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Old 08-29-2013, 09:18 AM   #1
ranchlandsselling
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Thinking about a trip to Costa Rice October 2013. Got a bit of a work bonus and this is the only time I can go.

Looking to just hang around the Pacific NW as I understand it's kind of the wet season. Also looking to do some surfing. However, from what I understand is you want to stear clear of river mouths and estuaries when they're flowing as it's sharky and crocky - maybe not a good idea during rain season?

Anyone been? Around that time of year? Suggestions? Might also do a fishing tour, boat charter kind of thing. Going with Wifey

Last edited by ranchlandsselling; 08-29-2013 at 11:34 AM. Reason: to mention the wife
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Old 08-29-2013, 09:21 AM   #2
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A friend of mine went in December and said it was amazing. Not sure what their rainy season is.
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Old 08-29-2013, 09:32 AM   #3
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I live there.

May - Oct is rainy season, although May and Oct are the wettest months. Right now we are getting about 2 days of rain then 1 clear day. It doesn't rain all day, just in the late afternoon evenings. Mornings are usually sunny and clear.

I live in the southern pacific area, so I am more biased to this area. The north is more dry and touristy, whereas my area is more untouched and the rainforest meets the ocean. Look up Dominical, Uvita and Ojochal to see more of my area.

PM if you have any questions. Happy to help out.
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Old 08-29-2013, 09:39 AM   #4
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I didn't go there during Oct, but August instead. I was at Playa Hermosa which is about 45 mins away from Liberia on the Pacific side. Incredibly beautiful country and I swore to myself I would return on day.

We went on some snorkeling tours, fishing and enjoyed the ocean most of the time. Arenal Volcano is a great tour if you get the chance. There is a hot spring resort up there that has about 20 different hot springs to enjoy. I'd highly recommend going there if you get the chance. The drive up the mountain is incredible.

We also did a river boat tour. I forget the exact area, but man was it cool to see crocodiles, monkeys and various other wild life in their natural habitat. Afterwards we enjoyed a meal in some tiny town that our tour guides brought us to. Take a riverboat tour if you can.

We also took a day trip down to Nicaragua which was pretty cool as well.

I never got to surf, but just by lying on the beach and watching some of the waves, you would have a blast. To this day Costa Rica is the most beautiful and green country I've been to. It's also pretty safe and since they have no actual army, the government has been able to allocate those funds on various infrastructure projects and make it more tourist friendly. The women there are hot beyond belief. You will enjoy yourself immensely and I am extremely jealous!
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Old 08-29-2013, 10:33 AM   #5
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Surf info coming later on - I have been thrice and the fourth trip is booked for March.

I have work to do now but will chime in later.
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Old 08-29-2013, 10:54 AM   #6
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stay out of the resorts. The resorts are good but you can rent condos for $500/wk. The people are amazing, the food is great. You will usually spend less renting and eating/drinking if you do the condo route. We go to Playa del Coco every November and love it there.
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Old 08-29-2013, 11:34 AM   #7
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5 Thanks!

Will check in later but much appreciated all the replies so far. I'll PM Norm tonight and maybe surferguy after he reposts
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Old 08-29-2013, 09:07 PM   #8
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So looking at flying into Liberia,
Heading to the Barcelo Langosta Beach Hotel for 3 nights.
Hanging around one of the surf towns for a week renting a condo or something
3 nights Four Seasons Peninsula Papagayo?

Does that sound reasonable?

Norm, I'd love to head south more - but given this is our first time and it is rainy season (October and May being the most wet months, your words) I'd like to hedge our bets and try to be as north/dry as possible.

I think the four seasons sounds pretty nice.

Not sure about the other one - but, it'll be nice to land, go somewhere and be taken care of for a few days while we get the lay of the land. Once we're comfortable then I don't mind taking care of myself (shopping for food, cleaning up after myself etc. for a week).

I generally prefer staying away from hotels and resorts but usually that's where I know the areas. And I think splitting it up is an okay idea? Thoughts?

The week condo will probably be around one of the surf towns in the G region

Playa Grande, Tamarindo, (Guanacaste province). Maybe we could split it up and head south to Dominical for 3.5 days, split the week condo time... But some of the guides said travelling south during rainy season could be difficult due to washed out roads and stuff...

And I'm seriously terrified of this whole rainy season = river mouths and murky ocean water = sharks/crocs.
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Old 08-29-2013, 09:26 PM   #9
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I will be there in October as well but am hoping that it rains enough to keep the rivers high without flooding.

I am heading east to Sarapiqui for a week of whitewater kayaking.

I have never been before though so I don't have any good advice. Unless you want to kayak or raft some exciting water.
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Old 08-29-2013, 10:18 PM   #10
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What Normtwofinger said, I have lived there myself as well.

