Holidays

I've been to Nicaragua, which is basically Costa Rica on the cheap.

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OK - Costa Rica. It's about the size of Wales. Where isn't? As iamofwfc has said it does take a bit of time to get around though although the infrastructure is considerably better than in much of the rest of Central/Latin America what with CR being the USA's best friend there and all. That also allows it to enjoy the luxury of not having to have an army in a notoriously unstable region. They know the GIs would be on the next plane down if they ever had any serious bother. Many Americans have retired there too so it's much more 'americanised' than all the other adjacent countries.

The people are friendly enough as they are everywhere else I've ever been except one place and if I was to tell you where that was then I'd be bound to be accused of some prejudice or other. As for food - it's got a Mexican flavour to it which isn't my favourite. Plenty of beans and plantain. But the meat is good enough as there is plenty of ranch-land reclaimed from the jungle. Having said that, I think CR has the greatest percentage of land given over to national parks of any country in the world. If you're in San Jose then there will be plenty of the usual international cuisine outlets.

Most of the country is jungle except Guanacaste province in the north-west which is dryer and more 'Mexican like'. Things to see:

1. Wildlife (if you're into it). It's what much of CR's tourist industry is based on. There are loads of hummingbirds. I saw 42 different species on one trip! Find a veranda with some feeders especially in the jungle although there are plenty of them in the towns too. Get up at dawn, sit on the veranda, drink the delicious local coffee and listen to and watch the jungle waking up. There are plenty of gaudy toucans and tanagers flying about. Coatis are the commonest mammal. But wildlife watching in the jungle is much harder than in east Africa say which is open bush country with most things much more instantly visible. Carara N.P. on the Pacific coast is good. Stand on the Rio Tarcoles bridge there at dusk and watch the crocodiles below and the scarlet Macaws flying to roost in the palms to the west. There's a terrific rustic little place called Rancho Naturalista to the south of San Jose near Turrialba volcano which has the best veranda I've ever been on. Monteverde N.P. cloud forest to the north-west of San Jose is world famous and the home of the Resplendant Quetzal, arguably the most beautiful in the world and Guatemala's national bird.

2. Also wildlife but a real treat. Visit a turtle breeding beach. It's a spiritual experience to watch 'your' turtle come out of the sea for once in two years, crawl up the beach, dig it's nest-hole, lay 100+ eggs, fill in the hole again, take a breather and go back to the sea for another two years. That's what you do. Adopt your own turtle for the 90 mins or so the whole process takes rather than wandering up and down the beach looking at loads of turtles. There are beaches on both the Pacific and Caribbean coasts for various species at different times of the year but if you're there next month then your best bet should be Tortuguero N.P. on the Caribbean coast for the Leatherbacks. The biggest turtles of the lot about the size of a chest-of-drawers!

3. Volcanoes. The one that iamofwfc mentioned is Arenal I think, about 90 km to the north-west of San Jose. It's very predictable and you can sit in the eco-lodge there eating your dinner and watch red-hot rocks roll down the mountain every 20 mins or so. Poas volcano is much nearer to San Jose, also to the north-west. Unfortunately though it's rather less predictable and blew up a bit earlier this month so the N.P. is currently shut! If it's open again when you're there it's a 1/2 day or day trip out of San Jose. There are a few others like Turrialba to the south but access is more difficult.

4. When I've stayed in San Jose it's always been at the Bougainvillea Hotel in San Domingo in the north of the city. Very pleasant to chill out in with lovely gardens.

That's it I think. If you wanna know anything else El distraido just let me know.

Cheers,

Kelso

 

Thank you all!

Kelso - I know I'll be in Costa Rica for 2 weeks, but don't know where I'm going yet unfortunately. The places you mentioned sound great though. Love the sound of the wildlife!

 

Excellent. Let me know when you're going then. The only advice that might change would be re. turtle beaches and Poas volcano might be open again.

If I think of anything else I'll post it on here.

 

I just got an email saying highway 1 from Big sur station to ragged point is closed until (really ****** annoyingly) the day we leave. How much does this mean i'll miss? It's really annoying.

 

If it's shut from the Big Sur station you'll need to leave Highway 1 at Carmel-By-The-Sea which means you'll miss pretty much everything. Otherwise drive down to the station until the road is closed and go back up to Carmel. It's only about 30 miles mind. You then won't be able to rejoin Highway 1 until after Cambria which is some way after Ragged Point. In my opinion it's not worth it, sorry :frown:

 

It looks like when I go it'll be the first section on here that'll still be shut, but I think Gorda to San Simeon will be open by then - http://www.bigsurcalifornia.org/highway_conditions.html

It looks like we may be able to drive down until the Big Sur Station and then go back to the other route and then cut through Nacimiento-Fergusson back to the route. Still really ****ing annoying.

I'm really pissed off, because it looks like people have known about it for a while and they didn't mention this when we booked it.

EDIT - Looked up the Nacimiento-Fergusson road and wouldn't want to drive it. Would definitely drive the first bit and turn around, but would it be worth driving back up towards the big sur from Cambria?

