As Sandy and I really dislike February for its greyness and winter still dragging on, we decided to take a holiday to Costa Rica, one of our favourite destinations. This review is in the form of a travel log that we hope you might enjoy and benefit from some of our experiences, both in travelling and the enjoyment of being there.
One of the key aspects of a great holiday is in the planning. I had always wanted to catch a rooster fish and read that Costa Rica was a great place to do it. I saw an advert for Jackpot Sport Fishing on a boat named ‘Good Day’ skippered by Benn Gilmour. I emailed Benn to find out about his trips and asked for references from people who had fished with him. The feedback was great and being an ex-pat from the Isle of Man, he understood how we Brits prefer to fish, doing much ourselves. Sandy likes geology and we saw there were volcanos there as it is on the ‘Ring of Fire’. We both like the fauna and Sandy likes the flora so it seemed the perfect destination. With the fishing destination sorted, I asked Benn where would be the best places to travel as a couple and he referred me to Namu, a local travel agent. They have contacts everywhere and a wealth of ideas, and we quickly arranged a trip for five weeks. (You can pay through Namu once the itinerary is agreed or by instalments if this is the preferred methods). We would really recommend them as they were helpful throughout the trip, rescuing us at times. We decided to travel in January during the dry season (December to March is the best time). If you go in the main holiday season in the UK (August) it is in their summer but this is the wet season and a Central American rainstorm are usually a deluge.
So, with the date set, Sandy organized our travel prior to arriving at San Jose to make it as stress free as possible. We set out on a National Express coach from Barnstaple to Gatwick on the day before our flight. This went straight through to the airport, eliminated any parking issues and expense, and buying a return meant we could sleep on the journey home after the overnight flight. We spent the night in the Bloc Hotel inside the airport which is basic but adequate for a sound night’s sleep and ensured we had plenty of time in the morning to check our bags and catch the flight. There is a Wetherspoon’s and a Marks & Spencer’s food outlet should you need anything to eat.
Using an airport lounge to pass the hours away wasn’t worth the expenditure (£60) as there is limited choice. If you want a hearty breakfast, it works out more cheaply overall in the airport waiting area, and we would do that next time.
We boarded our flight at 11.05am. As I am 6’ 2” we had paid extra (£80 each) when we booked the flight to get the additional legroom. However, BA had allocated them all to other people, and getting your money back afterwards was no mean feat. BA are OK but the food on board was dire which didn’t leave a great impression. We wouldn’t recommend them as first choice. Our experience on the return journey simply made the experience of their service even worse.
We arrived at 16.50 (5 hours behind UK time) in San Jose to be met off the plane by a Namu representative who guided us through the customs procedure and took us to the awaiting ground transportation and on to our first destination. These minibuses are everywhere in Costa Rica and are a lot easier to use than hiring a car. All hotels can book them for you for travelling to other destinations or attractions; it is simple and very reliable. Namu had organized one for every change of location, and excursion and gave us times for our pick-ups and the duration of the journey on a schedule. Every journey was with an English-speaking driver in an air-conditioned vehicle.
Our vehicle took us to Villa Blanca in Alajuela up in the Los Angeles cloud forest, although it was too dark to see anything when we arrived.
We had visited this hotel briefly in the past and just loved its location with a grassed central area with woodland all around, and several walks mapped out so you can see the birdlife. (I would recommend you take a field guidebook and binoculars to help you identify the birds as there are over 900 species in Costa Rica. (You can also download a free App on your phone called Merlin which identifies the birds by their calls by country which is a great help). The mammals are a lot more elusive, with the exception of a coatimundi which was never far away.
We were upgraded having been there before to a ‘Superior Casila’. The was a chalet for up to three with two bathrooms, one with a jacuzzi, but no fridge (which can be pre-arranged) and a garden at the rear backing onto the cloud forest.
On the first day we had a guided tour with Miguel around the grounds which was very informative. (We thought this was included in the hotel rate but we were charged $100). I would probably still have done this anyway as these guides are all trained and must to be qualified before they can work with tourists.
