I don’t normally write out itineraries for trips. I like to have a general idea of what I want to do but I keep plans open. What I feel like doing on any given day during a trip usually depends on how I’m feeling that day, the weather forecast and a few other things. However for this upcoming Costa Rica trip, I felt it was necessary to write up a game plan since Dave and I will be hopping from one place to the next every few days and we will be relying on public transportation for most of our travel. Travel times between locations average 3 hours and buses have to be coordinated.
Costa Rica Itinerary: February 21st – March 5th, 2010
February 21st, 2010
| 7:20 PM | Flight departs Montreal |
| 9:02 PM | Flight arrives in Newark |
February 22nd, 2010
| Breakfast | At Newark Airport |
| 7:25 AM | Flight departs Newark |
| 11:50 AM | Flight arrives in San Jose, Costa Rica |
| Lunch | At San Jose Airport or surrounding area |
| 2:15 PM | Shuttle pick-up at Holiday Inn Express Hotel |
| 2:30 PM | Shuttle departs for La Fortuna (approx. 3 hours) – via Desafio Adventure Company |
| 6:00 PM | Shuttle arrives in La Fortuna – drops off at La Choza Inn |
| Dinner |
February 23rd, 2010
| Breakfast | Included at La Choza Inn |
| Morning | La Fortuna Waterfall |
| Noon | Check-out of La Choza Inn |
| Lunch | In La Fortuna |
| From 3:00 PM | Check-in at the Arenal Observatory Lodge |
| Afternoon | Exploring Arenal, hiking, Old Lava Trail, Waterfall Trail |
| Dinner | At Arenal Observatory Lodge or take taxi into La Fortuna |
| Evening | Pool & Jacuzzi, volcano watching |
February 24th, 2010
| Breakfast | Included at the Arenal Observatory Lodge – Between 7:00 and 8:30 AM |
| 8:15 AM | Shuttle pick-up at Arenal Observatory Lodge – via Desafio Adventure Company – Taxi/Boat/Taxi service to Monteverde |
| 11:30AM | Arrive in Monteverde |
| Lunch | In Santa Elena, taxi to Trapp Family Lodge |
| 1:00 PM | Check-in at Trapp Family Lodge |
| Afternoon | Explore Monteverde, Cloud Forest Reserve open till 4PM |
| Dinner | At Trapp Family Lodge |
| 6:00 PM | Monteverde Cloud Forest Night Walk |
February 25th, 2010
| Breakfast | At Trapp Family Lodge |
| 12:00 PM | Check-out of Trapp Family Lodge |
| Lunch | In Santa Elena |
| Check-in at Cabinas Vistas al Golfo | |
| 1:30 PM | Pick-up for Extremo Canopy Tour via Desafio Adventure Tours |
| Dinner | In Santa Elena |
| Evening |
February 26th, 2010
| Breakfast | Included at Cabinas Vistas al Golfo or buy food at supermercado the night before |
| 6:00 AM | Bus departs for Puntarenas |
| 9:00 AM | Arrive in Puntarenas |
| 11:00 AM | Ferry to Paquera – 1 hour |
| 12:00 PM | Bus to Cóbano, Cóbano bus to Montezuma 1:15 PM or 3:15 PM OR |
| 12:30 PM | Bus to Montezuma |
| 1:30-2:00 PM | Arrive in Montezuma, Casas Colibrí |
| Lunch | In Montezuma |
| Afternoon | Explore Montezuma |
| Dinner | In Montezuma |
| Evening |
February 27th, 2010
| Breakfast | In apartment kitchen (buy food the day before) |
| Morning | Montezuma Waterfall Hike |
| Check-out | |
| Lunch | In Montezuma |
| 1:15 PM | Bus to Cóbano |
| 2:30 PM | Bus to Mal País |
| Check in at The Place | |
| Afternoon | Explore Mal País |
| Dinner | Las Piedras |
| Evening | D&N |
February 28th, 2010
| Breakfast | At The Place or in Playa Carmen |
| Morning | Surf Lesson |
| Lunch | Playa Carmen |
| Afternoon | Surf |
| Dinner | Vistas de Olas |
| Evening |
March 1st, 2010
| Breakfast | At The Place or in Playa Carmen |
| 7:00 AM | Bus from Mal País to Cóbano |
| 8:30 AM | Bus from Cóbano to Paquera |
| 10:00 AM | Ferry to Puntarenas |
| Lunch | In Puntarenas |
| 3:00 PM | Bus from Puntarenas to Quepos |
| 6:30 PM | Arrive in Quepos, taxi to Manuel Antonio |
| 7-7:30 PM | Arrive in Manuel Antonio, check-in at Vistas Serena |
| Dinner | In Manuel Antonio |
| Evening |
March 2nd, 2010
| Breakfast | In Manuel Antonio |
| From 7:00 AM | Manuel Antonio National Park |
| Lunch | In Manuel Antonio, pack a lunch |
| Afternoon | Explore, hike in National Park or surf and swim at Playa Espadilla outside park entrance |
| Dinner | In Manuel Antonio |
| Evening |
March 3rd, 2010
| Breakfast | In Manuel Antonio |
| 9:00 AM | Taxi to Quepos |
| 9:30 AM | Express bus to San Jose (Alajuela) from Quepos |
| 1:00 PM | Arrive in San Jose, check-in to Hotel Los Volcanes |
| Lunch | In Alajuela |
| Afternoon | Explore Alajuela |
| Dinner | In Alajuela |
| Evening |
March 4th, 2010
| Breakfast | At hotel or airport |
| Morning | Taxi to San Jose Airport |
| Lunch | At San Jose Airport |
| 1:45 PM | Flight to Houston, Texas |
| 5:37 PM | Arrive in Houston, Texas, pick-up bags, customs |
| Dinner | At IAH |
| 8:45 PM | Flight to Newark |
| 12:59 AM | Arrive at Newark |
March 5th, 2010
| Breakfast | At airport |
| 8:40 AM | Flight to Montreal |
| 10:28 AM | Arrive in Montreal |
RECENT Comments