Costa Rica 2016!!!

Saturday January 30th, we flew SLC to MCO to SJO.  We had a delay in MCO due to Jamaican Airspace being closed for a few hours.  We finally arrived in SJO and stood in a very long customs line.  It probably took 90 minutes to get through as multiple flights arrived at the same time.  The first line was much slower than the far line.  Go to the second line when you get to customs!

We had booked a rental car through Thrifty but we accidentally got on the Alamo bus.  So we got a ride back to Thrifty but it was not the same Thrifty office we booked throught.  Eventually we worked out a deal with the Thrifty office we were at.  Definitely get the GPS or bring  your own since cell service is spotty and directions are hard to figure out.  Also be prepared because the country taxes and insurance will double the price!  Everyone who got to the front of the line was shocked at the price so be prepared.

We finally set out for Arenal Lodge as the sun was going down.  We drove up an extremely foggy mountain road and it really slowed us down.  The car in front of us actually went off the road on a blind corner.  The roads were narrow and the bridges only had room for one car at a time to pass.  We had to slow down and be cautious at the tiny bridges.  We made it to La Fortuna and had some chicken dinner at a “fast food” place in town.  When we got the Arenal Lodge they gave us the honeymoon suite.  It was a cabin with large wood beams on the ceiling and a deck with a view of the volcano.  The shower was in the garden tub and leaked all over the bathroom floor!  

The lodge provided breakfast the next morning.  We had scrambled eggs, beans, rice and papaya.  The dining room had an awesome view of the Arenal Volcano.  The volcano was in the clouds most of the day.  There were beautiful flowers and the entire country was lush and green.  We went to the Mistico hanging bridges tour.  They had 16 bridges over the jungle and 6 were suspension bridges that would bounce when people walked over them.  Some were super high up and we had some stunning views.  This took about 2 hours and was $24 per person.

We then went to La Fortuna Waterfall and hiked down to the waterfall.   It was a beautiful hike and was only about ¼ mile long.  It was 500 steps down and it is pretty steep so wear good shoes.  The waterfall is stunning and falls down over volcanic rock.  The water is a little cold but you can swim in the pool.  The waterfall has so much force that Matt was trying to swim towards it but was pushed backwards.  Be careful not to get too close. Definitely worth the trip.  I think we paid $12 a piece.  You will pay to see every waterfall!  

We then went to  Arenal Mundo Adventura Zipline.  This was an awesome zipline experience.  We paid around $70 per person but we got to go on 11 ziplines. Matt and I were the only ones in the group and we had 2 guides.  We went on a crazy bumpy ride up the mountain and then climbed the first tower to get started.  The guys got us going so quick that I didn’t have time to be nervous.  One of the ziplines was 1 km long and went right next to the top of La Fortuna Waterfall.  We flew right next to it and the view was incredible.  One of the other ziplines was shorter but extremely fast.  We had so much fun and we were practically running the trail between the ziplines. This was the funnest experience of the week. One of the guys was named Marco and he told us he was “Marco Loco”.  Both guides were great.  At the end of the ride we were asked to visit a tribe of locals who had lots of wood carvings and jewelry for us to buy.  This was the only time we had any shopping opportunities “provided” to us.

                      

After this we went to the Eco Termales Hot Springs.  The water was around 105’.  We floated and swam under the waterfall.  Since it was late afternoon hardly anyone was there.  In the evening a tour bus showed up and filled up the place.  It was so relaxing and a great place to hang out.  Then we had dinner in La Fortuna at a restaurant called the Rain Forest Cafe.  The place was pretty relaxed.  Our waiter actually left halfway through our meal on a moped to deliver some food and then came back a little while later.  So funny!  We also learned that the waiter will not bring you the bill until you ask!  All the restaurants were like this.

We stayed at Arenal Lodge one more night.  We moved to a smaller room without the weird tub/shower combo.  Monday we drove to Manuel Antonio on the coast.  We stopped at Bijagual Falls which is on the Pacific coast north of Jaco.  We saw the road signs and followed them to the trailhead.  It is private property and they charged us $20 a person to hike.  It was a long hot hike so bring water.  It is pretty steep and and has obstacles so wear good shoes and be prepared to be on the trail for a while.  It was about 5 miles and 3 hours round trip.  The waterfall is amazing and powerful.  If you stand on the rocks right below you can feel the wind it creates.  The rocks are slippery as Matt found out.  He slipped down a large boulder we were standing on and almost went off of a 20 foot drop!  He scraped his arm and leg but survived.

                                 

We went through the town of Tarcoloes and stopped at the bridge.  There are large crowds gathered looking off the side.  We looked over and saw a bunch of crocodiles in the water and on the shore.  They were massive!  The didn’t move much but were enjoying the sun.