There are sharks but I was always more worried about the crocs. I have seen them about 100 m out in the ocean, but I know they swim way further out.

I spent most of my time in San Jose and Jaco. I am a lousy surfer and prefer snakes over fish so I try to stay on the beach. People surf in Jaco, I just don't know how good it is.

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Old 08-30-2013, 09:25 AM   #11
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Jaco is a dirty town IMO. I stayed there a couple of times (on two different trips) and the second time around the place seemed to have a really seedy feel to it. I much prefer Dominical.

Surfing:

It seems to me that you are planning on staying north/northwest. This is a good idea that the coast line wraps and bends in all sorts of directions, basically meaning there are lots of options to catch swells.

quote from The Wave House website:

Quote:
“WINTER” May-November

The “Green” season or “rainer” season. Early winter, May-July, is a bit dryer. Late winter, expect weather similar to south Florida in that sunny skies prevail with an afternoon shower, followed by sunny skies again. September & October are the peak of the rains. These two months are the also the most consistent for surf.


What is the Surfing like in the “Winter?”



This is the most consistent time of year for swells. The surf averages head high 80-90% of the time! Dominant winds are stronger, however normally offshore in nature. Late winter, July-October, the surf is 90% consistently head high or larger. The astute surfer can score sizable surf with virtually NO crowds in September & October.
The surf is consistent year round, tropical & sunny. So bring plenty of sun-screen. Water averages in the mid 70’s so topical wax works the best.
If you are a beginner don't worry about the wave size thing in the above description, in fact that is better for you as larger swells means surf will wrap into the smaller bays resulting in safer surfing locations.

But you must be willing to explore to find something suitable for your level if the surf is big. My first day at the beach in Costa Rica (Jaco) the surf was triple overhead.

Rent a Car, rent a board and get a roof rack.


This opens up your options, and driving down there is a simple slice of pie, it just takes a while to get anywhere.

I would suggest renting a house from VRBO.

North:

In the north find a place near Tamarindo, but don't stay there. I am no longer a fan of that town, feels like a small American place devoid of all things Costa Rica. Lots of options to find a wave around here. Playa Grande is particularly fun.

I would also consider on the Nicoya Peninsula:

Samara or Santa Theresa. Both cool little towns that have the right amount of amenities to arrive and stay put.

Middle Coast:

Jacois a small city now and has decent surf in the bay, out side the bay to the south, the waves can get very big (Hermosa Beach). The last time I was here the surf was cracking at low tide, perfect A frame spitting barrels in both directions! It was well above my level but I had a fun time getting punished by the Pacific.

Manuel Antonio : just outside of the park entrance you can stay by the beach in a protected bay that provides fun little waves. I would recommend this place "(also go see the park)
Dominical : Open ocean and banging surf, small town, I loved it here.

Dominicalito: next beach south (10 mins), a little more protected and nobody around. Fun waves.

Way South:

Pavones - the end of the road! Chances are you will not go here. It is the second largest left in the world. If your main mission is to surf and you are of a competent level then make the trek. If not, save it for when you are.

Important: Surfing in the tropics is like clock work. Get up with the sun and get in the water immediately. By hitting the dawn session the wind is offshore and the water is glassy. Best surf of the day guarantee. At ten AM the winds will shift onshore and the waves will not be as nice. They will stay that way until 3 PM when the winds shift off shore again. It takes about an hour or so for the waves to shape up again and from 4-sunset it should glass off.

The water is usually very warm. I tend to wear boardies and a long sleeve rashy until I get tanned enough to go without a shirt.

Sharks and crocs:
it is the ocean and they are there. This is a personal choice. That said if it the surf is 8ft, glassy and barreling... #### the wildlife, I'm going in.

You are going to love it.
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Old 08-30-2013, 09:34 AM   #12
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Good post Suferguy!

I agree about Jaco. Stay away, nothing but a drug dealer, prostitute infested town (unless you are into that thing).

I've heard that crocs get displaced into the ocean around October because of peak mating season. Every year I hear about one or two surfers getting bit or close to bit. Personally, I don't venture out in the water very far during October, and never go near river mouths.