There is a hummingbird garden adjacent to main hotel where they are fed daily through sugar fluid feeders. I could sit for hours and just watch them, but they are so incredibly quick, timid birds that photographs are never easy. Your guide can tell you the different species, but to the novice, it is incredibly problematic. There was also a frog house best viewed at night as most are nocturnal.
The following day we explored by ourselves; there was a sweet little church in the grounds and a small farm area where Sandy was allowed to milk the cows. The whole experience was relaxed with wildlife everywhere.
This was one of the highlights of the trip. A wonderful and relaxing place. The staff were very friendly – which was the same throughout our time there.
On the 19th we were collected and transferred to Xandari. This was another good quality hotel we had used before with extensive grounds down to waterfalls. The owner originally established the hotel and grounds as a bird haven, and produced a leaflet of the 360-ish species of birds that have been seen in the gardens.
We were allocated room 23 which was basic/comfortable with twin beds, shower, mini kitchen area with a fridge and coffee machine and great views over San Jose during the daytime and when lights sparkled at night.
As became my routine, I rose at 6am and explored the grounds identifying and photographing birds before breakfast (which is included) while Sandy cooled off in the swimming pool. Breakfast was the traditional one of eggs, plantain, bacon, potato cubes and toast, and was eaten in a raised restaurant overlooking the gardens.
We found midday meals unnecessary and the evening meals there were excellent. There is a small supermarket just down the hill to get any provisions you may need, but it is a steep walk back up made more difficult in the daytime heat.
The next day we had planned a private tour to one of the nearest volcanos, Brava. The roads were awful when we reached the side of the crater with only large 4x4’s able to get through having greater ground clearance, so we stopped about one kilometer away and worked our way through the woods which was very arduous. When we finally reached the top, there were two craters full of water, but low mist which made visibility difficult. It didn’t seem worth the effort, but that is a problem with the volcanos there, they can be brilliant or invisible. The chances of great views are better in the dry season as there is less cloud cover at these heights, but you can never be sure.
The following day, we had another private tour to see Irazu, another extinct volcano just south of San Jose. It was a two-hour drive to the crater and after yesterday’s trek it was good to get a bit closer to the top on a far superior road. The crater here 11, 295 feet up, was huge and spectacular, a real WOW moment. Fortunately, it was a clear day and we could see the entire structure. This is highly recommended as the scale of the structure is vast.
The following day was set aside as a rest day, but got one of the staff offered to take us on the bamboo trail within the hotel grounds (free) leading down to the waterfalls.
Friends Nick and Reg arrived at San Jose the following afternoon, so we collected them from the airport and all travelled together to Quepos on the Pacific coast. It took about four hours of driving and as the flights arrive at the end of the day it was dark again dark when we arrived at the Naoz Hotel between Quepos and Manual Antonio. This was a one-night stop before we were collected by a taxi at 6.30am to be taken to Quepos Marina ($12 each way for all of us) and there we purchased our fishing licences (around $17ea) for fishing from a boat before boarding ‘Good Day’ with Benn and Manual as crew. The cost is $1200 per day for the boat, tackle and refreshments, regardless of the number of people. As there were three fishermen in worked out about $400 each. However, please don’t forget the tip; as most of the customers are American, the cost is based on an additional 15-20% tip so make sure this is built into your costs.
We had fished with Benn before and we knew the routine, and it was good to meet old friends. Benn taught me the intricacies of big game fishing; there is far more to this than meets the eye. He can show you how to set up the bait to work correctly in the water, encourages you put the bait out, strike, and play the fish in a standing position, but there is a fighting chair if you would rather just sit and play fish from there. Benn acting as mate handles the leader (and tags the fish to help with conservation information for several species) before unhooking and releasing the fish, and helps with any photographs. He also took underwater pictures of the fish which are spectacular. We caught several sailfish, dorado, barracuda, yellowfin tuna, wahoo about 30 miles out on a reef where the water temperature was 83F degrees.
Equally enjoyable is fishing the inshore reefs for roosterfish, jacks, barracuda, snapper and a host of other species. I also take feathers to see what mini-species are there. Benn joked that it is a British thing to fish from a big game boat using feathers.
