Solentiname/San Juan River information needed
Replies: 6 - Last Post: Feb 23, 2012 8:11 PM Last Post By: odey
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Solentiname/San Juan River information needed
Hi,Finally I've booked my flight
and intended to visit the area of San Juan river and Solentiname
However- there is so limited information about the area,
It's difficult to organize a visit- so I hope you'll share your knowledge with me...
As my days are limited- I have accepted the fact I will have to pay extra for private boat in some cases ( depending how much the extra is...). Does anyone knows how can I arrange a boat from the Solentiname islands to Los Guatuzos? any contact person?
also a trip around the islands- any information with who I can arrange it once on the island?
any recommendation for a budget place to stay once on the islands?
I am still trying to figure out if it's worth to make a 1 day tour to the islands or to stay a night or two there ( was able to find one report against the stay over there...)
My idea was to take the regular boat to solentiname on Friday. organize a boat there for Sat- to travel around the islands and on Sunday to hire a boat to Los Guatuzos. stay 2 nights there and take regular boat on Tue- to catch a ferry to Granada or to continue traveling on the San Juan River.
If you say the islands are not worth the stay- I may try to do the tour and the same day and same boat to continue to Los Guatozos.
Still considering if Los Guazutos 2 days is enough or a day in Indio Maiz is still worth the trip after...?
Thanks all for comments!
1
2 days is enough for Los Guatuzos. It is a great place for wildlife spotting, much better than the short tours to the Indio-Maiz reserve organised from El Castillo IMO. Not quite the same vegetation though.Don't know about Solentiname, but FYI the regular passenger service from San Carlos o Los Guatuzos stops for half an hour on a tiny islet of the archipelago (not so on the way back) called Chichicaste (I think).
2
Thanks a lotLos Guatuzos is definitely on my itinerary
I hoped to include Indio Maiz too, but it doesn't work.
What is your opinion about the Solentiname islands?
There is so little information on the San Juan area, that's it is hard to make decision.
It seems on the island it's a laid back rest period, maybe except renting a bout or other tour around the islands... the few comments about the place were only negative from the last 2 years ( before they were great). - people dislike the hosts and their attitude, no decent accommodation etc'...
Therefore I was thinking to take a tour of a full day and not staying there- would that be enough?
Thanks again,
and hoping for more reviews....
3
Sorry I can't help much with Solentiname, as all I've seen of the archipelago is that islet I mentioned above. A couple of months ago someone recommended the hostal familiar Los Pescaditos Castillo on the island of Mancarron, but I didn't go there at the end, so I can't vouch for it myself. At least it shouldn't be a bad experience with your hosts.Someone else might know more.
4
We took a private boat from San Carlos to Guatuzos. Spent a few hours there and had lunch. Saw turtles, iguanas, monkeys, eagles, kingfishers and caimans at the (sorry) farm. Took the same boat with guide across the very choppy lake in the afternoon (soaked and scared) to Solentiname - Isla San Fernando. Clearly the best option there is Cabanas Paraiso ($45) as we did look at Celentiname as well and it's totally beat up. I have their brochure at home, but could not find them online before I left - no matter what. That cost us a little bit. The next day, we went to Mancarron for a couple of hours. Some Ernesto Cardenal History. Not much wildlife. That afternoon, we headed back to San Carlos. Across the same choppy scary lake. Cost of boat and guide was $350 including the guide's hotel room, and we bought them meals too. It was all as they had said it would be. No surprises there. My travelling companion was more interested in this than me. I have seen better wildlife in Costa Rica than in Guatuzos. And I would have spent an extra night in Ometepe than Solentiname. All depends on what you are looking for.