Dominical can have a strong rip tide, so if you are not a great swimmer, take caution. The town itself is a surf town, more transients coming and going, and more of a young party crowd.
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Old 08-31-2013, 03:12 PM   #13
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Quote:
Originally Posted by ranchlandsselling View Post
So looking at flying into Liberia,
Heading to the Barcelo Langosta Beach Hotel for 3 nights.
Hanging around one of the surf towns for a week renting a condo or something
3 nights Four Seasons Peninsula Papagayo?
We stayed at the Barcelo Langosta Beach back in early May. It was a nice, but not overly fancy resort. Food was very hit or miss. But the pool area was very nice and at least when we were there very relaxing. The nice thing is if you want to head into Tamarindo (which felt more like Banff than Costa Rica) it's a 20 minute walk downhill, then you can always find a cab to bring you back for $4 if you're tired or drunk. The beach in Tamarindo is a lot nicer than the one at the resort, but there were still good waves in both locations. You can rent a board right from a booth set up in the pool area. The resort is right beside where a river enters the ocean, so some currents can be strong around the river, especially at high tide but we never saw any crocs or sharks around the resort. One guy did get a jellyfish sting. But the only thing we really saw on the beach was a 3 legged dog.

The best part of Costa Rica for us was wildlife. We saw Howler Monkies around the resort on a few occasions. Iguana's, hummingbirds, racoons, leaf cutter ants, small lizards were also often seen around. The Palo Verde River cruise was a highlight for us. Tons of crocodiles and white faced monkeys were around.

October I've heard is one of the best months to be there, especially if you can just avoid the rainy season. The whole place will be very lush and green. When we arrived, we were shocked at how brown it was (rainy season started 2 weeks after).

Also, try the Lizano Sauce when eating a traditional meal in Costa Rica. Bring a couple bottles home if you like it. It's tough to find in Alberta.
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Old 08-31-2013, 03:42 PM   #14
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Just yesterday I was thinking I might be able to knock Costa Rica off my bucket list soon. I checked out accomodations on airbnb and thought I might look into this place more. Everything seems to be there ie. Surfing fishing, beaches etc. with a small town feel at a reasonable price. October calendar looks to be wide open. I suggest checking this link out by yourself first though. Once the mrs. sees the vistas from the rooms you may have no choice.

https://www.airbnb.ca/rooms/21839
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Old 08-31-2013, 04:13 PM   #15
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Quote:
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Just yesterday I was thinking I might be able to knock Costa Rica off my bucket list soon. I checked out accomodations on airbnb and thought I might look into this place more. Everything seems to be there ie. Surfing fishing, beaches etc. with a small town feel at a reasonable price. October calendar looks to be wide open. I suggest checking this link out by yourself first though. Once the mrs. sees the vistas from the rooms you may have no choice.

https://www.airbnb.ca/rooms/21839
Be advised that October is the rainiest month and most cloud covered month in CR. That probably is why the villa is available the whole month.
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Old 08-31-2013, 06:55 PM   #16
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Be advised that October is the rainiest month and most cloud covered month in CR. That probably is why the villa is available the whole month.
Thanks. I wouldn't be going in October for sure but that is when the OP said he was going. Sure looks sweet though.
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Old 08-31-2013, 08:32 PM   #17
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Three Toed Sloths!
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Old 09-01-2013, 09:24 PM   #18
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Hey,

Thanks for all the responses so far. Been very helpful.

Still trying to fine tune some things.

Probably staying in the Guanacaste Province. So not going much further south.

Was looking at this place, but not sure how the surfing in the area is - can't really tell what the beach is like or if there'd be decent surfing around.
http://www.villamalibu.com/
http://www.vrbo.com/47089?utm_source...ryConfirmation

That said, any experience with Samara? You said Tamarindo was a bit too developed so to speak. Samara we've heard some good things about - but it's over 4 hours south from Tamarindo. Safe?

Thanks!

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Old 09-01-2013, 10:51 PM   #19
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Originally Posted by ranchlandsselling View Post
Hey,

Thanks for all the responses so far. Been very helpful.

Still trying to fine tune some things.

Probably staying in the Guanacaste Province. So not going much further south.

That said, any experience with Samara? You said Tamarindo was a bit too developed so to speak. Samara we've heard some good things about - but it's over 4 hours south from Tamarindo. Safe?

Thanks!
Guanacaste province is where I stayed. Such a beautiful area. And as krazycanuck said, the wildlife is spectacular.
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Old 09-02-2013, 01:30 AM   #20
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Yeah, looks to be our best bet this time of year given the potential for rain.

Surferguy - I can surf and am a decent swimmer. I've surfed head high in Hawaii, not well, and usually by the time I'm up it's no longer head high but...

So I'd probably give most breaks a go - espeically a beach break vs. reef break. Turns.... I'm LFF, so I'm usually going to my right, or at least for some reason that what I've mostly ridden. I have a 7'6 funboard I'm just getting the hang of (getting up) but it's parked in Hawaii.

What the wife is looking for is something where she can watch me surf from our place. So she doesn't have to hang out for hours on some beach while I surf. Fair enough...

My main concern is not getting eaten. Drowning and getting pounded into the bottom are so far away from my concern that it's probably not good.

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