We had to travel around 80 miles down the coast to Drake Island and our next accommodation, fishing in different locations as we travelled, both inshore and offshore. Sandy worried about seasickness and took tablets on the eve and on the day of travelling, and was fine. She even felt confident enough to climb up into the tuna tower where she had a better view of everything including seeing around 30 olive ridley turtles, bottle-nosed and spinner dolphin and the obligatory boobies (a type of gannet) which will try to steal bait.
Lunch on board (included) was chicken, rice, and bean salad with an excellent salsa, and as many drinks you need in the heat - water, soda or alcoholic. You must plan for the heat and do not underestimate the power of the sun. It is sensible to use factor 50 or above suncream, sunglasses and sleeves. When fishing we also wear a snood to cover your neck and chin, and a cap that has flaps over your ears: you end up looking like terrorist. Whilst the hotels we had stayed at before had been at altitude and a moderate temperature, at sea level it is sunny and very hot.
We caught sailfish, dorado and jacks whilst we had a great trip down. You can fly there, but this seemed more fun and as we were staying at Drake for a few days, we had the boat on hand for fishing and maximizing the fishing time. On arrival we transferred a smaller boat to take us to the shore as the beach is long and very shallow.
There, we stayed at Southern Drake Lodge, collected at the beach in a 4X4 travelling up basic dirt roads. This was yet another fabulous hotel surrounded by trees. Our room looked out towards the sea with our own plunge pool which was always cool as it was built on the shady side of the building, and a swimming pool in the grounds. The trees were full of birds: toucans were regular visitors to the tree right outside our windows. Our room was $500 per night but seemed very reasonable as it was shared between 4 of us and included transport to and from the boat, breakfast, a packed lunch and evening meal - good quality local food. There was also a bar area but drinks were charged extra. The owners were friendly and nothing was too much trouble. (I should comment that we enjoyed it so much we have already booked to go there next year).
The next day Reg, Nick and I were fishing again. The hardest part was catching the sardines for bait. In previous years we have seen shoals of sardines (bait balls) as big as football pitches, but this year they were few on the ground. We were told this was due to ‘El Nino’. When we did find some, the bigger fish were relatively easy to catch. We caught sailfish, Spanish mackerel (beware of their teeth, you will need a trace), rooster fish which are beautiful, jacks and even a bluefin trevally. Great sport and even more enjoyable sharing it with friends.
As Costa Rica is near the equator, the days are 12 hours long and the light falls quickly, so by the time you get back and have a shower and a drink the light is falling and it is meal time. You should take insect repellent at the lower altitudes, as you will be bitten, but it isn’t a major issue.
The next day followed the same format. Sandy rested at the Lodge and met a group of Austrian anglers and a filmmaker who was staying to make a film about the hotel.
We were lucky enough to see whales while we were fishing. Apparently, Drake Island is a renowned area to whale watch. There is also a national park which we didn’t allocate time to visit so decided to save the experience for our return the following year.
It was sad to leave the Lodge in the morning as we headed back to Quepos on ‘Good Day’ fishing as we travelled, which took virtually all of the day. We returned to Hotel Noaz to be met by the staff who were friendly and very amusing. We bathed in the pool and had our evening meal and drinks and just chilled out.
The next day we had booked a trip rafting on the River Sevegre fly fishing and bird watching as we drifted down. This was Benn’s suggestion as he knew we like doing different things. (This cost $400 for a two-person raft with lunch and all tackle provided plus collection from and return to your hotel) We were taken to the river via a self-sufficient settlement which was fascinating. The people there help build houses for newcomers, and it is your duty to do that for the next families. We had a few drinks there and a snack, learning more about the people before launching the rafts further upstream. The scenery was beautiful, I had never done this before and it was fabulous. We were told to cast next to the foliage and to strip the line quickly although my cast was more if a flick.
