Costa Rica Vacation Starts With The Beaches

Costa Rica Discount Airfare
There are over 750 miles of coast line in Costa Rica when combining the Pacific and Caribbean coasts, below are some of the best beaches when visiting Costa Rica.

Santa Rosa National Park: If you really want to get away from it all, the beaches here in the northwest corner of Costa Rica are a good bet. You’ll have to four-wheel-drive or hike 13km (8 miles) from the central ranger station to reach them. And once there, you’ll find only the most basic of camping facilities: outhouse latrines and cold-water showers. But you’ll probably have the place almost to yourself. In fact, the only time it gets crowded is in October, when thousands of olive ridley sea turtles nest in one of their yearly arribadas (arrivals).

Playa Tamarindo: Although it can be argued that Tamarindo has become too overdeveloped, crowded, and chaotic, it still earns a place on this list. The beach here is long and broad, with sections calm enough for swimmers and others just right for surfers. Tamarindo also has lodgings to suit every budget, a host of tour and activity options to keep you busy, as well as excellent restaurants at almost every turn. Located about midway along the beaches of Guanacaste province, Tamarindo makes a good base for exploring other nearby stretches of sand, as well.


Playa Avellanas: Just south of Tamarindo, this long, white-sand beach has long been a favorite haunt for surfers, locals, and those in-the-know. Playa Avellanas stretches on for miles, backed largely by protected mangrove forests.

On the verge of “being discovered,” there’s still very little going on here— aside from the new, nearby JW Marriott resort and Lola’s, perhaps my favorite beachfront restaurant in the country.

The Beaches Around Playa Sámara: Playa Sámara itself is nice enough, but if you venture just slightly farther afield, you’ll find some of the nicest and least developed beaches along the entire Guanacaste coast.

Playa Carrillo is a long, almost always deserted crescent of palm-backed white sand located just south of Sámara, while Playa Barrigona and Playa Buena Vista are two hidden gems tucked down a couple of dirt roads to the north. The land all around Playa Barrigona was purchased by actor Mel Gibson, but the beach, like all beaches in Costa Rica, remains open to the public.

Playa Montezuma: This tiny beach town at the southern tip of the Nicoya Peninsula has weathered fame and infamy, but retains a funky sense of individuality. European backpackers, vegetarian yoga enthusiasts, and UFO seekers choose Montezuma’s beach over any other in Costa Rica. The waterfalls are what set it apart from the competition, but the beach stretches for miles, with plenty of isolated spots to plop down your towel or mat. Nearby are the Cabo Blanco and Curú wildlife preserves.

Malpaís The Secret Is Out For Your Costa Rica Vacation

Malpaís: While the secret is certainly out, there’s still some time to visit Costa Rica’s fastest growing hot spot before the throngs and large resorts arrive. With just a smattering of luxury lodges, surf camps, and assorted hotels and cabinas, Malpaís is the place to come if you’re looking for miles of deserted beaches and great surf. If you find Malpaís is too crowded, head farther on down the road to Santa Teresa, Playa Hermosa, and Manzanillo. Malpaís (or Mal País) means “badlands,” and, while this may have been an apt moniker several years ago, it no longer accurately describes this booming beach area. Malpaís is a bucket term often used to refer to a string of neighboring beaches running from south to north, and including Malpaís, Playa Carmen, Santa Teresa, Playa Hermosa, and Playa Manzanillo. To a fault, these beaches are long, wide expanses of light sand dotted with rocky outcroppings. Currently, this area is one of Costa Rica’s hottest spots, and hotels and restaurants are opening at a dizzying pace. Still, it will take some time before this place is anything like more developed destinations like Tamarindo or Manuel Antonio. In Malpaís and Santa Teresa today, you’ll find a mix of beach hotels and resorts, restaurants, shops, and private houses, as well as miles of nearly deserted beach, and easy access to some nice jungle and the nearby Cabo Blanco Nature Reserve.

