Advice for a 1st trip to Costa Rica?

[MCP]

Complete novice here... speak very little spanish.

[NES]

Let me qualify you real quick to see what trip most suites you. Please select the option that best describes you.

A) I am very fat and looking to bang hookers

B) I am very fat and looking to do drugs and hookers

C) I am mildly fat and looking to do drugs and/or hookers

D) I am a curious soul with a desire to come and appreciate Costa Rica's natural wonders and cultural diversity

[Willy Loman]

My 3 favorite destinations are Arenal, Monte Verde, and Manuel Antonio.

[macau]

i like manuel antonio - nice to relax without crowds ,nice beaches etc

[MCP]

Let me qualify you real quick to see what trip most suites you. Please select the option that best describes you.

A) I am very fat and looking to bang hookers

B) I am very fat and looking to do drugs and hookers

C) I am mildly fat and looking to do drugs and/or hookers

D) I am a curious soul with a desire to come and appreciate Costa Rica's natural wonders and cultural diversity

I am mildly fat, with no desire for drugs or hookers. Just want to see a new place

[MCP]

My 3 favorite destinations are Arenal, Monte Verde, and Manuel Antonio.

Arenal is one of my choices, want to see the volcano, and I see they have a very nice hotel there.

[NES]

Now I feel like a dick. Arenal is awesome, Puerto Viejo is awesome. Jaco is a piece of shit, and Manuel Antonio is beautiful and kills a lot of birds with one stone.

[Ezio Auditore]

How long are you planning on visiting? To really see everything, I'd do about 10 days. 1 week is rushing it, but it can be done.

You'll love Arenal - it's not currently active but the hot springs are awesome. There's one called Baldi that is much cheaper than Tabacon, and I just bring a small cooler of beer with me to enjoy while relaxing in the various pools.

Manuel Antonio is a really pretty area to see wildlife, namely monkeys and sloths. It's a must-see. I agree w/ NES, Jaco is a shithole for what you're wanting. It's a party town.

Heading on up north, there's Rio Celeste, this really cool joining of 2 rivers that turn this really pretty blue color.

Monteverde is the cloud forest. It's alright, tourists seem to love it, but I didn't really enjoy it. Coulda taken it or left it.

Guanacaste - from Ojochal up north down to Montefuma (montezuma), they're all pretty beaches, just all the same though. Seen one, seen em all. Definitely recommended to visit though.

I happen to love the Caribbean side of CR, but you might hear various negative things about it. It's like the land that time forgot. Dirt roads, so chill, it seems to be like a place straight out of a Bob Marley song. Food is really good as well.

[MCP]

Thanks guys, I appreciate the input. Is getting around the country easy ? I see Manuel San Antonio is about 2 hours outside of San Jose. I have not traveled much, and I am kind of just winging this trip, so Im worried I will end up not venturing too far from San Jose.

[NES]

Just grab a bus, I don't recommend hanging around san jose unless you want to do the drug and hooker thing.

[MCP]

So just use San Jose to get in and out of CR, and spend as little time possible there....got it

[MCP]

Hows Escazu as a base for my trip ? Gringo friendly? I see they have some nice hotels there like the Intercontinental.. Figure I can arrange travel to Arenal and other places from there

[NES]

Escazu is safe and close to everything. You can take a taxi to the "coca cola" and grab a bus to literally anywhere. You could also prob get a ride to Manuel Antonio for well under $200.

[EOGMike]

I hope you have a great time visiting Costa Rica MCP.

[Ezio Auditore]

You'll never leave...

The beauty
The babes
The beaches
The beer ... oh wait, the beer sucks.

But still, you'll never leave...

[MCP]

Really appreciate all the input guys, thank you.

[macau]

Hows Escazu as a base for my trip ? Gringo friendly? I see they have some nice hotels there like the Intercontinental.. Figure I can arrange travel to Arenal and other places from there

the rooms suck in that place - very old .

you should try brand new sheraton hotel and casino beside them , way nicer rooms- really nice -customer service very strong , restaurant top class and casino is best one in the country.

