Costa Rica 2021

 

June 2021. My son had graduated college and was completing an epic trip through Colombia and Panama. My daughter had finished high school. So much to celebrate! And a great excuse for a trip. We met in San José and rented a car.

Costa Rica is the perfect country for independent travelers who enjoy the outdoors. The infrastructure is good, it feels safe, the people are friendly, and there is so much to see and experience. We hardly scratched the surface.

We enjoyed the vibrant atmosphere in San José, the Poás and Arenal volcanoes, the waterfalls and lively tourist feel of La Fortuna, the cloud forest, hanging bridges, and ziplines of Monteverde, and the wild Pacific beaches of Uvita. 

The highlights for us were Manuel Antonio and Corcovado. Costa Rica's natural beauty and diversity are on full display. It is so much fun to explore!    

San José

Poás Volcano

Catarata San Fernando

La Fortuna

Arenal Volcano

El Choyin thermal river

Monteverde

Orchid Garden

Selvatura

Quepos

Manuel Antonio

Sierpe River

Drake Bay

Corcovado 

Uvita

Details

Sat Jun 12 San Jose

• Arrive noon
• Vamos car rental
• Suzuki Vitara
• Hotel Novo
• Clean Hotel in Old City
• Meet F, travelled thru Colombia, Panama

Sun Jun 13 La Fortuna

• Poas volcano
• Helmets, Paved walk to top, look into crater
• Active, steaming green lake
• Tamandua Home Feeling
• Modern Stand-Alone Condo in Costa Rican campo
• Arenal volcano
• Walked around base to old lava flow
• Waterfall
• 500 steps
• Swimming
• Hanging Bridges
• Thermally heated hot water river
• Hummingbirds, colorful birds, millipedes

Tue Jun 15 Monteverde

• Attractive tourist town in the cloud forest
• Hotel El Atardecer
• Big Hotel close to town
• Fried chicken on the balcony
• Pool hall on a rainy day
• Nature Reserve
• Morning walk thru cloud forest
• Continental Divide
• Agouti
• elvatura
• Ziplines
• Hanging Bridges
• Orchid garden

Thu Jun 17 Quepos

• Manuel Antonio national park
• Capuchin monkeys, coati, bats, sloth, howler monkeys
• Playa Biesanz, Manuel Antonio, Gamelas beaches
• Surfing
• Manuel Antonio Park House
• Caupuchin monkeys on the roof
• Cool swimming pool
• Sloth over parking lot
• Green iguana and capuchin monkey invasion

Sun Jun 20 Drake Bay

• Sierpe river boat
• Corcovado national park
• Spider monkey, howler monkey, squirrel monkey
• Crocodile, tapir, coati, tamandua, peccary, toucan, egret
• Sirena ranger station
• Snorkeling
• Isla de Cano
• Colorful fish, turtles, shark?
• San Josecito rough surf beach
• Coconuts and mangoes
• Cotingas Ocean View
• 115 steps
• Balcony with ocean view
• Colorful birds all around
• Brown pelican

Wed Jun 23 Uvita

• Villa Maria Luisa
• Pool with Water Gun
• Close to Playa Colonia
• Playa Hermosa, Playa Colonia
• Big surf
• Trees growing to high tide mark
• Beach iguanas, soda iguanas?

Fri Jun 25 San Jose

• Hotel Novo 
• Clean hote, good location
• Return car, no issues
• Fly home

Animal Sightings
 1 Capuchin monkey
 2 Coati
 3 Bat
 4 Sloth
 5 Howler monkey
 6 Green iguana
 7 Agouti
 8 Hummingbirds
 9 Colorful bird
10 Millipede
11 Spider monkey
12 Squirrel monkey
13 Crocodile
14 Tapir
15 Tamandua
16 Peccary
17 Toucan
18 Egret
19 Colorful fish
20 Turtle
21 Brown pelican
22 Brown iguana
23 Grey iguana