Malpaís and Santa Teresa are two tiny beach villages. As you reach the ocean, the road forks; Playa Carmen is straight ahead, Malpaís is to your left, and Santa Teresa is to your right. If you continue beyond Santa Teresa, you’ll come to the even-more-deserted beaches of playas Hermosa and Manzanillo (not to be confused with beaches of the same names to be found elsewhere in the country). To get to playas Hermosa and Manzanillo you have to ford a couple of rivers, which can be tricky during parts of the rainy season.

Florblanca Resort is for those with expensive tastes. This lush and plush hotel is the most luxurious option in this neck of the woods and one of the top boutique hotels in the country. The individual villas are huge, with a vast living area opening onto a spacious veranda. The furnishings, decorations, and architecture boast a mix of Latin American and Asian influences. Most overlook lush gardens, and about half have views through to the sea. Every unit features a large open-air bathroom with a garden shower and teardrop-shape tub set amid flowering tropical foliage. Despite the luxury on display here, the owners and management are committed to sustainable tourism ideals. There’s a modern, full-service spa, as well as a full-size and active dojo on the grounds, where complimentary classes like yoga are regularly offered. The beautiful free-form pool is on two levels, with a sculpted waterfall connecting them and a shady Indonesian style gazebo off to one side.

Playa Santa Teresa, Cóbano, Puntarenas. 2640-0232. Fax 2640-0226. www.florblanca.com.

16 units. $475–$600 double; $650–$750 2-bedroom villa for 4; $850 honeymoon house. Transfer

to and from Tambor airstrip is included. AE, DC, MC, V. No children 13 and under. Amenities:

Restaurant; bar; bike rental; small open-air gym; pool; room service; spa; water sports equipment

rental. In room: A/C, kitchenette, free Wi-Fi.

Moderate Priced Accommodations

In addition to the hotels listed below, the mix of rooms and bungalows at the Place ( /fax 2640-0001; www.theplacemalpais.com) are stylish and reasonably priced. And, I’ve been getting good reports about the new Beija Flor Resort( 2640-1007; www.beijafl orresort.com), in Malpaís.

 

Trópico Latino Lodge One of the fi rst hotels in the area, this well-located beachfront spread is still a good choice and value. The best accommodations are the private beachfront bungalows, which have artistic tile work and fi nishings and views of the ocean. The older rooms are housed in four duplex units. These are huge the king-size bamboo bed barely makes a dent in the floor space.

There’s also a separate sofa bed, as well as a small desk, a wall unit of shelves, and closet space galore. Although none of the older rooms has any ocean view to speak of, they all have private patios with a hammock. The shady grounds are rich in the native pochote tree, which is known for its spiky trunk. The restaurant here serves up excellent fresh fish and plenty of pasta dishes.

Playa Santa Teresa, Cóbano, Puntarenas. 2640-0062. Fax 2640-0117. www.hoteltropicolatino.

com. 16 units. $103–$155 double. MC, V. Amenities: Restaurant; bar; Jacuzzi; small free-form

pool; small spa. In room: A/C, no phone, free Wi-Fi.

Inexpensive Accommodations

Budget travelers can check out Tranquilo Backpackers ( 2640-0589; www. tranquilobackpackers.com), which is an outgrowth of a popular San José hostel. This place is located a bit inland off the road running toward Santa Teresa and has a mix of dorm-style and private rooms. You can also pitch a tent at several spots and makeshift campsites here. Look for camping signs; you should get bathroom and shower access for a few bucks.

Frank’s Place These folks offer a hodgepodge of rooms in a variety of styles, price ranges, and configurations. Nine rooms are very basic and feature a shared bathroom; four units come with private bathrooms, a mini fridge, and a tiny television set. Only four rooms feature double beds, although a few come with complete kitchenettes, and some have air-conditioning. The midrange rooms are a decent value and the hotel is well located, but I don’t think the higher-priced.

