Costa Rica

[Se7ven11]

Hi, we are currently on a city break in Krakow with our DD and having a family vote over dinner as to what big ticket destination to go to next.

DD has suggested Costa Rica - she has champagne tastes but a cola wallet😊😉.

We would certainly be happy to listen to wise Mumsnetters who have visited here.. both good and bad experiences please.

In terms of levels of grim, Costa Rican food wasn’t as outright vile as Cuban food but it wasn’t great. I’m a vegetarian so often have fun internationally. We mostly stuck to international fare & there were lots of options in terms of restaurants. You might get less choice at an AI place but that would depend on the resort

Can I ask did all that travelled there have the yellow fever jab?

We'd love to go but DS unable to have it.

No we didn’t - I’m not sure our nurse even mentioned it! Key thing we were warned about was zika & dengue

I had forgotten Cuban food - I think that ranked joint worst but it was 2004 and I maybe have forgotten how bad it was. Our AI had all the mainstream international ones so American, Chinese / Japanese, Italian, Steakhouse, and had speciality days from around the world and Cuban restaurant. About 200 different meals each day. Even my very fussy eater had a good choice though he and I ate in the steakhouse every night as 5 raccoons including 3 babies used to visit most nights and they gave him a tiny then 10 year old a steak which covered an adult plate as part of a 3 course meal. The international food was amongst the best I have had, same in Cuba strangely though weaker on Chinese / Asian. Lots of fresh fruits and salads. Not a lot of restaurants by us if you weren't in resort, maybe 30 mins drive to one though I wasn't looking for them so maybe missed them.

No risk of yellow fever in Costa Rica, was just if needed Hep A and tetanus though obviously check with your doctor before travel. Current is here: travelhealthpro.org.uk/country/58/costa-rica#Vaccine_recommendations

We quite liked the Costa Rican food, it suited our fussy dd. You get used to rice and beans even for breakfast! Grilled fish and chicken appeared a lot and masses of fresh fruit. Fried plantains are nice too. The food wasn’t the main draw really but it was not a problem. On the Pacific side the food was very international, more Costa Rican on the Caribbean.

Can I ask did all that travelled there have the yellow fever jab?

I believe you only need it if you are arriving in Costa Rica from a country at risk of yellow fever. I happen to have had it for a previous trip, but dp and the dc haven't.

I loved Costa Rican food! Once I got over the mental block of rice and beans for breakfast it was delicious. Their fruit is absolutely glorious so I ate a lot of that. Amazing fish too (which I ate back then). It really suited me. It is very cheap to eat if you stick to the local restaurants. The international type ones were very expensive.

My favourite meal was a restaurant on the beach at Guanacaste where the ground was covered with hermit crabs scuttling about and a friendly cat was pottering around. We’re not beach holiday people, the few days at Guanacaste are literally the only time we’ve ever spent in a big beach resort hotel. Three days was nice, but enough. We loved all the other parts of Costa Rica that we saw though, and if beach resorts are your thing the Pacific coast would be ideal. There’s no swimming in the sea on the part of the Caribbean we were on, I can’t remember why.

The beach and Pacific Ocean by our hotel was quite activity based - very little sunbathing going on - beach was beach volleyball and kids making sandcastles, ocean was swimming, SUP, kayaking, jet skis, windsurfing. More suited to 10 plus than smaller children. The current was fairly strong. Though there was food everywhere there 24/7 so you needed to be active or you would have gone home a stone heavier.

I am looking to go somewhere during Christmas holidays
Could anyone share their itinerary please.. I don't like AI resort type holiday and would like to see the country with staying somewhere for 3-4 days..
I have spent considerable amount of time looking at various places..but can't seem to figure out where we can go

Hi, we've been twice and also prefer to explore the country rather than doing AI/resort holidays. We found it really easy to drive around and organise things ourselves. Our trips were quite focused on seeing particular wildlife so depends on your interests. We were also quite fortunate to have a reasonable amount of time. Roughly we did.

1st trip:
1 to 2 nights - Alajuela (near San Jose airport) - to get over jet lag and see Poas volcano (which we combined with rainforest at Tirimbina)
2 nights- San Gerado de Dota - cloud forest and quetzals
2 nights - Dominical/Hacienda Baru - coastal forest and lots of activities
4/5 nights - Bahia Drake - best on this holiday. We did trips into Corcovado - saw masses of wildlife, tapirs etc.
2/3 nights - Manuel Antonio - little patch of rainforest in busy resort area. OK, bit disappointing after the above but nice beaches, some swimmable and easy to spot the very tame wildlife.
3/4 nights - Arenal - volcano and lots to do.

2nd trip
4/5 nights - Samara - fun beach area with dry forest, learnt to surf.
2 nights - dominical area - as above
3 nights - Golfe Dulce (www.esquinaslodge.com/the-lodge/jungle-villa) - you have to like birds and snakes!
5 nights - Bosque del Cabo great wildlife inc pumas! Lovely quiet place and loads to do.
then 1 night stop on the pacific coast on way back to airport.

That probably wouldn't suit a lot of people but we loved it. PM me if you would like any details.