I trout fish mainly small streams and am not a long-distance caster, but Nick is and it was beautiful to watch his technique, but I caught way more fish as I am used to casting into tight areas, and I quickly realized that stripping was not the thing to do in small streams, twitching the fly with the rod tip worked better and caught 6 machaca, one snook and a surprise jack. The bird life was so plentiful that I was torn between fishing and photographing the birds. I decided that I would do this activity again on the next trip to focus more on the birdlife. We stopped on a beach for lunch and a drink before rafting further downstream towards the estuary, and then returning to the hotel. This is another highly recommended experience as most of the trips proved to be.
Sadly, I left my travel rod that always accompanies me on the raft, which I was hoping to use it on the rest of the trip, so contacted the travel agent, who collected it and had it sent on the meet me further on the trip. An excellent service.
The following day Nick and Reg were out with Benn again, whilst Sandy and I took the bus to Manual Antonio and tried to visit the reserve. Approximately 47% of Costa Rica is a reserve of some sort with landowners getting tax breaks if they manage their land in the approved manner. However, we learnt that you have to book on line the day before to be granted access and we hadn’t done this through the agent so were unable to get in. (We had done this before and really enjoyed is seeing several sloth, deer, iguana, lizard and countless birds – again this is recommended) Our visit was limited to lunch, a walk on the beach and a return bus ride back to the hotel. These local buses run between Quepos and Manual Antonio every half hour and cost a couple of dollars.
The final day was spent by all of us on ‘Good Day’ trying reef fishing for a change. We had the usual jack and a few smaller species until we anchored, then Nick caught a good sized hard-fighting Cubera snapper which took an age to return alive to the depths. I had a good mullet snapper, a species that was new to me and great sport.
(In the past we have stayed at the Costa Verde Hotel which has large grounds where we saw agouti, toucan, squirrel and howler monkeys and is another excellent venue. Likewise, The Falls which Reg and I have used when there was just the two of us. This is peak season for travelling so book well in advance).
That evening we dined at the Aeroplane Restaurant, which uses a recycled airliner as the entrance to the hotel. You can sit in the cockpit and become a kid pretending to be a pilot which Nick and Sandy did. A superb way to end this part of the holiday.
The following day, Nick and Reg travelled back to San Jose to return home whilst Sandy and I went on to Trogon Lodge (named after the bird) at San Gerardo de Dota.
It was a beautiful drive with spectacular views as we ascended, and the temperature dropped. The Lodge is an area of chalets with a central dining area with the upper River Sevegre running through it, some of the flow being diverted into a trout farm for the restaurant. There were plants and birds everywhere. We had been told by friends this was a good place to stay, and immediately saw why. Our lodge had flowering shrubs frequented by hummingbirds right outside our door.
The food was of a high standard, and the staff were very helpful. The nights at this altitude were chilly and we were delivered hot water bottles every evening which was a new experience.
The following day we had booked a short excursion to see a resplendent quetzal, which required a 5.30am start. The birdlife is most active at dawn so if you are going on birding trips, make sure you go early in the morning. We were joined by other groups of birders at the same location, this was another new experience for me. When a bird was heard everyone would charge off to try and see it. Then another call would be heard they would all charge off in that direction which was amusing to watch. I heard one and was surrounded, and as the next call sounded everyone charged off but I stayed put. Lo and behold, out came the quetzal in a tree nearby where I could get a photograph. These are regarded as the most beautiful bird of Costa Rica with long tail feathers. They are quite rare so it was good to have that one mostly to ourselves. There were other species seen like black guan before we returned in time for breakfast. Our favourite was the mountain casserole which consisted of bacon, sausage, cubes of potatoes with eggs and toast.
In the afternoon we walked around the grounds and (unsurprisingly) I was drawn to the Sevegre which was little more than a stream at this height and noticed little trout.
I would have loved to fish it but had left my rod behind as mentioned before. Later in the stay I met an American who was flyfishing there and told me these trout were introduced from the Washington state in the USA several years before, and most of them looked like cutthroat trout. As expected, I was driven to catch one so found a flexible stick about six feet long, tied on a length of line from my reel, added a shot and a hook of about size 12 from my kit. Fortunately, I had taken a small jar of plastic maggots for such emergencies, and I managed to catch one - very much in the style in Huckleberry Finn.
