Costa Rica?

hobo18

Has anyone visited Costa Rica in December?  Any thought?  We are actually taking our honeymoon later because we don't want to be in the middle of either hurricane or rainy season anywhere!  

cronopia

Hey! I'm Costa Rican, and no, don't worry, December isn't rainy season down here. It is a little cold in the Central Valley, but hey, cold for us means around 15°-20° C! If you have any ideas or preferences (beach, mountain, etc.), I'd love to help you out! There are lots of beautiful beaches, but do remember that December is a peak vacation month here, so you might not get the best prices in hotels. Anyways, congratulations! And feel free to ask anything, I'd really love to help you plan your honeymoon in my beautiful country!

hobo18

How sweet of you!  Thank you!  We def want beach!  I would also love to visit the rain forests.  What about November?  How is the weather then?  I hear there are wild monkeys around also.  I would love to see that!

cronopia

Well, November usually means more rain than in December, but then again, it is tropical rainforest you're looking for, right? January is also a great month, because there's less rain and lower prices at hotels than during December. As for the rainforest, Corcovado and Monteverde are both awesome rainforest, with lots of great lodging options, usually not very expensive. As for the beaches, Guanacaste is a safer bet, because it has a drier climate. My favorites up there are the Santa Teresa/Malpaís area, which is a long stretch of white sand beach, with great restaurants and hotels. It is not so touristy, so it's never too crowded. Right on the other side of the tip of the Peninsula is another great beach, Montezuma (recommended hotel: Ylang Ylang), which is also perfect for a honeymoon (there are a few waterfalls by hike, which are awesome). Also, Point Islita is wonderful, and there's a beautiful hotel there (http://www.hotelpuntaislita.com/), which is amazing. You can also visit the Central Pacific, which is a little more humid, so you could expect more rain, but the beaches of Manuel Antonio National Park are some of the most beautiful I've ever seen, also full of wildlife. The Quepos area, near the park, has great restaurants and hotels, my favorite one is Si Como No Hotel, it's just magical! If you'd like, I could also recommend some sites in San José, the capital, if you'd like to stay here a few days, and some of the best restaurants in the country!

Again, if you'd like more info, please ask! You'll find that Costa Rica is a super tourist-friendly place, almost everyone speaks at least a little English, and it's easy to find your way around, so there shouldn't be a need for a travel agency, unless you really wanted to work with one. You could also try the canopy tours through the rainforest (there's a ton of those!), whitewater rafting, birdwatching, surfing, bungee-jumping, camping... pretty much whatever you can think of, other than snow skiing!

cronopia

Oh, and yeah, rainforests and beaches are great for wildlife, and you can totally see monkeys, birds (toucans, quetzals, hummingbirds, hawks, etc.), alligators, all kinds of tropical fish, tons of iguanas, frogs and toads... Although Costa Rica only has 0,03% of the world's surface, it holds a whopping 4% of its biodiversity. And about 25% of our territory is under wildife protection. So, yeap, it's pretty much amazing!

hobo18

wow! soo many options!  well we def want to go to one place and then stay there.  we don't want to spend a few days here and a few days there.  I don't know if that will help narrow it down.  I guess I want a little of everything!  Thank you so much for your help.  I think maybe we will go in January now.  We are flexible with that.  We are getting married in Sept...although the end..I don't want to chance it being rainy!  What part are you from?

hobo18

one more thing..we would like to stay in a private villa.  is that safe?

mpgator

I stayed at Si Como No in Manual Antonio and highly recommend it. The beach is amazing and the wildlife is too

hobo18

I have been checking out all the links u guys gave me..thank u so much.  everything looks amazing.  We have decided we really dont want to spend more than $4000 for a week.  Are there any all inclusives that are good?  I am not seeing a lot of them

cronopia

Ok, here are a few all-inclusive resorts, all in the Guanacaste Province (Northern Pacific): the Occidental Grand Papagayo (http://en.occidentalhotels.com/grand/Papagayo.asp), the Riu Guanacaste (http://en.occidentalhotels.com/grand/Papagayo.asp) and the Hilton Papagayo (http://www1.hilton.com/en_US/hi/hotel/SJOPAHH-Hilton-Papagayo-Costa-Rica-Resort-Spa/index.do). Of course there are other options, it's just a matter of looking for them. Personally, I prefer non all-inclusive hotels, but that's just because I NEVER eat or drink as much as they charge for. And I also like to go out and find nearby restaurants and try different things. But it really depends on you and what you guys like. I've personallly never been to these hotels, but have heard good things about them. The ones that I can vouch for are Pun*nta Islita, Si Como No, Villa Caletas (not such a pretty beach, but the boutique hotel is spectacular) or the JW Marriot. Anyways, it depends on you guys! So, tell me what you think and if would like to know anything else! Good luck!