[MCP]

Thanks for the heads up... how about currency exchange... how widely accepted is US money..if at all ?

[NES]

http://lmgtfy.com/?q=are+US+dollars+...+in+costa+rica

[MCP]

fair enough, but I thought id rather hear it from the locals than an article written by someone who likely took 1 trip there.

[Ezio Auditore]

$20 bills and under are widely accepted just about everywhere. be aware of the current exchange rate so you don't get screwed over. anything larger than a $20 you'll have to go to a bank to exchange it, and just hope that your bills are pristine. don't bring in wrinkled, crinkled bills. no rips,no tears, no writing on them. you want them as perfect as possible. i've withdrawn us cash from a bank's atm, then took it inside the bank to deposit it and had it rejected. banks and businesses can be strict sometimes on us bills so yah, just keep that in mind.

[MCP]

Thanks for the info ! Wouldn't have found that during a google search

[Right Move]

Using US bills reminds me of a story. Was in a bar in Chepe having some of the aforementioned shitty beer and realized I was short on colones, but I had a few twenties left from a poker game I had just gotten back from. I asked the bartender lady in as polite Spanish as I could muster if she would take one. She says she won't accept it, rather rude tone. Puta sitting next to me at the bar who I have ignored the entire time says in accent-free English with an alluring tone "I will take it" Too bad she was fea as shit, she could have made a lot of money with that voice.

Just watch out for them MCP. If you go out drinking at almost any bar after 9pm and don't have a lady or group of guys with you, you will be offered company.

[macau]

Using US bills reminds me of a story. Was in a bar in Chepe having some of the aforementioned shitty beer and realized I was short on colones, but I had a few twenties left from a poker game I had just gotten back from. I asked the bartender lady in as polite Spanish as I could muster if she would take one. She says she won't accept it, rather rude tone. Puta sitting next to me at the bar who I have ignored the entire time says in accent-free English with an alluring tone "I will take it" Too bad she was fea as shit, she could have made a lot of money with that voice.

Just watch out for them MCP. If you go out drinking at almost any bar after 9pm and don't have a lady or group of guys with you, you will be offered company.

there is nothing wrong with that Rightmove - its all a little light fun and games , almost all the woman down here are friendly more so than the usa , at least you can have a conversation with them....

[NES]

Just watch out for them MCP. If you go out drinking at almost any bar after 9pm and don't have a lady or group of guys with you, you will be offered company.

So untrue, you wont be approached by hookers "at almost any bar", just the ones where loudmouth gringos hang out.

[NES]

fair enough, but I thought id rather hear it from the locals than an article written by someone who likely took 1 trip there.

Sorry, I've been itching to send one of those links to somebody

[Right Move]

So untrue, you wont be approached by hookers "at almost any bar", just the ones where loudmouth gringos hang out.

My guess is MCP is going to end up in a lot of bars where it will happen. I have been to plenty of bars away from the gringos where it doesn't happen, but I doubt he'll be in those areas during his trip. Just trying to add on some modest advice for the visitor, but I'll get out of your thread.

[NES]

It isnt my thread and your modest advice sucked. It sounded like you were trying to suggest the hookers are everywhere down here which they are not.

[Ezio Auditore]

I haven't even seen a hooker down here in so long. I should prolly leave Heredia more often.

[NES]

I haven't even seen a hooker down here in so long. I should prolly leave Heredia more often.

Get the fuck out of my thread

[Ezio Auditore]

Get the fuck out of my thread

[MCP]

Told my friend I'd bounce this off the locals, if you were wanting to live in Heredia would you choose to rent or buy ? And what would you expect to pay for a decent 3 bedroom house/condo

[NES]

rent. a lot.

[MCP]

any recommendations ? nice area with not so steep rent ? within an hour of San Jose

[Balco]

any recommendations ? nice area with not so steep rent ? within an hour of San Jose

Using Brock's winnings for this trip?
Fuking stiff!