The following day we had another birding tour and guide who took us downstream. After a walk around another woodland, we stopped at a nearby hotel where the birds are regularly fed, we sat and just watch them with the guide able to identify them all. Most were hummingbirds but there was also trogon, mocking birds, woodpeckers, etc. In all, we probably saw about 30 or 40 species in the short time we sat there.
On the last day we took one of the local walks up the river from the map provided. We were in a deep valley, and there were many waterfalls in a secluded area. It was so peaceful. Another destination where said we would return.
Our next stop further south in the Osa Peninsula was the Hotel Botanika, one of the Hilton Group, set in 40 acres next to Crocodile Bay marina and Jimenez Airport.
The next day we had booked a full day guided trip to the Corcovado National Park. Once again it was starting at 6.00am, hoping to see the rare scarlet macaw. We had a couple of brief stops en route to see monkeys, a sloth and a mangrove cuckoo before stopping on the coast. The walk was initially to a local ranger office, then taking a break before walking further to a river estuary. We all had a drink – then I made a mistake of not taking additional water with me.
As we walked one of the first things we saw was a scarlet macaw. This guide wasn’t great as it was more like a route march (It wasn’t a private tour organized by Namu) and Sandy and I were always lagging behind slowing things down watching birds. We saw several macaws, hawks, white-faced coati but the thing that surprised us most was seeing an anteater up a tree. They feed on termites so it is logical, just unexpected.
We reached the ranger station and had a break, then pushed on the estuary arriving there thirsty, and the walk back to the ranger station was very tiring. Our guide still pushed on, not looking behind him to see what was happening as we fell further back. Our lack of water was affecting us in the heat and we were flagging. We were so relieved to reach the transport and rehydrate – so always make sure to take plenty of water with you.
This hotel was effectively a modern one and looked out of place to us as we prefer the ones with cabins in the grounds, and was full of people who just want to sit by pool and make noise which wasn’t our type of thing, although the area by the bay was beautiful.
The next day we caught a flight from Jimenez airport in a small propellor aircraft back to San Jose to transfer to a second flight to Tortuguero.
These were the smallest planes I have ever been in and as they flew low, we were able to see the fascinating countryside below. Tortuguero is on the Atlantic Ocean side of Costa Rica and was warm and very humid. There are no roads to get around, everything is done using waterways, so we were collected from the airport and taken to our hotel, the Aninga Lodge, by boat. This was again chalets and a central reception/dining area, with everything connected by a boardwalk.
The next morning, I was ready for fishing on the dock at 7.00am. One of the joys of being up at that time is seeing wildlife and this was especially true that morning as an armadillo walked across the path right in front of me, something I had never seen before. I was hoping to catch tarpon on this trip as they are one of my favourite species due to their fighting abilities. To get to the sea we sped through tree lined channels seeing crocodiles, turtles and a plethora of waterbirds including herons, moorhens and gulls, truly a fantastic experience. We arrived at the estuary of the Colorado River at the border between Costa Rica and Nicaragua. We trolled up and down much of the day, anchored in the estuary without any success. However, a big tarpon did roll next to the boat which probably weighed nearly 200lbs. (This trip cost $400 for one person, $500 for two and $600 for three people on the boat and included tackle but doesn’t include tips).
The next day was booked for a walk around the reserve that surrounds the hotel with a guide. In the leaf litter below the boardwalk, you could see crabs coming and going from their burrows. We were told there could be snakes there too and not to walk off the boards and ants on the handrails could give a painful bite. The noisiest bird was the montezumas oropendola which is the size of a toucan and calls as it rocks on its perch and lives in hanging nests.
The clay-coloured thrush is the national bird and gets its status due to the range of songs and being so widespread everyone identifies with it.
There was coffee and biscuits put out in the dining area for refreshments at any time but this was frequented by raccoons.
That afternoon we took he boat ride across the river to the town of Tortuguero. This was Caribbean-style with a “road” through the middle with shops either side, and mooring places at regular intervals. It was like a step back in time.
