Costa Rica Tours- Book before or book there?

Question

Should we book tours for costa rica before we get there? Or is it okay if we do it when we get to Monteverde, Arenal, Jaco Beach, and Manuel Antonio? We wanted to do canopy tours, guided tours, and go whitewater rafting. There are also 8 of us in the group.

Answer 1

It depends on a few things.  These are...

1.  How adventurous you are.

2.  What you want to do.

3.  How experienced you are with latin american countries.

4.  If you will be there during the busy season (October - March).

The best idea might be to do a "rough" map of where you will go.  I liked staying at the "Casa Milvia" in San Jose.  The owner is from Britian originally and speaks perfect English.  He can help you with setting up a trip.  It is like a bread and breakfast, but there are a decent amount of rooms.  He can send you on quite a few good tours.  Specifically the whitewater rafting and safari style tours.  Many of these tours will pick you up, take you out for breakfast, and take you to your destination.. then feed you again and take you back to the hotel.  There is also a very nice night life in walking distance of la Casa Milvia.  There is a very busy jazz club near by that I loved.  

Then maybe from there you can go to Monteverde and Arenal.  I stayed at "Observatory Lodge".  It has a great view of Arenal Volcano.  Beware, there isn't a TV or phone in any room (on purpose,you're supposed to enjoy the natural setting and volcano).  There are numerous observatories at this hotel to view the volcano from.  

I stayed at "El Establo" when I went to Monteverde.  It's a very large hotel, but very nice.  The climate is chilly so bring a sweatshirt.  

I stayed at "las Casitas Eclipses" near the Manuel Antonio park.  It's right across from the infamous "Avion" restaurant.  It's basically a hotel made up of little houses.  Your group could comfortably stay in one of these houses.  Manuel Antonio would be a short trip by bus or taxi.

I was very unimpressed with Jaco.  The town is neat, but I didn't care for it nevertheless.  If you want to go surfing, Jaco will be good for that.  Otherwise, I consider it a dump.

I hope this all helps.  Oh, and don't forget that Costa Rica is rich in different cultures.  You may want to end your trip with a play or concert at the infamous concert hall in San Jose.  It's beautiful.  I'm jealous.  Can't wait until I can go to Costa Rica again.

Answer 2

Well depend. when You come to Costa Rica there some times that is difficult to come and probably is better book ahead if you want to be sure to have space in Hotels.To do canopy tours, guided tours, and go whitewater rafting no problems you could book on site because you are many people.

Answer 3

if you are going to monte verde you should definitely look at this site I'm about to give you because it offers a wealth of information about Monte Verde and what to do there and canopy tours and also it tells you a lot about the Volcan Arenal area which is called La Fortuna. Have fun, I'm sure you ll love Monte Verde. They also have a 1-800 toll free number for more info http://www.monteverdeinfo.com/

Answer 4

Hi Amar,

I recommend that you book ahead for certain tours that you would like to do the first few days. Being able to check online for reviews and prices is easier from the comfort of your own computer.

Once you get here you can start thinking of the activities that would follow the first few days and decide then.

I do recommend staying away from street vendors. Go directly to the tour operator in order to get the best service.

In Monteverde, Skytrek canopy is always recommended. In Arenal, Desafio Adventures offers great rafting and in Manuel Antonio H2O for rafting and Canopy Safari for canopy. There are many other companies that are good as well.

One last thing: stay away from Jaco. The place has been overbuilt and unless you enjoy a crowd and lackluster beaches you better go somewhere else like Dominical or the Caribbean depending on what season you come.

Good luck,

Carlos