Manuel Antonio

Manuel Antonio: The first beach destination to become popular in Costa Rica, Manuel Antonio retains its charms despite burgeoning crowds and mushrooming hotels. The beaches inside the national park are idyllic, and the views from the hills approaching the park are enchanting. This is one of the few remaining habitats for the endangered squirrel monkey. Rooms with views tend to be a bit expensive, but many a satisfied guest will tell you they’re worth it.

Manuel Antonio was Costa Rica’s first major eco tourist destination and remains one of its most popular. The views from the hills overlooking Manuel Antonio are spectacular, the beaches (especially those inside the national park) are idyllic, and its rainforests are crawling with howler, white-faced, and squirrel monkeys, among other forms of exotic wildlife. The downside is that you’ll have to pay more to see it, and you’ll have to share it with more fellow travelers than you would at other rainforest destinations around the country. Moreover, development has begun to destroy what makes this place so special. What was once a smattering of small hotels tucked into the forested hillside has become a long string of lodgings along the 7km (4¹/ ³ miles) of road between Quepos and the national park entrance. Hotel roofs now regularly break the tree line, and there seems to be no control over zoning and unchecked ongoing construction. A jumble of snack shacks, souvenir stands, and makeshift parking lots choke the beach road just outside the park, making the entrance road look more like a shanty than a national park.

Still, this remains a beautiful destination, with a wide range of attractions and activities. Gazing down on the blue Pacific from high on the hillsides of Manuel Antonio, it’s almost impossible to hold back a gasp of delight. Offshore, rocky islands dot the vast expanse of blue, and in the foreground, the rich, deep green of the rainforest sweeps down to the water. Even cheap disposable cameras regularly produce postcard-perfect snapshots. It’s this superb view that keeps people transfixed on decks, patios, and balconies throughout the area.

One of the most popular national parks in the country, Manuel Antonio is also one of the smallest, covering fewer than 680 hectares (1,680 acres). Its several nearly perfect small beaches are connected by trails that meander through the rainforest. The mountains surrounding the beaches quickly rise as you head inland from the water; however, the park was created to preserve not its beautiful beaches but its forests, home to endangered squirrel monkeys, three-toed sloths, purple-and-orange crabs, and hundreds of other species of birds, mammals, and plants. Once, this entire stretch of coast was a rainforest teeming with wildlife, but now only this small rocky outcrop of forest remains.

Those views that are so bewitching also have their own set of drawbacks. If you want a great view, you aren’t going to be staying on the beach in fact, you probably won’t be able to walk to the beach. This means that you’ll be driving back and forth, taking taxis, or riding the public bus. Also keep in mind that it’s hot and humid here, and it rains a lot. However, the rain is what keeps Manuel Antonio lush and green, and this wouldn’t be the Tropics if things were otherwise. If you’re traveling on a rock-bottom budget or are mainly interested in sport fishing, you might end up staying in the nearby town of Quepos, which was once a quiet banana port; the land to the north was used by Chiquita to grow its bananas. Disease wiped out most of the banana plantations, and now the land is planted primarily with African oil-palm trees. To reach Quepos by road, you pass through miles of these oil-palm plantations. Quepos is coming of age, and currently features a wide variety of restaurants, souvenir and crafts shops, and lively bars.

Puerto Viejo

200km (124 miles) E of San José; 55km (34 miles) S of Limón Puerto Viejo is the hottest spot on Costa Rica’s Caribbean coast. And I’m not talking about the sometimes stifl ing heat. Even though Puerto Viejo is farther down the road from Cahuita, it’s much more popular, with a livelier vibe and more ongoing development. Much of this is due to the many surfers who come here to ride the town’s famous and fearsome Salsa Brava wave, and only slightly mellower Playa Cocles beach break. Nonsurfers will appreciate the abundance of excellent swimming beaches, plenty of active adventure options, nearby rainforest trails, and some great local and international restaurants.

As you head still farther south, you will come to the most beautiful beaches on this coast, with white sand and turquoise seas. When it’s calm (Aug–Oct), the waters down here are some of the clearest anywhere in the country, with good snorkeling among the nearby coral reefs.