The next day I was fishing again, this time with Primo who is rated the best skipper there; based on my experience I would agree, as he fished the places that I would have done. He anchored in the estuary adjacent to where the flow from the river was most rapid, the ideal place for predators. The first fish I caught was a jack that fought well in the current. Then I struck into my first tarpon, probably just over 100lbs which fought as I would expect a tarpon to, testing your stamina. That was shortly followed by a bigger on of around 120lbs. It wasn’t long before I was into a third one; this one went bananas, charging all over the place. It went past a boat that had moored close by. The skipper of that boat saw what was happening and passed the line over his boat. By this time, Primo had got the anchor up and we let the tarpon take us into the open ocean. All the time I was playing it as hard as I was able. Primo said I should use more drag, so I passed him the rod – the reel was already maxed out and the fish just kept going pulling the boat. Eventually I won the day after he had pulled us a couple of miles out to sea and it was only around 140lbs. A fantastic fight!!
We went back to the original spot and re-anchored; I was enjoying the rest when wham! Another tarpon was on and he fought hard, but fortunately not quite like the last one and it proved the biggest of the day, closer to 200lbs. Primo then asked if I wanted to try again. By this time, I was shot. I had caught 4 tarpon in 5 hours and I was shattered, but once again I promised myself that I would be back.
The next day it was time to move on again, this time to Borinquen. But getting there proved problematic. We were scheduled for a 10.30 collection at the dock and at 9.00am someone rushed to our chalet and said our boat was going now and we must come immediately. We had already packed our bags and whilst I took them to the boat, Sandy paid the bill. I did stop and take a picture of a boa constrictor up a tree before we got into the boat. The boat guide was in a panic and as the boat sped off, I turned to Sandy and questioned which way we were going, and she was as bemused as I was so asked the guide. He replied it was the only boat going today, so we sat tight. After an hour I was getting less sure and queried it again when he realized we weren’t one of the boat party, and we were going the wrong way. Sandy managed to get a call to the travel agents for help. They in turn contacted the group’s tour operator and arranged for us to remain with them to the demarcation point, get on their coach to the place where they stop for a meal at lunchtime. Another vehicle would collect us there and travel on to our booked destination. By the time we had arrived and had our lunch it was three and a half hours later and we had been going in the wrong direction. This driver took us to the correct hotel but when we arrived it was nearly midnight, and were absolutely shattered. Once again, our travel agent was superb and saved the day with their local knowledge, and got us $120 refund for our hassle. My fishing rod had even caught up with me as well!
We were billeted at the top of the hill in bungalow No. 503 which gave us a great view down the valley, even from the jacuzzi, towards the Pacific, and over the thermal springs (we were on the side of the Rincon volcano). The lodge had air-conditioning, refrigerator, coffee machine and jacuzzi with an elevated area of decking, great for watching everything below.
The morning view down the valley with the steam rising from the thermal springs was great to wake up to before breakfast.
There were plenty of birds including a nesting colony of ‘montezumas’ which make a racket, and the spectacular white throated magpie jays which are opportunists, so watch your food.
In the trees there were the usual monkeys, both howler and capuchin together with iguana and coatis which also steal what they can.
As had become the norm, we were up at 6.00am the following day for a walk further up the hill towards the summit of Rincon which you could see in the distance.
Sadly, we were not allowed to go to the top of this volcano following recent seismic activity. This guide was very polite but wasn’t a birder, although he was excellent at teaching us about the trees as we descended into a glade, pointing out mahogany and ‘ear trees’, the falling leaves look just like human ears and are loved by cattle. We saw toucan, trogon and little jacamars amongst the birdlife, and also a coati up a tree.
As we were towards the top of a hill the wind could spring up, but the temperature remained around 34C so it was never cold here.
In our spare time we walked around the grounds, Sandy swam in the pool and used the hot pools and mud bath.
Once again, we were sad to leave here when the time came, but we were travelling east to Playa Hermosa and the Hotel Bosque del Mer.
The day that we arrived there was a wedding on the beach (with loud music until 2 am).
We walked along the beach with picturesque views of the sunset. Then relaxed in the raised restaurant with excellent views of the beach and the ocean.
Breakfast was amusing; Sandy having eggs benedict and I had a bacon rolls. We were accompanied by two chickens, one was very big, and the other roosted in a flower container adjacent to our table and laid three eggs while we were there.
