Christmas Week Trip to CR

Well if you want to go at Christmas have a heavy wallet and reserve NOW.

Tamarindo is ex-pats, surfers, good party spot, nice beach, good base for the area, pretty young crowd, nice restaurant and bar scene, pricey.

With one week I would stick to one spot, especially if that includes your in and out days.

I think Tamarindo would work pretty well for all you want to do, you can do some day trips for the adventure and hiking.

The road in and out of town is absolute murder, prepare your travellers.

Fly in and out of Liberia airport, not SJO.

If you decide on Tamarindo, try to make flight plans to land in Liberia. As above, I would stick to one place. There are many options for long day trips out of Tamarindo, when mom and sis have less aggressive plans.
I'm taking my family to the Osa over xmas and have already booked. I would get on it soon to avoid disapointment especially for the better accomadations.
I haven't been to Tamarindo for some time, but others on this thread are sure to give you the best suggestions for places to book.

agree with above, but the priority, book now...its PEAK PEAK x 10

Yash
Check this place out. My wife and I stayed there last January and it's quite nice. The owner and his wife are nice people as well. They have some kitchen units but I imagine they go fast. They do however have a comunal kichen as well, it's not much but it works for coffee (free) and toast. The pool area is great, right in the middle of the complex.

http://www.villasmacondo.com/<BR><BR>Enjoy.<BR>Roger.

Shuttles will provide more comfort in terms of transportation. Check these sites.

www.graylinecostarica.com<BR>www.interbusonline.com<BR>www.costaricashuttle.com

yes Villas Macondo is very nice, friendly staff, but pretty basic by alot of ppls standards, good location, horrible ammounts of construction going on around it.

stayed in tamarindo in jan wouldn,t recomend it .pricey,lots of costrution windy just didn,t get into it!!! worse roads in costa rica . macondo was o.k (constrution right behind it.)close to everything though.we also were in samara which was great. nice little town.fly into san jose then take the interbus(reserve) 4-5 hour drive. enjoy

if your going to Tamarindo or Samara youre travel time will be MUCH shorter if you fly in and out of Liberia.

yes transportation from liberia is closer. no interbus .regular bus(very good) from liberia to nicoya 1and half hours(cheap), then taxi($25.00)about 35-45 minutes or bus little more than 1 hour to samara.