Where to spend Christmas and New Years?

You're not going to find any snorkeling on the Pacific coast. The surf is too heavy. You can try surfing, or bodysurfing. To avoid the tourist crazy at Manuel Antonio, try someplace on the Nicoya peninsula, like Playa Samara, or lots of other choices. For this week though, you can't just show up. You need advance reservation, and right after XMas, it will cost.

If you don't find turtles, don't worry. You can easily find baby turtles hatching that time of the year on the Nicaragua beaches.

Go to the Caribbean Coast.

Do you think a good option would be to do Christmas in Samara and then do New Years in Montezuma?

The only thing I'm worried about in Samara is that there's not going to be many backpackers around, only families with little kids and I'll end up celebrating alone or something... I want to go there, as it looks lovely, but it's just this week I'd like to have planned out before I go :)

Another idea is to just celebrate at the volunteer center and go to MA earlier in December when it's not so crowded, then towards the end of January go to Puerto Viejo when the weather is looking up.

Thank you for the reply, it helps a lot :)

There is not really snorkeling in Costa Rica, a few spots, but the Pacific side is more for surf. The caribe side below Pt Viejo is your best bet. On the Pacific side, Playa Bellena (low tide) at the whales tale.

There is not any white sand beaches and crystal blue waters in Costa Rica either, its mainly brown sand (volcanic) and green waters, due to color reflection of the sand, in the water. The lightest colors of sand near white, are mainly on the caribe side as well, Cahuita, Playa Cochles, Chequita, Puna Uva and Manzanillo-Ganduca. On the Pacific side, play Conchal near Brasilto and Tamarindo is nice too...but its a small beach.

Playa Samara, like all the Pacific beaches, will be crowded or booked Xmas week, its a huge holiday for tourism, and also locals that week. Xmas is a tad peaceful for locals, but the NYE weekend will be jammed, they camp on the beaches everywhere. The traffic is so bad they reverse the highway toll to all one direction back to San Jose from Puntarenas.

The Pacific side is most developed and caters to tourism and beach holidays, so at Xmas/NYE, I would avoid it. Manual Antonio is best avoided year round. Its a small park and small beach, and the area is very developed, nothing Backpacker about it, its a destination for honeymooners and families/couples, and is jammed that week. (Closed Mondays). Why in the world would you even consider Manual Antonio, it hardly has a beach to say least.

The best area for beaches and nice sand, few crowds and fewer tourist, and lower prices, is the caribe side. Rainy season is afternoon showers if that in end of Dec, the weather in Dec in the country is great overall...but the Pacific side will be brown and bone dry, dusty roads and not a lot of green, from Papagayo to Tamarindo to Nosora, Samara and Montezuma and Mal Pais. The southern zone, south of Quepos, is greener due to rainfall almost year round, as is the caribe side, so another reason to head to caribe.

Lastly, if you want a backpacker vibe on the Pacific side, then head to Mal Pais and Santa Teresa, its the end of the road, and only those in the know, go down there, and great surfing too.

But Pt Viejo and the cairbe coast is far more chill out backpacker vibe, and also more authentic and rustic, than anything on the Pacific side, period.

But, if you head down to Playa Pavones, you will have nothing to contend with but great surf.

What guidebook are you using, with so much time in the country, you should have a good one, like Moon, Roughguide or LP....

Your info and impression of where to go not very accurate.

http://nicoyapeninsula.com

http://www.puertoviejosatellite.com

Description of the sort of beach I would like was more to give an idea of what sort of week I was hoping for, and kinda thought it was a possibility from pictures I've seen but if not that's ok, as long as it's a beach and I can swim I'm happy.

I was originally looking at Puerto Viejo, but a lady who own a hostel there told me it was rainy season and suggested that I come in October or February instead, which is why I'm now trying to get ideas of where to stay so I can book now and not struggle to find a place last minute. But if it's only a shower in the afternoon or in the morning then I'd be perfectly fine going there. (although I've seen plenty of posts that tell you to bring rain gear and be prepared for days inside, another reason why I originally decided against going.)

I've been told that Manuel Antonio, while yes very commercial and touristy, is a must to see so I will go there, if only for a few days. Always best to make up your own opinion of a place. For all I know it could be a really good experience for me, but would listen to someone who doesn't like it and miss out.

I'm getting my information from a LP book I bought a few days ago, speaking to people online like this (who all tell me different things :P ) and reading blogs. I would say your impression is quite different to most people I've spoken with so far, telling me to stay away from the Carib side in December.

Most of my time in CR will be spent volunteering anyway, it's only this week I'm concerned about. I'll be travelling central america for about 6 months to a year so I'm pretty sure I'll find my white sand and blue ocean somewhere at some point haha :P

I would just hate for it to rain the entire Christmas week if I went to the Carib side.

Thanks for the help, I'll definitely reconsider! :)

Pt Viejo is gorgeous in Dec/Jan...rain is not a factor that spoils anything.

Manual Antonio is NOT a Must See. Its a small park, hundred of tourist everywhere, kids screaming and such, same with beach...seriously, its as touristy as it gets.

Must See are as follows: Ranked by Wildlife, Bio Diversity, Eco Systems, Shear Beauty, and natural settings.

1-Corcovado
2-Tortuguero
3-Tenerio/Celeste
4-Cano Negro
5-La Amistad Chirrpo
6-Rincon
7-Sarapiqui/La Selva
8-Cahuita/Manzanillo
9-Rincon
10-Arenal
11-Orosi Valley
12-Monteverde (Touristy)
13-Uvita/Bellena/Baru
14-Ostional
15- Manual Antonio

Might consider Bocas, they have some decent snorkeling and it's a fun island place or maybe the Corns and get a jump on Nica, you'll want to book everything in advance.

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