Costa Rica Report - Family Adventure Holidays Worldwide
Mark Wright - Costa Rica November 2007
We've had a lot of enquiries and bookings for Costa Rica in 2007 and because I didn't know it personally, I decided to take a week out of the office to check the place out. I'm so glad I did. Not only did I discover a part of the world that I fell completely in love with, but I also learned a huge amount about the excellent infrastructure in terms of hotels, transport links and wide choice of activities available.
Costa Rica is simply fantastic for families. It feels very safe and the people are very helpful, welcoming and relaxed. That's nice in itself, but what makes the country special is that is has so much variety and offers so many different types of activity. And it's warm all year round!
Where is it?
Good question! Many people get it mixed up with Puerto Rico in the Caribbean. And it's nowhere near the Costa Blanca in Spain. It's one of the long, thin countries in Central America. South of Nicaragua and north of Panama.
First impressions
Well first of all I have to repeat how easy-going and safe it always felt. Costa Rica has no army and is seen as 'the Switzerland of Latin America'. Accommodation standards are generally very high and travel is easy within the very good tourist infrastructure that's in place. Having said that, driving around on your own (which I did for part of the time) can be challenging because of winding, pot-holed roads with few road-signs. I'd certainly recommend joining a tour or have all transfers done by private transport. Our local agent (who help us to make arrangements within Costa Rica) are first class. In the twenty or so years I've been working in the adventure travel industry, I would say they are one of the best I've ever come across. Very well organised, well-resourced without being too big or commercial, and extremely caring and friendly. Full marks! Two other things that are worth noting generally. First, the lack of jet-lag. Somehow the timings of the flights on the way out (I flew with Iberia via Madrid) worked in such a way as to allow enough of a rest on the flight to keep going until night-time there. Costa Ricans tend to rise at dawn (around 6am) so that helped too. Secondly, how compact the country is. It doesn't take long to get into a completely different ecological zone. Within a matter of hours you can move from one zone to another. Rainforest, cloud forest, Atlantic or Caribbean coast, lowland swamps, volcanoes, savannah and Pacific coast.
My (shortened) Itinerary
- Day 1 - Fly to San Jose via Madrid
- Day 2 - Drive then boat through lagoons to Tortuguero National Park, Atlantic Coast
- Day 3 - Sarapiqui area - riding, rainforest
- Day 4 - Arenal volcano - riding, rainforest, zip-wire canopy tour
- Day 5 - Rincon de la Vieja volcanoes
- Day 6 - Ocotal beach, Pacific Coast
- Day 7 - Ocotal, sailing and snorkelling on islands off the coast
- Day 8 - San Jose, fly to London
- Day 9 - Arrive London
Note: The Families Worldwide itinerary is 14 days in duration so it's not as rushed. It also includes beach time on the Atlantic Coast.
Tortuguero
We left San Jose, the hilly capital, and were in rainforest within an hour seeing beautiful butterflies and countless birds as we drove along twisting mountain roads. Then a gradual descent towards the temperate lowlands of the Caribbean Coast. Passing coffee, pineapple and banana plantations (we even had to make a stop at a Banana Crossing!) we eventually reached the end of the road and jumped aboard a motor-launch that took us into Tortuguero National Park. This park is famous for the sea-turtles that come to lay their eggs on its beaches, and also for the wildlife that is found in its forests and inland lagoons. We were there in time for lunch and felt like we were in another world. Our guide was brilliant too - he took us out on a boat and walking tour in the afternoon and next morning in search of toucans, crocs (we saw one HUGE one), howler monkeys and countless birds. I wasn't there at the right time to see the turtles (Jun-Oct is the time for this), but I really enjoyed seeing the area and the lodge our groups used was great, with a good pool for the kids to play in and bungalows that blend perfectly with the rainforest. Great food too.
Sarapiqui
This was probably my favourite area because it offered so much choice of things to do and I really liked the hotels and lodges. Named after the river here (pronounced Sa-ra-pee-key) this region offers many wonderful ways to explore true primary rainforest. As well as guided walks (and you really do need a guide to help you explain the infinite variety found in rainforest) you can go white-water rafting or inner-tubing here (there's a variety of levels so children of most ages can try it). I also went riding while I was here (I've never ridden before but I loved it so much that I went the next day too!). The horses are very well looked after and they ride Western-style which I found very comfortable - the saddle is more like an armchair compared to saddles in the UK and the reign is a single rope used as a halter (rather than a bit in the horse's mouth). Once I found my balance and the rhythm, I really relaxed. What was wonderful though was that we were riding through stunning scenery - mountains and rainforest with so much to see. We saw toucans chattering in the trees, an ant-eater and, best of all a sloth. I was captivated by the graceful, slow-motion movement of these unique creatures. Another big highlight was whizzing along on zip-wires through the rainforest canopy. This is both fascinating and exhilarating. The equipment used is very sturdy, the guides are very experienced and speak good English (in fact English is spoken almost everywhere in tourist circles) and focus heavily on safety. You have to make a bit a bit of a leap of faith the first time you do it, but then, suddenly it's 'Wow!' as you fly through the forest 100 feet up, Tarzan style. A big hit with children is the Chocolate tour here. We all know how it tastes, but this visit provides an insight into what it looks like when it's still growing and the different stages it goes through before it is eaten. You even get to try some samples.
Volcanoes and the Pacific Coast
I was travelling during the wet season, so my visits to the volcanoes of Arenal and Rincon de la Vieja weren't terribly revealing in terms of pyrotechnic displays but I visited many hotels and tried other activities in the area. However, although I didn't have time to wait to watch eruptions and lava flows I did see several impressive volcanoes. As I drove towards the west coast we entered another climatic zone (savannah) where many ranches are found and the iconic Guanacaste trees dot the landscape. After reaching the Pan American Highway (a much better road) it was only another hour before I reached the Pacific Ocean (I'd dipped my toes in both oceans within five days). The coast at Ocotal, our base for the next few days, was spectacular to say the least. Turquoise ocean views, sparkling anchorages and a rocky, mountainous coast sprinkled with sandy beaches and sweeping bays. After a few hotel inspections (I found one new one right on the beach that was particularly family friendly) I had a morning of sailing and snorkelling among some islands off-shore. It was hard work, honest! This area is perfect for a few extra days at the end of any tour of the country. Again, facilities are good and so is the food. I'd highly recommend the Ocotal area (or Samara further south) to anyone looking for a relaxing end to a journey through this wonderful country.