We had dinner in Jaco that night.  Soda Rustico is a local place.  They give you a ton of food.  Matt got the fish. It was the cheapest meal of the day and authentic.  We ended up getting a reservation at La Puntatas which is literally right next to Manuel Antonio National Park. The outside looks like a dive but inside it was great.  The first night all they had was the “Monkey room” which was part of the main office.  The second night we got a bungalow.  That was way cool.  They have 4 private bungalows which are so cute!  Esteven was the manager and he was so helpful.  They have breakfast of beans and rice and pineapple and chocolate chip pancakes.  They also have Capuchin monkeys that come over from the park to steal food.  We saw more monkeys at the hotel then in the park.  

At the bungalows there were several retired couples who come down from the states and stay for a month or so at the hotel.  It felt like the best marigold hotel!  Our neighbors were Betty and Cliff from Ohio.  They were very friendly and it felt like a family reunion.  It was a cute place.  We went into Manuel Antonio.  Go early before the tour buses show up and the lines get long.  You can buy tickets to the park right next to the hotel and then walk in.  There are tons of “guides” outside the park that will show you wildlife in the park for a fee.  They have cameras and telephoto lenses.  We didn’t get a guide and we were fine.  The guides were pointing out birds and spiders and monkeys.  We saw those all on our own!  We also saw a brown sloth and a gray sloth.  It was a nice walk to the beach.  The Manuel Antonio beach was awesome.  It is a bay with calm water that is incredibly warm.  The water was probably 85’.  As we swam we had to keep an eye out for monkeys and raccoons that wanted to go through our bags.  

                      

After the beach we went to Nauyaca waterfall.  You and ride horses or hike.  We decided to hike in.  It was about $8.  If you have 4 wheel drive you can drive down to the trailhead instead of walking the 2km.  From there you can follow the dirt road for about 4km up to the gate.  Then you hike to the waterfall where you can swim.  Locals jump off the waterfall but we didn’t see anyone doing that and we were not sure where was safe.  We did swim in the water and cool off.  This is a beautiful waterfall too!  

That night stayed at the bungalow and then we saw monkeys at breakfast the next day.  They were so cute.  The would get a drink of water at the outdoor pool shower.  They would watch us eat and then run over and steal food off our plates when we stood up to leave.  Before we left the hotel we got some Empanadas to go.  They were delicious.  We drove down the coast to Uvitas and we really got away from all the tourists.  It was lush and green.  We stopped to hike to Waterfall Uvitas.  You park at a cafe and pay for a hand stamp.  Then you can hike down to the waterfall.  This place was cool.  You can hike up above the waterfall and slide down it.  The rocks are worn down so it creates a slide.  Matt went down several times and showed a couple other tourists how to hike up above.  Then a local kid showed up and just climbed up the rock wall.  His was was lots faster!

We then went to a private beach that you can only see at low tide.  We parked at La Cosinga Eco Hotel and had lunch at their outdoor restaurant.  There was a breeze off the ocean and we were up above the trees and the rocky coast.  We thought about staying here.  The rooms were beautiful and the resort sits on a hill with amazing views of the Pacific Ocean.  Then we realized there was no AC and it was very hot.  We decided it was too warm to go without AC.  I know, we are pampered Americanos
              

From the resort you can follow the trail to Playa Arco.  The tide was out and we had the entire beach to ourselves.  We saw sand dollars everywhere.  Little tiny ones that were so cute!  On the south end of the beach there is a tunnel you can walk through.  It was so incredible.  After we had been there for about an hour a boat pulled up and dropped off some tourists.  

We hiked back up the jungle path and decided to go over the Whale Tail beach before it closed.  It is a National Park.  We got there right before it closed at 4pm so the park attendant didn’t charge us to enter.  He just told us to hurry.  We headed out to the Whale Tail and it was actually a pretty long walk!  Whale Tail is a sandbar that juts out into the ocean.  At the end there is a strip of volcanic rocks that stops the surf.  The water wraps around the rocks and deposits sand right in the middle which creates the sand bar.  The water is just like a swimming pool.  It is very calm and warm.  We stayed for the sunset.   
                                                      


After that we heard about a taco stand in Dominical that had good reviews.  It was called Del Mar Taco Shop and was opened by an American named Brad from San Diego.  I got a delicious Taco Salad and Matt got fish tacos.  It was a slow night so Brad came out of the kitchen to talk to us for a while.  It was a nice outdoor place right next to the beach.  

