresh fish in a tomato citrus sauce, olla de carne (beef soup with rice) or chicken soup, but everything is fresh, the ladies behind the counter are friendly and the burly portions are a dream come true for hungry shoestringers. If you're just looking for something quick before or after a big bus ride, pick up one the fresh empanadas.
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Republik Club
Republik hosts the most reliable party in central Quepos, and it has some kind of drink special nearly every night if you arrive before 10pm. (Of course the place is pretty lonely at that hour.) Later, the volume gets loud, the drinks get more pricey and things tend to careen out of control. Depending on the night it can be a excellent place to party, though ladies with a strong constitution and a taste for adventure should go on Thursday, when they can drink free most of the night.
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Musik
The decor of this futuristically themed place (white plastic furniture and lasers) is a bit heavy-handed, but the centrally located club has theme nights, requisite (dangerously cheap) ladies' specials and a molar-rattling sound system. When the place is empty, get a corner seat on the balcony to watch the action unfold on the streets below. It's above a Century 21 office.
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Farmers Market
reviewed
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Cevicheria El Dorado
There's nothing to it – a tinny radio playing Costa Rican pop, a few well-worn stools and a couple of friendly ladies behind the counter – but locals seek out this tiny ceviche joint for amazing dishes of fresh affordable fish dressed in citrus and cilantro (coriander) and sided with a few cooked plantains. The selection changes with the seasonal catch, but the price always stays low.
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Bohemia Café
The decor is a bit loud – it's all a mess of colors and animal print – but this little spot draws a pleasant mix of travelers who tend to clack away on their keyboards or wolf down decent burritos and cheap smoothies. For upscale dishes it does pan-international dishes with tropical flair, like mahimahi with coconut and pineapple.
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Casino
If you feel like putting your cash on the line, there’s a small but suitable casino at the Best Western Hotel Kamuk, but the scene gets a bit seedy.
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Oceans Unlimited
This shop takes its diving very seriously, and runs most of its excursions out to Isla Larga and Isla del Caño, which is south in Bahía Drake (connected through a two-hour bus trip south). It also has a range of specialized PADI certifications and regular environmental awareness projects that make it stand out from the pack. The shop is near the southeast corner of the football field, on the road to Manuel Antonio.
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Mercado Central
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