NEXT TIME?

The very bumpy roads made driving more arduous and slower than we anticipated, thus we did not see all we had planned to see. We did not see Arenal Volcano or the Quepos area. If we go to Costa Rica again, they would be high on our list. However, we also would consider a tour and leaving the driving to them.

Arenal Volcano

The summit of the Arenal Volcano, rising 1,633 meters above sea level and continuously active since 1968, towers far above the northern plains overlooking a wind-swept lake and pristine cloud forests reserves. An incredibly diverse population of wildlife awaits you in this part of Costa Rica .

The weather in this particular region tends to characterize itself with warm daytime temperatures (low to mid 80's) and relatively high humidity. There are intermittent rain showers that usually pass quickly. From late February to early May, the rain lessens in frequency which allows for fantastic skyscapes during sunrise and sunset.

Jaco

Jaco Beach is the first developed beach town on ht Pacific coast as you head south from San Jose . It is thus “crowded” by Costa Rica standards. Swimming is possible, but there can be bad rip currents. Though there are many quieter and less crowded places, Jaco continues to grow and draw tourist who wan to hang out in a busy beach town. Christy said it has wild dogs.

Quepos

This town is popular because it is 7 km form Manual Antonio National Park . You have to go through the town to get to the park. Lots of places to stay. Don't leave cars unattended except in guarded parking areas.

Manual Antonio National Park

At 683 hectares, it is the smallest national park, but also one of the most popular. It is popular because of beaches, rainforest, monkeys and iquanas. Because of over crowding, no vehicles are allowed in the park. Closed Mondays. Visitors limited to 800 on weekends and holidays, and 600 during the week. So arrive early. There are lots of places to stay close to the park.