We stayed for the next 3 nights in a one bedroom condo we found on VRBO at the last minute.  It was in Uvita on a hillside.  The condo was pretty new and had AC.  It was inside a gated community and had a pool and a sweet view of the ocean.  Now make sure in the details it states “heated water” or it may not actually have heater water!  We booked VRBO #692756.

Thursday we decided to go on another adventure so we signed up for waterfall rappelling!  There was a place in Uvitas called Costa Canyoneering.  They drive you in the back of a pickup bed up the canyon to the first waterfall.  They provide helmets, harness and ropes.  Wear shoes with good traction.  We had 2 girls in our group, both named Sarah, from Kansas City and 2 guides.  One of the guys was from Japan and the other was a local guide.  Their names were Juannie and Carlos.  They were great.  They taught us how to rappel on the first smaller waterfall and then gave guidance on the larger ones.  And they did get larger.  The biggest was 85 feet! They also took pictures of going down the waterfalls and gave us a CD at the end.

At the end of the tour there is a swimming hole along the river where you can swim and go down the natural waterslide.  There was a family of 5 swimming there and having lunch.  They looked American but they definitely had a Tarzan vibe about them.  Our guide told us the family lives in the jungle and the dad does construction to support them.  The kids are “homeschooled” which I think means they have learned how to swim and collect fresh papaya.  What a life.

We had a great time and would do it again.  We paid $100 per person for this excursion.  Afterwards we went back to our meeting spot, The Roadside Beer Garden, and had smoothies, chips and salsa, fresh pineapple and sandwiches.  

We decided to find another hidden beach.  We went to Ventanas “Window” Beach.  At low tide 2 tunnels open up at each end of the beach.  The suf comes rushing through the tunnels and it was awesome.  That night we went to a mountain outdoor sports bar for dinner.  They were cash only and up a crazy mountain road which is only accessible with a 4x4.  It was called the “Jolly Roger” and we got the wings and nachos.  This place was pretty good!  It was dark when we arrived but I am sure the views were awesome.  

On Friday Matt and I decided to do a long run on Whale Tail beach from the north.  We started from Playa Hermosa and ran towards Whale Tail. I was pretty slow but it was a very hot day

so it was good to slow down.  It was about 88’.  We made it out to the tip of the Whale Tail and turned around there.  On the way back we both floated in the cold fresh water stream coming from the jungle.  That was awesome.  I ended up running 7 miles but Matt lapped me and ended up doing 10 miles.  

Matt was ahead of me on the return.  I saw him up ahead standing by a lady in the ocean.  At first I didn’t recognize him but then he yelled my name.  I saw he was pouring water from his water bottle onto this woman.  He told me she had passed out from heat exhaustion and he needed to go get help.  I walked her over to the shade and we sat down.  We sat and she drank some water.

I kept her talking until help came.  Her name was Leah and she was from Ohio.  Her friend was back at the beach.  She had been running and got overheated.  She got dizzy and then passed out.  She was very embarrassed since she is a nurse and felt silly for not stopping. Matt had told her we were from Utah.  She asked if he was a practicing minister.  I said yes, he is!  I told her when I first came up to them I thought she was being baptized.  She asked if we were Mormons and I told her we were.  Then I told her “Congratulations, you just got baptized.  Now you are a Mormon too”!  

Matt got the lifeguard who drove over on a 4 wheeler.  He brought more water and cooled her off and then drove her back to the parking lot.  She was very grateful for the help.  I was just glad we were there on the beach as not many people were down that far.  

We went back to Del Mar Taco Shop for lunch and ran into the 2 Sarahs we had met on our canyoneering adventure.  We had told them about this place and they had told us about Jolly Roger.  Brad was happy to see us and thanked us for our review on Tripadvisor.  We brought his ranking back up to #1 for Uvita.  If we ever go back he promised us free Guac and chips!  Lucky us!

That afternoon we went to another awesome waterfall called Cascade de Pavon.  We hiked in and the waterfall had a huge boulder at the top. Matt had read you could jump off of it and into the pool below.  He hiked up and jumped in!  Crazy guy.  I swam in the pools and we explored the area.  Very pretty!  After this we went to Dominicalito and took some sunset pictures.  There was a great sunset for our last night.  For dinner we tried La Fogata and got pizza.  It was about $22 for a medium pizza and coke light.  It was in a dumpy area of town and the servers don’t speak much English.  Pizza was OK and the place seemed popular with the locals.

We got up the next morning early so we could make it back to SJO for our flight home.  Once again, we had a flight delay, but we got to MCO with just enough time to clear customers and have 20 minutes before our departure to SLC.  We are thinking of taking the entire family back next time.  We felt safe the whole time even when my language skills were lacking.  The people are so friendly and the country is beautiful.  It was an awesome trip and we loved CR!