This is the end of the line along Costa Rica’s Caribbean coast. After the tiny town of Manzanillo, some 15km (9¹/ ³ miles) south of Puerto Viejo, a national wildlife reserve stretches a few fi nal kilometers to the Panamanian border. This area gets plenty of rain, just like the rest of the coast (Sept–Oct are your best bets for sun, although it’s not guaranteed even in those months).

What to See And Do In Puerto Viejo For Your Costa Rica Vacation

CULTURAL & ADVENTURE TOURS The Asociación Talamanqueña de Ecoturismo y Conservación (ATEC; Talamancan Association of Ecotourism and Conservation; 2750-0398 or /fax 2750-0191; www.ateccr. org), across the street from the Soda Tamara, is concerned with preserving the environment and cultural heritage of this area and promoting ecologically sound development. (If you plan to stay in Puerto Viejo for an extended period of time and would like to contribute to the community, ask about volunteering.) In addition to functioning as the local information center, Internet cafe, and traveler’s hub, ATEC runs a little shop that sells T-shirts, maps, posters, and books.

ATEC also offers quite a few tours, including half-day walks that focus on nature and either the local Afro-Caribbean culture or the indigenous Bribri culture. These walks pass through farms and forests, and along the way you’ll learn about local history, customs, medicinal plants, and Indian mythology, and have an opportunity to see sloths, monkeys, iguanas, keel-billed toucans, and other wildlife. There is a range of different walks through the nearby Bribri Indians’ Kéköldi Reserve, as well as more strenuous hikes through the primary rainforest. Bird walks and night walks will help you spot more of the area wildlife; there are even overnight treks. The local guides have a wealth of information and make a hike through the forest a truly educational experience. Half-day walks (and night walks) are $20 to $35, and a full-day tour costs between $30 and $65. ATEC can arrange snorkeling trips to the nearby coral reefs, as well as snorkeling and fishing trips in dugout canoes. A half-day of snorkeling or fishing costs around $35 per person.

ATEC can also help you arrange overnight and multiday camping trips into the Talamanca Mountains and through neighboring indigenous reserves, as well as trips to Tortuguero and even a 7- to 10-day transcontinental trek to the Pacific coast. Some tours require minimum groups of 5 or 10 people and several days’ advance notice. The ATEC office is open daily from 8am to 9pm.

Local tour operators Exploradores Outdoors ( 2750-0641; www.exploradoresoutdoors.com), Puerto Viejo Tours & Rentals ( 2750- 0411), and Terraventuras ( 2750-0750; www.terraventuras.com) all

offer a whole host of half- and full-day adventure tours into the jungle or sea for between $25 and $100 per person. One popular tour is Terraventuras’ zip-line canopy tour, which features 23 treetop platforms, a large harnessed swing, and a rappel.

For horseback riding, check in with Seahorse Stables ( 2750- 0468; www.horsebackridingincostarica.com), which offers a range of tour and riding options.

One of the more educational tours is the 2-hour Chocolate Tour ( 2750-0075) through a working organic cacao plantation and chocolate production facility. The tour shows you the whole process of growing, harvesting, and processing cacao, and of course there’s a tasting at the end. The tour is run by reservation only, and costs $18 per person, with a four-person minimum.

Scuba divers can check in with Reef Runners Dive Shop ( 2750- 0480). The operator frequents a variety of dive sites between Punta Uva and Manzanillo, and if you’re lucky the seas will be calm and visibility good although throughout most of the year it can be a bit rough and murky here.

Reef Runners has an office in downtown Puerto Viejo. Rates run between $75 and $110 for a two-tank boat dive.

One of the nicest ways to spend a day in Puerto Viejo and to enjoy your Costa Rica Vacation is to visit the Finca La Isla Botanical Gardens.

( 2750-0046 or 8886-8530; crgarden@mac.com), a couple hundred meters inland from the Black Sand Beach on a side road just north of El Pizote lodge. Peter Kring and his late wife Lindy have poured time and love into the creation of this meandering collection of native and imported tropical flora.