I fished with floating lures without success at the end of the beach, whilst Sandy looked around the local street. As we returned, we stopped at one of the restaurants serving very tasty grilled seafood. There was everything you would expect to see there, including hiring boats and boards, massages, fruit and beer for sale, but it was very hot, too warm for me and I kept out of the sun. Sadly, the loud music just outside the grounds was playing again the next night until 2 am, and even though the hotel called the police, it had little or no effect.
The next day was another excursion to the Palo Verde National Park. This included a lunch, a boat tour, and an English-speaking guide. The first stop was for a very tasty lunch and Sandy managed to buy some much loved Guanacosta honey, replenishing the stock we had consumed since our last visit.
The ride from there to the dock was very bumpy, and we boarded our boat with four Canadians from Toronto. Apparently, as this is the most infested crocodile river in the area, we were advised not to put our hand over the side. There were plenty of female crocodiles around 9’ long, but it was the territory of a 16’ male.
Sure enough, as we headed upstream every few yards there was a crocodile one side with iguana on the other. There were wading birds of all sorts and a family of capuchin monkeys trying to get a drink. They were terrified of the crocodiles and there was much trepidation as the got a handful of water and dashed back up the bank. As everyone on board watched this, I looked over my shoulder into a glade and there was the male. It was absolutely massive, far bigger than I expected, not just the length but the height and width of the body. It just lay there and as we moved a few yards the foliage hid it from view. The word awesome is overused, but this is one occasion when it was apt.
On the way back, we passed a small lake where there was whistling ducks and jaribu, big white stork-like birds. Our guide was ecstatic. He told us he had recently been taking a couple all over Costa Rica for a week to see one of these birds and had failed. There were only about 25 pairs in the whole of the country so we were really lucky.
The last bird worthy of note was a harris hawk on a telegraph pole, the first wild one I had ever seen.
Our next day was a restful one finishing with a mahi sandwich and cold beers before fishing from the shore as the sun went down.
The next day we moved on to the Manala Hotel, a four-hour drive away. This area is a favoured surfing hotspot, but as we arrived, we were horrified to see no pavements along the main road and motorbikes and quads going everywhere; few seemed to have any road sense. Our cabin was set back a little way from the road. On the reception check was a sign stating not to go onto the beach after 6pm or risk assault and robbery. The next day we decided this wasn’t the place for us and asked our travel agent to find somewhere else for the duration of our scheduled stay there. The hotel owner came to talk to us and ask us why. She said it was safe to go onto the road after 5pm. I reminded her that we were advised not to go out after 6 so it wouldn’t be much fun.
There was a swimming pool there, a safe for valuables and you could get fresh coconuts from reception. At dawn, we walked through a passage before everyone rose, to the most beautiful beach that we have ever seen. There was no doubt this would be wonderful for surfers, but that just isn’t our thing.
The excursion we had already booked for the day took us to the nearest wildlife park featuring hanging bridges and waterfalls. This tour took 2 hours before we went to the town of Montezuma, a beachside town with a waterfall, relatively unspoilt, and where we decided to have lunch overlooking the beach before returning to our hotel.
We left the hotel the next morning organized by the agents, again travelling to Montezuma to catch a ferry across to Punta Arenas saving several hours driving. This cost $56.50 for both of us.
The travel agent had organized a minibus to collect us from the ferry and take us to Xandari where we had stayed earlier, and we had a nice welcome back. It was great to be back in cooler temperatures as we had ascended several hundred feet. We spent the next day relaxing with Sandy swimming while I was taking bird photographs again. (By the end of the trip I had photographed and identified about 180 species of birds).