 

I'm out here now! Just arrived in Arenal last night from Tortuguero. Woken up now to a view of the volcano!

 

Excellent. Apologies. Haven't been on this bit of the forum for a bit ...

 

Anyone been to Zadar, Croatia?

 

No prob!

 

Yeah, nice place. Not worth it on it's own as pretty limited in terms of things to do/see but great as part of a Croatia itinerary.

 

Dubrovnik is a must. You can stay in an apartment in the walls for about £70.

Go to Makarska and do an island boat trip. Costs £25 for the day including fish dinner!

Plitvice Lakes is incredible too.

Split is ok.

£1.70 a pint on the frontline beach.

 

This man is a legend... http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-australia-40577923

 

I'm off to Sri Lanka tomorrow.

Anybody been?

 

Just for a short stay on the way to Thailand a few years ago (I went just before the end of the Civil War)

Basically, amazing people, most hospitable ever. Lovely beaches.

I don't know anything more specific, but I think you'll find it hard to go wrong.

 

Went Kos, was 46 degrees, will never complain about the heat here ever again.

 

Yes, I've stayed there en route to far east a couple of times and worked there for a week 10 years ago. As Moog says, wonderful, wonderful people. Great food, lowish prices, warm seas and this month is the dry season, I believe.

One bad point, was that I got attacked by a dirty great big rook when sitting by the pool of the Galle Face Hotel. Actually took a chunk out of my scalp!

But it is near the top of my list of destinations for a proper holiday.

 

Is that why you wear the hat, ZZ?

 

The rook was a dirty commie offended by your ostentatious show of wealth ...

Yes comrade you ARE being watched

 

shood of took him wiv ur bishop

 

Almost certainly an Indian House Crow ...

 

Just came back from Novalja. Croatia is beaaaautiful

 

So... My trip is a mere two weeks away. I'd like suggestions for things to do in:

San Fran
Yosemite (must do's in the park - general hints and tips)
Monterey
&Santa Barbara

& LA, but i've been there before so already have a rough idea.

All help is appreciated! There's so much information on the internet, i'd much rather hear it from real people...!

 

Alcatraz is well worth a visit in San Fran, best to pre-book tickets, if you pitch up on the day you will be disappointed. There used to be an English pub in the Haight Ashbury called Mad Dog in the Fog that had a Watford scarf on the ceiling, shows live English footy with the time difference on a Sunday you can have a full monty fryup with a pint watching a match at 7 in the morning. Hearst Castle also worth a gander on the way down Highway 1.

 

Just back from a week at my girlfriends parents in Co.Longford in Eire, obv I'd rather be in Co. Kerry but hey ho. Lovely weather, relaxed and laid back way of life, but her parents save up all the jobs for my visits, still...it works up a thirst for the Guinness

Climbed Croagh Patrick this year..tough going but well worth it,

 

Can only speak for San Fran, but Alcatraz is a must see. It's worth making the most of waking up early due to your body clock being screwed and taking an early tour to avoid the crowds Get the audio guide for the best experience.

Tram ride also has to be done. Queues can get silly (and that was 20 years ago), so again make the most of the early start.

Evening meal on Pier 39 when the sun sets and you've got Alcatraz and the Golden Gate bridge for a backdrop will also live long in the memory.

We also took a guided minibus tour of the city which is a really good way to cram a lot of sights into a short space of time.

Enjoy your holiday.

 

Off to Serbia, Bosnia and Croatia next weekend!

 

Excellent, where are you going in each? Was in Zadar then Banja Luka a couple of weeks ago. I try and get down to Yugoslavia a least once a year.

I like Croatia, but Bosnia and Serbia are way more friendly and interesting.

Taking in any football? Went to Borac Banja Luka v NK Vitez this year and managed to get in trips to watch Partizan Belgrade and Hajduk Split in the past.

 

I have to say Sri Lanka is a brilliant place - I'd highly recommend it.

2 weeks probably wasn't long enough!

 

Girlfriend is Peruvian and has family out there so heading there next year for hopefully 3 or 4 weeks which should be fun!

 

I've been married to a Peruvian for 13 years, my advice is to go on a diet for a couple of months beforehand as every family member will want to feed you (and give seconds), it is considered an insult to refuse food.

I've been 5 times, my wife has family in Lima and Trujillo. Because of Peru's pre-Columbian history there is a hell of a lot to see in the country and in 3 weeks you won't see a fraction of what is there. If you want more information then feel free to PM me

 

I'm not really a wine drinker, neither is my girlfriend, so we decided to give that a miss. We're in Monterey for two days, so i'm sure we'll visit Carmel too!

Thanks everyone else for your tips!

 

Split's much better than OK. You can eat in a Roman emperor's palace, among many other things. The old city of Dubrovnik, while wonderful, is a tourist town bets visited in early morning or evening when it's not inundated with tourists from cruise ships, while Split is a real town, albeit with spectacular old buildings.

Korcula is well worth visiting too. And further south, in Montenegro, Kotor and Perast are fun.