cronopia

Oh, and I do think you can find awesome hotels for that budget, and they don't have to be all-inclusive to be amazing!

hobo18

I def agree wit you as far as trying different places!  Even if we find a hotel for like $3000 then have maybe $1500 to spend that would be ok I guess.  We figured an all inclusive would be the best budget friendly option.  I checked out a lot of the links...it's a lot to take in.  When I go away I like to see the culture of the land and experience as much as I can.  All inclusive places are very limiting.  I am glad you said we can find something within our budget that does not have to be so limiting!  

Most of the sites don't even go that far into the future when i tried to check the dates!  But I am getting general ideas of the prices..and i also learned they call rainy season "green".  HAHA

chela1208

Hello ) 

I'm getting married in April 2011 and will be going to Costa Rica for honeymoon.  I booked my honeymoon at Light of Dawn Villa in Quepos for $3700. We are staying 7 days, 6 nights.  It is all inclusive.  Included in the package is a 2 day, 2 night stay at a beach resort. Also included is a private massage for you and your husband & 2 day trips.  It is located in the middle of the rainforest.  It has approximately 20 waterfalls within the property (you can even swin in it).  The place looks absolutely amazing.  The owners, who are American, are extremely helpful and answered all of my questions.  We are flying into San Jose and then we are taking a little plane to Quepos.  The owners will pick us up and take us to the Villa. The ride to the villa is supposed to be breathtaking.   The place looks like paradise.  I cannot wait for my honeymoon!!  The link for the Villa is:

                           www.mytropicalhoneymoon.com

I hope this helps ) 

hobo18

wow it looks amazing!!! is there a pool there?  i didn't see it in any of the pics....thank you for the info!!!

cronopia

Well, at the Pu*nta Islita Hotel, for example, you could stay at a honeymoon suite for 7 days and 6 nights for about $2900. And that's one of the best hotels in the country, if you ask me (and a few other folks, since it's won lots of awards!). The great thing about the country is that, since it's so small, you're within an hours' drive to lots of other awesome places! And the cool thing about this hotel is that it is commited to the sustainable development of the community, so most people working there live in nearby rural towns, which has really uplifted the local economy. So, they're ecologicaly and socially responsible, which is awesome. So, yes, you can stay at some of the best hotels in Costa Rica and stay within your budget! There are also lots of other eco-friendlly hotels, well within your budget. Anyways, let me know if there's anything else you need! Since it's a small country, its easy to ask around for hotel recommendations, just so you don't have to rely on the less-than-truthful marketing strategies out there!

hobo18

Thank youso much!  It is just so hard to book something online without actually seeing things.....I hate that!  I would much rather base things on recomendations.  i have learned somuch through planning this wedding!  I have learned the biggest lesson of all!!!  Pictures are not true!  We looked at so many places that looked soo nice in pics n the internet but then when we got there the place was nothing like what the pictures portrayed it to be!!  I dont want that to be my honeymoon!!!

cronopia

I totally understand! And don't worry, you'll find something perfect!

sjbresnick

CRONOPIA, what are your thoughts on a honeymoon to Costa Rica at the beginning of September?  I know it's the rainy/green season, but from what I read online, some people really enjoy going at this time. 

Thanks for your input!

cronopia

sjbresnick... I know people usually make a big fuss about the rain and all that... but having lived since I was born (27 years ago), I can honestly tell you that it's not a big deal. Yes, it does rain a lot, compared to countries in the upper northern hemisphere or those below the tropics, but it's nothing that would ruin a honeymoon! On this webpage, you can find a chart with average temperatures and rainfall in San José, the capital. Of course, you can expect less rain and a hotter climate on the northern pacific region, and more humidity and a bit lower temperatures if you go to the caribbean coast. That said, September is quite rainy, but not as much as October. But once again, if you are planning on hitting the beaches of the Guanacaste region, you probably won't have much problem. Chances are it will rain, but not all day long (most likely during the afternoon or evening). And remember, this IS the tropical rainforest... so we are used to unpredictable rain almost any time. Other than that, I can tell you - from personal experience - that there's nothing more romantic than spending a whole weekend practically locked in a villa... just listening to the thunderstorm of watching the rain fall on the forest! Just remember, it will rain, but that won't ruin anything... it's just part of the experience of a tropical paradise! If there's anything else you want to know, feel free to ask or send me a message! Good luck!