You’ll see medicinal, commercial, and just plain wild flowering plants, fruits, herbs, trees, and bushes. Visitors get to gorge on whatever is ripe at the moment. There’s also a rigorous rainforest loop trail leaving from the grounds. The gardens are generally open Friday through Monday from 10am to 4pm, but visits at other times can sometimes be arranged in advance. Entrance to the garden or loop trail is $5 per person, or $10 with the guided tour.

Cacao Trails ( 2756-8186; www.cacaotrails.com) is a one-stop attraction featuring botanical gardens, a small serpentarium, an open-air museum demonstrating the tools and techniques of cacao cultivation and processing, and a series of trails. There’s also a large open-air restaurant, and a swimming pool for cooling off. You can take canoe rides on the bordering Carbon River, and even watch sea turtles lay their eggs during the nesting season. Admission to the attraction is $25, including a guided tour. A full day tour, including lunch and a canoe trip, as well as the guided tour, costs $47. During turtle nesting season, they do night tours to watch sea turtles lay their eggs.

Finally, down around Playa Chiquita, at the Tree House Lodge there’s the Green Iguana Conservation Tour ( 2750-0706; www.iguanaverde.com). This educational tour focuses on the life cycle, habits, and current situation of this endangered reptile. The tour features a walk around a massive natural enclosure, as well as a video presentation. The cost is $15. Regular tours are offered Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday at 10am. Additional tours may be arranged by appointment.

Surfing has historically been the main draw here, but increasing numbers of folks are coming for the miles of beautiful and uncrowded beaches,  acres of lush rainforests, and laid-back atmosphere.

If you aren’t a surfer, the same activities that prevail in any quiet beach town are the norm here—sunbathe, go for a walk on the beach, read a book, or take a nap. If you have more energy, there’s a host of tours and hiking options, or you can rent a bicycle or a horse. For swimming and sunbathing, locals like to hang out on the small patches of sand in front of Stanford’s Disco and Johnny’s Place. There are small, protected tide pools in front of each of these bars for cooling off.

If you want a more open patch of sand and sea, head north out to Playa Negra, along the road into town, or, better yet, to the beaches south of town around Punta Uva and all the way down to Manzanillo, where the coral reefs keep the surf much more manageable.

Just offshore from the tiny village park is a shallow reef where powerful storm-generated waves sometimes reach 6m (20 ft.). Salsa Brava, as it’s known, is the prime surf break on the Caribbean coast. Even when the waves are small, this spot is recommended only for very experienced surfers because of the danger of the reef. Other popular beach breaks are south of town on Playa Cocles. If you’re interested in surf lessons or want to rent a board, check in with Aventuras Bravas ( 8849-7600). They charge $10 for a half-day board rental, and $15 for a full-day rental.

Several operators and makeshift roadside stands offer bicycles, scooters,boogie boards, surfboards, and snorkel gear for rent. Shop around to compare prices and the quality of the equipment before settling on any one.

Punta Uva & Manzanillo: Below Puerto Viejo, the beaches of Costa Rica’s eastern coast take on true Caribbean splendor, with turquoise waters, coral reefs, and palm-lined stretches of nearly deserted white-sand beach. Punta Uva and Manzanillo are the two most sparkling gems of this coastline. Tall coconut palms line the shore, providing shady respite for those who like to spend a full day on the sand, and the water is usually quite calm and good for swimming.

If you continue south on the coastal road from Puerto Viejo, you’ll come to those two villages. Punta Uva is 8km (5 miles) away, and Manzanillo is about 15km (9¹/ ³ miles) away. For a good day trip, you cancatch the 7:15am bus from Puerto Viejo down to Manzanillo and then catch the 5:15pm bus back. There are several other buses running this route throughout the day, although it’s always wise to check with ATEC (p. 466) about current local bus schedules. You could also hire a cab for around $7 to Punta Uva or $12 to Manzanillo. Alternatively, it’s about 1½ hours each way by bicycle, with only two relatively small hills to contend with. Although the road is ostensibly paved all the way to Manzanillo, between the near-constant potholes and washed-out sections, it’s almost like riding an off-road trail. It’s also possible to walk along the beach all the way from Puerto Viejo to Manzanillo, with just a couple of short and well-worn detours inland around rocky points. However, I recommend you catch a ride down to Manzanillo and save your walking energies for the trails and beaches inside the refuge.

