Originally Posted By chickendumpling DH and a couple of his buddies are talking up going to Costa Rica this summer for a surf trip. Anybody here been? What words of advice would you have for me? The kids love to surf too but what else is there to do? I usually research the heck out of trip stuff and I'm sure I will here too but I trust you guys and would love to hear what ya have to say. Thanks!
Originally Posted By 4Disnee Hey Chickendumpling, I have never been but my Uncle has been a few times and really enjoyed it so I will email him tonight and ask him where he stayed and how he liked where he stayed. Hopefully I can get some info for you by Sunday.
Originally Posted By 4Disnee Hey Chickendumpling, I emailed my Uncle and here is was he said I hope that it will help you a little. Have a great trip when you go! As for Costa Rica, here is my take:. I thought it was great. The capital, San Jose, is just a big dirty city like most big cities. The most beautiful parts of the country are the rain forests, the Pacific ocean beaches, the jungles an the rivers with the beautiful rapids. Take an organized tour of the rain forests. It is a great adventure. A little iffy at times but a real adventure. (The two seater piper cub plane that took me out of the jungle landed and took off from a strip of grass between the jungle and the Pacific ocean). I do not recommend the Caribbean or East coast side of the country. It is very dirty and the cities and beaches are filthy and scary at times. The middle of the country and Pacific coast is beautiful. and the people are the true Costa Rican Indians and they are a very beautiful, handsome and friendly people. I recommend Manual Antonio park on the Pacific coast. I stayed in a rather rustic place right close to the beach, but that was back in the early 1980s. I am sure everything has changed and I hear there are great hotels in that area now. They used to have these wonderful little restaurants on the beach with the best food and drink. Just look up on the Internet under Manual Antonio Beach/Costa Rica. I also recommend a guided tour of the rain forest and the river rapids Those trips can be taken out of the capital of San Jose. I stayed 3 days in the jungle in a very rustic camp in a tent. We had no running water and so you cleaned up your own toilet droppings. The animals and night time sounds were unbelievable. I am sure that has all changed. Bottom line, look for a guided tour of the jungle and rapids and then go to Manuel Antonio Park for a wonderful rest. I should go again!!!!!!!
Originally Posted By chickendumpling 4Disnee!!! Thank you so much for asking your uncle! And, please give him my thanks. It was so very nice of him (and you) to take the time to answer me. Thank you. The tour of the jungle and doing the rapids like your uncle metioned sounds GREAT to me and I will definitely look into that. It sounds like he had some reallly awesome experiences! This weekend I've been checking out some links DH's surf buddy sent. Looks like we are looking at staying either on the Penisula Papagayo or in Tamarindo. Both look like fun but I am really starting to wonder about my kids. They're grade schoolers and while they definitely have a sense of adventure, one is much more adventurous than the other. This gets me thinking thought because I have a feeling that when it comes to rainforest tours and stuff, it'll just be me and the kids 'cause I know I'm not gonna be able to get that Big Kahuna husband of mine off his surfboard! LOL. So I'm not sure how safe I feel with those odds in a foreign country I've never been to. That sounds wimpy I know. LOL. I've just gotta check out what's gonna happen on the zip-line in the jungle when one kid zips and the other one zaps. lol. It'll be fun planning though. I love the planning part and I sure appreciate your post.
Originally Posted By chickendumpling thinking thought = thinking though. lol. kinda sounded like Winnie the Pooh right there for a second with "thinking thoughts," lol.
Originally Posted By 4Disnee Hey Chickedumpling, You are so very welcome! My Uncle loves to help out someone with a trip he is a single man and does all the fun and cool stuff so I always ask him about traveling. LOL I understand about taking your kids in the jungle ours is in 5th grade and I would be a little leary also. My uncle was telling me about the monkeys and plate size spiders. I was loving the monkeys with their babys but not so lovin the spiders. LOL I know that you will have a wonderful time and have fun planning it also!
