Hi all,
Just putting together a last minute trip to meet my sister in Costa Rica, she’s been in central America for a while. The idea is to travel round a bit & hopefully go to the following places.& do Surfing, White Water rafting, Volcano, Diving, see plenty of wildlife.
I’ll put a few dates in to start off just to get the ball rolling. but its very open to change !
Date Day Do
07 1 Arrive SJO
08 2 Travel to Aranel volcanoes stay over.
09 3 T ravel to Pacific side & stay ? time to travel ?
10 4 Day 4,5,6, Covocado National Park (Trekking wildlife in general)Bahia Drake (Whale Watching, wrong season ?)Isla del cano (diving)
11 5
12 6
13 7 Travel to Caribbean Side
14 8 Puerto viego de talmanca (Surfing)
15 9 Puerto viego de talmanca
16 10 Travel to Bocas
17 11 Bocas
18 12 Bocas
19 13 Bocas to San Jose
20 14 8am fly home
Questions
1 Do we have enough time ?
2 Can it be done in a loop rather than returning to San Jose after Pacific to go to the Caribbean side possibly with the aid of flights, say Covocado – Bocas ?
3 What the weather like right now ?
4 Lonely Planet says take Chloroquine apparently no one out there takes it ?
5, Can we go to the Panama Canal form Bocas & if so how much time ?
Maybe I should research a bit more 1st but I thought I’d get the ball rolling. Any input would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks
No flights from La Fortuna to Drake Bay Corcovado, best to do this Via San Jose on Nature Air (Pavas airport) or Sansa air at SJO.
You have to go back through san Jose from Corcovado or western pacific venues to Caribe side. Unless you fly from Corcovado to San Jose, and then catch a bus or drive to Pt Viejo, another 5 hours.
To bus from Corcovado-DB to Caribe side in one day would be hell.
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<hr>2 Can it be done in a loop rather than returning to San Jose after Pacific to go to the Caribbean side possibly with the aid of flights, say Covocado – Bocas ?<hr></blockquote> You could travel from Corcovado to Panama and cross in Panama from the pacific side to the caribbean side. I don’t think you have enough time to go to Panama City and see the canal.
I would say you are trying to do too much in the time you have...you will be travelling on nine days out of your fourteen, the least pleasurable thing to do in CR....(two days flying, one day to Arenal, one day to Corcovado, one day back to SJ, one day to Puerto Viejo, one day to Bocas, one day back from Bocas to PV, one day from PV to San Jose..I would say save Corcovado for another trip, although it is very beautiful and wild....it could also be VErrry rainy at this time of year...that way you could see Arenal and then return to Sj and take the bus to Puerto Viejo and then go down to Bocas from there...just my opinion...
cheers
oops...i guess you could cut down one day travel by flying from Bocas to San Jose although it is quite a bit more expensive than the bus
Flying in and out of Corcovado is key to this trip working, and BDT Panama could be skipped too...
Looks like too much. NOTE: During the rainy season (now), the best part of the day is the mornings. You will be blowing the BEST parts of the day looking out of dirty bus windows for most of you trip.
Fly R/T to Drake's Bay first, then you can pivot in any direction. You can go to Arenal, but why??? You need to plan more than an overnight here, unless you use a tour that will provide transportation and admission to Tabacon. It may be raining in the the afternoon and you will not even be able to see the volcano.
Head to Puerto Viejo next and keep your plan loose. There is a lot to do from PV as a base. Go to Bocas or do something else (like WWR, snorkeling or scuba diving at Aquamor) depending on the weather. Pay attention to other travelers returning from Bocas before heading South.
They even have one and two days trips to the Bocas from PV. Look at this caribe website for ideas. Be sure to look at the what to do and activities sections at some of the hotels listed to get good idea of what is available.
You might even consider heading back to the greater San Jose area early to take day trips to other parts of the country. Enjoy
another suggestion often posted on here is to white water raft down the pacuare river from SJ to the caribbean side, you can be picked up and delivered to PV.
Hi all & thanks for the advice. I kinda thought it looked like a lot of traveling & thats something I really want to avoid. RT flight to Drakes sounds like a good idea. I'll look into that, anyone got a ink for Domestic flights in CR ?
"You can go to Arenal, but why??? You need to plan more than an overnight here, unless you use a tour that will provide transportation and admission to Tabacon. It may be raining in the the afternoon and you will not even be able to see the volcano."
So whats the best way to see the Volcano ?
Thanks
You can rent a car for Arenal, or do a shuttle, all via San Jose- Grayline/Interbus, or a tour as well, or take the public bus.
Consider also flying to Palmur Sur, taxi to Sierppe, boat down river and out on ocean to Drake Bay and then fly back from Drake Bay airstrip- Just a thought to add to fun factor :)
Nature Air is at a airport near downtown San Jose- Pavas
http://www.natureair.com/</a><BR><BR>Sansa Air is at SJO in a terminal 200 yards to the left as you exit Customs down driveway.
http://www.flysansa.com/</a><BR><BR>Try to book morning flights prior to 10am in Rainy season- Rains move and dely/cancel stuff.
You can also raft your way to the Caribe side, and get dropped in Moin (Tortuguero) or Cahuita (Beach-Food-Snorkel) or Pt Viejo (Fun).
I like this outfit, they may be able to meet your needs for Arenal too-
http://www.exploradoresoutdoors.com/</a>
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