Manzanillo is a tiny village with only a few basic cabinas and funky sodas, although this has been changing in recent years. The most popular place to eatand hang out is Restaurant Maxi ( 2759-9086), an open-air joint on the second floor of an old wooden building facing the sea. This place gets packed on weekends, especially for lunch.

The Manzanillo-Gandoca Wildlife Refuge encompasses the small village and extends all the way to the Panamanian border. Manatees, crocodiles, and more than 350 species of birds live within the boundaries of the reserve. The reserve also includes the coral reef offshore—when the seas are calm, thisis the best snorkeling and diving spot on this entire coast. Four species of sea turtles nest on one 8.9km (5½-mile) stretch of beach within the reserve between March and July. Three species of dolphins also inhabit and frolic in the waters just off Manzanillo. Many local tour guides and operators offer boat trips out to spot them.

If you want to explore the refuge, you can easily find the single, well-maintained trail by walking along the beach just south of town until you have to wade across a small river. On the other side, you’ll pick up the trail head. Otherwise,you can ask around the village for local guides. Sport fishers should check in with Bacalao Tours ( 2759-9116).

Where to Stay in Puerto Viejo

For a longer stay, close to town, you might want to check out Cashew Hill Jungle Cottages ( 2750-0256; www.cashewhilllodge.co.cr). On a hill just on the outskirts of town, these are simple but immaculate individual one- and two bedroom bungalows, with kitchenettes.

Moderately Priced

In addition to the hotels listed below, Escape Caribeño ( 2750-0103; www.escapecaribeno.com) is another good option in this price range, located on the outskirts of town, just south of Salsa Brava.

Banana Azul Guest House At the northern end of Playa Negra, on the north end of town, this hotel has earned fast friends and hearty praise. Rooms abound in varnished hardwoods. Inside they are quite simple, with minimal furnishings and amenities, and an overhead or floor fan. Most are on the second floor of the main lodge building, and open onto a broad veranda with ocean views. The end-unit Howler Monkey suite is my favorite room here. The garden bath suites are larger units, with satellite TVs and a large open-air bathtub in their private gardens—hence, the name. Filling breakfasts are served in the common lounge area, and drinks are available throughout the day. An almost private section of beach sits just in front of the hotel, and stretches on for miles north, all the way to Cahuita National Park. No children under 16 are permitted.

Playa Negra Puerto Viejo, Limón. 2750-2035 or 8351-4582. www.bananaazul.com. 12 units.

$69–$84 double; $139 suite. Rates include full breakfast. Weekly and monthly rates available.

Discounts offered for cash payments. MC, V. No children 15 and under allowed.

Amenities: Bike rental; water sports equipment rental. In room: TV (in some), no phone, free Wi-Fi.

El Pizote This hotel is located across from a long, quiet stretch of Playa Negra,about 400m (1,312 ft.) before you reach downtown proper. The four deluxe bungalows are modern concrete-block affairs, with a small kitchenette, two separate bedrooms, one small bathroom, air-conditioning, and a private porch. Although older and somewhat funkier, the standard bungalows have much more character.

These raised wooden buildings have wood walls; steeply pitched roofs; ceiling fans; private porches; and larger bathrooms. The standard rooms are housed in a U-shaped building near the large, free-form pool. These rooms are cool, and come with a ceiling fan, and a shared wraparound veranda. Everything is set amid extensive, lush gardens, assorted tropical fruit trees, and towering rainforest trees. There are hiking trails in the adjacent forest, and good bird-watching here, too. Most of the beds here feature rock-hard foam mattresses, which may be too firm for some.

Just off the main road, about 275m (902 ft.) before you enter downtown, Puerto Viejo, Limón.