That night we had dinner and I had prawns and, just for a change Sandy didn’t steal any from my plate. After going to bed, I was violently sick all night. The next morning Sandy couldn’t wake me and so contacted the hotel manager and the travel agent to say we were in trouble. Paramedics arrived and were very concerned as my blood pressure was 230/180 and I was also showing very high blood sugar count due to the stresses of being ill all night. I had been pre-diabetic for a while but this pushed my sugar levels way up (2 days later my reading was 90). I was rushed to hospital with blue lights flashing, and feeling I was slipping away. Sandy fortunately had made sure we had travel insurance to cover any costs. (this is a MUST, do not forget this as I wouldn’t have been treated without it) I was rushed to the front of the queue where armed police officers were there watching over the victims of shooting or stabbing. The staff were very kind and helpful as I was set in a chair to relax. It was just like the units in the UK with long queues and I felt guilty being pushed ahead of everyone else. As we were flying out the next day, several hours later I checked myself out, even though they said I must be admitted. The hotel organized a vehicle to collect us, and as we walked up to the room, there was an armadillo which Sandy had been trying to see all trip to welcome us back. The travel agents had spoken to the hotel on our behalf and arranged a full refund for our stay there. The next morning, we were picked up and taken to the airport, but the drama wasn’t over yet. As the plane took off and reached cruising height, the blood pressure caused the blood vessels to rupture in my eyes. I must have looked like Satan.
The gentleman on the other side of Sandy on the plane also kept passing out, due to dehydration. Prior to the plane landing, we were told we couldn’t leave until the gentleman had been taken away by ambulance. We were very tight on time, and despite our request to leave the plane as I was travelling home to hospital, I was told to sit tight. You can imagine my anger when a couple of returning stewardesses from previous flights on the row in front of us were then allowed to disembark. So much for BA’s caring service, it had been appalling all through this holiday.
Due to the delay, missed our coach to Bristol and on to Barnstaple by three minutes. We went to the help desk, who booked us on the next bus to Bristol, - but they hadn’t realized that there was no bus on from Bristol to Barnstaple later that night. Our wonderful daughter Jenny drove from Torrington to Bristol to collect us and take me to Barnstaple General Hospital. When I arrived there, it was a day when the staff were on strike, by this time it was 3am, and after checking there was no major injury to my eye, I was discharged. The next day I was back at the hospital for a routine appointment, and they put in the day ward where I sat all day on a drip before being discharged when it had finished.
I was so glad this fiasco had come right at the end of the holiday which had been absolutely fabulous, one of our best ever vacations. We will return next year as eating a bad prawn could happen anywhere in the world and we loved it there.
I hope our enjoyment shines through and you get some idea about Costa Rica, how wonderful it is and a few do’s and don’ts to make sure your holiday goes to plan.
Other places we have visited that you may like is:-
Arunal Volcano. By now you know we like the geology and found this fascinating. We would go there for longer, but this trip included swimming in warm pools and so the time at Arunal was cut short.
Boaz Volcano. On our last trip we went to see Boaz which is still active, and were lucky to have another clear day. We could see the vents spewing out gas and there was a strong smell of sulphur which increased while we were there. NB; They do have an alarm system to keep people away when there is significant activity. Another experience not to miss.
La Paz is a waterfall garden but also a sanctuary for animals to return to health before being released into the wild when they can. Some like jaguars had been kept in captivity so long that they are unable to be released. You can also stay there but it is very expensive. We went on a day trip when staying at Villa Blanca.
Everywhere we stayed we went on a birdwatching tour which is best done very early in the morning (6am). There are always national parks nearby with a wealth of wildlife and flora. If you can afford it, take a private tour. You can then take it at your own pace and spend longer looking at the things that interest you most.
Namu will always suggest activities in the area where you are staying, or you can simply enquire at the hotel.
The contacts that were the most helpful in planning a trip :-
NAMU – The contact that was most helpful to me (their fishing expert) was Ulrik Oldenburg - E mail: ulrikthiels@namutravel.com
Namu also has a team of people who are available any time when you are in the country contactable through WhatsApp
Benn Gilmour at Jackpot Sport Fishing. E mail – info@jackpotsportfishing.com
The more you can tell them what you want the more you will enjoy the holiday. The dry season id late December through to the end of March which is the peak season, so it is best planning a year ahead if you can.
Tarpon Fishing – Elvin Gutierrez Arce (Primo) gutierrezelvin44@yahoo.com
Flyfishing rafting. Felipe Cervilla of Prorafting is on info@proraftingcostarica.com