Most Inspirational Moment
I'll share three with you, all slightly different....
1) Swimming in the waterfall at La Fortuna, after a long walk down the steps to get there. The refreshing water was certainly welcomed after the humid day!
2) Sloths - Spotting a sloth with her baby clinging on (for dear life it seemed!) slowly moving from tree to tree. The second sloth encounter at the side of the road as we were driving past was just a fantastic sight and one we were so lucky to see.
3) The beaches - Although the beach at Tortuguero was not the most picturesque with its black sand, it was still a beautiful sight and only a stones throw away from the village. It was also lovely to spend a couple of hours at the beach at Manuel Antonio with its white sand and crystal clear waters.
Thoughts on Group Leader
Gustavo was very knowledgeable about everything! Plants, birds, wildlife, you name it and he could give us some information about it! Anything he didn't know he looked up as he was so keen to please and ensure we had an answer. Gustavo was always very professional and wanted to make sure everyone enjoyed the trip. He arranged some very nice meals at local restaurants and even ensured we got back to watch the Olympics opening ceremony in San Jose on our last day!
Advice for Potential Travellers
Costa Rica is certainly not a cheap country but do not worry about taking local currency. Take a lot of US Dollars and you will be given the change in local currency (Colones). Even in the markets, stallholders were able to quote prices in and accept US Dollars. Just be sure to find the ATMs that dispense Dollars as not all do!
It is a very hot and humid country, particularly in the cloud forest and rainforest regions. I only wore my waterproof a couple of times, preferring in these areas to wear a cheap plastic poncho to cover my rucksack, camera and me. A small umbrella also wouldn't go amiss!
I went in the 'wet season' and as such we did have a fair amount of rain. Luckily this was usually confined to times when we were on the bus, or of an afternoon or evening when we had reached our hotel or lodge. However you might wish to carry a poncho or small umbrella with you at all times as the rain does come in quickly!
You do spend a reasonable amount of time on the bus. It is air conditioned and has wifi however! The travelling time is broken up with lots of stops so keep your camera handy in case your leader spots some elusive wildlife en route!
Food is good to excellent - some places it is a set menu, others you order from a small choice and a couple of places have a buffet. No-one will starve but you may need to be a little flexible if the set meal is not to your liking.
Most hotels have a laundry service and have a speedy turnaround (often drop off before 8am means return by 5pm). Check whether the cost is per item or per bag as we got stung with a $15 bill for 4 items as the charge was per bag!