2750-0088. Fax 2750-0226. www.pizotelodge.com. 22 units. $63 double; $79 double bungalow;

$109 double deluxe. AE, MC, V. Amenities: Restaurant; bar; pool and adjacent kids’ pool. In

room: A/C (in some), no phone.

Inexpensive Lodging

True budget hounds will fi nd an abundance of basic hotels and cabinas in downtown Puerto Viejo in addition to those listed below. Of these, Hotel Pura Vida( fax 2750-0002; www.hotel-puravida.com) and Kaya’s Place ( 2750-0690 (www.kayasplace.com) are both good bets; while Backpackers Sunrise Hostel ( 2750-0028; www.sunrisepuertoviejo.com) is a new option right downtown.

However, the most popular spot for backpackers, surfers, and students is Rocking J’s ( 2750-0657; www.rockingjs.com), a sprawling compound offering simple rooms, camping spaces, and a “hammock hotel.”

Cabinas Guaraná This is one of the better options right in town, although it is several blocks from the water. The spacious rooms are painted in bright primary colors, with equally bright and contrasting trim. Rooms come with either two or three full-size beds, or a queen-size with one or two full beds. All come with tile floors, a ceiling fan, and mosquito netting. Guests can use the hotels fully equipped kitchen to whip up meals, and there’s an interesting little sitting area on a platform high up a tree on the property.

1½ blocks inland from Café Viejo, Puerto Viejo, Limón. /fax 2750-0244. www.hotelguarana.

com. 12 units. $31 double. Rates slightly lower in off season; higher during peak weeks. AE, DC,

MC, V. Amenities: Lounge; bike rental. In room: No phone, free Wi-Fi.

 

Cabinas Jacarandá This small hotel has a few nice touches that set it apart from the others in the area. Guatemalan bedspreads add a dash of color and tropical flavor, as do tables made from sliced tree trunks. Most rooms and walkways feature intricate and colorful tile work; in addition, Japanese paper lanterns cover the lights, mosquito nets hang over the beds, and covered walkways connect the various buildings in this budding compound. Massage and yoga classes are offered on-site. If you’re traveling in a group, you’ll enjoy the space and atmosphere of the biggest room here. If the hotel is full, the owners also rent a few nearby bungalows.

1½ blocks inland from Café Viejo, Puerto Viejo, Limón. /fax 2750-0069. www.cabinasjacaranda.net. 14 units, 13 with private bathroom. $32–$45 double. MC, V. In room: No phone.

Casa Verde Lodge This is a very popular  hotel right in Puerto Viejo, regardless of the price. A quiet sense of tropical tranquility pervades this place.

Most rooms here are large, with high ceilings, tile floors, private bathrooms, and a private veranda. Those with shared bathrooms are housed in a raised building with a wide, covered breezeway between the rooms. The front and back porches of this building are hung with hammocks and surrounded by lush gardens, where you’ll find the showers and toilets. There are also two fully equipped apartments available in a neighboring duplex. Everything is very well maintained, and even the shared bathrooms are kept immaculate. The hotel also features lush gardens, a small but well-stocked gift shop, a good-size outdoor pool with a waterfall, and a separate outdoor massage hut. Even though it’s an in-town choice, there’s great bird-watching all around the grounds. The owners here are deeply involved in the local community and in improving the environmental and educational opportunities in the region.

A.P. 37-7304, Puerto Viejo, Limón. 2750-0015. Fax 2750-0047. www.cabinascasaverde.com

17 units, 9 with private bathroom. $38–$50 double with shared bathroom; $70 double with

private bathroom. Rates include taxes. Rates slightly lower in off season; higher during peak

weeks. Discounts offered for cash payments. AE, MC, V. Amenities: Bike rental; outdoor pool;

massage hut. In room: TV (in some), no phone.

 

This is the end for now, but there is plenty to digest as you plan your Costa Rica Vacation, we will be adding more information shortly. Have fun with your Costa Rica vacation. Below is a map to give you a general idea of the areas we discussed.