* EmDizzle*

dazed2confused

I see that you went to costa rica for your HM...we are finally taking ours a week from today, and are going there as well!  I was wondering if you had any tips, what did you do, what did u buy and bring home etc...we want to make the most of our time.  We are spending a few days in Arenal, and then a few in guanacaste.  We are already planning a volcano hike with hot springs, and ziplining

 

Thanks for your help!  

EmDizzle

ooooooooooooooo I love talking Costa Rica   I just wrote a novel here, but I'm also happy to answer any more questions you have

 Where in Guanacaste are you staying?  We were on Playa Conchal, just north of Tamirindo (probably the most popular beach/surfing town in Guanacaste).

Overall, Costa Ricans are absurdly nice.  Everyone in the tourist industry knows English really well, as did the waiters in the few restaurants we went to.  We went to a coffee stand once where the gal didn't know English, and we politely asked in Spanish if someone did and she kindly got a co-worker.  We studied up on some basics of the language, and the folks are super kind about your attempts, they'll help you learn new words and phrases, but they don't mind English either... Just don't be a bittch about it, lol (there was one woman at our resort that we nick-named "Princess" that was a complete Bittch to the wait staff... pulled the whole "I"M SPEAKING ENGLISH!"... yea it was bad.  The waiters then talked about her in Spanish right behind her, we understood bits and pieces, it was hilarious!).  You'll learn a lot, and probably make some friends, they're so nice.  I damn near wanted to ask our favorite waiter and hostess for their addresses or something so we could keep in touch, I just loved them. 

Everything there that you'd want to bring home is really cheap.  Oh, and everyone accepts American cash (and cards if your in a store).  We actually shipped home a box of coffees and chocolates.  I bought a bunch of randoms from the beach vendors, and some coffee liquors that we brought home in our bags no problem.  I hope you like coffee.  It is sooooo good there.  I take mine con leche :P

Where are you flying into?  Liberia is much more middle of no-where compared to San Jose.  We flew into Liberia and it was one hell of a culture shock.  I mean, I did my research but still.  Make sure you have your transportation from the airport concrete.  Taxi drivers are going to hound you like you've never experienced, all yelling at you in Spanish, culture overload right after you step off the plane (it was kind of cool as we look back, but kind of scary at the time).  and to us privileged Americans, driving through those small towns at first glance you it looks like your in some tropical ghetto.   In reality, they're rather safe and the people are happy - the big thing is that there are tall fences around everything, which makes you think "clearly this place isn't safe if everyone has to put giant gates up", when actually, there are tall fences everywhere because cows and horses roam free - if you don't have fence, you garden is gone. 

We were booked with the one resort all week, but we did 3 trips:

1. Borinquen Resort for a day, on a volcano northwest  (just straight up the volcano line), for horseback riding (up the mountain side), down one of the highest zip-line tours in the Guanacaste, then caking ourselves in volcanic hot spring mud and relaxing in crazy hot pools that are filled with hot spring water.  

2. Day trip to Arenal.  I'm usually not a fan of 'tours' but being in a foreign country in central america for the first time, it felt the safest way to go.   I actually enjoyed the whole tour bus ride a lot more than I thought I would.  I learned SO MUCH about the country, the guides are super candid and will answer any questions you have, not from a 'tour text book' but from their own experience and opinions, I loved it.  I also LOVED the rainforest tour.  It was kind of short for an avid hiker/adventurist like myself, but I knew that this was supposed to be a relaxing honeymoon, with a touch of adventure, so I loved it for what it was.

The city at the base of Arenal is adorable!!

3. Afternoon on a catamaran + snorkeling.  This was a blast.  There was a fully stocked bar on the boat, with a bartender that poured ridiculously heavy.  I think I only got one in though before the sea waves were making me uneasy, so I was a bummed I couldn't drink anymore (vacation is like the only time in my life that I drink more than one glass of anything, so I was really bummed! lol).  Again the guides on this boat were just great.  We'd stop the boat in a cove, they'd blast the latin music and try to get everyone to start dancing!   Snorkeling was a lot of fun, though there are these really tiny jellyfish that are common in those waters (at least when we were there in October), they were like smaller than a dime, I saw one right in front my face and freaked for a quick second.  Scot got a couple little stings, as did a few others, but we compared them to like little mosquito bites, nothing really.  And the guides had spray bottles of vinegar for folks if they wanted it.   The little jellyfish didn't stop me from continuing the afternoon in the water though.

 

dazed2confused

Thanks so much!  We are really excited.  We do have a ride from the airport which i think is key.  We booked through a travel agency b/c on of Ahmed's friends mom is a TA.  We are staying in the Playa Matapalo region.  I need to do some more research i think before we leave...i'm typically so much more on the ball with this.  Did you find it easy to find your day excursions? 

 

Thanks again for the advice!