Summer 2014 Trip to CR

[JACK CARLSON]

We (husband, wife and 16 year old son) are looking at a summer 2014 trip to CR. Because of school, we will be travelling in June and July. One of the package group tours that we are looking at runs about 9 days, starting in San Jose, then running counterclockwise around the country. It includes stops in the Fortuna area, then to Guanacaste, then Manuel Antonio, and returns to San Jose. We were thinking of then spending a couple of days in San Jose, then hitting the Limon area on the Caribbean for about a week, then back to the Pacific side for a week.

What we have heard:
1. San Jose is not a place that one would want to stay due to few areas of interest to tourists, safety issues, and general cleanliness. Comments?
2. June and July are poor travel months due to rain and humidity. Comments?
3. The Caribbean side of the country, and the Limon and Puerto Viejo areas in particular, seem to have tourist safety issues (based of US State Department warnings). Comments?
4. Will be be eaten alive by mosquitoes and other biting things?
5. What particular CR travel websites do you recommend for further research?

Thanks.

Jack

[JASON HOLLAND]

Hi Jack,

So glad you’re coming down for a visit. Let me tackle your questions.

1. San Jose isn’t a great city for tourists because there’s so much cool stuff to do elsewhere. But long term expats tend to visit often because it has great shopping, the best medical care in the country, it’s the site of main international airport…that sort of thing. So if you’re on a scouting trip, it might be worth an extra day or two to look around the city and its suburbs. But otherwise, you can skip it.

2. May – November is Costa Rica’s rainy season. So it’ll be pretty rainy throughout the country. Could rain only in the afternoons. Could have three cloudless days in a row. Could rain most of the day for a couple of days… you never know. Guanacaste will be less rainy than other areas. There’s not much humidity in the Central Valley or Arenal. But it can be quite humid in Manuel Antonio and on the Caribbean side. Guanacaste doesn’t really get humid because it’s very dry – but it’s also one of the hottest parts of the country.

3. On the Caribbean side, there’s no need to go to Limon. There’s nothing there of interest other than that’s where your household goods would come in on the container ship if you moved down. The Caribbean does have a reputation for crime but I wouldn’t say that the level of crime there is worse than other parts of the country. I’ve visited the area and never felt unsafe. And I’ve spoken with people who’ve lived there for many years and never had an issue. That doesn’t mean there is no crime. That said, in this area, and anywhere in Costa Rica, don’t leave valuables visible in cars, vans, or buses. Use hotel safes. Don’t leave bags unattended on the beach. Stuff like that. Crime in Costa Rica tends to be opportunistic – so don’t present opportunities.

4. About bugs…this is a tropical country. So there are all sorts of insects to keep you company wherever you go. Bring insect repellant. Mosquitoes are most active at dusk and dawn – so be wary at those times. And keep in mind the beach areas tend to have more biting insects. But overall, I wouldn’t say that you’ll be eaten alive. I attract mosquitoes myself and I haven’t had any worse a time than when I lived in south Florida.

5. My best resource for Costa Rica travel is TripAdvisor.com. Great reviews of restaurants and hotels and much more update than any guidebook.

[JASON HOLLAND]

Should clarify about #3.

I’m referring to the port city of Limon when talking about no need to visit. The entire province is also called Limon and parts of it are good to check out. Cool spots to visit in the province include Tortuguero to the north, where sea turtles lay eggs on the beach. And Cahuita and Puerto Viejo to the south, which have beautiful beaches and a laid-back vibe.

[JACK CARLSON]

Thanks for your thoughtful reply. As we are still in the planning stages, it is likely that I’ll call on your expertise again.

Jack

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